Page 26 of Mystery at Rescue Ridge

“Everyone on your list checks out so far,” Travis said.“No one has a bad word to say about you.You’re a dedicated employee.You’ve never been late on rent, according to your landlord.You haven’t been in a relationship at all in the past year or even dated.”

Evie’s gaze shifted to the table where she was working her fingers into a knot.Her cheeks flushed when Travis talked about her dating life—or lack thereof.Owen shouldn’t be relieved that she was single with no prospects as much as he was.What could he say?There would always be a piece of him that would be overprotective when it came to Evie.

“So, where does that leave us?”she asked, clearly ready to shift the conversation away from her personal affairs.

Travis frowned.“With more questions than answers, I’m afraid.You work for a lifestyle brand in Dallas and do a lot of promotions for the city.I’ve searched the blog for any signs a company might have been harmed by the work you do.”

“Seriously?I arrange the photo shoots and take care of scheduling, et cetera.I don’t decide who we feature or anything of the sort.”

“I’m trying to look at this investigation from all angles,” Travis said, “to find the angle that no one has been looking at.”

“Makes sense.”Evie exhaled.

“Has anyone reached out to you that you denied highlighting?”

“Not me personally,” she said.“My boss would be a better person to ask.”

Travis nodded.His reaction said he’d expected her answer.He was thorough, which Owen appreciated.He didn’t want to need the sheriff as much as his family had recently, but there were a lot of things out of his control, like having a half-sibling show up out of nowhere.Owen hadn’t been the first to welcome Beau into the family.Of course, Beau had come in guns blazing, ready for a fight.His attitude pushed everyone away.Owen knew what it felt like to be the quiet one in a loud family.His lack of communication had made the others believe he didn’t have an opinion.Owen did.He wasn’t one to jump to form his opinion before evaluating all the facts.He mulled things over while the others made snap decisions.

Neither was wrong, but he went about things differently.Was that part of the reason for the tight bond between him and Evie?She’d been an outsider in her family, too.

“You have no other living relatives?”Travis asked.

“None that I know of.”Evie shrugged and glanced around.“I was the only one around to inherit this place.Though I’ll pass ownership along to these two,” she said, nodding toward the children, “should they want it.Heaven knows, I don’t.”

Travis nodded again.“If you think of anything else we haven’t already covered, call my direct line.”

“Will do, Sheriff,” she said.

“It’s a good idea to bolster security.”Travis stood up.“Keep the doors and windows locked.”

“Already on it,” Owen said.“We’re picking up a few cameras and recording devices for the front and back doors.”

“I have a handgun, but I have no clue how to use it.”Evie walked the sheriff to the door.

Travis glanced back at the little ones, more protective this time.“Be careful with that.I’d rather you keep a shotgun under your mattress than a handgun.”

“My brother-in-law was military,” she said.“He must’ve taught my sister how to use it since he was deployed.”

Owen was reminded that people changed.Simone was one of the last people on earth he would have suspected to have a gun, let alone know how to use it.

After saying their goodbyes, he said as much to Evie.

“I know,” she agreed, then shrugged.“I guess she didn’t want me to worry about her out here all by her lonesome with the kiddos.”

“Until recently, Saddle Junction wasn’t on the crime map at all.”He could see why an absent husband might want to teach his wife how to handle herself should the worst case occur.Families had secrets.Between having a surprise half-brother and learning about some of the deals Beaumont had made with wealthy investors, Owen shouldn’t be caught off guard by anything at this point.“All families have secrets.”

What were Evie’s?

Evie cut across the room,careful not to distract the kids from their show.There were a few moments of peace throughout the day.Morning cartoons for forty-five minutes gave her enough of a break to clean up after breakfast and figure out what to do next.Most of her days involved a whole lot of wiping dishes, hands, and backsides.“I see the way Luca looks at you, and now Travis.Do you think he misses having a male figure in his life?”

Owen nodded.“What do you think about playing videos of him with his dad?There must be some that we can plug into the TV while the kids play in the living room.”

“That’s a great idea, actually.”She smiled, impressed by his thoughtfulness.She should have expected it coming from Owen.He’d always put others’ needs first.The problem was that she’d spent too much time with people who were nothing like him.What could she say?The man broke the mold.

The world would be a lot better place if there were more people like him.

“It would have helped me a lot to see my mom’s face,” he said.“It would’ve helped me feel like I still had a connection with her while growing up.”

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