Page 56 of Everyone Loved Her

“Yeah, because our department hassomuch excess funding.” He sounded annoyed with me, though his eyes told a different story, looking more fatigued than anything. The guy had a lot on his plate, and I was certain in the moment, I wasn’t doing much to help. “But I’ll do what I can, okay? Andseriously, Beth, can you just stay the hell home? Your mom needs you, and you have stuff to work out with the ranch. Maybe you should focus onthatinstead of playing amateur detective and screwing around with someone who’s nothing but trouble. You’ve already got the entire town’s eyes on you.”

“You’re one to talk, consider you go parading around and sticking your nose in places it doesn’t?—”

“It’s myjob,” Blaze cut me off. “And right now, my gut is telling me you’re going to get yourself killed if you keep this up.”

My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I fished it out of my jean jacket pocket, my heart in my throat. However, once I saw it was just a spam email notification, I stuck it back. Disappointment mixed with worry plagued my brain at Garrett failing to return my calls. But then again, hedidsay it was better to let him tie up his loose ends…

“Beth, I get nothing but backlash with everything I do in this town,” Blaze spoke in a low voice, setting the note down on his entryway table. “And who knows how long I’ll be able to hang around. I never last too long in one place.”

“What?” My mind was instantly jerked from Garrett. “You’re just going to leave the ranch like that? Are you serious right now?”

He shook his head, meeting my gaze with a frown. “I’m not going to up and leave without taking care of things. I’ll ensure that I find a good replacement, but I don’t think that’ll be hard. I’m stretched thin right now.”

“I guess when things get rough, it’s easier to leave.” I fold my arms across my chest, letting out a sigh as I turn my attention to the early morning light streaming through the window.

“Like you have room to talk, huh? You bailed out of herebefore Garrett had even had his arraignment,” Blaze fired off. “If anything,youshould understand me. This town is a mess, and I came here thinking I could disappear, blend in, and as it usually turns out, I’m cursed no matter where I end up.”

“That’s a weird way to put it.”

Blaze shrugged, unfazed by my jab as he stared at the note. “Did you see anyone last night? Anything suspicious?”

“Oh, um,” I take a deep breath, thinking back to what Lauren told me last night. The note had overshadowed the fact, and I had nearly forgotten. “I ran into an old friend—Lauren.”

His lip twitched. “I know who she is.”

“Yeah…” My voice trailed off. “Um, she told me that Sarah was pregnant.” Blaze had no reaction to my words, and I waited for a few beats. “I guess you already knew that?”

“No.” His voice is suddenly quiet, his expression somber. “Is that just a rumor?”

“She told me she saw the pregnancy test, and I still think she’s probably a trustworthy source. She’s never been the type to gossip—but then again, I haven’t been close to her in years.” I didn’t want to state it like it was fact, but… I felt like Lauren was being honest.

“Don’t really know her…” Blaze’s voice trailed off. “But I’ll go talk to her when I get done with everything I need to get done here. I’m not sure what else I can do on that. Did she mention anything about the father? This is the kind of lead that might actually make some headway in the case.”

I shook my head. “No, she didn’t say anything about the father. She didn’t know who it was, and well, you know Sarah. She was… She was seeing a lot of people, I think.” I raked my fingers through my damp hair, having just stepped out of the shower before spotting Blaze.

“Yeah, but I don’t think she was sleeping with them all,” Blaze said, his eyes distant as he spoke, and his expression difficult to read. “She’d always give you a whole list of names, but I was on that list—and I never even kissed her. We sat and had a couple of beers, while she talked nonstop about how everyone wanted to date her… And then that was it. It was like she was projecting that desire onto people, hoping they’d find interest in her. I don’t think she was all that happy.”

“Wow, that’s some solid insight,” I said carefully, feeling suddenly sympathetic for Blaze. Even though they weren’t in a romantic relationship, I never really considered how her death might affect him on a personal level. “You seem to be good at reading people.”

He snapped his attention back to me, chuckling. “No, I’m not all that great at it. I’ve just learned that people are always a lot more complicated than they seem on the surface. I think everyone has their secrets—evenyou, Beth Young.” He let out a huff and tapped the note. “And I think whoever doesn’t want you here, probably knows some of them.”

I nodded, easing toward the apartment door as Blaze grabbed his hat from the rack. “Probably, but I’m starting to think my secrets were never really secrets.”

“That’s usually how it works,” he said, fixing the hat to his head and grabbing the doorknob. A rush of cool air blew through the entryway as he gestured for me to step out. “But can I give you some advice, Beth?”

I eyed him as I passed by, wrapping my arms around myself. “Sure.”

“I think you should stay home—seriously. Be here for your mom and focus on the ranch. I get that you have this romantic situation thing going with Garrett Myers, but the guy is in deep.He was never necessarily a part of the rough crowd, but he was always…there.I think that’s why, even if he didn’t do it, everyone is pointing their finger at him. Let him go. I don’t think he’s a good guy—andifhe is, he’s got a lot of crap to trudge through before he’s on your level. You think he didn’t know what he was dragging you into when he showed up here?”

I stopped at the top of the stairs, turning back to him, agitation lacing my tone. “I don’t think hemeantto drag me into anything that we weren’t already in.”

“Look,” he held his hands up in a low surrender. “I’m not trying to get in your business. I’m just trying to look out for you. A woman close to him ended up murdered… And I don’t think your mom can take another loss.”

My chest ached with guilt and grief as Blaze slipped past me, jogging down the steps and disappearing into the barn. I stood there for a few minutes longer, thinking back to how worried I had been about Garrett calling me back—to the point I had slipped right past my mom without a word this morning.

I took a deep breath, and slowly made my way back down the stairs. As much as I hated Blaze giving me advice,maybehe had a point. And he was right, Garrett was in deep. I didn’t have to be in the middle of everything to know that. He didn’t share his loose ends, and that had already left me with a nagging feeling that something was wrong.

My steps were silent as I walked across the yard, noting the leaves cascading downward from the trees beside the house. I took in the fall colors of red and orange, and then headed up the porch steps. The back door swung open before I could reach it myself, and my mom appeared.

---