Page 8 of Engaging the Deputy (Silver Stars of Montana #3)

Did he really believe she’d had anything to do with what had happened last night in Starling? He’d known Livie intimately back in college. But when she’d gotten her dream job after graduation and talked about postponing the wedding indefinitely, he’d been shocked. No way had he seen it coming.

She was the woman he’d been ready to marry right after graduation.

Heck, by now they could have a child or two.

The thought hurt his chest. He’d been looking forward to marriage, kids, their own house.

Worse, he’d been ready to follow her anywhere her career took her—even if it meant leaving Montana.

After the breakup, he’d taken the job in Fortune Creek. He’d found he loved being a deputy, helping people, putting away the bad ones. It wasn’t perfect, but then, it was such a detour from the life he’d had planned with Livie, it felt right.

Seeing her again had knocked him off-kilter. He hadn’t expected her to come back to Montana—let alone here, so close to Fortune Creek and him. And now she was mixed up dead center in his investigation.

Determined to keep this official and not dig through the past, he pulled out his notebook. “Tell me again how you ended up in Starling.”

Olivia blinked as if she hadn’t expected him to ask about the investigation.

“Nice to see you, too, Jaden. Yes, I’m glad to be home.

No, I wish I hadn’t run into old high school friends and decided to go with them out to Starling on Halloween.

” She took a seat in the chair her mother had vacated across from the couch.

Jaden sat back down in the same spot on the couch where he’d been earlier and took out his pen, warning himself to keep this professional.

“So how long had you been back when this was planned?” he asked, not looking at her.

“A couple of days. It wasn’t planned. It was just spur-of-the-moment.”

He shook his head. “I don’t think so. Whoever wanted to kill Rob, possibly Cody and Dean, too, planned this. It might have seemed spur-of-the-moment to you, but someone was behind this.”

She stared at him in obvious shock. “No, I can’t believe that.”

“You think it was just old friends getting together where possibly three of them might have ended up dead?”

She stood up and began to pace. “It wasn’t like that. We had a couple of beers. We were reminiscing, laughing and having fun together.”

“Who suggested it?” he asked, and she frowned.

“Emery. Or maybe it was Rob. I don’t remember.”

“You sure it wasn’t Cody?” She shook her head. “How was it that you and Cody ended up at Starling?”

“He asked if I wanted to go. At the time, it sounded like fun. I didn’t know everyone was going to pair off and disappear or I never would have gone.”

“Tell me again who all was at the bar,” Jaden said, his eyes on his notebook.

“Cody, Emery, Rob and Dean,” she said.

He looked up at her then. “They weren’t with dates or their wives or girlfriends at the bar that night?”

“It wasn’t that unusual in the old days,” she said, sounding defensive. “I used to hang out with them, play pool, go fishing. We were all just friends.”

“Just you and the boys, huh?”

Her eyes narrowed with anger. “I told you about them when you and I were in college. They were old friends. That’s why I agreed to go that night. I thought…” She shook her head. “It turned out to be a mistake even before the tornado.”

“A mistake?”

“Cody still resents me leaving. He feels trapped here and…” She waved a hand through the air. “They’re his issues, but me getting to leave is a bone of contention between us. Why is my relationship with him so important to you?” she demanded with obvious irritation.

“So you did argue.”

She groaned. “Do we have to do this, Jaden?” Their gazes met. “You know I didn’t attack Cody.”

He wished he did. If she had rolled a rock down into that hole, she might not have realized it would hit him in the head and knock him unconscious. It could have been impulsive, like ending an engagement without any warning.

“Describe for me again what happened that night.”

He listened as she told the same story she had last night. She’d left Cody to get help. He’d been fine.

“Any idea who might have wanted to harm him?” She shook her head again. “What about Rob or Dean?” Another shake of her head.

“I’ve been gone, remember?”

“I remember.” He held her gaze for a long moment. They didn’t have anything to say to each other, but there’d once been a time when they used to talk for hours. He had often called her at night, lying in bed. He’d loved the sleepy sound of her voice and had imagined her lying there.

But that was back when they’d been engaged. Back when he’d thought that one day she would be lying in bed next to him, talking about their day or their kids or their new dreams, shared dreams.

