Page 29 of Shadow Sabotage
I didn’t have time for that.
The breakfast crowd was small.Only a handful of people milled around, drinking coffee and eating some sort of breakfast casserole. It didn’t look particularly appealing, but when the breeze brought a whiff of it my way, my mouth started watering.
Naomi Hawkins really could cook.
Speaking of Naomi, she spotted me right away and waved me over to the buffet table where she and Beth were serving. Claire’s kid brother, Jonathan, was next to them, filling a thermos from one of the carafes.
“Good morning, Agent Weston!” Naomi’s green eyes were bright. Sharp. They reminded me of Claire’s.
“Good morning. And please, call me Vance.”
She beamed. “I was getting worried we’d scared you off. Didn’t see your vehicle here at all yesterday.”
She was also nosy like Claire. It made me grin.
“No, you didn’t scare me off. Quite the opposite actually. Work took me away, but I’m thrilled to be back here instead of at a hotel. I’d like to commend you on your accommodations. I can’t remember the last time I’ve had such a restful night.”
She smiled warmly. “I’m glad to hear it. Coffee?”
“Please.”
“How do you take it?”
“Black.”
She grinned as she gestured for Jonathan to pour me a cup. “Just like Claire. She’s over at the stables. Beth can take you over—”
I held up a hand, interrupting her. “That’s okay. I’m actually here to talk to you.”
Jonathan passed me the coffee, his dark eyes staring at me with marked curiosity. We’d never actually met the other night. He’d been too busy entertaining the girls who’d flocked to his side.
“Vance Weston,” I said, sticking my hand out for him to shake. “I’m working with your sister.”
Sort of.Guilt tried to creep in.
He grasped my hand with a strength that surprised me. “Jonathan.”
“Nice to meet you.”
He nodded but didn’t say the same.
Beth handed me a plate of casserole, then touched Jonathan’s arm gently, pulling him back to give me space to talk to their mother.
Naomi cocked her head. “So, what can I help you with, Vance?”
I took a sip of the coffee.Divine.It had a touch of woodsmoke in it, creating the illusion that it had been made over a fire and adding to the cowboy experience for the guests. Incredible.
“Nice coffee,” I said appreciatively before getting to my question. “Running this ranch, you probably see most of the tourists who come through this area.”
She nodded. “I do, yes. Some stay at the motel of course. It’s a lot cheaper. But we get the lion’s share of them. There are also a couple of longer-term vacation rentals nearby.”
I pulled a photograph of Katelyn Brown from my jacket. “I’m sure you’ve seen her photo on the news. Did she ever rent one of your cabins?”
Naomi’s face grew sad as she looked at the picture. “Poor thing. I saw Sheriff McGrath’s announcement. But no, she’s never stayed here.“
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. We interact with all of our guests. It’s part of the experience. You can’t just get a code and check yourself in here—we do it that way on purpose. We live here. We want to know the people staying on our property.” Naomi shook her head. “She’s never been here.”
