Colton Cowboy Jeopardy (Coltons of Mustang Valley)

He’d worked through the various chores inside the barn and moved on to cleaning and repairing cattle trailers when Asher found him. Even with his hat shading his face, Jarvis could see the Triple R foreman was in a somber mood.

“Walk with me?” Asher asked.

He could’ve made it an order, but he hadn’t. Curious, Jarvis turned off the hose he’d been using and fell into step beside him. “What’s up?”

Asher paused, watching a few horses in the close paddock, then moved out farther still. Whatever he had to say, he clearly didn’t want to be overheard. A slippery coil of dread settled at the base of Jarvis’s gut.

“Word is you haven’t been in your room the past couple of nights.”

Jarvis didn’t try to deny it. “That’s true.” He rubbed a smear of dirt from his hands before looking Asher in the eyes. “When you hired me, you didn’t say anything about bed checks.”

Asher swore. “That’s not what this is.”

Jarvis waited.

Leaning his forearms on the top rail of the fence, Asher hooked one booted foot on the lower rail. “You can have a place in town, you know that. But if you’re planning to walk off the job, tell me straight up.”

Jarvis relaxed. “I don’t have any plans to leave,” Jarvis said. “I like it out here.” He couldn’t leave until he found Isaiah’s evidence. If that find went his way, he was definitely staying. Forever.

“Then where have you been?”

“Why does it matter? If there’s a problem, say so. Do I need an alibi or an attorney?”

Asher winced. “Depends on where you’ve been.”

He knew Asher wasn’t kidding. “I’ve got nothing to hide.” Nothing but a frightened woman and baby who were in serious danger if Regina found them. “What’s your real question?”

“Are you sleeping with Selina?”

“No.” Jarvis wouldn’t have been more shocked if his boss had thrown a sucker punch. Still, Asher looked downright sick to his stomach. Pretty much how Jarvis felt when Selina flirted too hard. He shook his head, trying to clear the random images. “No,” he said again. “I only go over there when you tell me I have to.”

“The rumor mill is that you’re taking her to some fancy party next week.”

“Well, yeah.” Jarvis searched for the right explanation. “I was going to run it by you.” He could hardly tell his boss he was going so he could do some recon for Mia and possibly warn Norton about Regina. “She took a call from a friend yesterday and then pretty much harangued me into being her date. I can’t say I’m looking forward to it.”

“Then why did you agree?”

That was an easier question than where he’d spent his last two nights. “Hell, I don’t know.” That was complete honesty. “Mainly, I agreed to shut her up. You know how she is. I’m not going along so I can schmooze around for a new job, though she did toss that out as a carrot. She doesn’t believe I prefer the ranch over an office.”

Asher nodded as if that made total sense to him. “Do you prefer the ranch? I’m worried you’re bored.”

“Not a bit,” Jarvis said. “This is the best work I’ve had, barring the days when Selina snaps her fingers.”

“So you’re not into her?”

Jarvis just stared down that question.

“Good.” Asher rubbed his forehead. “All right.” He took a deep breath, his gaze on the horses ambling across the paddock. “Now I need to ask a favor.”

Again, Jarvis waited. It was a tactic he’d learned in the business world, but even among less-than-chatty cowboys, silence often proved the most effective way to get information.

“When you’re out with her,” Asher began, “would you please keep an eye on her? I’ve seen her at parties and she likes to indulge. The more expensive the champagne or the more open the bar, the happier she is.”

“Regardless of whether or not I like her, it’s not my nature to ditch a date when she’s drunk.”

“I’m asking more than that, man.” He tipped back his hat. “I need you to stick close. Let her flirt and let her ramble. She doesn’t censor herself when she’s drinking. If she gets to talking, if you can keep her talking, I want to know if she says anything about shooting Payne.”

Jarvis whistled. “You think she’s the shooter?” This just got more and more interesting.