Colton
“She don’t look all warm and motherly,” Greg said, giving the lady sitting and waiting the hairy eyeball.
Colton didn’t disagree. Maddie definitely looked pissed off. “If Yate came and grabbed you, tell me you’d be smiling and singing ‘Achy Breaky Heart’.”
“If I sang that, Scrap, I’d hope you planted your size twelve up my bo-hiney for acting like a newborn fool.”
Colton laughed like he always did when Greg called his ass his bo-hiney. He knew his cousin did it to settle him down a tick. It worked, but then he realized something, and his anxiety kicked back. “Do you think Yate searched her bag?”
“I wouldn’t bet my life on it,” Greg said honestly. “You know how he gets whenever Dad makes him do work. Acts like he isn’t a real deputy, so why him?”
Which was so comforting since Colton was going to have to bethislife on it. “I think Uncle Ted picks himbecausehe complains so much. None of the other part-timers huff and spew.Theylike the job.”
“You’re not wrong.” Greg frowned. “Yate just likes wearing the hat and having a badge. If Dad hadn’t been his friend since school, he’d be asked to turn in his badge.”
That wasn’t entirely true. Yate was good when they really needed him. He just didn’t like doing the little shit that comes with the job. Colton sucked in a deep breath, girding his loins, and grabbed his pad from the desk. “Time to put all that fancy academy training to use.”
Maddie Brown stared a hole in him when he entered. “Yep pissed as shit.”He nodded and took the seat across from her. “Morning, Ms. Brown. I’m Deputy McAllen.”
“I know who you are. It’s written on your shirt.” She pointed, and he instinctively ducked his head. “Why exactly am I here, and where is Zachariah?”
She got right to it, didn’t she? “I need to explain a few things first.”
“Ah, yes. Got to read me my rights.”
Jesus, he just wanted to figure this shit out. He wasn’t the goddamn bad guy. “No, ma’am. You’re not under arrest.”
She raised an eyebrow. “So when a deputy shows up and says you need to go with him because the sheriff said so, that doesn’t make a person under arrest in these parts?
Christ, he was going to smack the shit out of Yate. He pointed to the chain beside her chair. “If you were under arrest, you’d be cuffed to the floor, and your belongings would be scattered across an evidence table to be cataloged. We’re small, ma’am but we’re not stupid.”
“So I’m free to go?” Her glare said she begged to differ.
He shrugged and tried to let her see that he was trying here. This wasn’t just a small-town department fucking with carnies. “Yes, ma’am, you are, but if you do, you won’t learn what you really want to know.”
“Cute and smart.” Her pinched look softened.
That was him. A-fucking-dorable. “Like I said, you’re not under arrest, ma’am. You can leave at any time. Second, there’s a camera up there.” He pointed over his shoulder and waited untilher eyes followed. “The video is on, and there are three mics that pick up everything.”
“So everything I say is recorded.”
“Yes, ma’am. I can’t turn it off. If that changes your mind, let me know.”
She pulled her hair down, then put it back up, and he just waited. “Where’s Zach?”
Her first salvo wasn’t unexpected, but she wasn’t as cooperative as he’d hoped. “I can’t tell you, but you have my word he’s safe.”
“Oh, that soothes me bone deep.” She watched him like a rattler watched a preacher. “I’m not under arrest, Zach’s not here, and your sheriff had someone pick me up and bring me to the station. Why?”
Colton flipped the page of his notebook and clicked his pen. “What’s really going on with the Baxter Boys?”
“Did you talk to Zach?”
Maddie Brown might just have the best poker face Colton had ever seen. Zach said she was a survivor. He wasn’t sure if that helped him or not. “He told the sheriff Jeb Baxter never confided in him.”
“That’s the God’s own truth.” Her chin dipped in a nod.
Still not being helpful. He needed to push a bit harder. “Unfortunately, as Jeb’s only heir and majority owner, we have to assume he knew what was going on and participated with his grandfather.”
