Page 131 of The Lonely Road

“What?” I gasp.

Kaz shrugs carelessly. “Brooks beat the crap out of Trafton, told him to stay away from you.” He pauses. “But our man, Trafton, comes back to Wildflower Canyon to poke around and get a win for his bosses, even though they stopped paying him. Probably feels a professional obligation.”

Mason beat up Trafton. My ribs squeeze like a vice.

“So, he’s running without a leash,” the Sheriff finishes. “Which is why he shows up at Clara’s.”

“Which was a mistake, because by the end of today, I’m going to send your report along with Clara and Dakota’s testimony to Judge Colbeck.” My shoulders stiffen. “He may lean toward development, but he’s firmly anti-witness intimidation.”

I cannot wait to take these people apart. Threatening a sixteen-year-old and harassing a single mother, a school teacher, for the love of everything holy.

“Doesn’t change the fact that he’s got a grievance to settle for Jessup,” Kaz drawls.

“Do we know Jessup hired him and not High Mesa?” I ask.

And who hired Mason? Jessup?

Kaz walks over and rests his hip against the Sheriff’s desk. “We do. Jessup is involved to give High Mesa plausible deniability. No one has publicly connected Jessup to your case yet.”

Subtext: Or Mason Brooks.

“But you have,” I say.

“Yeah.”

“Because you’re investigating him.”

“Yeah.” I’m surprised he doesn’t prevaricate.

“And why are you telling me this?” I have a feeling they’re asking for my assistance, which I don’t mind—I’m an officer of the court—but doing this would also help Clara.

“Because.” Kaz picks up a pen from the Sheriff’s desk and flips it between his fingers. “Right now, especially after Trafton’s mistake, High Mesa knows you’re probably going to win the case. They can’t afford that. Rumor has it Aldridge has been talking to a partner at a law firm you used to work at to help”—he turns to the Sheriff— “what’s the word, Hugh?”

The Sheriff’s expression shifts, barely, his mouth curving with control. “Soften. They’d like to soften you, Taya.”

“With what?” I narrow my eyes. “A meat tenderizer? Or are they talking to my ex?”

“Griffin Cole has been added to Aldridge’s team as a consultant,” Kaz says.

Heat surges up my spine. “And his special expertise is me?”

“Yeah.” Kaz looks more entertained than he should. “So he’s going to approach you, and we’d like it if you don’t ask him to go to hell—just agree to listen.”

I let out a long sigh. “Kaz, I’m not going undercover for you.”

“You may just have to talk to the man and let him think you regret your move here, that you miss the money.” Kaz ignores my protest. “I mean, you did get your heart broken and all that.”

I shoot him a withering look. “My heart is just fine.”

He glances at me, lips twitching.

“So I talk to Griffin and then what? Wear a wire? Interrogate him?”

Kaz opens his hands, palms up. “I’d like you to have a conversation.”

“Those are all the same things.”

“Technically.”