Page 14 of Exposure of Murder

Although too quiet meant something big was about to happen.

It was a bright, sunny Monday afternoon. Fall was slowly winding down, and soon the snow would fall. Maybe this year, he’d take a trip up to Stowe to visit Kane, get in some skiing, go snowshoeing, and even visit that new brewery that just opened up there. It’d been a while since he saw his older brother, and it would be a treat if all four brothers could meet there.

However, Tanner was busy running the farm, making it difficult for him to get away. Dylan probably could if he didn’t have a show. Sean might if he didn’t have a big security job on the books. Fingers crossed. That would be fun.

“Ethan. On my way to Jane’s farm,” said Adam, who was standing by the door to the sheriff’s department. “Want to come?”

“Are you kidding me?” Ethan pursed his lips in irritation. “What now? Did someone steal a sheep or did a bee escape?”

“Wow. Petty much?” Adam closed the door behind them before heading toward his truck. “Are you coming, or are you going to keep bitching?”

Ethan let out a heavy sigh and followed Adam.

Why was he acting like this? What was wrong with him?

Jane had done nothing wrong. Now he was being an ass to Adam, who didn’t deserve it. Was it because of Corrine? Her leaving still had him unsettled.

Or was it because Jane was a newcomer and had little understanding about the small town she now lived in? Most people here dealt with their own problems unless it was something big. Broken windows weren’t high on the list.

Although he couldn’t help but admire her. She lost her husband, was renovating an old farm, and was finding her way in a new community. He wondered where Jane was on her journey to reconnect to her former self. He was stuck on first base, unable to move forward.

Adam drove down the Mills River Road, passing small and large farms until they reached the junction of Old Mill Road and turned right. They passed Sugarbush Farm, and Ethan waved to Tanner, who was collecting the mail. They turned right into Jane’s driveway.

“Oh, that’s the sign Clarence made for Jane,” Adam said, pointing out the farm sign.

“I’d ask how you knew that bit of information, but I don’t care.” Ethan looked over at the Mountain View Farm sign. “Clarence does great work,” he admitted.

Clarence had captured Elephant Mountain in the background. It was a white sign with black letters, and the mountain was green. Simple but nice.

Jane was pushing a wheelbarrow out of the barn and halted at the sight of their arrival. She shielded her eyes to see who it was.

Adam parked, and they both got out. Ethan adjusted his belt and gun, then put his hat on. “Hello, Ms. Goodwin.”

“Jane, please,” she said with a smile. The smile, Ethan noticed, was for Adam and not for him. Although she did look fine, even with streaks of dirt on her face. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. She had on a form-fitting pair of jeans, boots and a blue fleece jacket and looked every bit the farmer.

“Fine. Jane it is. What seems to be the problem?”

“We suspect someone has been in the barn, searching for who knows what.”

Adam walked back from the chicken coop where he’d been looking. “Who is ‘we’?”

“Oh, Bucky.” Jane started to head back to the barn. “I’ll get him. We’re working in the greenhouse.”

“We’ll come with you,” said Adam.

With the men following her, Jane briskly marched toward the greenhouse, her ponytail swaying. A man was dumping dirt into a raised bed and glanced over when they came in. Bucky looked nervous as he wiped his hands on his pants, walked over, and extended his hand.

“Sheriff, this is Bucky Marsh.”

They shook hands, and Ethan looked around the greenhouse. It wasn’t huge, maybe ten by thirty feet, built onto the side of the barn. Shelves and benches were already laid out. Black flats and pots were ready for seeds. Bags of dirt and compost were on the floor. A water source was on one wall, and since it was cold in thewinter, another housed a heater. The glass windows let in a lot of afternoon light.

Ethan wondered if Jane had found a boyfriend already, although this guy looked a little rough around the edges—definitely no stranger to hard work or hard luck.

His jeans were worn, especially around the knees. He topped them with a black Henley and quilted plaid shirt. Bucky’s hair was light brown streaked with gray, short on the sides, longer on top, and his blue eyes were void of emotion. There was something that bothered Ethan about him, but he couldn’t pinpoint it.

“Why do you think someone’s been in the barn?” asked Adam.

“Well, things have been moved around, and when I was leaving the other night, someone ran out of the barn and into the woods,” replied Bucky.

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