Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 136507 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 683(@200wpm)___ 546(@250wpm)___ 455(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136507 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 683(@200wpm)___ 546(@250wpm)___ 455(@300wpm)
“Maybe. But it’s a big lake. Anyway, he drove back to Cold River, showered, changed, and then hopped into his white pickup and drove to the Bale House for a new day. Like nothing happened. But then I called about Holly’s phone. He’d forgotten about it, and he was on his way back there to look again when his kitchen staff found it. There was nothing he could do to cover that up, no way to plant it under a chair to make it look like she’d forgotten it inside.” She shakes her head. “I can still hear his voice in my head as he played innocent.”
“What made him confess?” I ask.
She shrugs. “Reality? The fact that he knows his DNA will match what we found on her, and the longer this goes on, the worse it’ll be for him. Plus, Terry told him that we found his Civic at the scrapyard, still waiting to be crushed, and even though he stripped the carpet from the trunk and dumped cleaners in to remove Holly’s blood, the forensics team has already found traces of it.”
I frown. “You have his car?”
“No. That’s long gone.” She scoffs. “Terry bluffed, and it worked.”
I frown. “But wait. If the car’s gone, how did you know—”
“Axel Murphy.” Her expression shows the shock that I feel as she tells me about their gas station run-in.
“No shit.”
She shakes her head. “As I live and breathe.”
“Who knew a Murphy could do the right thing after all. And Ian Murphy’s kid, no less.”
“Maybe I’ve had him pegged wrong all this time.”
“I wouldn’t go that far, or you’re bound to be disappointed.”
Her brow furrows with disquiet as she pats Flapjack’s haunches.
“So what does this mean, then?”
“It means we know what happened to Holly and who did it and why. Now it’s all about making sure Matt pays for trying to cover it all up.” Emery sinks into my arms, her gaze on the pasture. “And then we move on. Everyone moves on, however long that takes.”
I smooth the hair off her forehead. “Any word from Dickhead Doug?”
She snorts. “Yeah, he tried to take credit for the investigation in front of his boss, and Terry corrected him, praising me for figuring it out and you for the tip. Doug was not impressed. Hey, is that … Oh my God, look!” Emery points to where the cow lingers, separate from the herd. Two front legs and a head dangle from its body as she pushes out her baby. “I’ve never actually seen one born.”
“Pretty wild, huh?” I plant a kiss against her head as we watch another bison calf added to the herd. It’ll be standing within ten to twenty minutes, walking after its mother not long after that, and it will graze and grow as we quietly linger in the background. I’m beginning to see why everyone around here makes a big deal about spring.
It really does feel like a fresh start with new beginnings.
Chapter 48
Logan
May
It’s late morning when Jack, Jameson, and I hop out of Jack’s truck after an early morning of fishing at the lake. Jon is strolling out of the garage with a wrench in hand, heading for where the mechanic tinkers with our seeding tractor. Thomas watches from the driver’s seat above. Macy dangles off the tire swing and the twins toss a baseball to each other—civilly. Egan must be with Sarah and the babies.
“Sixty-nine!” Jon declares with a grin.
Jameson and Jack snort.
“I can’t wait till calving season is over.” I pull my gear from the back.
“Because rutting season is so much better,” Jack mocks me.
“Yeah, remember that time a bull charged you in the UTV, Jon? Tipped the whole damn thing over?” Jameson shakes his head.
“I thought I was a goner.” Jon lifts his hat off long enough to fix his hair. “Hey, Logan, you were right about that.” He aims the wrench at the tractor. “Bad breather cap.”
“Figured.” But it feels good to be right, especially after I spent all yesterday draining the fluids and pulling out the filters.
“Gunked up pretty bad, but I’m running the good flushing oil through now. I’m Ross, by the way.” The mechanic reaches out to shake my hand. “Heard you’re trying to put me out of a job at North Country.”
I smile. “It’s gonna take a while for that, but I am enjoying working on the engines. Do you mind if I watch what you’re doin’ here? I always learn better hands on.”
“Of course!” He leans in to mock whisper, “As long as you don’t talk as much as your brother-in-law.”
“No one does.”
“Hey, you like our conversations!” Jon retorts with a hint of insult. “Oh, Logan, Mum said to go find her when you get back. She’s in the stables.”
I check my watch. “Why isn’t she at the market?” The Open sign is lit and cars were already in the lot.