Deke shook his head in frustration. “You’re an idiot.” He pivoted toward the door.
Smith’s voice stopped him. “Wait.”
Deke halted; brows lowered. “What?”
“I cooperated, again.”
Deke opened the door. “Good for you. Your lawyer cantryto negotiate a deal. I’ll mention your help, but don’t count on much leniency.” He stepped into the hallway, pulled the door shut, and returned to the sheriff’s office.
Inside, Sheriff Jones looked up from his desk. “Agent Anderson, did you find out what you needed?”
“Smith gave me directions to an old barn. Could you spare a deputy to take me out there?”
Jones raised an eyebrow, then called, “Miller!”
Deputy Miller appeared in the doorway. “Yes, sir?”
“Take Agent Anderson where he needs to go. Agent, you can leave your truck here.” Jones nodded. “Good luck.”
“Thanks, Sheriff.” Deke glanced at Miller, who nodded. “When do we leave?”
“Right now,” Miller said with urgency. “My cruiser is just outside.”
Deke nodded, steeling himself for the task ahead. He squared his shoulders and followed the deputy into the sweltering heat, determined to track down the next lead and bring Hollister’s herd back home.
Chapter Ten
Under Deke’s guidance, Deputy Miller maneuvered the cruiser along the road, both men scanned the landscape for the gravel road branching off to the left.
“There’s the first one,” Miller pointed out as they drove past a narrow, dusty path veiled in the shadow of overhanging trees.
Deke nodded thoughtfully. “Let’s hope the other one stands out just as clearly. If it’s on an abandoned property, it might be difficult to access.”
The deputy gave a nod in agreement, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. A short distance later, he straightened up, his gaze locking onto something in the distance.
“I think that might be it,” he said, pointing toward a faint, overgrown track barely visible through the underbrush.
Deke peered through the windshield. “Pull in there if you can, and I’ll check the condition of the road. We’ll see if we can drive through or if we’ll need to hoof it. They had the haulers here, but those sit higher than your cruiser.”
“Alright,” Miller replied, guiding the cruiser onto the gravel path. “The grass is taking over between the stones.”
Deke swung open the door and stepped out, the heat radiating up from the ground in shimmering waves. “Let me lead you in. If it gets too rough, we’ll walk.”
“You got it,” Miller said, as Deke moved to the front of the vehicle. With careful steps, Dekenavigated along the gravel, the cruiser crawling behind him like a cautious beast. He halted abruptly when he spotted a massive boulder lodged in the middle of the path. He sighed heavily and glanced back at the deputy, who was already exiting the car, retrieving plastic gloves and evidence bags from the trunk.
“I’d bet money that someone deliberately placed that boulder there,” Deke remarked, shaking his head in disbelief.
“It sure didn’t roll there by itself,” Miller agreed, handing Deke a pair of gloves. “They probably thought no one would venture this way, and if someone did, the rock would make them turn back.”
“Well, it’s not going to deter us. Let’s see what we can find,” Deke replied resolutely.
The men maneuvered around the boulder, both holding their weapons at the ready and continued along the gravel path. As they reached a clearing, Deke’s eyes fell on a dilapidated barn standing forlornly amidst the overgrown grass.
“That has to be it,” he declared, his voice tinged with anticipation.
“I hope so. Doesn’t seem like there are any other structures around,” Miller observed, scanning the area.
They trudged through the tall grass, the blades brushing against their legs. Suddenly, a flock of doves erupted into the sky, their wings flapping noisily. Instinctively, Deke raised his weapon before he relaxed with a sigh.
