“Not at all,” Nick responded, unfazed by Mason’s mood. “Jack is being charged with illegal trespass to hunt. He’s going to lose his hunting license across the entire US, hopefully for the full five-year maximum. He was still operating as a hunting guide and taking one to two people out there with him. He’ll be getting a hefty fine too, so no, he’s not getting off scot-free, but he’s not the one who’s been threatening you.”
“But—”
Nick held up a hand to forestall Mason’s argument.
“Jack has an airtight alibi for the timeframe when your brakes were tampered with and the night all the trailer tires were slashed,” Nick said.
Mason snorted but didn’t say anything else. Colt could understand. He’d only run into Jack a couple of times, but both times, the man had gotten Colt’s back up too. At least Jack wouldn’t be antagonizing Mason anymore.
“What about all the other stuff? The vandalism and the graffiti on my horse and the barn and the letters?” Mason demanded, the anger in his voice bleeding through again.
“His handwriting doesn’t match that of the letters,” Nick replied. “There was also no evidence of spray paint after my team searched his truck and home or incriminating emails on his electronics.”
“But he could still have been the one who did that,” Mason argued, and Colt felt a wave of compassion for him. Mason was grasping.
“Sorry, Mase.” Nick shook his head. “I wish I could give you better news, but Jack is in the clear.”
Mason’s shoulders drooped. He looked around the small office and then sat on a chair near the entrance. He dropped his head into his hands with a sigh. Colt met Nick’s gaze and raised an eyebrow. Nick shrugged. It was what it was. Colt wished it could have been Jack behind everything, for Mason’s sake. At least then, he could finally get some peace.
Nick gestured to the CPW officer standing at his side. “This is Officer Vendt.”
“I need Mr. Hayes to sign some forms for me.” She stepped forward, a clipboard with a few sheets of paper in her hand.
Colt glanced at Mason, who still had his head buried in his hands, and then to Nick and Officer Vendt. She shrugged and then grabbed a pen off Maeve’s desk and went to sit beside Mason.
“On another note,” Nick said, drawing Colt’s attention. “We traced the physical address for the IP the emails came from. It’s the Havenridge Library.”
Colt cursed. That was not ideal. Anyone could have been in there using the public computers. It would take a little more time, but they would figure out who it was.
“Did you forward the info along to Wes?”
Nick nodded. “Pretty sure they don’t have cameras in there, but I’ll pull the footage if they do.”
“Thanks.” Colt tipped his hat at Nick and then walked over to stand beside Mason, who, after having signed the CPW paperwork, was now looking through the glass window in the front door. Colt followed his gaze but knew Mason wasn’t really seeing anything beyond the panes.
“Come on.” Colt placed a hand gently on his shoulder. “Let’s go get some lunch.”
Outside, Mason followed Colt onto the sidewalk in silence, a silence that continued for the short walk to the Ruby Apple Diner, a few doors down and across the street.
“I’m sorry Jack wasn’t the one behind everything,” Colt said after they’d sat down in a red vinyl-benched booth and Ruby herself had taken their order. “I know you want this to all be over.”
Mason was quiet for so long Colt didn’t think he was going to answer. The sound of Mason’s voice startled him just as he was pulling his phone from his pocket to let his brothers know what was going on.
“I don’t know what to do,” Mason said, barely audible over an Eagles song, “Already Gone,” playing on the diner’s jukebox. “I’m angry he was out there hunting on my property. I’m relieved he’s been caught and won’t be able to hunt at all now. But I’m even more angry now, that someone is still out there who wants to hurt me, and I have no idea why.”
Mason’s voice grew rougher as he talked, until the last words were a growl that Colt felt all the way to his toes. He banged his fist on the table, rattling the silverware and drawing the attention of Ruby and the few patrons in the diner.
A blush spread over Mason’s cheeks. He turned to the small audience and apologized to no one in particular.
He slid down in his seat a little, shoulders rolling forward. The strongest need to comfort Mason bubbled up inside Colt yet again. It wasn’t the first time he’d felt that way since returning to the ranch, but it was the most powerful. He reached for the three-fold topper on the edge of the table that listed the diner’s weekly happy-hour specials and scanned the words, but nothing registered. He just needed something to distract himself from getting up and sitting on the bench next to Mason, from putting his arm around his shoulders and tucking him into his side.
Now more than ever, he had to be diligent in his job of protecting Mason.
“Here you are, gentlemen,” Ruby said as she placed their orders on the table in front of them—a deluxe cheeseburger for Colt and a veggie burger for Mason, both with the biggest side of fries Colt had ever seen—and Colt was grateful for the interruption to his thoughts.
“Thanks, Ruby,” Mason said with a quick smile that didn’t reach his eyes. She shot an accusing look at Colt before she walked away. As though Colt was the reason why Mason was upset.
“I don’t know why someone is after you either,” Colt finally said after they were left to their meals, even though Mason’s comment hadn’t been a question. “I see too much of it in my line of work and just don’t understand how people can be so cruel to one another. Too many people refuse to take any responsibility for their own actions and think everyone else owes them something.”
