Page 52 of Tracking Down the Lawman's Son

“Is there a point to this?” Bree asked, huffing.

Slater glanced back at her just long enough to flash her one of his cocky smiles. “Yeah, the point is love, little sister, and that’s what you’re in when it comes to Luca.”

Bree wanted to dispute that. Couldn’t. Because, heck, Slater and Joelle could be right. But even if they were, she had no intentions of trying to work out her feelings right now.

“I’m looking for gunmen,” she muttered, pinning her attention to their surroundings.

Thankfully, Joelle and Slater did the same. Also thankfully, Luca hurried out of the house and into the cruiser, and Bree hoped he wasn’t picking up on the vibe that was still lingering around because of the short conversation she’d just had with her siblings. There was no need for Luca to be distracted with thoughts of how they felt or didn’t feel about each other.

Slater immediately drove away, not exactly speeding but not dawdling either. They were all on edge. All bracing for the worst to happen. However, there were no signs of a gunman or any other vehicles for that matter.

They made it all the way into town before they encountered any traffic, and it was minimal. Slater took the turn off MainStreet and drove the two blocks to come to a stop in front of Nathan’s place. As the deputies had said, Nathan’s car was in the driveway, indicating he was home.

The two-story white Victorian wasn’t the biggest or most impressive in Saddle Ridge, but it did have an old money air about it, and Bree knew it was one of the first houses built in the area. At least one hundred and fifty years ago. And it’d been in Nathan’s family the whole time. He’d inherited it from his parents after their deaths when Nathan had been in his twenties.

“See anyone hell-bent on trying to kill us?” Luca asked, his gaze combing both sides of the street.

Bree was about to say no, but then her attention landed on the front window, and she saw Nathan standing there, staring out at them. Maybe he’d heard the sound of the cruiser approaching, but it didn’t seem to Bree that he’d been expecting them.

Just the opposite.

He was scowling, possibly the cold, hard stare of someone who wanted them dead. Nathan moved away from the window, and a couple of seconds later, the front door opened.

“Let me phone Duncan so he can listen in,” Joelle said, making the call, and when he answered, she reached for the door handle.

Bree reached for hers, too, but she also gave Luca a look. She didn’t repeat that she’d be careful, and he held back on anything verbal. But both of those things passed between them, and then Bree got out to go to the house with Slater and Joelle.

“What’s this about?” Nathan asked, clearly directing the question to Bree. “What happened?”

“May we come in?” Bree tried to keep any wariness and emotion out of her voice. She probably failed though because there was plenty of emotion since Nathan could indeed be a killer.

Nathan wasn’t quick to agree to invite them in, but he finally stepped back. Not before shooting Luca a glare in the cruiser though. “What’s this about?” he repeated.

“We have a few questions for you,” Joelle said. She, too, had leveled her voice, and she was actually attempting a pleasant expression. “And we didn’t want you to have to go into the sheriff’s office.” She took out her phone and lifted it to show him that it was connected to a call. “Sheriff Holder is listening.”

Nathan eyed her with suspicion. “So, you brought the sheriff’s office here to me, and that includes backup waiting in the cruiser,” he grumbled, and he shifted his attention back to Bree. “Are you all right?”

There it was. That creepy concern that Bree in no way wanted from this man. “I’m holding up,” she settled for saying.

He continued to study her. “I’m here for you,” Nathan murmured. “You know that, right?”

His words made that icky feeling skyrocket, but Bree held back on saying anything. She didn’t want Nathan on the defensive before they even got started.

“We don’t want to take up too much of your time,” Joelle interjected. “But since this is an official visit, I’m going to remind you of your rights.” She didn’t wait for Nathan to agree. Joelle just went ahead and recited the Miranda.

Nathan’s eyes narrowed, and he whipped his gaze to Slater. “Have you come here to try to pin something on me?”

Again, it was Joelle who responded. “Actually, we were hoping you could help us clear up something. Something that could eliminate you as a possible suspect.”

“I haven’t done anything to make me a suspect,” Nathan snapped. “What the hell is it you think I’ve done now?”

Bree’s skin was practically crawling from being in the same space as Nathan, but she pushed that aside and went closer to him. Not too close but she wanted to do something to diffuse theanger she could see building inside him. She knew Joelle and Slater wouldn’t be able to do that, but she could.

“We were hoping you’d help with the investigation,” Bree said. “There’s been some accusations, and while we’re not at liberty to divulge specific information about the case, we need your help.”

Nathan blinked, and just like that, the bulk of the anger faded. Probably because he might think if he did help, then it might earn him some brownie points in her eyes.

“What kind of help?” he asked.

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