Ellie followed the woman into the elevator, and they got off on the nineteenth floor. Jane smiled at Kade as she led them down a wide corridor to a tall mahogany door, opened it without knocking, and ushered them into an upscale waiting area done in pale blue and gray. Kade removed his hat and raked a hand through his thick, golden-brown hair.

Jane’s smile went from Kade to the young man behind the desk. “Daniel, Mr. Logan and Ms. Bowman need to speak to Rick. Tell him I said it was important.” Jane was CFO of the company, Ellie knew, a far more powerful position than her brother’s job as only one of four Senior VPs.

“Certainly, Ms. Smithson.” Daniel rose from his desk. A lean, elegant man in his twenties with sandy hair and an East Coast, cultivated accent, he disappeared into the inner office.

Jane took a business card out of her purse and smiled at Kade as she handed it over. “My office is on the top floor. Let me know if there’s anything else you need.”

Ellie wondered if Jane was extending a subtle invitation. The relationship between Jane and her husband certainly didn’t seem all that warm.

“It was nice to meet you,” Jane added with a last glance at Kade. If she was interested, Kade didn’t seem to notice.

Jane left the office, and Daniel returned a few minutes later with a good-looking black-haired, blue-eyed man following in his wake, clearly Jane’s brother.

“I’m Rick Egan,” he said to Kade. “I understand you’re the owner of the Diamond Bar Ranch.”

“That’s right.”

“Since the mine falls under my jurisdiction, I’m familiar with the property. A pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Logan.” He offered a hand, which Kade shook. Egan turned. “Ms. Bowman.” They shook. “Why don’t we all go inside, and you can explain why this visit requires the presence of a private investigator.”

They followed Egan into his office, which was also done in blue-and-gray tones, but had a big plate-glass window looking out over the city. Egan suggested they dispense with formalities and use their first names.

Ellie flicked a glance at Kade, urging him to take the lead since he owned the property. He started by asking if Rick knew a man named Frank Keller.

“I met Keller a couple of times,” Rick said. “I understand he recently killed himself.”

“You spoke to the sheriff?” Kade asked.

“Sheriff Fischer phoned Will Turley, the supervisor out at the mine.”

Interesting that the sheriff hadn’t told Egan that Keller’s death had been ruled a homicide.

“I know Will,” Kade said.

“According to Turley, the sheriff believes Keller might have been behind the explosion that caved in one of the tunnels and cost one of the miners his leg.”

“What do you think, Rick?” Ellie asked. “Is there any reason Keller might have done something like that?”