“Don’t know that there was a crime committed, Sheriff. Weeds get missed, cattle die, happens all the time.” Zeke looked at Brendon, noted the worried look on his face as he folded up those papers he had brought out with him and shoved them in his back pocket. He reached out and pulled Brendon to his side as Sheriff Stenley stepped back a few inches.
“So, if there is a crime, you gonna file a complaint and press charges this time? Even if it’s your sister who’s the perpetrator?” Stenley’s eyes were hard and cold as his voice mocked the very idea of Zeke following his suggestions.
Zeke had what he could only describe as an ‘oh, fuck!’ moment when he realized what the sheriff meant by ‘this time’. The man hadn’t been around when Zeke had been assaulted but he apparently knew about it. The old sheriff had let the whole thing drop when Zeke had refused to press charges and claimed he couldn’t remember anything about his attackers—which wasn’t exactly a lie. The men had covered their faces but Zeke thought he knew who one or two of them were regardless. By the time the former sheriff had gotten to the hospital, Eva had already been by to get her digs in about how she had managed to turn the town against him, and to let him know she wasn’t exactly pleased he was alive.
“Breathe,” Brendon murmured in his ear, apparently having felt the tightening of his body. Zeke gave a curt nod and, following his lover’s advice, took a calming breath.
“Would you want to put your own sister away, Sheriff? Could you do that?” Zeke watched the man, expecting a glimmer of understanding. What he got was nowhere even close to it.
“Damn right I would. If she’d tried to kill me and then wiped out a chunk of my livelihood, yeah. Add to that, if there was someone I cared about,” Stenley drawled out as he cut his gaze to Brendon, “and my sister posed a threat to that person…hell, yeah.”
Goddamn it, that was what Zeke worried about—something happening to Brendon. His lover squeezed his hand, locking their fingers together before facing the sheriff.
“Don’t be a dumbass, Sheriff Stenley,” Brendon demanded, causing the sheriff to jerk like someone had slapped him. “I can take care of myself, and I am pretty sure you know Zeke doesn’t care to come into town much anymore thanks to the horrible job your predecessor did, so back off. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out the approach you’re taking here is the wrong one.”
Zeke thought the slight eye roll his lover threw in was a little melodramatic, but damned if the sheriff didn’t actually almost grin at the man.
“I really would put my sister in jail,” Stenley directed at Brendon. “She used to tattle all the time when we were kids.” He looked back at Zeke, any trace of humor vanishing.
“Your man has a point, Ezekiel. Sheriff Rawlins messed up several times, from what I understand. There were numerous complaints made against your sister, got a whole file of them, dated back to about a decade ago. The man never did a damned thing about them. But I’m not him.”
Zeke was only dimly aware of the sheriff’s glare. He was still stuck on the fact that other people had complained about his sister’s behavior. For so many years, he’d thought the people in McKinton just didn’t care what she did, or even that they were okay with it, but now it seemed that wasn’t the case. It was just that the former sheriff hadn’t given a rat’s ass. It was a bit much to wrap his mind around after so many years of feeling like an outcast.
“Anything else I ought to know?” Zeke grumbled, wanting the sheriff to leave so he could have some time to think and fuck Brendon. Or fuck Brendon then think. Yeah, that sounded better.
“Yeah. You’re going to file a report, and if the lab tests come back proving that the cattle weren’t deliberately killed, then we will drop it. If it was intentional, then you’re going to press forward.”
Zeke started to protest, but the sheriff cut him off.
“There are other people, Ezekiel Matthers, in this town, who are gay. What kind of example would we be setting for them if we just rolled over?”
Brendon gasped in his ear, and Zeke was hard pressed not to do the same. We? Sheriff Stenley is…what? Or did he mean it as in we, the people who could possibly affect some changes? And who were the other people? What would his sister, and people like her, do to them?
He knew he must have looked dumbfounded, but Zeke honestly didn’t know what to say. He’d never heard a word about the new sheriff’s sexual preferences. Certainly the man wouldn’t be able to let on about them, but Zeke was definitely getting the feeling the man was trying to tell him something without saying anything specific.
“What if, Ezekiel, the next person who gets the shit beat out of them in an alley doesn’t have a couple of worried siblings who come looking for him or her? What happens then?” Sheriff Stenley’s voice had dropped so low Zeke could hardly hear him, yet the words he spoke seemed to come screaming into Zeke’s head.
