Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 51744 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 259(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51744 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 259(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
He holds up a hand. “Avery is at Bridger Corp now, gathering more intel.”
The main office is in Billings, which means I won’t be seeing Avery today. Or anytime soon, I expect.
Jarvis scans the knickknacks on the mantel and picks up a framed photo of me on a horse when I was a kid. My mom put it there years ago and I haven’t thought about it since.
“On what? The EPA investigation?” I ask.
He gives me a fake smile. “We’ll work closely with them on our findings.”
I glance at Shankle. He must be comfortable with what was asked of us to allow the access, but I have nothing to hide personally. “If you find that my father was breaking the law, I look forward to hearing your findings. I have nothing to hide. I haven’t done anything wrong, so if Shankle’s cleared you, go forth and search for what you like.”
“I appreciate that.”
His gaze roves over my face, quietly studying me. “You’re not concerned about your assets being frozen?”
I shrug. “It’s a pain in the ass having the government bothering us, but I don’t hold out for the luxuries in life.”
“This ranch isn’t a homesteader’s shack. And you have a private plane,” he counters.
“The corporation has one,” I reply. “I’ve only flown on it once, a few weeks ago when Austin’s mother fell and we needed to get to her quickly. As for this house, my grandfather built it. I work the land, this property. I’m a rancher. I’ve never been involved in Bridger Corp. That was my father’s business. Literally. My life is not, nor will it be, impacted by the loss of the Bridger money.”
“That’s why your brothers are here, though,” he says. “To inherit.”
As if I don’t know that..
“Would you spend a year on this ranch for a billion dollars, Jarvis?”
He chuckles. “Sure would. Point taken.”
“You’re here for a reason,” I say. “You wouldn’t come all this way just to introduce yourself.”
“I’m working the Joseph Hopkins murder.”
“Good. I know Miles will be happy to update Sadie as to the latest on her brother’s death.”
He nods.
“The reason for us being here is for me to tell you I’ve approved their access,” Shankle says. “And for him to meet you.”
“I’ll be here,” I tell Jarvis. “Want to join me in deworming?”
Both men cringe as I expect.
“We’ll let you get to it.” Jarvis eyes me once more and then steps out onto the porch. “See you around, Bridger.”
5
AVERY
* * *
I pick up my buzzing phone. It’s Jarvis.
“Hey,” I say.
I spent the day in Billings making requests for papers and electronic data. I stayed long enough to receive two boxes of records and a promise that more would be in my email by the end of the day.
I’m now back at the little table in the police station in Bayfield, the surface covered in papers.
“You grew up here,” Jarvis says.
“Yes.”
“But you moved to Phoenix.”
“Yes, when I was eighteen,” I tell him.
“Did you know Chance Bridger?”
“I did. But not well,” I reply.
I don’t consider the words a lie. I thought I knew him well. Trusted him. Believed in him.
“Hmm,” he says.
“What’s up?” I scan the papers and try to organize them into piles.
“How old’s Grady?”
My hands still. “Fourteen.”
“Huh.”
A chill races down my spine…and it’s not from the freezing-ass air conditioning in this place.
“What?”
“Met Chance Bridger today. He’s a handsome man.”
“Great, you should date him.”
He laughs. “By your tone, it sounds like you don’t like him.”
“I don’t. He’s an asshole.”
In my job, I’m always direct, but this comment seems to surprise him.
“Always been one?”
“Always.” Because he lied to me every second we were together. What I thought was real and genuine was a ploy to get into my pants. He said I was his first. What a crock.
“So you think he’s into illegal chemical disposal like his old man?”
We pretty much have Jonathan Bridger for interstate crimes, even though he’s dead and we can’t put him behind bars, but nothing indicates that Chance was, or is, involved.
“No. I’m saying he’s an asshole.”
I’m not sharing more. No way. Being back here makes me nervous that my biggest secret—literally the biggest since Grady’s close to six feet tall at only fourteen—will get out. Get back to Chance.
“Are you headed back here? I could use another set of eyes on all this paperwork.” What an understatement.
“Yeah, I’ll be there in ten.”
I put my phone down and stare absently at the papers. Does Jarvis suspect Chance is Grady’s father? They look a lot alike. I confirmed that when we were face to face once again the other day. I knew when he was born that he took after him, and as he grew, it was obvious he looked like a Bridger. But Grady and Chance now? Clearly son and father.
It doesn’t matter. If Jarvis asks, I can lie. McGuinness sent me here specifically because I’m from Bayfield. He’s smart and knows that people know each other’s business in a small town like this. Chance and I are the same age. McGuiness didn’t keep me from the investigation because of any possible connection. In fact, I think he did the opposite. The more inside intel we have on the Bridgers, the better.