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Wade gestured to Sam. “I started looking into that case because it’s Samantha’s uncle.”

“Is that so?”

She nodded. “He disappeared while arranging gas leases with property owners.” A frown marred her normally smooth forehead. “I’ve looked into it myself, but I can’t figure out what happened to him. He went to an appointment and was never seen again.”

Interesting. Maybe he could enlist the help of his private investigator friend. Sometimes cops had their hands tied by rules, regulations, and procedures. His buddy worked in shades of gray that allowed him more freedom to get results.

Thescentofdampearth filled her nostrils as Samantha bent to tighten her laces when they approached Hawk Falls on their way to Orchard Loop. The pounding of the water against the rocks below didn’t put her at ease the way it usually did. Emily and Wade had hiked on when she stopped. Their laughter drifted on the wind. She was happy her friend had found happiness, but sometimes she struggled to understand why she couldn’t do the same. As rewarding as her job was, it didn’t keep her from going home every night to an empty house.

Gavin reached out a hand to help her rise, but she ignored it. He grinned and shook his head.

“Lovely day. Don’t ya think?”

“It is.” She didn’t plan to let him off the hook that easily. When he’d been Emily’s bodyguard, she’d made her interest clear, and he hadn’t discouraged her, but then she never heard from him again. Best to keep him at a safe distance.

“You’re quiet today.”

“Am I?”

“I suppose nature has a way of making people reflective.”

“Or maybe it’s the company.” She hadn’t meant to say the words out loud, and she cringed at the sharpness in her tone.

“Ouch.” He cocked his head to the side. “Did I do something wrong?”

“Forget it.”

“Okaaay.”

Silence grew between them as they walked—the air thick with tension.

“I was sorry to hear about your uncle.”

“It was a long time ago.”

“You didn’t get closure. That must be hard.”

“Not everyone gets that luxury.”

He reached out and pulled a bunch of needles from a white pine and broke it into bits releasing the fragrance into the air. “I know Wade is looking into his disappearance, but did you ever consider doing so yourself?”

“Years ago. I went through the motions. Followed his last steps. Nothing panned out.”

“So you gave up?”

She stopped and crossed her arms over her chest. “Are you always so argumentative?”

His smile was slow and brought on unwelcome butterflies. “You started it.”

She averted her eyes and readjusted her ponytail. “Beg to differ.”

“How, pray tell did I start it?”

“Forget it. It’s not important.”

He opened his mouth but closed it again. Apparently, deciding to let it drop. Which was a good thing since she didn’t want o come right out and tell him that she’d been hoping for a call from him that never came. He’d think she was some kind of desperate woman who couldn’t get a date. There might be some truth to that, but she didn’t need to be that vulnerable with a relative stranger.

“You’re different.”