Page 58 of Legacy of Lies
“I got kind of a feeling”—she peeked at Kerr from under her eyelashes, and he nodded—“so I went out to check on the horses. I heard footsteps in the barn. Before I could find out who it was, the back corner of the barn exploded in fire.”
“Shit, Shelby. We don’t know who was out there. One, take someone out with you when you get one of your feelings.” Garrison raised his hand as she opened her mouth. “Two, what the hell kind of stupidity possessed you to go back into a burning wood structure?”
“What?” Shelby gaped. “I’m not a kid, and I’m not a delicate flower, so drop the caveman crap. Why wouldn’t it be perfectly safe to walk around on our own property?” Her orange, ash-dusted hair glinted dully in the living room light. “Second, those horses are part of our family and part of our livelihood, you moron. Someone had to save them.”
He glanced toward the couch but couldn’t meet Sara’s eyes. She shouldn’t have to hear all of the Taggart family dirty laundry. Or the family secrets.
But any rebuttal was lost in Shelby’s paroxysm of coughing. One hand gripped the arm of the couch while another pressed to her thin chest. Finally, she stood up and stared him down, still gasping for breath.
“At least I was here to help, unlike some folks,” she said in a whisper. “So you’re welcome, you big jerk.”
No one moved as she left.
After long minutes of hearing nothing but Shelby’s footsteps receding up the stairs and then the shower running, Kerr broke the silence. “What’s the plan, then?”
“Get the assholes who did this, man.” Eric’s gaze darted toward Sara and a still-sleeping Zach. “Sorry. I know, I know. Language.”
Kerr rolled his eyes and snorted.
“We have to consider all possibilities. It could’ve been a freak accident,” Garrison began.
Kerr dropped into his father’s vacated recliner with a groan and straightened both legs in front of him. “Unlikely.”
“Garrison?” Sara’s soft voice cut through the room like molten silk, riveting all three men’s attention on her. “What if the fire had something to do with what happened earlier today?”
Eric frowned. “What?”
“Explain. Now,” Kerr said.
She swallowed, and her hand drifted over her neck. “Hank Brand threatened me earlier this week and then again at my home today.”
Kerr rubbed his hair. “Why?”
“For hanging out with Garrison. For standing up for Zach against Hank’s older brother. For the fact that, um ... Hank and I used to date.”
The glitter in her eyes begged Garrison to take her in his arms, but somehow he managed to stay put.
Kerr raised an eyebrow as his head swiveled from Sara to Garrison. “Well, that’s interesting information. Because we had that episode with Hank and Wyatt two days ago while we were fixing fences on the back forty.”
At the same time, Sara pulled her head back and looked over at Garrison. “You didn’t tell me about that. What happened?”
“Well, at least those assholes are consistent.” Garrison made a fist and hit his thigh, then faced her. “Hank warned me to stay away from you from the other end of his gun. He also warned us to stay away from their property.”
“Oh, God. So then this is because of ...” She stared at the floor, her hand resting on Zach’s shoulder.
“No. This isn’t because of you.” He snapped his fingers, and she blinked. “Look at me. They’re nuts, and Hank’s got a screw loose. Besides, we don’t know for certain that the Brand boys set the fire.”
“Seems more likely than not. Who else has motive?” Kerr spit out.
Garrison shook his head. “Could have been an accident.”
“Right.” Kerr snorted. “Anyway. So what do we do?”
Eric’s eyes went to the ceiling as his jaw locked tightly in place. He pushed off the wall. “I’m going to keep an eye on things outside.” He stomped out and slammed the front door.
Zach startled and shifted, then fell back asleep as Sara trailed her fingertips over his forehead, soothing him.
Garrison’s skin twitched with raw need. He wanted her soft hand on him, trailing over his starved flesh. The memory of unfulfilled desire at Sara’s house tore at him.
