Page 26 of Cold Case Murder Mystery

Before Zeke had turned off the engine, Royal stood at the door. His arms were crossed over his chest again, but he didn’t have a weapon. Zeke considered holstering his, but instead, as a sign of good faith, he left it in the car.

Or maybe, in the back of his mind, he worried what Brooke would think about him showing up armed if it got back to her. Not that he intended to tell her about this, but Royal might.

And that was fine. It was allfine. He was just making it clear to this man that whatever he was up to wasn’t something Zeke would allow Brooke to be caught in the middle of.

He got out of the car and made his way up to the door of the cabin. He’d left Viola back at the ranch with Carlyle in case Brooke returned in his absence.

“Didn’t realize my morning would start with a visit from Brooke’s bodyguard.”

“You know, speaking as a brother, I’d be pretty happy if someone was looking out for my sister at any point, but especially when someone was sneaking around following her.”

“Looking out for her, huh?” Royal replied. “I’m not the only one who’s been following her. I saw you at the cave.”

That’s different, he wanted to say, but knew it would be hard to explainhowit was different. Because he hadn’t told her that was what he’d been doing when he’d followed her around. “Your sister came to me for help. I plan to give it.”

“What exactly did Brooke tell you?” Royal asked suspiciously.

“That you told her you’ve been following her because you wanted to make sure she was okay, which is BS, obviously. Stalking isn’t concern.”

“That all she tell you?”

Zeke didn’t like the idea of there being more, but he had to play it casual. “What else is there?”

Royal shook his head. “Nothing. Look, I don’t have anything to do with you and you don’t have anything to do with me. Whatever you’re trying to do—intimidate me?—it’s not going to work. So why don’t you just leave me alone?”

“Here’s the bottom line. I’m not letting anything happen to her. Whether that’s protecting her from you or whatever else, it’s not happening. It’s best if you know that, straight off.”

“What? So I can run away like I’m scared of some...” He looked Zeke up and down. “Rancher?”

Zeke smiled at him. “You should be.”

Royal’s gaze was more considering than it had been. “You military or something?” he asked.

“Was for a time. Among other things.”

Royal nodded as if satisfied with that answer. “That’s good, I guess. I happen to think prison offers a better training ground for understanding a criminal enough to stop him, but knowing how to use a gun has its plusses.”

“That it does.”

Silence settled between them. No doubt Royal was taking Zeke’s measure, the same way Zeke was doing to him. But Zeke knew Royal had no concept of who he was. Zeke had heard stories of Royal as a kid, and the ways Brooke felt she’d failed him after they’d been separated in foster care.

He also knew that a childhood like theirs made trouble more common than not. He’d been on the edge of it himself a time or two, but Walker had always pulled him back from the edge. Instilled in him the importance of doing the right thing... for the family.

Where would he have been if they’d all been separated?

He didn’t appreciate the wriggle of compassion he felt for Royal. There was no reason to trust him, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t have a certain level of empathy toward him. It didn’t mean he couldn’t make the first move. “I’ve known Brooke a long time,” he said, hoping to give some context to why he was here, and what he’d do to keep Brooke safe from anyone.

Even her brother.

Royal shrugged. “I knew her first.”

“You knew a girl. I know the woman she is. And I know how it killed her to find out you were in jail, that you never responded to all those letters, and I know she blamed herself for all of it.”

“You sure know a lot.”

“Damn straight.”

“But you know her side. Maybe from my side sheshouldblame herself.”

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