“Yours?”
Mosley slammed his right hand on his gun as if warning Josh that he was stepping into dangerous waters.
Stacy quickly intervened. “I appreciate your coming, Sheriff. I assure you that everything is under control.”
“I’ll be dropping by again,” he promised, sending Josh a threatening look.
“Yes, do that, Sheriff,” Stacy responded politely. Even though she didn’t like the man’s abrasive manner, she certainly wasn’t going to buy into Josh’s hostility.
“What in heaven’s name was that all about?” she demanded after the sheriff left.
“I just can’t stomach the way Mosley blew Glenda’s death off,” Josh responded angrily. “He didn’t even pretend to investigate, and he promptly declared it a suicide. I’m convinced he told Malo Renquist to disappear until the thing blew over. I believe the two of them were hand-in-glove when Renquist owned the place. Mosley probably lined his pockets, looking the other way when illegal stuff was going on.”
“I can appreciate your feelings, Josh, but I rather resent playing the part of a Ping-Pong ball between the two of you.”
“I’m sorry,” Josh apologized. “You’re right. No need to draw you into the history between us. I guess I just wanted to warn him that you weren’t without some protection.”
“Is that why you lied about working for me?”
“Partly.” He hesitated, and then added, “I’m exactly the guy you need for the job. I’ve had experience, supervising a crew that built the cabins and the facilities in our campground. Repairing the bridge is going to take a few weeks so I have time on my hands.”
“But you loathe this place.” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “And you have responsibilities of your own. What about your grandfather?”
He waved aside the question. “Do you want to offer me the job or not?”
Her heart leaped with sudden relief. “Of course, the job is yours if you want it, but why are you even thinking about taking it?”
As she searched his intense, somber eyes, sudden warmth curled within her. In a moment of wild fantasy, she imagined him confessing, I have to stay. I can’t leave you here alone.
Thoughtfully, he focused on some point beyond her. “When I was sparring with the sheriff, I realized what I was saying was true. Renquist left in a hurry, even before Glenda’s body was discovered early in the morning. No telling what the bastard might have left behind. If I could find out what was going on here when Glenda lost her life, I might learn where Renquist is hiding out. I’ve talked to the state authorities, and if I can provide them with any reasonable validation for them to open the case, they will.”
“I see,” Stacy said as evenly as she could. Looking at him, she saw a man driven by a vendetta. Thank heavens, he had no way of knowing the direction her thoughts had gone when he’d asked to stay. If he even had a hint that she’d put his intentions on a personal level, he’d regard her as one of those needy females who were ready to play upon a man’s sympathy. Since pride was about all she had left in this situation, she certainly wasn’t going to let him stomp all over it.
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