Page 13 of For Always
“I thought I’d find you here,” a man dressed in a police officer’s uniform said as he approached the table.
Gabriella wasn’t sure if the man realized he’d just interrupted a very tense moment, but she used the time to close her tablet and quietly slide it back into her bag.
“Sheriff Alvarez,” Clyde said and turned to shake the man’s hand.
“Hey Clyde. Dessie,” he added with a tip of his wide brimmed dark brown cowboy hat.
The color of the hat coordinated with the beige uniform shirt and chocolate brown pants. His badge was a brightly shined gold pinned to the left pocket of his shirt while the salt and peppered hair of his goatee could stand to be trimmed.
“I called out to the ranch and Clarice answered. She said she thought you were in town,” the sheriff said to Tyler. “But I thought I’d stop by here first.”
“What’s going on?” Tyler asked.
Gabriella could hear the concern in his voice, but she wasn’t sure what was happening.
“Just wanted to confirm with you that we’re looking into things. After our meeting this morning, I went out and took another look at the crime scene where your parents were found,” he told them.
Dessie waved her hand as if fanning herself. Gabriella could see tears forming in the woman’s eyes and picked up the glass of water in front of her. She handed Dessie the water and kept a hand on the woman’s shoulder while she took a slow sip.
“Do you have new leads on the murder investigation?” Clyde asked.
“None. At the moment. But we’re still going through those lists of creditors, clients and suppliers. I don’t want to intrude on your dinner,” the Sheriff said with an eye toward Dessie. “But I just wanted you to know that I’m on top of this. George and Verna were like family to everyone around here. Somebody targeted them and I’m gonna find out why.”
Tyler nodded. “Thanks, Sheriff. Please keep me posted.”
“Will a murder investigation hold up the sale of the property?” Brooke asked the moment the sheriff walked away.
Nobody answered, but, in Gabriella’s opinion, the look Dessie shot her way was a bit on the murderous side.
“I want to apologize,” Tyler said as they walked down the stairs outside the resort.
Gabriella was walking quietly beside him after they’d finally finished the dinner from hell.
“For what? The crème brulee was fabulous,” she replied. “And Dessie and Clyde remind me a lot of my parents.”
She was being polite. He appreciated that, but would rather she just be honest with him. But he understood. She’d been tossed into this situation with people she’d just met, for the sake of a job. He definitely owed her an apology for dragging her into that dinner and his family’s dysfunction.
“I’m sure this isn’t how your jobs usually start off,” he told her.
The steps had taken them away from the pool area and now they were crossing the grassy stretch that led to the corral where pony rides, weekly rodeo and riding lessons were conducted.
“I’m sure this isn’t how your dinner meetings usually go,” she replied.
He looked over to her and she stared at him. Her features were dim in the dark of night but it didn’t matter, he’d already committed them to memory. She had a slim nose and pert lips that made him think of strawberries and kisses. Her high cheekbones didn’t overwhelm her face, but highlighted the slightest slant of her eyes and her long eyelashes. With her hair pulled back so tightly, everything about her face seemed more poignant. While that had been like a punch in the gut when she’d stepped off the elevator just before they moved to the restaurant, now, the sight of her had simmered to a slow burn in the pit of his stomach.
“I try not to have meetings over meals. I know that’s hard to believe considering that’s all I’ve done since meeting you,” he said with a wry chuckle.
“Do that again,” she said.
“Do what?”
“Laugh. It has a nice ring to it.”
Of course he didn’t, but he didn’t stop smiling either.
“I apologize for that too. I’m not normally so, ah—”
She nodded and added, “Moody?”
