Page 96 of Then You Happened
“No, it’s just . . .” I can take care of it myself. I know he’s seen how this town is to me, but I don’t want him to see more of it. I don’t want him to see me through a different set of eyes. “Let me. It’s my . . . I can handle it.”
Jack stands there, the muscle feathering in his jaw, but he nods without saying another word and moves back to helping Will.
My hands are on my hips, and my feet are on the edge of my driveway by the time Rusty steps out of the cruiser.
“Let me guess,” I say as soon as he shuts his car door. “You finally found out the truth. I’m a fugitive who’s been on the run for years. The stable is actually a meth lab, and I keep the horses as a cover. That’s why I can’t make a profit to keep this place afloat with horse sales . . . but, shhh, I do have a tank load of money over in the broken-down silo from all my drug sales.” The smile I flash is sickeningly sweet and loaded with the same sarcasm that laces my voice.
He coughs out a laugh with a shake of his head. “Seems someone ate their Wheaties with a side of snark this morning.”
“Nope, just sick of this bullshit.” I shift on my feet. “What is it, Rusty? You’ve only come out this way for two reasons: to tell me my husband died and to tell me someone hates me or my ranch or both. The first one can’t happen again, so I’m guessing it’s the latter.”
His smile is slow to spread, but when it does, it brightens his eyes. “I like this new you. Where has she been?”
“Good question.” I snort, but I know.
And I hate that it has anything to do with a man, but it does.
Not that Jack gave me worth by befriending me or that a few bouts of sex gave me that a-ha moment about everything, but there is something to be said about finding someone you trust after feeling like there is no one you can.
“So?” I let the word stretch out as he eyes the two trucks in the driveway that aren’t mine.
“Rumors are you’re selling. That you’re getting this all set up to pawn it off to some big rancher who’s going to gut this land and make a circus of the town.”
“Uh-huh. Big ranchers are knocking down the door to buy me out. The line they’re waiting in is right there.” I point to the empty lot on the side of my house. At least the rumors make sense since Jack used to deal in acquisitions. “What is the deal, Rusty, because I know you aren’t here to chase down gossip.”
“There is no deal,” Jack says, startling me since I hadn’t heard him walking up behind me. Rusty turns slowly, his thumbs hooked in the loops of his slacks, his shoulders squared. The look of surprise on his face probably mirrors mine. “Is there, Sheriff? You’re out here chasing bullshit rumors and badgering Tate because it’s ten times easier than confronting your old buddies from high school about shit they need to stop.”
“And you are?” Rusty asks, his tone not the slightest bit amused.
“A concerned citizen who’s having to connect the dots because it appears that you’re not exactly doing your job,” Jack says as he steps up beside me, arms folded over his chest, posture defensive.
“Name.” There is no mistaking that Rusty’s pissed.
“Jack, I’m the new ranch manager.”
“Well, Jack Sutton—”
“Ah, see? You did know who I was when you rolled up. Let me guess, they’ve talked about me in the Lone Star rumor mill too?” Jack says and looks my way with a smirk. “At least I’m in good company.”
“I’m not sure exactly where you come from,” Rusty says, “but where I come from, we don’t threaten officers of the law.”
Jack’s chuckle is low and condescending and the purse of his lips as he stares at Rusty says you’re a piece of shit loudly enough for everyone to hear. “Not sure what I said could be construed as a threat, Sheriff, but in a small town like this, you have to be jonesing for something to do. So, instead of coming out here to bug Ms. Knox, why don’t you chase down the real problem?”
Rusty’s smirk holds no amusement. “And what might that be?”
“For starters, you should head over and see Jed at the Lone Star Feed. He’s been stealing from Tate here for over a year now, taking her money and selling her a cheaper and shittier quality product than what she paid for. I think his business practices warrant a check by the law.” Jack takes a step toward Rusty and lowers his voice. “But we both know you won’t do that since he’s your second cousin and all.”
“I heard about that yesterday, and I also heard you’ve come to an agreement about how to settle it,” Rusty says, donning his official voice for the first time since he showed up.
“It’s settled, all right, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t break the law.” Jack shakes his head as if Rusty is a joke. “And while we’re at it, you need to chase down Gary Bolton and see exactly how he ties into these complaints that keep being called in to your office.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because Gary Bolton runs a side business with Harvey Hickman,” Jack says, referring to the son of the owner of Hickman Ranch, the very ranch we might be stealing business from. “I would bet that Gary and Harvey are talking about how we might possibly be stealing away their most lucrative client. Gary has drinks with Jed every Monday, and they talk because Jed hates Tate because he’s a fucking idiot. Then Jed turns around and sees the Destin twins on Wednesdays when they play their weekly poker game.”
“I’m not following you,” Rusty says with a little more snark than necessary.
But I’m not either.
