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The door opened, and Olivia twisted her head to see who had arrived

It was Deputy Sheriff Frank Vine He’d been on duty the day Marcus had disappeared For a cop, Frank was an exceptionally gentle , with hair that was alh, but he listened, weighing every situation carefully

He’d even listened to her when she’d found Marcus He’d soothed her and told her sadly that people didn’t always live up to their own expectations or those of others It didn’t th they’d needed

"Morning, Frank," she said

"Olivia, goodonto the stool to her left He bea Dustin "Hello, sir"

"Frank Vine, Dustin Blake" Olivia made quick introductions Dustin stood for a moment to shake Frank’s hand Delilah ca, Deputy Frank," she said "Dustin here is one of your own A federal officer of the law"

"Oh, yeah?" Frank looked at Dustin again "Are you out here for any special reason?"

"I a the Horse Farm," Dustin said

"Oh" Frank nodded but obviously reinally from Nashville"

"Ah" That seemed to make sense to Frank "Our own Music City" His pride in Nashville was evident

"No better place," Dustin agreed

Frank nodded happily; Dustin had made a friend

"I hear the Horse Far, because the lawyer’s co to discuss the terms of Marcus Danby’s will," Frank said

"It’s a foruess it’s necessary," Olivia put in

"Deputy," Dustin began "I’m curious I believe the medical examiner concluded that Marcus Danby’s death was accidental The result of a fall, possibly brought on by asubstance Heroin Where did Marcus inject?"

Frank’s face turned a mottled red "The usual," he uess at his point in his life--when he fell back into drugs--he wouldn’t have collapsed veins, and the needle ist to find"

"Right," Frank said He looked over at Dustin "He was a hty fine place We don’t judge Marcus harshly, and we ask you not to do so, either You’re here for healing, I iin Now, Liv," Frank said, turning to her "Today willAaron’s been Marcus’s right-hand man for over a decade now ButI need you to doold yellow dog on the property Marcus came back with him after a trip to Memphis He was at so out of days," Frank said

"Homer He’s some kind of Lab "

"I’d like to have hiht’ve left hi old mutt almost as much as his Sammy"

"Frank, you know animals come to the farm not because we need more animals, but so they can survive Whether Homer was left to hted for you to have hirown up noith kids of their own, and since last fall Well, I figured that dog kind of took a hankering toto him," Frank said

Frank’s wife had passed away the year before froed to live with you, Frank"

Frank nodded Delilah brought plates of food for Dustin and Olivia and took Frank’s order Twenty rits and headed off to work Olivia looked at her watch and asked Delilah for her check She glanced at Dustin, who’d grown thoughtful when Frank left

While Delilah tallied their bills, Dustin said, "So that’s the officer on’t believe you about Marcus? Seeh"

"That’s one of them We have two sheriff’s deputies who handle this area--Frank, and Jiuys Butthey feel sorry for those of us ear rose-tinted glasses, as Jimmy phrased it They’re very kind when they try to make me understand what they see as the sad truth"