Page 128 of Perfect Cowboy

An inappropriate laugh is ripped from my throat as some tension eases from my body. And then she’s laughing, too, because sometimes it’s what you need to do instead of cry.

“Snag one of my T-shirts and go to bed, babe,” I say. “I’m going to get the fire going, call Bobby, and then I’ll be right there.”

“Lock all the doors and windows, okay?”

“You got it.”

Not that any of the usual safeguards will keep a determined person out, and we both know it. But at least it’s a temporary barrier that can buy us some time.

“You have guns, right?” she asks.

“Absolutely.”

She lets out a shaky breath, and I lean down to kiss her forehead. If anyone hurts her, then my mom was right to worry about jail.

Bobby and I have been talking for over an hour and are learning it’s very hard to be objective about people you trust. How can we consider them criminals at the least and murderers at the worst?

We’ve gone around in circles, and there’s no way that I’ll be able to turn my brain off tonight. Even though Bobby must be tired, too, he’s staying up with me.

“It’s gotta be Cameron, man,” he says. “There’s no way around it. He hates Ashley. I know because he’s one of the first people I talked to when Victory told me Ashley was back in town.”

“He’s coming around.”

“Or pretending to.”

“So, he wouldkillher?”

“Okay, what about Lindsay?” Bobby asks.

“That’s even more insane,” I say. “She wanted to date me again, sure, but that doesn’t mean she’d try to murder me and my new girlfriend.”

“What we need is a list of people who Ashley’s dad screwed over ranked in order of how much money they lost.”

“It’s more complicated than that, man,” I remind him. “Think about it. Losing a big amount wouldn’t hurt you, but losing even fifty grand could devastate other people. But a list is a good starting point.”

“Never thought it would come to this, brother. Fuck.”

“I know.”

It’s so late that it’s early and the ranch is always silent at this time of night, a sleepy and peaceful aura settled over the workers and animals until the bustle of the day starts in a few hours.

Being a morning person is a necessity in my line of work, and Cameron and I usually have our first chat of the day at four am.

How the fuck am I going to look at him and not show my suspicions?

Maybe I just need to take the day off and stay with Ashley.

A loud keening sound almost makes me drop the phone as I jump to my feet and rush to the window.

I’ve lived in this state my whole life and know all the sounds on this property.

But not this one. It’s unfamiliar and that’s enough to scare me.

And then it happens again.

“Fuck is that?” Bobby demands.

“Don’t know, man.”

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