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Rafe brought the sleigh up to the sign, activating a hologram feed, which issued a tone of announcement.
But no one answered.
Jade was just looking around and wondering what they would do if no one responded, when she spotted a familiar figure headed their way on the back of a lichen-deer.
“Howdy there, folks,” Tag yelled out. “What can I do ya’ for?”
Jade blinked in surprise. Her instincts told her that unexpected guests during a murder investigation would not be looked on kindly. Why was Tag being so friendly?
If he hadn’t killed the judge himself, shouldn’t he be worried that they had?
Tag swung himself off his mount and strode over to greet them with a big smile.
Was it false bravado? Or was he just so happy that the judge was dead, he didn’t care who had killed him?
Rafe leaped out of the sleigh and headed to meet the big rancher, who suddenly didn’t look so big when standing next to the massive dragon warrior.
The two clasped arms and shook.
Jade remembered that the tradition of arm clasping had begun centuries ago, as a way of ensuring that a stranger had no hidden weapons in his sleeves.
She repressed a shudder.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Tag asked, looking around at the members of the little group that had descended on him.
“This is our new friend, Tally. He may be helping out on my farm,” Jade said, inventing a reason for him to be with them, and cursing herself for not thinking about it sooner. “And Nanee-12 takes care of baby Gus when I’m tied up.”
Tag’s eyebrows shot up and she realized too late that it was probably improper to introduce the bot.
Nanee-12’s chest plate lit up and she lowered her body in a sort of curtsy without speaking.
“Oh, I know Tally Gaxx,” Tag said.
“I had to find work, now that my dad…” Tag improvised quickly, letting his words trail off so sadly that Jade figured the ruse had become real to him at the thought of his father.
“You’re here to see your deer?” Tag asked brightly.
“Yes,” Jade said, relieved that there was a good reason for her to be here. “Yes, of course. I know they won’t be delivered until next week, but I would love to see how they’re coming along. Besides, I know you’ve got the best farm in Rothbart, and I was wondering if you might let me look around, just to get an idea of how things work.”
“I’ll take you to the barn,” Tag said, his chest puffing up at the compliment. “But feel free to take a walk around and look at the fencing first. I think you’ll be impressed with how it’s done.”
Jade blinked at him, stunned to have been given permission to do the one thing she actually wanted to do, which was wander around the property looking for Risa Zyy, so they could question her.
“Unless you’re too tired from your journey,” Tag said.
“Not at all,” she told him, recovering quickly. “I was just thinking it was like you read my mind. It’s a challenge to maintain so much fencing. I’d love a chance to see how it’s done.”
“Great,” Tag said with a big grin. “I’ll just get your deer ready to meet you. Come on back to the big barn when you’re ready.”
She headed off, leaving the others to follow.
“That was odd,” Rafe said quietly as soon as they were out of earshot.
“How so?” she asked.
“He was too glad to see us,” Rafe said. “Now he’s encouraging you to look around his farm unsupervised. It’s not right, with everything going on.”
It was good to see that she wasn’t the only one thinking along those lines.
