“Was she married?” Drewasked.
“Yes, for about six years. The divorce went through a fewmonthsago.”
“So that was true,”Drewsaid.
“Yep,” Sherriff Hunt said. “And she was also telling the truth about being attacked by him—twice. First time happened after she asked for a divorce. Anyone who’s been in law enforcement has seen how that works out when the man’s a controlling prick. Not all of them get violent, but enough do that it’s a major problemforus.”
“I hate to ask this, and I don’t mean to be offensive in any way, but did the cops screw up and let him out of jail?” Drewasked.
“Unfortunately, yes. The detective I spoke with admitted they had chain of custody issues with a new officer. It should have been an open and shut case, but they screweditup.”
Drew leaned forward and dropped his head into hishands.
“I don’t know what to do,”hesaid.
“About what?” Huntasked.
“About Sha—Cindy.”
“You like this girl a lot,right?”
“Yeah,”Drewsaid.
“Then let me give you a piece of advice my dad gave me. Don’t let her get away. There aren’t very many women in this world who can set your heart on fire. I let one get away once and I’ve regretted it myentirelife.”
“I didn’t know you could be so sentimental,” Drew said with a slightsmile.
“Yeah. I’m all fuzzy and warm on the inside,” Hunt joked. “Seriously though, I’ve seen the crime scene photos. I have to tell you, she’s lucky to be alive. She’s been through hell. If you think she might be worth fighting for,doit.”
“Thanks,” Drew said as he stood to shake thesheriff’shand.
“Anytime. My counseling fee is one hundreddollars.”
“I’ll send one of my brothers back with a jar full of pennies for you.” Drewchuckled.
“You do, and you’ll be coming back to bail him out of jail,”Huntsaid.
“On whatgrounds?”
“Disturbing the peace,” Hunt said with astraightface.
Drew roared with laughter. Hunt joined in as he walked around to where Drew stood. The sheriff slapped him ontheback.
“Get out of here before I call Deputy Jenkinsinhere.”
“Yes, sir,”Drewsaid.
He strolled out of the office with a lightheartedness that lasted all the way to the parking lot. But when he slid into the cab of his truck, his gut churned. She was telling the truth now, but she’d still liedtohim.
The drive back to the ranch helped his simmering frustration reach a boiling point. By the time he pulled into his spot near the main house, his jaw was locked tighter than a bear trap. He couldn’t let her deceitfulness go. The last time he’d let a liar into his bed, he’d ended up on the wrong end of ashotgun.
Kassie Edwin. What a psycho. God, how many years had it been since he’d thought abouther?Five?
The gold-digging con artist had paid a pregnant woman to pee on a stick in an effort to extort money from him. He’d almost fallen for it too. If Mack hadn’t insisted that she go to the doctor for an official test, Drew would have been knee-deep in her bullshit. He was so lucky to have a brotherlikeMack.
When Drew had confronted her with the request, she’d thrown a fit, hollering about how she couldn’t believe he thought she was lying. As if that hadn’t been proof enough of her deception, she’d told her father he’d knocked her up and was refusing to take responsibility forthebaby.
Later, during a drunken conversation held at the end of a shotgun, Drew managed to convince her father that she had to take the test. When his daughter had refused, yet again, he’d dragged her off to the doctor’soffice.
