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“Are you building something secret back here? Government weapons? UFOs?” Kaden teased, his tone light.
“I wish.” Manny chuckled. “That’s just the meatpacking plant. Mr. Burke is worried about the gun club over there.” The younger man pointed toward the empty field, where there was a row of hay bales set several feet apart. “The members come out whenever they want to do some target practice. It could be dangerous for strangers.”
It wasn’t an unreasonable explanation, but Kaden found it hard to believe anyone would pay for a full-time guard at a place that was empty 99 percent of the time.
“You get a lot of strangers back here?” he asked.
Manny glanced around. There was one set of tire tracks from the Jeep and another set coming from the opposite direction that Kaden assumed had come from Manny’s truck, parked next to the wooden shack. The entrance to the meatpacking plant had to be on the other side of the large building. Clearly this wasn’t a main thoroughfare.
“I think he meant reporters and folks from other places snooping around,” Manny finally explained.
Kaden blinked. “Reporters?”
“Because of the skeleton.”
“Ah.” Kaden was instantly intrigued. “Have you had to run a lot of people off? I mean, besides me.”
“Actually, this is my first day.”
“Your first day back here?”
“Nope, my first day on the job.” Manny shrugged. “I’m usually driving the school bus, but Mr. Burke asked if I wanted to make some extra bucks during Christmas break and I said hell yeah. I got three kids.”
Manny’s first day on the job. There had to be something around here that Mr. Burke didn’t want discovered by any potential reporters. But what?
“I don’t blame you.” He kept his smile firmly in place. “That’s a lot of Christmas presents.”
“Exactly.”
Kaden had a thousand questions gnawing at him. What was Burke’s connection to the skeleton? Was he keeping people away from the gun range? Or the meatpacking plant? What secrets was he trying to protect?
Unfortunately, it was doubtful Manny had any answers. He was a man trying to make a few extra bucks to buy Christmas presents for his kids. Unless he was a hell of a lot better actor than he appeared.
“Where does this road go?” Kaden finally asked. If Manny was a local, he surely knew every back road in the area. “Just so I don’t stumble across it again.”
“It goes past the gun range and the back of the meatpacking plant before cutting through the Walsh place.” Manny paused, his nose scrunching as he mentally mapped out the pathway. “I think it ends at the reservoir. Honestly, it’s been years since I’ve driven down there.”
Kaden stiffened. Reservoir? Now, that was certainly a place Vanna would have visited. And a potential reason for her to be out this way. He needed to check it out.
“Is that a place to go fishing?” Kaden pretended to be dumb. It was an easy act. People always expected stuntmen to be a few bricks short of a full load. “I wouldn’t mind having a look around.”
“Nah. I think it’s where the town’s water comes from.”
“So, it’s not open to the public?”
Manny shook his head. “They have it all fenced off. But if you’re interested in some ice fishing, I have a couple of spots I’d be happy to show you.”
Kaden offered a vague nod. He’d have to come back later. It seemed doubtful Mr. Burke would pay a guard to stand out there at night.
“I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks, Manny.”
“No problem.”
Manny reluctantly stepped back as Kaden rolled up the window and performed a cautious U-turn. He hated the thought of leaving without checking out the reservoir. It felt like his first actual clue in discovering Vanna’s reason for being in Pike. But for now, Manny seemed ready to believe Kaden’s excuse that he was lost. He didn’t want to do anything that might reveal he was interested in the place.
Besides, he still needed to get over to Grange to buy a few clothes before the snow started again.
Chapter 12
