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"Wyatt, you’re pissing estion that the sheriff leave the investigation in their hands "A friend of mine was just killed, and you want me to just back off?"

"Your friend has just lost one friend," Jonas reminded him "Let’s not add to the count The further you stay away from this, the safer it will be for her"

There was taut silence as Noble turned back to theplace at the kitchen table

Jonas stared at the sheriff coolly, while Leo and Dane watched the confrontation silently Leo hadn’t said much, nor did his expressions show his opinion either way as to how the art crossed his arms over his chest and stared back at Jonas with steely deterreement Buffalo Gap has with Sanctuary requires you to step aside in this investigation," Jonas reminded him

The sheriff snorted at that "Look, Wyatt, we both know the city council They’re gonna talk out of both sides of their mouths and smile real pretty for both of us They’ll tell you they’ll restrain me, they’ll tell me they’ll cover for me So let’s just cut the shit here and co This is my county, like it or not, hate me or whatever I’ in it, mine And that includes breeds I have two of ht From all appearances, it was a professional hit Your boy was shot in the back of the head at close range An explosive device large enough to blow a hole in the parking lot and take out the library went off no more than half an hour later Now you want to tellon, or do I want to find the answers o, Zane" Haley stepped into the kitchen from the washroom

Daotten about the door that led from her bathroom and into a small washroo the house Shiloh was h the hall from Haley’s bedroo can be conducted without you," Jonas told her, his frown fierce as Noble moved towards her

"Like hell," she told hied clothes and washed her face and ar paja T-shirt She looked like a kid A hurt, frightened, angry kid

"Haley" The sheriff ca glare "Honey, are you ready to talk to me now?"

Honey? Noble’s head jerked around as he barely caught the growl in his throat What the hell was the sheriff doing calling Haley, "honey"? She wasn’t his honey, period

"I’m obviously in a bit of trouble, Zane" Her lips trenore Noble as he hed "Come on, tell me about it, so I can fix it"

"You can’t fix this" She shook her head "I want you to do what Jonas suggests Let him handle it I couldn’t bear it if I lost you, too"

Noble could feel his jaw tighten at the eh that da to her He wasn’t Noble watched her, he knew her She wasn’t dating anyone

She wasn’t sleeping with anyone She was free He knew she was because if another man had fucked her recently, he would have smelled the bastard on her

Noble stared over her head at the other ht to hold back a silent snarl

"Haley" Sheriff Taggart shook his head "You know I’ to happen when your brothers find out about this? Your daddy? The McQuires are going to descend on Buffalo Gap like a Scottish hunting party, sweetie, and they’ll likely bring reinforcements Do we really want that to happen? They’ll talk to ht listen and stay ho Noble heard it, but he didn’t appreciate it He could feel the worry rising inside her now She needed rest She needed to put soht, to allow her to deal with the loss she had suffered

"The boys are still in California," she said "And Daddy flew to France last night to help broker a deal with the airlines I have a few days before I have to deal with them"

"And then?" Zane asked

"And then, perhaps Mr Wyatt will have the answers you need But I can’t give theht now, they aren’t ive?" Zane suddenly snapped, despite Noble’s warning growl at the tone of his voice

"Son of a bitch, Haley, you were nearly killed Don’t tell ive"

"Son of a bitch, Zane" She was in his face, anger pouring froht

Do you think I need nightainst his shoulders, as broad as they were, even despite the height he had on her "Go home I can’t deal with you"

"I’ll call your daddy myself," he bit out furiously at that point

"And risk his life? Or my brothers’? I don’t think you will, Zane But you will leave this alone for now

And so will you" She swung around to Noble "Get the hell out of my house and out of my life I don’t need you here"