The Colton Sheriff. Addison Fox

they’d remained close, Aisha had seen less and less of Trey’s parents over the past few years. The busyness of her practice and her ever-growing list of patients had made free time more of a luxury than she’d like, and it was lovely to sink right back into conversation.

      “I saw your mother at the market a few weeks ago. She said Tanisha is expecting.”

      “Late winter,” Aisha added. “She’s been on my mom to keep quiet about it and let her get to three months but has pretty much accepted that’s not going to happen.”

      “Not if the broad smile and big gleam in your mother’s eye was any indication.” Audrey pulled her close for a warm hug. “Congratulations on becoming an aunt.”

      Aisha accepted the affectionate hug and thought about her baby sister, planning the arrival of a new life early next year. They were all so excited, but it was hard to imagine bringing a child into the world when so much of it seemed so out of control. As a psychologist, she knew the desire to hunker down and shelter in place was a fight-or-flight response to the scary reality of a killer on the loose. But as a sister and a soon-to-be aunt...

      She’d been struggling with how scary it all was. She could only hope Trey got a handle on the killer before anything else could happen. Or anyone else could be harmed.

      “There he is. The star of the show.”

      Calvin slapped his son on the back and Audrey waited before pulling Trey close for a kiss. Trey went willingly, sinking into the warm acceptance of his parents, and Aisha noticed, not for the first time, what a unit they were.

      She had always been lucky to have her mother and her sister. They had struggled for money but never for love, the three of them forging a bond that would never be broken. It had been one of the hardest things ever to leave Roaring Springs and go two thousand miles away to college, but it was her mother who’d encouraged her every step of the way.

      And it was her mother who, even now, pushed her to tell Trey how she really felt about him.

      Aisha hated that she was so transparent and hoped that it was only a mother’s love for her daughter that made her quite so perceptive. She hated to think that Trey knew how she felt. Or worse...that his parents sensed the same and felt sorry for her.

      How embarrassing.

      Turning away from the threesome, she’d nearly made an excuse to go get something from the refreshment table when a loud, booming voice floated over them all.

      “Well, look here.”

      Barton Evigan had ditched his campaign manager somewhere in the room—or if the manager was smart the man had ditched his unworthy candidate—and had only his wife on his arm. The woman had the decency to look slightly embarrassed but it was quickly overshadowed by her reticence to speak or barely move in the man’s presence.

      Aisha’s training kicked in and she was already thinking of a way to speak to the woman when Barton shot out more venom, his lips curled into a snarl. “Someone sure does have a fan.”

      Sadly, Aisha was no stranger to racist remarks—subtle or otherwise—but the clear vitriol evident in a man running for public office surprised even her.

      Before she could say anything, Calvin Colton was in the man’s face, his broader shoulders and intimidating height eclipsing Evigan. Even well into his sixties, Calvin’s fierce protection was something to behold. “Are you suggesting something untoward against my son, my wife and our dear family friend?”

      Evigan eyed them all before gathering himself. “I was simply suggesting you Coltons all stick together.”

      “Right.” Calvin spat the word. “That was your meaning.”

      Although Trey’s dad had the height advantage, Barton still had youth on his side and it was enough to have his worse nature coming through. “You want to suggest otherwise?”

      Audrey laid a hand on Calvin’s arm. She didn’t say anything, but her touch had the calming effect of diffusing her husband. He stepped away, his disdain evident as he presented his back to Barton. “Not worth another moment of our time.”

      For the briefest moment, Aisha thought Barton was going to cause a physical altercation, hate along with something dark and oily filling his gaze, before he seemed to think better of it. He turned back to his wife, grabbing her by the upper arm and dragging her from the community center, her feet running double time to keep up with him.

      “I’m sorry, Mom.” Trey turned to Aisha, encompassing her in the apology. “You did nothing but support me in there.”

      “And I’m going to keep supporting you. There and to anyone who will listen.” Aisha moved up into his orbit, wrapping an arm around his waist. The solid warmth of his chest practically knocked every rational thought from her mind, but she hung on, determined to make him understand. “I’m in your corner, Colton. I always have been and always will be. Apologize again and I’m dragging you out back and trying my latest kickboxing moves on you.”

      Trey hesitated momentarily, a sort of dazed expression filling his dark brown eyes before he blinked out of it. “Okay.” He held up a hand. “No ass kicking required.”

      She held his gaze another moment before nodding. “See that it stays that way.”

      It was Trey’s father who spoke first. “Let’s get out of here and go have some ice cream.”

      “Dad, I’ve got—”

      Audrey shut Trey down before he could make any other excuses. “Come on. We’re all entitled to some ice cream and the huckleberry cobbler I made this afternoon.”

      “You made cobbler?” Trey’s voice grew animated, and with it, Aisha heard the tones of their youth. Trey Colton had never been very good at resisting huckleberry cobbler. Or any other kind of cobbler, come to think of it.

      Audrey turned toward her. “Aisha, you in?”

      “Sure.” She thought of the weight bag she’d have to keep after in the morning but didn’t especially mind. “I’ll suffer through an extra fifteen minutes of cardio tomorrow.”

      Trey’s mother only shook her head. “You young people and your insistence on all this exercise. It boggles the mind.”

      “You look great, Mrs. Colton.” Aisha eyed the older woman’s trim figure and still-slim frame. “You must do something to stay in shape.”

      “I run a farm with my husband. Never once have I regretted eating ice cream made from the cows I milk or dessert made from the crops I grow.”

      As Aisha followed Calvin and Audrey out to the parking lot, the two of them walking her to her car while Trey headed for his patrol car, she had to give credit where it was due. She’d never give up her psychology practice, but there was something to be said for daily physical labor and the fruits of that hard work.

      An hour later, sitting on the Colton’s front porch, full of vanilla ice cream and cobbler, Aisha amended the thought.

      There was something about enjoying the fruits of one’s labor. But it was even sweeter when you shared it with others.

       Chapter 3

      Trey scanned one of the reports on the discovery of the bodies on the side of the mountain and thanked his lucky stars, once again, for the ever-capable and awesome Daria Bloom. The woman was amazing, her focus and dedication for her job something to behold. He was fortunate for all of his deputies, the individuals currently making up the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office staff all strong, capable law officers.

      But Daria was a cut above.

      The two of them had stayed late the night before, prepping for the visit from local officials that was set to start in another ten minutes. Despite going over the materials until his