A Subtle Breeze, Bailey Bradford [year 2 reading books .txt] 📗

water as well as tossed leaves in the pasture.” Zeke tapped the reports with his finger. “The lab was able to find some bits and pieces in a couple of the necropsies they did. Water was contaminated with it.” Because someone wanted to do as much damage as possible, so they had poisoned both resources.

Sheriff Stenley leaned back, steepling his fingers under his chin as he kept that narrowed gaze on Zeke.

“Why do you think someone used oleander instead of something that wouldn’t point so obviously to a criminal act, say, something like buttercup or pigweed? Those would have been harder to prove as intentional. Coulda just said you and your crew missed some weeds.”

Zeke knew, and he knew Stenley knew. He didn’t like being treated like an idiot, even if he was slow to take action. Brendon took Zeke’s hand and answered before he could.

“You know, Stenley, am I gonna have to call you a dumbass every time we meet? Because that’s going to get old fast. Zeke isn’t stupid. He’s more than aware that whoever did this—and it is still whoever, because it’s not like you have proof otherwise—figured he wouldn’t report it. So, they made a huge mistake. He’s reporting it, filing charges, all the things that need to be done. Stop giving him a hard time already—you haven’t been through what he has.” Brendon glared at the sheriff, looking about ready to fly over the desk and tackle the man.

Zeke couldn’t help but grin. Guess he wasn’t the only one who could growl.

Stenley’s cheeks turned ruddy, but he gave a curt nod, then all the piss and vinegar seemed to seep out of him. He turned his head for a minute before looking back at Zeke and Brendon.

“Sorry. It isn’t you I’m pissed at. Something should have been done years ago, even before you were assaulted. Nothing was, but at least this time…” Stenley trailed off and looked down at his hands for a brief moment before he raised his head back up. “You ought to know that I spoke to your sister this morning.”

The words hit Zeke like a bucket of ice water. A grunt from Brendon made him realize he was squeezing the hell out of the man’s hand. Letting up on his grip, Zeke glared across the desk at the sheriff.

“Why the hell did you do that? You don’t have any proof—”

“I have proof, Ezekiel, of her calling you and threatening you—and Brendon. You didn’t listen to the answering machine tapes you gave me yesterday. Those alone can take her down for making a terroristic threat, and the damage they would do to her in the eyes of the public, the church congregation…” Sheriff Stenley was nodding, almost as though he was thinking to himself out loud. “Eva knows that she committed a criminal act by leaving those threats. She is fully aware that the only reason I didn’t arrest her on them is because, one, you didn’t know about them and therefore hadn’t filed charges yet. Two, they are a part of the investigation into the attack on your ranch, and as much as I would love to throw her in jail, I want to make sure that everything is done properly. She won’t be getting away with this because I made a hasty mistake.”

Stenley paused, letting the silence give weight to his words before continuing. “Eva also knows that I am going to take her down. Hard.”

Zeke’s stomach twisted in a knot, not over what the sheriff promised to do to Eva, but over the tapes Zeke foolishly hadn’t bothered to listen to. All that mattered, all that really hit Zeke was that she had threatened Brendon. Visions of his lover beaten and broken, or worse, swam before his eyes. Fury pulsed through him, over him, trembling in his muscles.

“Nothing, no one, is going to hurt Brendon.” Zeke rose out of his chair. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do, but he had a vague notion of finding Eva and doing…something. Brendon jumped up to stop him as Sheriff Stenley bolted from behind the desk. Neither of them were what made him stop in his tracks, though. No, it was the scent that assailed him, right before he smacked into an invisible force. The impact was hard enough that he bounced backwards into Brendon, knocking him into Stenley in turn. Three grunts hit the air as arms flailed with men trying to keep upright.

“Goddamn it!” Zeke shouted, frustrated and…trapped. It wasn’t something he enjoyed at all.

“Zeke.” Brendon reached for him, grabbed his arm and pulled him around, holding on tight.

Zeke’s eyes met Stenley’s over Brendon’s shoulder. The man looked a little spooked and a lot confused.

“What the fuck,” Stenley grunted out, “just happened?” He and Zeke glared at each other, pissed and ready to burst with it. “And what is up with that smell again?”

Sheriff Stenley narrowed his eyes at Zeke, as though he were somehow responsible for this. The fact that he was, in a way, took some of the air out of Zeke’s sails. All the years of hurt and anger had finally boiled to the surface, putting Zeke in a dangerous mood. Suddenly he was very glad his mama had smacked some sense into him. He took a deep breath to steady himself, then actually managed to smile at Stenley.

That smile grew bigger the narrower Stenley’s eyes got. “Well…” Zeke placed a kiss on Brendon’s neck, watching the Sheriff the whole time. “How do you feel about spirits, Sheriff Stenley?”

Chapter Eight

Brendon managed to wait until Zeke had put the truck in park behind the house before he reached for his man. They stumbled through the door, wrapped around each other, bucking and pulling their clothes off as they made their way down the hall. When they finally reached the bedroom, Brendon found himself pinned to the closed door, Zeke pressed up hard against him, devouring his mouth in an almost violent kiss. Brendon locked his