West of Forever (Heartstone Ranch #1)(81)

Video. Oh my God. The cameras on the farm. I completely forgot about them. He rode back with me to make sure I got home okay. They must’ve caught him on them. I’m going to be sick.

I knew where those damn cameras were. I should’ve remembered. I should’ve made sure we wouldn’t be seen.

Oh, God.

Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God. What if they saw us? What if my brothers watched the film or Jimmy or my dad? If they saw me with him…they’ll kill him.

Maybe not actually, but it’ll be a damn nightmare.

Whatever, I’ll deal with that later. For now, I need to get my…whatever he is…out of jail and then try to smooth over all this shit with my family.

“I have to go.” My voice cracks as a new kind of regret fills me.

“You do?” Sadie asks.

“Yes, your dad shouldn’t be in jail. I…I need to go down there.”

This is lunacy.

I have to fix this. I can’t let him sit in jail because of whatever the hell my idiot brothers did.

“But didn’t you put him in jail?”

I look at this little girl who just came home and saw her dad get carted off because of some stupid accusation, and I shake my head. “No, not me”—just because of me—“but I’m going to find out what’s going on and make it right.”

That’s all I can do.





I enter the Infinity Ridge Police Station and walk to the desk.

No one is here, which isn’t surprising. We have, like, four police officers, and I’m going to assume, since we probably arrest someone once a quarter, it’s taking all four to book Tristan.

Honestly, most of the police work here is based on traffic stops or horses getting loose. It’s not all that exciting here.

“Hello?” I call out, but after a minute, no one has answered.

There’s a bell on the end of the counter, so I go there, and the metallic ting sounds.

I wait.

Nothing.

All right. Maybe it’s annoyance that will get them to respond. So I ring the bell again.

And again.

And again.

To the point that I’m now pissing myself off, but finally it works.

“All right, all right,” Jimmy says as he walks around the front desk. “Oh, Lark. Are you here about the arrest?”

“Yes, I’m here because you’re making a mistake.”

His eyes widen. “I’m sorry, what?”

“He didn’t do it.”

Jimmy looks mildly confused. “Okay…but…we have video evidence.”

“Of him releasing the horses?” I ask.

“Well, no, but of him leaving the area.”

“That doesn’t prove anything.”

“It proves he was on the property around the time there was damage,” he replies.

Sure, that’s true, but…I know I didn’t do it.

Jimmy runs his hand through his hair. “Look, the last thing in the world I want is to arrest my best friend. However, he confessed.”

My jaw falls slack. “He did what now?”

No, this can’t be true. Tristan has never lied to me, and he said repeatedly it wasn’t him.

“I guess confessed is the wrong word, since the asshole won’t say anything other than I need to do what I need to do. That one day I’ll find the truth. And he’s not saying anything more.”

None of that makes sense. Why wouldn’t he just tell Jimmy why he was on the property?

Then it hits me.

He’s not going to tell Jimmy that it was because he was bringing me home after we spent the night at the ridge. That would go against everything we promised each other.

“Jimmy, you have to drop the charges,” I say.

“Funny that you say that when your brothers were adamant that we lock him up.”

I roll my eyes. “Well, they’re idiots. I’m telling you—he didn’t do it.”

“And how do you know that?”

“I just do.”

He shakes his head. “You realize this makes no sense, right?”

“Can I at least talk to him?”

“To Tristan?”

“Yes, please,” I plead.

Jimmy lets out a long sigh. “Sure, what the hell? Nothing about this day makes any fucking sense as it is.”

I follow him back to the cell where Tristan is lying on a metal bench, whistling a Johnny Cash song.

I can’t help the laugh that escapes my lips, and he turns his head. “Lark? What the hell are you doing here?” He sits up, staring at me.

“Getting you out of the slammer, apparently.” I turn to Jimmy. “A few minutes alone, please?”

He laughs and tosses his hands up. “Why would anyone want the officer around? I mean, it’s not like this is my case or anything.”

Tristan gets to his feet. “Go away, ass.”

Jimmy doesn’t say anything. He just walks out, giving us time alone. Tristan comes to the bars, fingers gripping them, and I reach my hands out to wrap around his. “Tell him the truth.”

“No.”

“Tristan, you can’t do this. You didn’t let the horses out. It’s impossible.”

“I know, but the truth would ruin you. They will never understand, and anyway, this will blow over.”