Page 39 of Beau

Brenna couldn’t help but question if Eric had cheated before, and Beau found himself wondering the same about Liz. But he knew he would never have all the answers. All he knew was that she deserved to feel the pain he had endured. It was only fair.

As he shook his head, Beau couldn’t help but contemplate whether he had been blind to love. He fell for Liz the moment he laid eyes on her; it was astonishing how quickly love could fade when someone you trusted betrayed you.

Looking back, maybe Liz wasn’t happy in their marriage and didn’t know how to communicate it. Perhaps they could have sought counseling and saved their relationship. But that was all in the past now, and Beau intended to leave it there. Even if counseling had been an option, he wasn’t sure if he could stay in a marriage where infidelity had occurred. The thought of another man with her had made his blood boil, and he knew it would be difficult to move past it if they stayed together.

Once Liz moved out, Beau wasted no time in filing for divorce, yet even now, he still had no answers as to why she cheated. He was tired of being blamed for it.

It still bothered him, but he tried not to dwell on it. She had destroyed any love he had for her, and she could never be trusted again. Without trust, there could be no love.

Beau’s attention was pulled away from his computer screen by Eli, who sat across from him at his desk.

“Hey, Eli. Are you ready for your wedding?” Beau asked.

Eli grinned and chuckled. “Absolutely. Will you be there?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. You don’t seem nervous at all.”

Eli shrugged. “I’m not. I love Lorna and I can’t wait to marry her and adopt Lily.”

“I’m happy for you both.” Beau smiled.

“Thanks. Hey, I found some teenagers talking about stealing livestock on social media. They claimed it was a joke when others called them out on it. I looked into it but didn’t find anything noteworthy. Do you want to talk to them, or would you like me to?” Eli asked.

“I’ll handle it. I could use a break from this computer anyway. Text me their names. I’m heading for lunch.” Beau shut off his computer, pushed his chair back, grabbed his hat and coat, and headed to the elevator.

As he stepped inside, he put on his coat and hat before hitting the button for the first floor.

As he stepped out onto the sidewalk, he quickly surveyed the street ahead of him before making his way toward the diner. He hoped there wouldn’t be any snow this weekend; he was eager to spend time with Brenna.

While walking, his phone buzzed in his pocket. It was a text from Eli containing the names of three boys suspected of being involved in the recent livestock theft he was investigating. After his lunch, Beau planned on looking into these individuals more closely to determine if they were truly responsible or just making empty threats.

Upon entering the diner, Beau acknowledged those who greeted and waved at him as he made his way over to sit on a stool at the counter.

After finishing his meal, he left the diner and headed back to the office. He was determined to get to the bottom of these thefts and ensure that those responsible faced consequences for their actions. While some may see rustling as a joke, Beau understood the gravity of the crime and was committed to putting an end to it.

Back at the office, he hung up his coat and hat before taking a seat at his desk. With determination, he scoured social media for information on the three suspects provided by Eli. The first one, Timmy Matthews, was fifteen years old, but after reading through his posts, Beau didn’t view him as a serious threat. Nevertheless, he planned on speaking with him. However, there was no mention of horses anywhere on his page.

Next up was Shelby Jones, also fifteen years old. Based on his social media activity, Beau concluded that this kid simply followed along and wasn’t capable of masterminding anything. There was no evidence of involvement with horses either, but he was friends with Matthews.

Lastly, was Donnie Simpson; sixteen years old and seemingly the leader based on his posts. The other two seemed to do whatever he said. The only post remotely related to the horse theft was one about how easy it is to get what you want if you know where to look, with a horse emoji at the end.

Beau’s instincts rarely failed him, and he had a strong feeling that these boys were indeed the culprits. He just needed to talk to them.

After obtaining their home addresses, Beau left the office once again and drove his truck to the Matthews residence.

****

Brenna sat at her desk, keeping a watchful eye on the children in her classroom. The bell would ring soon, signaling the end of another day. She was excited to go home and relax for the evening.

The students were all working diligently on their math problems, their little brows furrowed in concentration. Brenna couldn’t help but smile at their eagerness to learn.

As the bell rang, the kids put down their pencils and looked at Brenna. With a smile, she stood up to address the class.

“Okay everyone, you may leave now. Leave your papers on your desk, and I will collect them.”

“But I’m not finished, Ms. Lawrence,” one little boy piped up nervously.

“Don’t worry, Scottie. This wasn’t a test, just an activity to keep you busy until the bell rang. I will still check your work and use it to guide our lesson tomorrow. Now, gather your backpacks and coats before you head out. See you all tomorrow.”

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