Present Danger by Elizabeth Goddard (shoe dog free ebook .txt) š
- Author: Elizabeth Goddard
Book online Ā«Present Danger by Elizabeth Goddard (shoe dog free ebook .txt) šĀ». Author Elizabeth Goddard
His cell rang and he answered. āTanner.ā
āYouāre not going to believe where we found Jimās vehicle.ā
NINE
After leaving Jack at Paulineās, deep in the thick of Jimās murder case, Terra had struggled to focus on her own investigations for the forest service. Sheād gone into the national forest supervisorās office in Goodeās Pass to get on top of the reports and paperwork that seemed to grow exponentially.
She didnāt like to spend a lot of time in the office and preferred the outdoors. She hadnāt imagined she would spend so much time at a desk, but that was the nature of the beast when working for the federal government in any capacity.
Thatās why, Jimās murder aside, Terra had enjoyed being outdoors yesterday even if it had to be with Jack.
Elbow on the desk, she rubbed her temple. Heād been serious and focused on the investigation, but at the end of the day, heād started digging into personal matters. And for that reason, she should be relieved she wouldnāt be working with him. But every part of her wanted to be included in the search for Jimās killer.
Who would have thought sitting at a desk would leave her so exhausted when the biggest muscle she had used was her brain? She could literally sleep for a week, but sheād only get further behind. Sheād made no real headway on the timber theft case she was working.
But in all honesty, she wasnāt truly focusing.
Her mind kept returning to Jimās body.
To Paulineās tears.
And to Jackās face when heād first emerged from the forest after descending that cliff. His expressions throughout the rest of the day. And especially the look heād given her when he found her talking to Pauline this morning as though she had taken on his investigation.
At five-thirty, Terra ended the tedious workday and stuffed paperwork back into drawers, giving her desk the appearance of belonging to a special agent on top of her game. Then she made the forty-five-minute drive to Grampsās ranch where she was staying for the time being.
She parked her forest serviceāissued vehicle along the circular drive in front of her grandfatherās home. Robert Vandineās sprawling ranch house had been built in the middle of the almost ten thousandāacre ranch, though most of the acreage had been sold off over the years. Stone Wolf Ranch spread out in a small valley on the leeward side, or the eastern base, of Stone Wolf Mountain, which cast a rain shadow over the ranch that had been passed down through the family over the decades. The wealthy, especially movie stars, bought up the property in Montana and drove up real estate prices and taxes.
Terra climbed out of her vehicle and strolled to the house that had gone through several renovation projects when Nannaāher grandmother, Alvine Vandineāwas alive. Now the home seemed much too big for one aging man.
His friends had been trying to talk him into running for office again. Terra wasnāt sure that was a good idea, but she wouldnāt interfere. Gramps had his finger in many piesāthe local airport, grain storage, constructionā and he still held on to a working farm, growing wheat and corn. He hired seasonal workers to drive the combines and take care of the harvest.
A horseās whinny drifted across the wind. Oh yeah, and Gramps had built a nice stable to house his horses.
When sheād exited the NPS and moved back home from Colorado, sheād rented an apartment in Goodeās Pass near the office. She was close to family, but not too close. But sheād assured Gramps she would stay at the house since Owen had returned from the military hospital in Germany where he had spent months in rehab learning to use his prosthetic leg. Heād been through a lot, and it could take time for him to get settled.
Except getting accustomed to Owen being around again and knowing how to act around him left her unsettled.
As she approached her grandfatherās home, she sucked in the fresh air and dragged herself up to the porch. She opened the door and the aroma of grilled steak wafted over her. Her stomach rumbled as she made her way to the kitchen.
āTerr!ā Owen grabbed her in a side hug.
Okay, so he was in a better-than-usual mood.
She winced. āYou donāt know your own strength.ā
He released her. āI thought you werenāt coming back today.ā
āAre you saying you didnāt want to see me?ā
āOf course not. Iām glad youāre here.ā
āIām staying for a while, you know that. Though I do need to check in on my cat once in a while.ā She hadnāt realized she would be gone too much to care for a pet, even a cat, and was grateful for her neighbor Allie, who would probably end up keeping the cat. She couldnāt bring Sudoku here because Owen was allergic. Thatās all he needed.
āYou donāt need to stay on account of me.ā
āOwen, please, I want to. Itās been so long. I want to be here with you and Gramps.ā
Maybe she should move back in. There was plenty of room. Gramps hadnāt liked that sheād rented her own place when sheād come back to the area a few months ago.
Owen pulled out a head of lettuce.
She dropped her bag on the counter. āIāll let Gramps know Iām here. Are you making a salad?ā
āYeah, Iām not much for rabbit food, but Gramps insists he needs a good steak and fresh vegetables to keep up his health. He has big plans, you know.ā
āIām happy to do it.ā She sidled next to him and stole the lettuce.
He handed over the knife.
She started chopping and immediately cut herself. Terra grimaced and peered at her sliced, bloody finger.
āLet me see.ā Owen grabbed her hand to look. āGood job, Terra.ā
She retrieved her hand. āIāll be fine. Could you get me a bandage?ā
He nodded and disappeared.
She ran her finger under the faucet, turning the water hot, and her thoughts went to Jimās body again. Stabbed. By now the deputy coroner probably knew more about the
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