Tracking the Truth by Dana Mentink

Author:Dana Mentink
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2023-12-20T16:54:31+00:00

NINE

Roman had left a message with the police. Didn’t matter. He’d be able to provide a face-to-face rundown with Hagerty who was also expected to attend the ranch meeting. He wouldn’t put it past Kevin to have launched the rock at Emery. Rock throwing, the same kind of juvenile thing he himself might have done as an angry teen, exuding rage from every pore. Until Theo straightened me out. Was it progress that he could acknowledge the good Theo had done in his life?

He swallowed and confronted the thought instead of pushing it away.

Theo showed him another way and introduced him to the Wolfes. Emery’s words echoed in his mind.

This might rock your world but I’d love him just as much if he was guilty.

And hadn’t Roman himself been loved when he was angry and unlovable? By Theo? And the Wolfes? And his uncle? And God? He rubbed his eyes, gritty from lack of sleep.

And Emery thought he was helping her purely out of pity. Not true. Pity wasn’t causing his stomach to knot when she was out of sight, or his blood to warm when she was near. It was something else that he didn’t want to mull over at the moment. Why did Emery make him think so much?

As he parked next to her loaner car and the Taylors’ gleaming Mercedes, his mental gears switched quickly. Lincoln, Mason and Hilary were talking to Officer Hagerty, Stephanie and Garrett. Beth had moved closer to Emery, protectively almost, probably realizing the awkwardness of the situation. Bad start. Somehow he was going to have to make this meeting work. If the Taylors or Hagerty weren’t satisfied with the plan he’d laid out, they might drop the whole K-9 component from the car show altogether.

Not gonna let that happen.

Roman rubbed Wally in that special spot under his collar. He’d already slipped on the snazzy Security Hounds harness, which fit the bulky bloodhound perfectly. “Walls, I’m counting on you, baby. Don’t let me down.” He hoped Wally didn’t know he was worried. This was, after all, the breakfast-snatching, pacifier-chewing dog with the brilliant nose and a dubious work ethic. That’s why they’d be showcasing Chloe, their undisputed champion.

Wally whined, looking as if he wanted to go exploring. Roman took his collar and urged him into the fenced area with Chloe. Wally fired a “you are ruining my life” look at him.

Roman greeted everyone genially. Stephanie whispered in his ear, “‘Bout time you got here. Mason’s been telling us what happened at the garage. I want more details. And Hagerty has something for us, he said.”

“I’ll explain later. Everything set?”

Garrett’s quick smile was affirmation.

Time to shine, bloodhounds.

Emery pursed her lips uneasily. “You’ve all got a busy morning. How about I snag those blankets and get out of your hair?”

Hilary seemed as if she thought that was a grand idea. Lincoln was careful to avoid looking at Emery altogether. His body language telegraphed his desire to be anywhere but in her presence.

“Oh, no scooting out now.

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