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CHAPTER 14

As he drove into town, Will felt more hopeful than at any time since Beau’s arrest The sheriff had demanded proof that Slade was dead before he was shot with Jasper’s deer rifle Thanks to Sky’s discovery of the brass shell casing on the hilltop, and the next day’s successful search for theall the proof he needed—h to clear his brother

On Tori’s advice, Beau had re up Tori at home on the way to the sheriff ’s office As Beau’s lawyer, she would be there to represent his interests

“Don’t get your hopes up, Will,” she lectured hi up loose ends As long as there’s any basis for suspicion, he’ll be keeping Beau at the top of his list”

“Hellfire, what list?” Will stormed “As far as I know, the sheriff hasn’t even looked at anybody else What about that tattooed bartender in the Blue Coyote? He looks like a hired hit ot Slade’s old job How did the slimy little weasel make that happen?”

Will was still asking hi of the county building that housed the sheriff ’s offices and the jail Glenda Peterson, whose husband owned the town’s only gas station, gave them a breezy smile fro you,” she said “Hang on a minute I’ll let him know you’re here” She pressed a button on the phone and spoke a feords into the receiver “You two can go right in,” she said

Sheriff Hoyt Axelrod rose from behind his desk and extended his hand with a se Have a chair Let’s see what you’ve found”

Will opened thein plastic bags and the photos of the sites, which Beau had printed from Sky’s phone camera He slid the contents across the desk “You asked for proo

f that another shooter killed Slade Here it is”

Axelrod scratched his thickon to this,” he said “I’ve no doubt it’s what you say it is Judging fro the weapon was most likely a Barrett fifty-caliber BMG sehanistan Plenty of those babies available at gun shows I’ve even got a couple of theoes, there’s no way of deter was there For all I know, you could have planted it”

Will felt a surge of frustration Why was the sheriff determined to pin this criun Nobody on the ranch owns one either”

The sheriff raised one grizzled eyebrow “Maybe not But Slade Haskell had one He showed it to un show And Slade had a wife”

Natalie was buttoning on a fresh white lab coat, preparing to open her clinic, when the front doorbell rang Two uniforer men she’d seen in town but didn’t know by name

“Dr Haskell?”

“Yes” Her pulse lurched Had so happened to Beau?