Page 42 of Home Town Knight

“We need transparency,” he said. “Just give me access to your files for this investigation, and when questions arise, I can assure the public that every effort is being made.”

“My eyewitness could be in danger if the killer finds her. I will not put her at risk just to cover my ass. Or anyone else’s.”

“So your answer is no?”

“Damn right, it’s a no.” I turned back to my desk, dismissing him. “You can see yourself out of my office.”

“Be careful, Owen. I like you. I’ve always supported you. But if you’re not the right person for this position, I might put my weight behind another candidate in the election later this year. Like Jud Hale.”

Don’t react, I told myself, even though I was seething. I refused to give the DA anything to use against me.

Jud Hale was a local landowner. He’d inherited his family’s railroad and mining fortune, then served as a state senator for the last eight years before reaching his term limit. Recently he’d returned home to his massive land holdings in Hartley. I’d would’ve expected he’d run for something else statewide, or bigger, but instead I’d heard rumors he had an eye on the Hartley mayor’s job. But sheriff?

Whatever. Hale could do what he wanted. Didn’t change how I planned to conduct my investigation.

When I said nothing, Grissom stormed out, and I heard the outside door slam. Rubbing my forehead, I sank into my chair. Sometimes, I wondered why I’d taken this thankless job at all.

Oh, right. Because I cared.

Selfish assholes had it easy, didn’t they? They only had themselves to worry about. At times, I felt like I was the last priority on my own list. I was always being pulled in different directions. Trying to do things by the book while also doing what was right.

It was exhausting.

I was relieved to have Keira Marsh in my corner. As for my other supposed allies in local law enforcement, I just wasn’t sure anymore. Distrust and suspicion had a way of corroding everything in their path. I’d learned that as a Marine, and again as a cop. A unit couldn’t function if you couldn’t count on your teammates. And that was a very bad place to be.

As much as I gave River, Aiden, and Trace shit for making my life harder, I had no idea what I’d do without them.

My personal phone buzzed, and I checked it. River was calling.

“This is the sheriff,” I said out of habit.

“Just got a Google alert on Genevieve Blake. I only set it up a few hours ago.”

“Those are your fancy hacker skills?” I tipped back in my chair. “Google alerts?”

“I believe in efficient uses of my time.”

I felt a tiny twinge of guilt that I was running background on Gen and hadn’t told her at dinner. I hadn’t even thought about it. If we’d ended up in bed together, like I’d wanted, then my omission probably would’ve been all the worse.

But we weren’t going there. We were friends at the most. I was still the sheriff, and I had an obligation to look into my witnesses.

“What did you find?”

“I just forwarded the article to you,” River said. “Posted by theDenver Daily, her employer. It’s about your murder investigation. I haven’t read it yet. Wanted to let you know first.”

I didn’t like the sound of that. “Thanks. I’ll take a look. Anything else to share?”

“Not yet. I’ll keep you posted.”

I ended the call. River’s message popped up, and I followed the link. It was an article from theDenver Dailywebsite. No author listed.

Denver Daily Reporter Witnesses Murder in Hart County.

What the hell was this?

As I read, indignation crawled like something rotten through my insides. The article was about my murder investigation. It namedGenevieve Blakeas the main eyewitness. I’d been working all day, even facing down DA Grissom, to keep her name secret. And now it was posted all over the fucking internet.

But that wasn’t even the worst part.

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