Free Circle Eight Millennium: Lazarus by Beth Williamson

life, but running a gun business didn’t give her this kind of deep thrum of interest. Of satisfaction.
    “Then we’d better get started finding out which of the guests had motive to do what they did.” He held out his hand she put the list she’d compiled in it.
    “The crime at my store was full of rage, even more so than what I read happened at the other businesses. This was more personal.” That disturbed her more than anything.
    “Or the perp escalated with each crime.” He scanned through the names. “Some of these are women.”
    She raised her brows. “You think women can’t take a baseball bat to a window in a fit of rage?”
    “Fair enough. I’ll run down these names and see if anything pops.” He tiled his head. “Good work.”
    She flushed at the praise, wondering how long it had been since anyone had complimented her on anything. Maybe some loser who leered at her boobs. She never did much for anyone to admire except run her business and survive. Self-pity never did anything for anyone. She didn’t abide by it, and she didn’t allow herself to wallow in it.
    Yet hearing a simple “good work” from Laz made her feel good. More than that, it boosted her self-esteem. Silly to admit, and she sure as hell wouldn’t say it to him, but there it was. Bea needed to be praised, just as any human being would.
    “We’re not done yet. I’ve got a few more things to read through here.” She offered him the documents she’d already reviewed. “Did you want to go through these?”
    “I don’t think I need to. Your notes are very detailed.” He sat in the chair on the other side of the desk.
    She peered at him, wondering what had happened during the conversation with his father. His expression could be described as poleaxed. Her curiosity ran around inside her head, screeching to be satisfied. It was none of her business, of course. Hell, until two days ago, she’d forgotten he existed. Or at least tried to.
    Now he was her quasi-partner and they were investigating a crime together. Life surely couldn’t get any stranger. Although she’d probably just hexed herself by even thinking that.
    “My pa asked me to come by and exercise the horses.”
    She raised her brows at his unexpected words. “Violet doesn’t do that?”
    “She’s busy with the yearlings so the older horses don’t necessarily get the attention they need, I guess.” He leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees. “I’m not sure why fate has decided to play with me, but I never expected any of this.”
    Bea didn’t know whether to be insulted or complimented. She got to her feet and walked over to him, squatting down to be at eye level. His eyes were full of confusion and what might have been pain.
    “Families always accept us, no matter what we’ve done. If your father wants you to come home, what’s stopping you? You’re a ranger, and work all over the state, right? The Circle Eight will be yours one day, why not take the chance.” She didn’t want to be someone who gave advice to Lazarus Graham, but perhaps he needed to hear it anyway.
    He pursed his lips and looked down at his feet. “I want to.”
    “Then do it.” She put her hand on his knee and squeezed. The exhilaration of touching Laz hadn’t dimmed an iota. The man was made of steel everywhere. “The only thing stopping you is you.”
    He cupped her chin and kissed her with a gentleness that made her eyes prick with tears. What the hell was that about?
    “If your store hadn’t been broken into, I would be somewhere else alone. Now I’m here, kissing you, about to accept an invitation back into my family.” He kissed her again. “What did I do to deserve all that?”
    Happiness bubbled inside her and she was as confused by it as he appeared to be. Her life hadn’t been sunshine and puppies, that was for sure. She’d barely scraped by for years, staying afloat with sheer grit and a determination to keep her family’s legacy alive.
    Now everything