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Back Dead Horse Gap Save as PDF
Chapters (58)
  1. COVER PAGE
  2. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  3. DEDICATION
  4. Prologue
  5. One
  6. Two
  7. Three
  8. Four
  9. Five
  10. Six
  11. Seven
  12. Eight
  13. Nine
  14. Ten
  15. Eleven
  16. Twelve
  17. Thirteen
  18. Fourteen
  19. Fifteen
  20. Sixteen
  21. Seventeen
  22. Eighteen
  23. Nineteen
  24. Twenty
  25. Twenty-one
  26. Twenty-two
  27. Twenty-three
  28. Twenty-four
  29. Twenty-five
  30. Twenty-six
  31. Twenty-seven
  32. Twenty-eight
  33. Twenty-nine
  34. Thirty
  35. Thirty-one
  36. Thirty-two
  37. Thirty-three
  38. Thirty-four
  39. Thirty-five
  40. Thirty-six
  41. Thirty-seven
  42. Thirty-eight
  43. Thirty-nine
  44. Forty
  45. Forty-one
  46. Forty-two
  47. Forty-three
  48. Forty-four
  49. Forty-five
  50. Forty-six
  51. Forty-seven
  52. Forty-eight
  53. Forty-nine
  54. Fifty
  55. Fifty-one
  56. Fifty-two
  57. Fifty-three
  58. Acknowledgements

Hoff shook his head. ‘It’s been worrying the hell out of me. Art had been away from this place for so long, and then the one night he flies in after dark, the family’s old tractor is blocking the runway. I didn’t want to think about who might have done it. I was hoping it was kids.’

Hoff sat back in his chair looking relieved that he’d finally unburdened himself of the information. ‘I’m not sure if Dan even has the other key now. For a while, I thought about going there and asking him if he realised how it looked, or if he even remembered me asking him to look after the spare key. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it. And I want to make it clear that not for one minute do I believe Dan Lorrimer had anything to do with his brother’s death.’

‘And yet you said you’ve been worrying yourself sick about it?’ said Ryder.

‘I know Dan, but I don’t know the rest of his family that well. And as Detective Flowers said, anyone with a similar tractor could have started it. I’m hoping it’s an awful coincidence that it was their old tractor in the way.’

There was another pause, then Hoff spoke again. ‘Will I be charged for withholding information?’

Flowers looked at Ryder, who leaned over and turned off the recording. ‘We’ll get this statement typed up, then you can look over it and decide if anything needs changing before you sign.’

Hoff nodded, his face pale, and they all stood up.

Outside, Ryder and Flowers hurried to the car, which was parked on the other side of the gates where the crowd had gathered that first morning.

‘We’re only thirty-five minutes from White Winter Station,’ Ryder said. ‘Give Dan Lorrimer a call and see if they’re back at the property yet.’

‘Yes, Sarge.’ Flowers tossed Ryder the car keys.

‘Oh, and Flowers? If they are there, tell them not to leave.’

Thirty-seven

The lunch shift at the hotel was slow, with only a handful of tables occupied. Elijah had retreated to his office to do paperwork, leaving Sterling alone behind the bar with her thoughts.

Sergeant Collins had dismissed her complaint against Garrett simply because Garrett had told him that she’d asked Heidi for drugs. Presumably he now thought she wasn’t trustworthy in any respect. So, the only way to change Sergeant Collins’ mind was to reveal her true identity, but she needed to check with Ryder before she did that.

Sterling turned around and began organising the bottles of spirits on the shelf behind the bar. She had to admit she was a little nervous. Heidi was coming in to work the next shift, and Sterling wondered if Garrett would be with her. She checked her watch. She’d know soon enough. Only twenty minutes to go.