Page 60 of Smokescreen

Should she tell the truth and alert all these people she’d been attacked? Or should she make up an excuse to get the attention off of her?

She decided to go with the truth. “I came out here looking for you. Bella was upset so I checked on her. Someone must have been hiding in one of the stalls. He hit me over the head with something.”

“Probably that shovel.” Trick nodded at one tossed on the ground. “It was there when I found you.”

“Did you see this guy’s face?” Reid’s voice sounded deep with concern.

“No,” Olive said. “It all happened so fast.”

He glanced at Trick. “How about you?”

“No one was in here except Olive when I found her.”

“Boss . . .” Dippy stepped out from Bella’s stall. “I found this against the wall.”

He held up a can of gasoline.

Olive’s breath caught. Exactly what was someone planning to do with that? Torch this place? Harm the horses?

A fresh round of indignation rose in her.

Reid scanned everyone around him. “Do any of you know anything about this?”

All the men shook their heads.

“Did anyone see someone coming out of the stable anytime recently?” Reid continued to press, an edge to his voice.

Again, everyone shook their heads.

“I need to know who wasn’t accounted for within the past twenty minutes.” Reid’s tone made it clear that he wasn’t playing games. “I want to know who did this to Olive.”

“Yes, boss,” the men around him muttered.

“Cooper, you’re in charge.” Reid glanced at his righthand man. “I want you to question everyone.”

“Got it.” Cooper nodded.

Olive wished she believed that might present her with some answers.

But she didn’t know who to trust . . . and she wasn’t sure she’d believe anything Cooper had to say.

CHAPTER 25

Reid turned back to Olive. “We should have you checked out in town at the clinic.”

Olive waved him off. “I’ll be fine.”

“I don’t know about that. You don’t play around with head wounds.”

“Really, I’m okay. Just embarrassed at this point.”

Reid frowned as he studied her face.

What concerned Olive more than her head wound were the questions in her mind.

Had someone followed her in here? Or had she walked in on someone doing something illegal? If so, what could that be? Did it involve that gasoline can?

This person seemed to have been in Bella’s stall also.