Page 43 of Bridge to Safety

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Clumsy idiot. Duke stared through a low-hanging branch. Tripping and sending that rock tumbling into the water had almost given him away.

When he’d spotted them driving through town and followed them, he hadn’t expected a romantic liaison at the lake. His hands curled into fists. Why didn’t anyone take his threats seriously?

He melted into the shadows. Tomorrow, they’d see he meant business.

Once the taillights of the deputy’s car disappeared out of sight, Duke jogged to where he’d left his van behind some thick bushes. No need to follow them. He knew exactly where they’d be going. Back to Shiloh’s house for another kiss.

Sure enough, the two locked lips on her porch. His fingers curled around the steering wheel as he wished for his rifle so he could rid the world of the deputy. If he wasn’t around, Shiloh would turn to him for consolation.

After rejecting her for a while to make her pay for her betrayal, he’d then offer a consoling shoulder. Yep, getting rid of the deputy was the key.

How, though? Right now, if the deputy died, Duke would be the primary suspect. The deputy was well liked around town, but so was he. However, the sheriff’s department was another story. Whenever he ran across a deputy or the sheriff, he received stony glances instead of smiles.

What kind of rumors had Reynolds spread about him? This was Duke’s town, and he had no intention of letting it go.

As the deputy headed back to his car, Duke turned and drove away. He didn’t need to be seen watching them.

The incident when he’d returned to find his knife had been too close. His heart had almost stopped when the deputy stumbled across it.

Would they find out the knife was custom made? If so, they’d know exactly who it belonged to. That wouldn’t do at all. Somehow, he needed to retrieve that knife.

Who could he bribe at the department to grab it out of the evidence room? Not the woman deputy. She looked at him as if he were scum. The other man? The receptionist? If he could find something they cared enough about and threatened them, they’d be more than happy to do as he asked.

Whistling now that he had solid plans, Duke headed home to get a good night’s sleep. The next few days promised to be very busy.

He headed to Melinda’s to work off some frustration.

Chapter Seventeen

Duke stood, backplastered against the deputy’s house, and waited for the prime moment he could snip the brake lines without being seen. Why did people want to live surrounded by neighbors anyway? He preferred his nearest neighbor to be more than an arm’s length away.

A curtain twitched across the street. Some Nosy Nelly was bound to call the deputy. He cursed and returned to his vehicle before someone recognized him.

In the driver’s seat of his van, he watched Reynolds and his little girl climb into the car. Since it wasn’t a school day, they were probably heading to the diner to have breakfast with Shiloh as they usually did on the weekend. He slammed his palm against the steering wheel. It ought to be him eating breakfast with her.

Duke followed, parking a few spots away from the deputy. He sent the man a death glare. The daughter scowled at him, then stuck out her tongue. Brat. When Shiloh and her dog arrived, Duke chose an outside table near them. He might as well make a nuisance of himself, and it wasn’t against the law to sit close by. Maybe he’d figure out why Shiloh was so enamored with the deputy—learn some tips to win her over.

If it was because the man had a child, then Duke was out of luck. He most definitely never wanted to raise any child but his own. When Shiloh returned childless, he’d immediately imagined a child of theirs. A little boy just like him. All he needed now was Shiloh to feel the same, which meant getting rid of the deputy and stepping in to console her.

Now, he waited for the deputy to receive the call. Then, he’d take care of the brake lines.

~

Shiloh couldn’t relax with Duke staring at them. “Can’t you tell him to go away?”

“Unfortunately, he isn’t breaking the law. Try and ignore him.”

She narrowed her eyes at the other man who simply smiled. “Hard to do.”

“You’re a teacher. Surely, you know how to ignore unwanted behaviors.” Rowan’s mouth twitched.

“Of course, I can, but I don’t expect to have to on the weekends.” She returned his smile. “What’s the special today?”

“Biscuits and chocolate gravy.”

“Yum. That’s what I’m having.”

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