Brendon wrapped him in a tight hug when he flinched at the realization of the extent of his self-centeredness. He’d been worried about himself, his family, and now Brendon, but what about people other than his loved ones? Why had he never even considered there might be others like him in town? Not that he thought there was going to be any Gay Pride parades through downtown McKinton any time soon, but still. Everyone in town knew he was gay and knew what had happened to him—and how he had reacted. Hadn’t he, through his inaction, given the okay for other bigots to go after anyone different?
“Fuck,” he muttered. It was a lot to take in, and his brain felt scrambled in confusion. A sweet scent floated in on a breeze, ruffling his hair as Brendon’s arms tightened around him.
“Zeke?” Brendon’s voice trembled slightly. He raised his eyes to Zeke’s, the emotions swirling in their depths almost dropping Zeke to his knees. “Whatever you decide, Zeke, it’s okay. I’m with you.”
Straightening his spine, Zeke looked at Sheriff Stenley, studying the man’s intent expression. Zeke dipped his chin in agreement. “All right, Stenley, we’ll file a complaint about the attack on my ranch yesterday—and I’m pretty certain that’s just what it was.” He turned and led the way into the house, Brendon at his side and Sheriff Stenley at his heels, and hoped he was doing the right thing.
Chapter Seven
Brendon listened as Zeke finished up the call to Enessa, glad she and Gloria had finally agreed to stay in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for a few more days. His lover had argued and pleaded with the women after telling them about Eva and the attack on the ranch. Having them stay out of the area was one less thing for Zeke to worry about, which was exactly what he had texted Gloria while Enessa had been arguing with her brother on his phone. Luckily, Gloria had passed the text on to her friend, and the girls realized that at this particular point in time, Zeke needed to know they were safe more than he needed the comfort of his family. A united front was good, sure, but in Zeke’s mind, it was also a bigger target.
Brendon knew from the information he had printed off on panic attacks right before Sheriff Stenley had arrived that Zeke needed less stress. He’d also learned about managing the panic attacks with biofeedback, relaxation exercises, and of course, therapy, which he knew Zeke would never agree to. But all in all, he would rather just help Zeke prevent them. Watching his man suffer through one tore him up inside.
Zeke dropped his head down into his hands, looking so beat that Brendon felt his heart pinch. Walking over to him, he plastered his chest to Zeke’s back, wrapping him in a fierce hug. After a few seconds, Zeke reached down and covered Brendon’s hands with his own as he sighed heavily.
“Is that a relieved sigh or a frustrated sigh?” Brendon thought he knew, but sometimes it was best to ask.
“Relieved, I think. At least we won’t have to worry about them being bothered for a few more days.” Zeke turned in Brendon’s arms and placed a lingering kiss on his lips. Brendon’s cock perked up as soon as their lips touched, almost to the point of pain when he felt Zeke’s own thick length rubbing against him. He was still a little sore
from Zeke pounding into his ass last night and this morning, but damned if he wouldn’t try again, if he didn’t suspect his man was trying to stall him.
“Nah ah, buddy, we don’t have time. We’re supposed to meet with Doc Michaels in twenty minutes to get the lab results and then take them to Stenley,” Brendon reminded him. He’d been impressed with the sheriff—well, once he’d gotten over the man trying to bully his lover around. Stenley seemed very efficient and determined, asking a multitude of questions and taking even more notes as well as photographing the crime scene. And Zeke was positive that it was a crime scene, as the lab results would hopefully prove. He knew without a doubt that someone had poisoned the stock tank and the pasture. All in all, Zeke was lucky he’d only lost the number of cattle he had. It could have easily been every head in the south pasture. More, if the other tanks had been contaminated, which thankfully they hadn’t been. This time.
Grumbling, Zeke released Brendon and reached for his Stetson. “All right, let’s go, then.”
Brendon smiled at the way his lover sounded like a petulant child. It was cute coming from such an alpha. Of course, he couldn’t let it continue, so he figured a distraction of his own was in order.
