Page 22 of Where They Belong

Colt had come around to stand behind Mason so he could watch as well, and Mason could barely focus on the video because his whole awareness zeroed in on Colt, right there, mere inches from him. Just a touch away. His skin itched at the closeness, and heat flushed over the back of his neck. He leaned forward and tried to focus on the video rather than the memory of Colt’s lips on his, the press of his body, the grip of Colt’s hands on his hips—

Movement on the screen drew his attention. Someone was creeping around his pickup truck, but they were moving across the courtyard in a crouch, so it was impossible to get an idea of the person’s gender, size, or gait. More than that, they seemed to know where the camera was as they skirted through the yard on the edges of the frame. They disappeared behind the truck for a few minutes, but shadows moved beneath it. This was the person who’d deliberately cut his brake lines and tried to kill him. The person popped up briefly and then moved completely out of frame. Nothing moved after that.

They had video evidence of the culprit in action but, due to the lack of a good angle, had no idea who it could be. The time stamp was 4:17 a.m. Forty-five minutes before the hands started their workdays.

“We know this is our suspect,” Wes said as he paused the video. “But as you can see, whoever did this seemed to know where the camera was and kept out of range enough to not be easily identifiable.”

Mason wrapped his arms around his waist, holding himself steady. Colt silently returned to his chair across the table, but now he met Mason’s gaze. He didn’t look happy, but Mason couldn’t tell if that was because of what he’d just seen or if it was directed at him because of the inferno of a kiss that had nearly devoured him whole. Mason narrowed his eyes slightly. Colt was the one who instigated that kiss. He had no right to be mad at Mason.

“We need to set up more cameras,” Colt said as he leveled a glare at Mason.

Okay, Colt could be mad at him for that. Mason should have put up more, but the things weren’t cheap, and he’d clearly misjudged the threats.

“This was likely the same person who graffitied Cuervo,” Colt continued, “but we have no footage of that to prove it.”

“Who knew you were going to town this morning?” Levi asked.

Mason was grateful for something to think of other than guilt at not having put up enough cameras and downplaying how serious things were—and that kiss.

“Everyone on the ranch and a half dozen people in town,” he said quietly. “Unless there’s some sort of emergency, I usually go in on Wednesdays.”

“I think we need to take a closer look at everyone,” Colt said, his tone all business, which made it easier for Mason to look at him but at the same time harder.

“I really don’t believe any of my hands or volunteers would do something like this,” Mason said, even as a whisper of doubt drifted through his mind. But what reason could they possibly have? They all loved what they did, truly cared about the animals in their care, and Mason felt a kinship with each and every one of them. Just thinking any of them could have done that hurt his heart.

“It’s hard to imagine,” Trina said, her gaze zinging between Mason and Colt again. “Everyone here is like family.”

Brett held up his hands. “Iamfamily.”

“But who else could have this much access?” Katie added fuel to Mason’s doubt fire. “Wouldn’t we have come acrosssomethingby now if someone was coming onto the property? Or hiding out on it?”

“Well, you can definitely take Thad off any suspect list you guys have,” Mason said, just in case they might think that was an extreme way of throwing off suspicion.

“Agreed,” Levi said without hesitation while everyone else nodded in concurrence.

“What about John?” Colt asked and, at Mason’s glare, added, “Humor me.”

“Why John?” Levi leaned forward, his gaze searching as he looked at Colt.

Colt pursed his lips and shook his head. “Nothing concrete, but there’s something about him not sitting right with me.”

“You know I’d trust your gut feeling with my life,” Wes said, “but that camera on the medical barn clearly shows John entering and leaving, like he said.”

“But the hands don’t start working until five in the morning,” Mason said, frustrated. “Everyone is accounted for from then on, but no one is before.” He pointed at the video frozen on the laptop. “That happened forty-five minutes earlier.”

“Well,” Katie hedged. “Angela, Selma, and Dion work twenty-four-hour shifts right now with the rescues. But I was there last night, so I can vouch for Angela.”

Mason sighed and leaned back in his chair. If he’d just put up more cameras, they might have seen who it was. This could all be over now. His gaze shot to Colt at that thought. That would mean Colt would leave too. That’s what he wanted, right?

“What we know,” Wes said, “is that Thad was injured in the truck Mason should have been driving, so I agree he is off the table. Katie and Angela were doing an overnight in the medical barn—”

“You didn’t hear or see anything?” Colt cut in.

Katie shook her head. “Sorry, no.”

Wes cleared his throat and continued with a speaking look at Colt. “Brett is married to Trina, and they were together at the time, so he’s off the table too.”

Mason raised an eyebrow, Brett and Trina gasped in unison, and Wes held up a hand.

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