Page 23 of When the Silence Breaks

Malcolm Hoyt?

Oh. Now. This ...thisonly confirmed her suspicions. She’d kept them at bay. Hadn’t wanted to believe or think he could somehow be involved. So maybe shehadseen Reid Maddox after all. Nausea rose in her stomach.

Seriously? What was he up to? Leave that note and then snatch the plane part? He couldn’t reach her by cell because she was using a burner.

I don’t work for you anymore.

Sarah turned off the lights and lay on top of the covers, arms behind her head. This was going to be a long night.

Ten

“I’ve toldyou everythingI cantell you.”

Those words Sarah had spoken last night stayed in his mind as he opened the door for Silverpine County sheriff, Wade Hollis. Sarah was still asleep, as far as Ryder knew. Sheriff Hollis—Wade—had come to see him personally. Ryder stepped outside and walked toward the shop.

Wade followed. “Ryder. What’s this about an intruder last night?”

On the walk, Ryder shared about the scuffle in the house that ended in his shop before the intruder escaped. Ryder had waited until this morning to make the call, deciding to mull everything over before committing to this endeavor with Sarah.

He was all in before he’d even decided.

“You should have called me last night,” Wade said.

“And get you out of bed? Everything’s the same this morning. I’m just reporting a break-in so you can make sure the community’s safe from a guy wearing all black, including a mask.”

“By community, you specifically mean your mother.”

“You know there was an intruder on her property yesterdaythat returned in the evening. I didn’t get a look. I can’t be sure it was the same person.”

“I sent a deputy to check through the night. Harlan slept in the barn.”

“Did he?” Ryder asked. So that’s why Wade sounded more irritated than usual.

Poor Harlan. Ryder suspected he had a crush on his mother too, or maybe it was her chicken pot pies or rhubarb streusel.

“Yep. She was good when we talked this morning at the diner.” Wade marched next to him, his heavy boots clomping along the rain-softened soil.

Ryder knew Wade would take personal care of his mother. Harlan too.

“What’s this about, Ryder? Your mother’s property, and now you had an actual break-in.”

“I’ve told you everything I can tell you.”

Ryder would tell the sheriff everything he could.

“I’m not really sure,” he said.

“Not really? You want to tell me what you mean?”

“You know the World WarII bomber that was rumored to have crashed in the Cascades, holding Nazi gold all the way over here in the US of A?” Rumors included financing a Fourth Reich, or high-ranking Nazis fleeing Europe. Right. In a US Army plane. Treasure hunters were also conspiracy theorists. Because why not? Ryder stopped and turned to look at Wade.

“And then treasure hunters showed up until that rumor was dispelled.” The sheriff looked a little shell-shocked that Ryder had brought up the plane or that it had anything to do with ... well, anything.

“Right. And it was really lost at sea.”

“I know the one, Ryder. Don’t keep me in suspense.” His look said,Get to the point.

“See. I found a piece of what I think was that plane on the mountain. That was three weeks ago. And then I talked to Vivian Knox.”