“So,” he mused, walking to the truck, “what do you think Stenley meant by that cryptic comment he made? You know, about being resigned to being alone? He’s a nice-looking guy,” Brendon bit his lip to keep from grinning when Zeke growled at that. “Seems a shame for him to spend the rest of his life alone.” The sheriff had dropped that bombshell seemingly out of the blue, right before he’d gotten in his vehicle and left. There’d been something close to envy in the man’s expression as he’d looked at Brendon and Zeke, their arms around each other’s shoulders.
It wasn’t anything like the way Zeke was looking right now. Brendon met Zeke’s angry glare, cock twitching at the look in his lover’s eyes as the man stormed over to him. Huh, looked like his Zeke had a little jealous streak. Strong hands gripped his biceps as Zeke leaned in so close to Brendon that his vision blurred.
“I don’t give a good goddamn what he meant, baby,” he ground out before taking Brendon’s mouth in a brutal kiss.
Oh, just damn. Brendon had never particularly cared for possessiveness, but this kiss almost singed his balls, it was so hot. Maybe he’d just never had the right man want to go all caveman on him before, or maybe it was the fact that he loved the hell out of Zeke. Whichever, it made him so horny he didn’t know how he was going to keep from peeling his clothes off.
Zeke bit Brendon’s bottom lip hard enough to send a zing of pain through him, then sucked and licked the little wound until Brendon thought he’d come in his jeans. He actually stumbled back a step when Zeke released him, smacking into the passenger side door of the truck. That hot gaze raked Brendon from head to toe, stripping him and letting him know Zeke intended to ensure Brendon didn’t notice the sheriff, or any other man, as soon as he got the chance. A little shiver of trepidation crawled up his spine, chased away by desire. He’d have to think about provoking Zeke a little more before he ever did it again, maybe. Or not. The man got so sexy when he was jealous that it was insane.
Zeke gave him a curt nod and walked over to his own door and got in. Brendon had to take a couple of breaths and steady himself to keep from telling the man they should just head back inside. He reached down and adjusted his cock, not wanting to cause himself any pain when he sat. Damn, no two ways about it, this was just going to be a painful ride.
* * * *
What the hell was wrong with him? Zeke fumed. He’d never been so jealous and possessive before. Then again, he hadn’t had anything more than fuck-and-flees before, either. He glanced at Brendon, soaking up the sight of the man as he read the reports they’d picked up from Doc Michaels. Zeke had been worried, once he’d gotten over his irritation, that Brendon would be pissed for the manhandling. Instead, Zeke had been very aware of the heated glances sent his way, and he’d swear he could feel his lover’s anticipation building steadily. Maybe it was just his own, he didn’t know any more. It seemed he was so mixed up with Brendon, so tuned into him, that Zeke wasn’t sure who felt what. Didn’t particularly bother him any, either.
Brendon looked up, caught Zeke’s sideways glance and winked. Zeke felt a smile tugging at his lips and realized he had driven through town to the sheriff’s office without even a twinge of fear. He’d been so preoccupied with thoughts of his lover he hadn’t cared about whether people were watching. Parking the truck, he reached for Brendon’s hand and waited until the man looked at him.
“No ogling Stenley,” he ordered, but knew the smile dancing across his face took any real heat out of his words. Brendon laughed, running his thumb over Zeke’s knuckles.
“I haven’t ogled the man to begin with, Zeke. I’m too busy ogling you.”
They walked into the sheriff’s office and were greeted by Doreen, who’d been the receptionist there for as long as Zeke could remember.
“Ezekiel Matthers, look at you! What a handsome man you’ve become.” She beamed at him, and he ducked his head, just flat-out embarrassed. She wasn’t treating him like some kind of misfit. First Doc, now Doreen—how many other people had he been wrong about? Brendon’s snicker had Zeke casting a slitted look his way. No doubt he was enjoying the blush that had crawled all over Zeke at the woman’s words.
“And who is your handsome friend, hm?” Ha, now it was Brendon’s turn to blush, except he handled it much better than Zeke had. Brendon stepped forward and reached out a hand, uncaring of his pinked cheeks as he flashed his dimple for the receptionist.
“Brendon Shanahan, ma’am. Pleased to meet you.”
Doreen took his hand and seemed genuinely happy to meet him. Zeke was saved from having to make any attempt at conversation by Sheriff Stenley, who stepped out of his office just as the handshake ended. His steady gaze took in everything, and a little uptilt to one side of his mouth showed his amusement. Zeke looked the man over. Yeah, well, maybe he wasn’t bad looking, but Zeke wouldn’t call him handsome—and Brendon damn sure better not.
