“Or he drowned.” Kayden’s voice had a hard edge. “His body washed up, and the animals got to him before anyone found him. Dingoes, crows, ants. Not much left after they’ve had a feast. Nothing suspicious about that.”
“But the tied laces?”
“Why the hell does it matter?” He dragged a hand across the back of his neck. “The guy went into a flash flood and died. Why are you acting like it was something different?”
I straightened and faced him square on. “Because something is going on, Kayden.”
“Nothing is going on.”
“Don’t bullshit me.”
“I’m not bullshitting you.”
“Then look me in the eye and tell me your family has nothing to hide.”
He said nothing.
“That’s what I thought.” I shoved my notebook into my pocket. “I see it when you talk about Doug. I saw it at the cottage when I asked you about those walls. I saw it at that dining table this morning. Your whole family is sitting on something, and you’ve been cagey with me since the second you walked into that kitchen and saw me.” I held his gaze. “I know bullshit when I hear it, Kayden.”
His eyes hardened. “We’ve done nothing wrong, Sapphire.”
“Then help me understand what’s going on.”
“I’m not telling you a damn thing, Officer Delaney.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re wearing the badge that says Bob Ackerman owns you. So if you want to know what the hell is going on out here, go ask that bastard yourself.”
I stared at him, rage simmering inside me.
He didn’t take it back.
I put my hands on my hips. “You think Bob owns me?”
“Bob has owned every cop for hundreds of miles for years. Tell me you’re different.”
“I’m different.”
“Prove it.”
We were close enough that I could smell him—soap, leather, and something underneath that was just him—and I hated that I noticed it right now.
I made myself take a step back. “Fine. You want to make this about Bob. Let’s make it about Bob.” I started counting on my fingers.
“Frank Branson, your father, has been missing for weeks. Yet no one filed a report. Edith Branson, your mother, vanished from this property twenty years ago. No body, no closed file. Doug Walker, died in a flash flood, with nothing left of him but a boot sitting on a rock with its laces tied and bloody clothing. Three people. All missing on Koolaroo. And on top of all that, the Henderson brothers light a fire that nearly kills your sister and her partner. Again, no report filed.”
I stopped.
Kayden watched me with the look of a man who was doing rapid calculations behind his eyes.
“That’s just what I’ve stumbled across in twenty-four hours. One day, Kayden. Whatever your family is hiding, I am going to find out. That’s not a threat. That’s my job.”
He said nothing.
“I don’t give up. I never have. Stand between me and the truth if you want, but it won’t end well for you.”
He let out a short, hard laugh. No humor in it at all. “Yeah.” His voice dropped. “I remember that about you.”