“Tell me where everyone else was when you and Cody left the group to wander up the hillside.”

With a sigh, she repeated everything she’d told him before.

“Cody and I were fine. He saved my life when the house above us was ripped away in the tornado.”

“Must have been terrifying.” He couldn’t imagine what she’d been through, but Livie had always been strong.

“It was. Then the tornado moved on. We saw the bones that had been dislodged from the soil. The ladder had been ripped away, but Cody helped me climb up the shelves. Unfortunately, they barely held my weight, so he couldn’t use them to get out.

I didn’t want to leave him down there, but he insisted I go for help. ”

“That’s the last time you saw him conscious?”

“I still don’t understand what could have happened.” She shook her head. “When I came back, he was lying down there motionless.”

“Had you seen any rocks down there? Any that could have dislodged and struck him?”

She straightened her shoulders. “Like you said, I was terrified. I wasn’t really looking around. But I think it was just dirt. That’s why Cody was worried about it caving in more.” She met his gaze. “You think someone purposely tried to hurt him?”

“Who of your group would want to do that?” Jaden asked.

“No one. They were his friends.”

“Including Rob Perkins? There wasn’t anything going on between them…? Any disagreements?” He saw her hesitate. “What?”

“Cody wasn’t happy with Dean for bringing Jenny. He thought it was going to lead to trouble since they were married to other people.”

“And Cody is close with Rob and Emery?” he asked.

Again, she hesitated. “I got the impression that Rob and Emery haven’t matured. They brought those girls, you know—they’re out of high school, but not old enough to drink.”

Jaden thought the whole bunch of them were trying too hard to bring back their high school days. They appeared to be holding on to a past that was long gone. But then again, he realized that he’d been holding on to thoughts of Olivia and the imagined day she might return to him.

And now here she was.

“You and Cody were together the entire time last night? Neither of you left the other until you got out and went for help?”

“Yes, we were together the entire time. When the storm hit, we climbed down in the root cellar. Cody locked the overhead door, but then the tornado ripped it away, leaving us stranded down there. If you’re asking if either of us climbed out and killed Rob…” She shook her head. “Why would we?”

“Why would anyone want Rob dead?”

She seemed to think for a moment before glancing up. “Rob and Emery talked about finding the gold last night. Maybe he went looking for it. You’re that sure his death wasn’t an accident?”

Jaden nodded. “Was there anything that happened back in high school, an old grudge involving a girl maybe?”

“Not that I can recall. You should ask someone who’s been here this whole time.”

“I will.” He closed his notebook. She hadn’t changed her story. He didn’t think he would get anything else out of her. Yet he hesitated. “So how long are you back for?”

“I don’t know.”

He hated that spark of hope that filled his chest like helium. He’d never gotten over her, and seeing her again had brought back all those memories and feelings. He reminded himself that Cody Ryan must have felt the same way. They’d both loved this woman and she’d left them both.

“Are you thinking about staying?” He’d strayed away from the investigation into dangerous territory and mentally kicked himself. But he couldn’t help it. He had to know.

She met his gaze. “I’m not sure.”

“What about your dream job?” He hadn’t been able to help himself.

“Never mind. It’s none of my business.” He rose, telling himself to leave it at that.

The worse thing he could do was ask if there was a chance for the two of them.

She’d made her feelings clear enough when she hadn’t called to let him know she was back in town.

Instead, she’d accepted a date with her old high school boyfriend.

He hated how pathetic he felt, but finding her in the area had left him off balance. It had been easier to tell himself she was gone and that he was fine when he couldn’t see her. But with her back…

“If I have any more questions, I’ll call,” he said as he headed for the door. “Goodbye, Mrs. Brooks,” he called, knowing she hadn’t gone far.

“It’s Sharon,” she called back. “Since you were almost my son-in-law.”

He felt his jaw tighten and glanced at Olivia. She looked as uncomfortable as he felt. He gave her a nod, settled his Stetson on his head and left.

Once outside, he took a deep breath and let it out. He told himself to stick to his job. He had a killer to find. Maybe of more than one person, if Cody Ryan died. He turned his thoughts to Dean Marsh as he climbed into his patrol SUV and headed for the Marsh house.