Page 26 of In Her Shadow

“Before all this,” Ethan gestured broadly, encompassing the high-tech operation around them, “I played the markets in Topeka—venture capitalism.It’s a world apart from ranch life, but it taught me to see potential where others see dead ends.”

He stepped over to a nearby stall, running a hand along the sleek hide of a heifer as if to emphasize his point.

“Verdigris Ranch isn’t just my livelihood; it’s my passion project.”His voice held a note of pride, tempered by something softer, more personal.“This isn’t about turning a profit.It’s about rebuilding a legacy.”

“Your family’s legacy?”Jake probed.

“Exactly,” Ethan replied, leading them away from the mechanical buzz of the barn and into the quiet of the surrounding fields.“This land...Verdigris Ranch, it belonged to my great-great-great-great grandfather, Dutch Holbrook.He was a pioneer in these parts, built this place up from nothing.”

Jenna could almost picture the original homestead, the pioneering spirit of a man carving a life from the untamed wilderness.Yet she knew too well how quickly fortunes could change, how legacies could crumble like dry leaves in an unrelenting wind.

“Lost it though, didn’t they?”Jenna asked, watching Ethan’s face for any flicker of emotion.

“Three generations ago,” Ethan confirmed, a wistful note creeping into his tone.“Family squabbles, poor management.By the time my father told me stories of the old place, it had become little more than a myth.”

Jenna felt the weight of history in his words, a sense of reclaiming what once was lost.Sentimentality wasn’t evidence, but Ethan’s story was information, and information was her currency.

“Let’s head back,” Ethan suggested, after they had completed a loop of the property, showcasing composting facilities and a pilot program for methane capture from livestock.

“Sure,” Jenna replied, keeping her expression neutral.“Appreciate you showing us around.”

They walked back to the farmhouse, Ethan chatting about sustainability and profit margins while Jenna weighed every word for hidden meaning.

“Eric Helm used to own this place before me,” Ethan said, casting a proud glance over the land.“He decided to retire, sell off, and I...I took the chance.This land’s been calling me ever since I can remember.There’s a resonance here that feels right, like coming home to a place you’ve never been but always knew.”

The phrase struck Jenna with the force of a cold breeze.“The land remembers.”The voice from her dream echoed eerily through her mind, a spectral whisper that seemed to stir the very air around them.She pushed the disquiet aside, focusing instead on Ethan’s words.

“Transforming Verdigris Ranch into something eco-friendly has been my greatest pride,” Ethan continued.“It’s more than just a business, it’s a legacy I want to leave behind.”

“Thank you for showing us around, Ethan,” Jenna said.“You’ve got quite the operation here.”

“Happy to share,” Ethan replied with a smile.

Jenna paused before springing a question she’d harbored since Lily Cummings’s veiled hints.“I heard something troubling recently,” she began, watching Ethan’s face intently.“That Clyde might have been on the verge of exposing some sort of serious corruption in the ranching community.Do you know anything about that?”

For a moment, Ethan’s expression remained unchanged, but then a shadow flickered across his features.“Corruption?”he echoed.“No, can’t say that I do.Though I reckon there are always rumors flying around in places like this.Small towns, smaller secrets.”

He hesitated, then added with a wary squint, “That sounds to me like something that Lily Cummings might want to follow up on.I’m sure you’ve talked with her.Has she mentioned anything about that to you?”

Instead of answering his question, Jenna said politely, “Well, thanks again for your hospitality, Ethan.We should be getting back.”

“Anytime, Jenna,” Ethan replied, his easy charm back in place.“Good luck finding whoever is responsible for Clyde and Roger.It’s unsettling to have such tragedy strike so close to home.”

As she walked beside Jake, the awareness of Ethan’s gaze lingered on her like the touch of an unwelcome ghost.As they settled into their vehicle, she turned to him, her thoughts already churning.

“We need to head back to my office,” she told Jake.“We’ve got to regroup and go over everything we know.”

“Jenna,” he began cautiously, “what do you make of Ethan Holbrook?After talking to him, seeing all that, what’s your take?”

“He’s charismatic, I’ll give him that, but it’s not about whether we like him or not.It’s whether he fits into this twisted puzzle.”Jenna paused for a long moment, then added, “And no, he doesn’t look any less guilty to me than he did before we talked to him.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Jenna squinted against the glare of the morning sun as she eased the cruiser through the undulating landscape.Verdigris Ranch was behind them now, but it lingered like an afterimage in her mind.The difference between the modern sheen of that ranch and the weathered charm of the neighboring lands seemed to reflect the community’s unspoken divides.

She asked Jake, “Did you catch how Ethan’s expression changed when I mentioned Clyde’s corruption investigation?”

“Yeah, it was like flipping a switch,” Jake said, picking up on her line of thought.“And he immediately asked about Lily Cummings.He wanted to find out what she might have said to us.”

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