Page 100 of Badges
“I have a picture of a possible suspect. Does he look familiar?” He hands Dixon the sketch that Cynthia made.
Dixon’s mustache twitches in the corner, otherwise he’s completely stonefaced.
Is he a robot?
He finally clenches his jaw, shakes his head, then hands it to Char.
Her eyes widen. “It does kinda look like Matt?” She squints, turning the paper sideways. “Maybe his brother?”
Wade nods. “Max is on the list.”
Char’s lips thin as she hands it back to Wade. “Yea, but it isn’t exact. Like, Max doesn’t have scars.”
Wade lets out a sigh as he tucks it away. “That’s what I was thinking too. But when was the last time anyone saw him?”
She twists her mouth. “Gosh, at least four years? Last I had heard, some guy was chasing him about a girl. But I don’t know names or anything about that.” She shrugs, then turns to watch Abe and Cynthia walking deeper into the barn along the stalls. “It’s all part of a past I try to forget,” she says quietly.
Dixon puts his palm on her shoulder, tugging her into his side. “So let’s talk about horses instead.”
Her smile when she looks up at him melts my heart.
They turn to follow my sister and Abe, while I hang back to thread my fingers with Wade’s.
“How does she know Max?” I ask him in a hushed voice. I’m not familiar with all of the names and faces yet.
“She used to be married to Matt. They divorced a few years ago.” When he kisses my temple, I see the same heat in his gaze that Char showed to Dixon.
“Oh.” It’s starting to make sense. “Isn’t he dead?”
Wade nods, walking me slowly. “He wasn’t a very good man.”
“Sounds like neither was his brother.” I tug on his arm to pause in front of a stall that has a mare with a new solid black foal.
I can’t help it, I let out a whine. “It’s so cute!” I wonder if Cynthia already saw it?
The mom stares at me warily, her nostrils flaring in my direction.
“I wish I could pet it.”
He snorts. “If you hang out around here, I’m sure Char would let you.”
That tempers me. “Yea, it might be a while. She seems nice though.”
“Dixon’s a good man, too. He’s very protective over his wife.” As if to emphasize his point, Wade wraps my shoulders and pulls me closer. “I get it now,” he says, squeezing me.
The sound of hoofbeats outside grows louder, then a shadow fills the door.
“Wade? Is that your old man’s rig out there?” Ford dismounts at the entrance and flips his reins over a rail.
This place is busy.
Well, I did see a lot of houses along the way. They have almost a whole community here on the ranch.
Just like the old days, I guess.
“Yep. Horse shopping for Cynthia. I knew it wouldn’t take long.” Wade grins at his friend.
“Shit, I forgot about that. Congrats, daddy.” Ford’s gray eyes cruise over me as he shakes Wade’s hand.
