Page 51 of One Wrong Move
He nodded, not questioning her move from Albuquerque. That was her business, but he was happy since it had brought her into his life. “We’ll have to take a ride one day.”
She smiled. “I’d like that. When all of this is over.”
He prayed it ended soon with no more surprises, but something said there were far more headed their way. The question was, how deadly would it get?
TWENTY-FIVE
ANDI EMERGEDfrom Riley’s home feeling a thousand times better. A hot shower and a fresh pair of clothes, even if not her own, made a huge difference. She glanced at her watch. Harper should be arriving any minute. Actually, she might have already arrived. If so, Andi had no doubt she’d get a warm welcome from Riley.
Christian’s sister was a sweetheart, and it was touching seeing the three siblings interact. There was a bond there that had been apparent from the start. She and her brother, Tracey, shared an equal one. She smiled as a thought occurred. Tracey was a ranch manager, had several of his own horses, was single ... She’d have to introduce him and Riley when this was all over. And she prayed that would be sooner rather than later. They could only dodge death for so long.
She knocked on the front door of the main house, where Christian said he’d meet her, but heard voices carrying from around the east side of the house. She stood still, listening. One voice was Christian’s, then Deckard’s. Not sure what to do, she was about to knock on the door again when Harper’s voice joined in.
She glanced past Deckard’s SUV and her truck to see a glimmer of the blue hood of Harper’s Rogue, the paint sparkling in the sunlight.
Weaving around the back path toward the voices, she passed cacti, potted agave, and autumn sage—the latter’s fuchsia flowers gorgeous against the white stone landscaping.
“Answer this,” Christian said, his voice carrying on the wind. “When Andi came to you claiming she’d been set up, did you believe her?”
She froze in place. Here’s where Deckard said no.
“I believeshebelieved she’d been set up,” Deckard responded.
Hmm.Wasn’t the flat-outnoshe’d anticipated.
“That’s not what I asked,” Christian said.
“Look,” Deckard said, his gravelly voice deep. “It wasn’t my job to determine that. It would have been a huge conflict of interest while I was working for Mitch’s family.”
“So she could have been set up,” Christian pressed.
“Anything’s possible,” Deckard relented. “But look at it from my perspective. Mitch’s family hired me. The evidence, and by that, I mean the lack of evidence—being it was basically destroyed or missing—pointed directly at Miranda Forester.”
“Because she was set up,” Harper cut in.
Of course Harper would jump in the conversation after just meeting the siblings.Shywas the last word to describe Harper.
“You don’t work for Mitch’s family anymore,” Harper continued.
“Where are you going with that?” Deckard asked.
“I want you to look into Andi’s case,” Christian responded.
“Ditto,” Harper said.
Deckard released a stunned laugh. “You couldn’t possibly want me,” he said. “Either of you.”
“On the contrary, you’re the perfect guy for the job,” Christian said.
“Why on earth is that?” Deckard asked.
A bug zinged by Andi’s ear, and she swatted it away.
“Why on earth would you want me?” Deckard asked.
“Because I trust you’d be impartial. You’ll look at and study the evidence for what it is, and when you discover she was set up, you’ll find a way to prove it,” Christian said.
“You’re assuming she was set up,” Deckard said.
