Page 25 of Property of Whiskey

I tap Kaylee’s picture. “Except this time we may have caught the trail while it’s still warm.”

That gets everybody’s attention.

We’ve known Pearly Gates is rotten for a long damn time. Knowing it and finding the girls before they disappear into another property are two different things.

Now we might have a direction.

Legend studies me. “What ain’t you saying?”

He knows when I’m holding something back.

That’s part of why he made me treasurer. I know when men lie about money.

Legend knows when I lie about damn near everything else.

“That Sheriff Dix’s department can’t be trusted with every detail.”

Holler shifts beside me. “You saying Dix is dirty?”

“I’m saying I don’t know.”

“Big difference.”

“Yeah.”

Royal folds his arms. “His daughter ain’t dirty.” He leans back far enough to balance his chair on two legs, already wearing the look that says he’s about to make my morning worse.

I look at him.

He smirks.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Then shut up.”

His smirk widens.

Legend ignores both of us. “Why can’t the department be trusted?”

“Reports are thin. Questions get redirected. Somebody’s more interested in closing doors than opening them.”

“Dix?”

“Maybe.”

“Somebody under him?”

“Maybe.”

“Pearly Gates got leverage?”

“Maybe.”

Royal drags one hand over his mouth. “You got any answers that ain’t maybe?”

I turn Kaylee’s photograph facedown before answering. “Nope.”