“Doreen, you done flirting with those two?” Stenley winked at Doreen as he said it, surprising Zeke that the man had a sense of humor. He looked at Brendon only to find that his lover was looking right back at him.
“Greeting two nice-looking young men is hardly flirting, Sheriff.” Doreen waved the men on back to Stenley’s office, adding teasingly as they passed, “Though, really, who could blame me?”
Stenley arched an eyebrow at her and she arched one right back, a clear dare for him to make another comment. Zeke wanted to laugh when the big man backed down—a wise decision, if Doreen was the same terrier she’d always been.
Sheriff Stenley shut the door behind them and gestured for Zeke and Brendon to sit as he plopped down behind his desk. Zeke took the papers from Brendon and almost tossed them toward Stenley before he caught himself. Not that his lover nudging his foot had anything to do with his decision. Zeke knew Brendon wasn’t interested in the other man, so he needed to stop wanting to growl at him. Stenley picked up the reports and read over them carefully. The man was pretty good at hiding what he was feeling, but Zeke noted the tightening around the sheriff’s eyes and mouth, little telltale signs of anger. Those eyes were hard and cold when he looked up at them, then focused on Zeke.
“You realize that oleander isn’t native, though it is naturalized in parts of Texas, and that it’s highly toxic to just about every living creature, including humans?”
“Yeah, actually, I do. I also know it doesn’t grow wild in pastures. Which means someone dumped some in the water as well as tossed leaves in the pasture.” Zeke tapped the reports with his finger. “The lab was able to find some bits and pieces in a couple of the necropsies they did. Water was contaminated with it.” Because someone wanted to do as much damage as possible, so they had poisoned both resources.
Sheriff Stenley leaned back, steepling his fingers under his chin as he kept that na
rrowed gaze on Zeke.
“Why do you think someone used oleander instead of something that wouldn’t point so obviously to a criminal act, say, something like buttercup or pigweed? Those would have been harder to prove as intentional. Coulda just said you and your crew missed some weeds.”
Zeke knew, and he knew Stenley knew. He didn’t like being treated like an idiot, even if he was slow to take action. Brendon took Zeke’s hand and answered before he could.
“You know, Stenley, am I gonna have to call you a dumbass every time we meet? Because that’s going to get old fast. Zeke isn’t stupid. He’s more than aware that whoever did this—and it is still whoever, because it’s not like you have proof otherwise—figured he wouldn’t report it. So, they made a huge mistake. He’s reporting it, filing charges, all the things that need to be done. Stop giving him a hard time already—you haven’t been through what he has.” Brendon glared at the sheriff, looking about ready to fly over the desk and tackle the man.
Zeke couldn’t help but grin. Guess he wasn’t the only one who could growl.
Stenley’s cheeks turned ruddy, but he gave a curt nod, then all the piss and vinegar seemed to seep out of him. He turned his head for a minute before looking back at Zeke and Brendon.
“Sorry. It isn’t you I’m pissed at. Something should have been done years ago, even before you were assaulted. Nothing was, but at least this time…” Stenley trailed off and looked down at his hands for a brief moment before he raised his head back up. “You ought to know that I spoke to your sister this morning.”
The words hit Zeke like a bucket of ice water. A grunt from Brendon made him realize he was squeezing the hell out of the man’s hand. Letting up on his grip, Zeke glared across the desk at the sheriff.
“Why the hell did you do that? You don’t have any proof—”
“I have proof, Ezekiel, of her calling you and threatening you—and Brendon. You didn’t listen to the answering machine tapes you gave me yesterday. Those alone can take her down for making a terroristic threat, and the damage they would do to her in the eyes of the public, the church congregation…” Sheriff Stenley was nodding, almost as though he was thinking to himself out loud. “Eva knows that she committed a criminal act by leaving those threats. She is fully aware that the only reason I didn’t arrest her on them is because, one, you didn’t know about them and therefore hadn’t filed charges yet. Two, they are a part of the investigation into the attack on your ranch, and as much as I would love to throw her in jail, I want to make sure that everything is done properly. She won’t be getting away with this because I made a hasty mistake.”
A Subtle Breeze Page 9