Free Alberta Alibi by Dayle Gaetz Page B

has been in the works for a long time and would have happened no matter who came visiting. But if you ask me, you’ve got to keep that girl in check before someone gets hurt!”
    â€œBen, you don’t think my dad did it?”
    â€œChris? Shoot at someone? Are you kidding? That man doesn’t even like to shoot a wolf. He’ll only kill one as a last resort.”
    â€œYou and I know that, but the police think he’s guilty. A truck just like his was spotted near the development on the night in question. Then, today, his missing rifle showed up in the truck.”
    â€œWhat?” Ben plunked his mug down so hard, drops of coffee bounced over the top. “Are you sure?”
    Sheila nodded. “The police found it. And a gas can too! Now you say Dad’s truck was out that night.”
    As soon as she said this, Sheila gasped. She had suddenly remembered half waking the night before and thinking she heard a truck start up.
    Ben placed his rough, callused hand over Sheila’s and gave it a comforting pat. “Now, don’t you worry. Everything will work out for the best, you’ll see.”
    He glanced at his watch. “Do you think Katie has set up camp in the bathroom?”
    As he said this, Sheila thought she heard a soft footstep in the hall. Then the bathroom door opened and Katie strolled back toward the kitchen.
    â€œShow me this shortcut,” Katie said when they were outside.
    Sheila led the way to a narrow path that cut straight through the cottonwoods.
    Once on the path, Katie stopped and bent over her notebook.
    â€œWhat are you writing?” Sheila asked.
    â€œJust a note about what I saw.”
    â€œIn Ben’s cottage?”
    Katie nodded. “In Ryan’s room.”
    â€œYou went into Ryan’s room? You’re not supposed to do that. How nosy can you get? How would you like someone snooping around in your room? You don’t even like it if anyone reads your notebook!”
    Katie shrugged. “That’s personal. This is an investigation.”
    â€œSo? What did you see?”
    â€œOnly a black cowboy hat. It’s on the shelf in his closet.”
    Sheila felt a burst of hope. “And? Did it have a white band? Was there a feather?”
    â€œNo,” Katie admitted. “Not that I could find.”
    Her hopes sank. “Do you know how many black cowboy hats are in Alberta?”
    The path ended at the back patio, but neither of them felt like going inside just yet, so they continued to the front of the house. Both girls stopped abruptly. At first glance Sheila thought the RCMP had returned, and her heart crashed into her stomach with a sickening thud. Then she realized the white SUV parked beside her dad’s old blue truck was tiny compared to the RCMP vehicle. On the door was a blue decal in the shape of a horseshoe with bright red lettering around its inside edge. The girls moved closer to read the words “Cottonwood Creek Ranch.”
    â€œThat’s the Arnesens’ ranch,” Sheila said, “where Huntley lives now.”
    â€œThe car must belong to his mom,” Katie said.
    â€œShe must be back from Calgary.”
    They both turned to the house, its red door thrown wide open. They glanced at one another, then hurried across the yard, up the steps and through the door.
    The house stood cool and silent as they paused in the front hall. They walked quietly toward the kitchen.
    A woman wearing a bright red T-shirt and dark blue shorts sat at the table with her back to the girls.
    Her shining, soft brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail that brushed the back of her neck. Her legs were crossed at the knee, a flat-soled red sandal dangled from the toes of her right foot and her toenails were painted red. The woman was eating a sandwich and concentrating on a sheet of paper covered in small print. A short stack of similar papers lay on the table in front of her.
    â€œWhere’s my dad?”