Page 1 of Property of my Boss

Chapter One

Tucker

“Pretty good deal you got on this place.” Sheriff Williams rests his boot on the second step of the old shaker-style home I got from my buddy Kade.

“I wouldn’t classify it as a good deal since I lost my friend to get it, but… if you say so.”

“We don’t have any evidence of what happened to him, do we?” The sheriff stays still as the question settles into the crisp autumn air, his palm resting on the butt of his pistol. I don’t know much about Whiskey Falls, I’m not from Colorado, but it seems that this guy with the thick neck and the biceps thinks he’s running the show.

“You know that girl Kade was hiding went missing too, right?”

I play dumb. “Girl he was hiding?”

Williams rolls his eyes before leaning against the porch post, his boot still dug into the faded, wooden step. “I have reason to believe Wren Harlow was in your neck of the woods the day she disappeared. Got a few people from that campground you own saying they saw her parking outside of a campsite before a large man covered in tattoos carried her away. You have anything to say about that?”

“I’ve got campers who think they see Bigfoot every other day. Not sure I’d trust any eyewitness testimonies there.”

He tilts his head back slowly and slides his hand down over the handle of his gun, like he’s trying to intimidate me. “And I suppose it’s just a coincidence that you and Kade both came from the same prison, right?”

I groan and stand from the rocker where I’d been comfortably carving a piece of wood before the asshole showed up. “I don’t know what you’re insinuating here, but unless you have some sort of warrant, I’m not interested in finishing this conversation.”

“Your prison sentence,” he continues. “Wasn’t it because you were a part of that heist out in the Springs a while back? Two buddies, thinking they knew better than the law. Your partner just joined you over at the campground too, right? His parole ended six months ago. All of a sudden, he’s there with you and Kade, then a girl goes missing.”

“Missing, or dead?” I step forward and lean against the front porch railing. “I reckon Kade and Wren had a thing for each other, so they met up and rekindled the flame. If I had money on it, I’d bet that rich husband of hers had them both knocked off for embarrassing him. Made all the evidence disappear.” I glance down at my wrist as though I’m checking the time, though I haven’t worn a watch in twenty years. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to get over to the campground for an interview I have coming in.”

“Interview?” he says, spinning toward me as I head to my truck. “What’s the interview for?”

“I’m finished with this conversation, Williams. You have any more issues with me, you can contact my lawyer.”

He laughs and follows behind me, his boots heavy on the gravel. “Still using the same lawyer you used for the heist? You just spent three years in prison. I’d recommend you find someone else to represent you, given I ‘reckon’ you had a part in the disappearance of Wren Harlow and Kade Anderson.”

I shake my head, climb into the truck, and start the engine before calling out my window, “You don’t know shit about fuck, and I suggest you keep it that way.” I hit the gas, leaving a cloud of dust behind me as I peel out of the driveway toward the old campground Kade, Atlas, and I have been trying to turn into something since we got out of prison. It’s a thirty-acre lot set between Rugged Mountain and Whiskey Falls with its own turquoise lake and a view of the mountains that brings campers up from all over the state of Colorado and beyond. We’ve also got some fairly large campsites with plenty of pine and aspen to create privacy.

Apparently not enough, though.

I don’t know who saw Kade carrying Wren out of campsite four-fifty-seven, but it looks like we’re going to have to change our tactics if we’re going to continue to be successful with our relocations. Then again, I don’t expect another scene like that playing out anytime soon.

I blow out a heavy breath and follow the winding mountain road up toward the campground, a list of questions for the new hire rattling around in my head. We hadn’t planned on hiring anyone from the outside to run operations, but we didn’t foresee Kade relocating with Wren either. That’s created its own world of problems, including a hole in our administrative process.

For the most part, Kade and I handled the front of house business, and Atlas handles getting folks to their new location safely. With Kade gone now, I’m drowning, and I need someone who can pick up the slack, especially during the busy autumn months. We’ve got a packed campground from now to the end of leaf season, and I suspect the winters will be busy with folks renting cabins for skiing and snowshoeing. If the front of the house isn’t operating smoothly, nothing will.

I’m pulling into the campground when I see a small electric car waiting outside of the camp store, its taillights red, the music turned up loudly. That’s probably my interview. I don’t know much about the girl other than she’s a twenty-something nursing school graduate from Rugged Mountain who’s looking for a career shift. Hopefully, she realizes this career shift comes with a severe pay cut.

I park to the side of her little car, climb down out of the truck, and head up toward the office. We don’t meet for another five minutes, and I didn’t get to make my coffee thanks to Sheriff Williams shoving his fucking bullshit down my throat first thing this morning. Hopefully, I can get a cup in before she heads up to the cabin for the interview.

I’m rummaging through the cabinets above the office sink, looking for the can of coffee I’m pretty sure Kade kept up here when I hear a knock at the door.

“Sorry to bother you,” a soft voice says from behind. “I’m Tilly. I’m here for the interview.”

I turn back quickly, brown paper coffee filters falling to the ground before I can say hello.

“Oh no!” she says, shuffling towards me, her full breasts bouncing as she moves. I already know this isn’t going to work. She’d distract the hell out of me. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Not a problem.” I shake my head, and we kneel down together, both of us on all fours, picking up a hundred brown paper filters. “It’s my fault. I haven’t been properly caffeinated this morning, and my buddy was usually the one messing with this thing. I have one of those pod jobbers at home.” I glance toward her, though I redirect my gaze immediately. I have to. This shot right here has a direct line straight down the front of her blouse.

“I can make it for you. I had all these problems with this rental cabin I was in, so I’ve been staying with my brother. He uses this kind of coffee machine.” She stands from the ground, her long blonde hair falling back over her shoulder as she twists toward the coffee pot, sliding the filter into place before pouring a bottle of water into the tank in the back.

“Thank you,” I manage, my eyes drawn to her body like a moth to a flame. I can’t look away. Trust me, I’m trying to look the fuck away, but the woman is all curves and long, silky hair. “So, ugh, I read on your application that you were a nurse.”