Page 50 of Stockman's Showdown

‘Yeah.’ As Dex sat forward, his chair legs whacked against the floor. ‘You’d remember this scene, Bree.’

‘What do you mean?’ Ryder’s brow shifted as he peered back at the pair of troublemakers.

‘Bree interrupted Porter that time.’ Shifting to the window, Dex extended the tape measure.

‘I didn’t see much.’ Bree got up from the table with her pretty green eyes dancing with curiosity.

‘Because you chased us away to protect your illegal still.’

The sneaky wench. Ryder grabbed the end of the tape measure and paced out the distance from the window as per hisown detailed notes, then used his triangular drafting ruler to line up his measurements. ‘Can you grab that chalk on the bench, Bree?’

‘Sure. Are we going to play hopscotch?’

He shouldn’t grin, but at least they were playing nicely together. ‘Can you mark a line on the floor here? At the outer base of the ruler. It’ll be our starting point.’

‘Okay.’

Ryder let go of the tape measure. ‘Dex, can you go outside to feed that tape measure to me?’

‘You two play nice while I’m gone.’ Dex’s laughter followed as he left the room.

Ryder grabbed some masking tape and laid it on the floor, where she’d marked it with the chalk. Through the polished steel of the side cupboards, he noticed Bree’s head tilting to watch his arse in the air as he taped down the floor. She was perving on him.

Well, well, well.Remaining expressionless, he referred to his notes.

‘Which way was the body lying?’

‘Huh?’

‘I have the chalk, I can draw in the body. You’re measuring the gun’s—’

‘The trajectory of the shot, based on the entry and exit points.’

‘Yeah, that. I’m good at drawing stick figures. And I’ve watched the odd murder mystery or two.’

But this was also close for her.

Bree narrowed her eyes at him, the anger flaring.

He did not want them arguing again. Not when they were finally playing nicely together.

He dragged his boot across the floor. ‘Price was lying about here, face down, with his head towards the doorway.’

‘Okay. How big was he?’

Ryder referred to his notes. ‘Five-nine.’

‘So, Cap’s height?’

‘Yeah, but he had Ash’s build.’

‘Got it. Were his arms out, in, tucked under? How were his hips? Legs—’

‘You know what…’ He rummaged through the file. ‘I’ll show you, but I’ll block out some parts of it.’

‘No, I can take it. I’m guessing accuracy is the key if we’re recreating the crime scene.’ She pulled his hand away and inspected the images.

‘You don’t have to do this, Bree.’

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