Evidence of Trust (Colorado Trust 1)

“I don’t know him.”

“You don’t really know me, yet I’m still here.”

“You didn’t have anything pop up in your background check.”

Her mouth dropped open in surprise. “You ran a background check on me?”

“I ran one on everyone at the ranch.”

She’d deal with that later. “So, what was in Mitch’s?”

He cast a quick glance back over his shoulder, then faced forward again.

When he didn’t offer more, she huffed out a breath of annoyance. “Really? That’s it?”

“I’ve got a valid reason for pulling Levins back that is none of your business, so just leave it alone.”

Her annoyed glower was useless pointed toward his back. “I work with the guy, Joel. We take guests on overnight camping trips into the remote wilderness. I feel like I do know him and trust him, but clearly you’ve found something out, so it’d be nice to know if I have anything to be concerned about.”

He spun his horse around to face her on a more open section of the trail. His eyes were narrowed in speculation. “You think you know him?”

“I’ve worked with him for three summers. We’ve spent a lot of time together at the ranch and on overnights.”

Leaning a forearm on the saddle horn, he dangled the reins with a loose wrist. “Exactly how close are the two of you?”

“Excuse me?” She stiffened in the saddle at his obvious inference, indignation revving her pulse. “You think that’s your business?”

He shrugged, but his gaze remained laser sharp beneath the brim of his hat.

“Mitch and I are friends, nothing more. Furthermore, there have never been any problems with him, otherwise Mark wouldn’t keep him around. He can’t be the poacher; he’d never kill animals just for sport.”

“What about for money?”

She shook her head. “Highlands pays well.”

“Sometimes people get themselves in trouble. Sometimes they simply get addicted to the thrill of the kill.”

“Mitch doesn’t even hunt! He’s a genuinely nice guy. Yes, he’s a huge flirt, but once you get past that, he’s nice. He works hard, doesn’t get into trouble, doesn’t even drink that I know of.” That was one of the reasons they’d bonded over the past couple years.

“Did you know your nice guy has a criminal record?”

That she did not know.

“Yeah, I didn’t think so.” Joel sat up straight and adjusted the reins. “Neither did your boss.”

“What’d he do?”

“That’s not for me to say.” He reined his bay around and started along the trail again. “I shouldn’t have even told you that much, but I happen to agree that with your work situation, it’s something you should’ve been aware of.”

Paelo followed without any direction from her, but she was too busy trying to imagine Mitch’s grin on a mug shot. Even when paired with his bleak reaction to Mark calling him back earlier, it didn’t fit.

“If he’s a suspect, why are you here with me? Why didn’t you take him in for questioning?”

“I got what I needed when he and I met at the trailhead. For the moment, I’m satisfied with his responses.”

“Then why are you here instead of him?” she repeated.

“Because Mark said you guys need the trail cleared, and I can’t have a convicted felon roaming around with free access to restricted areas in the middle of my investigation.”