"Your son?" Beau asked me, shocked, and I nod as I lean forward in my seat, my arms leaning against my knees. "Yeah..." I sighed then I bite my lips and take a deep breath before letting it out. "Remember when I told you about my case with MadDog?" I asked him. "Yeah." Beau said. "Well, I didn't tell you about the aftermath. You see, after we arrested him, he apparently used his one phone call to some of his boys..." I said, as I start to feel hot tears forming in my eyes.

"He called them and asked them to take me out since I had betrayed him. And three men masked up and came to my house...only to find out that I wasn't home..." I said, a tear running down my face. "No..." Beau said, in a soft realization tone. "They found my son and my parents there at my house. James and I were out on a date, celebrating." I said, my voice shaking.

Then I hear Beau scoot his chair closer to me and places a hand on my back. "(Y/n)..." he mutters and I wipe the tears away from my eyes. "Those...monsters...killed my parents and Liam. He was only ten years old....they killed my baby." I said, tearfully, and I start to break down. I hear Beau standing up and walk in front of me then he places his pointer finger under my chin and, gently, pulls my head up to look at him.

He had this I'm so sorry look on his face and I go to stand up then he pulls me towards him, embracing me and I bury my face into his chest. I let the tears run down my face as I feel him running his left hand up and down my back in a soothing manner and his right hand running through my hair.

"I'm so sorry, (y/n). I can't imagine..." Beau whispers to me as I start to calm down. I sniffled a bit then pulled my head back to look at him. "After that happened, I just shut down and all I did was drink and work. I spent many hours and days at the station, I ignored James. I just felt so ashamed and felt that my parents' and Liam's death were my fault. And then ignoring James was what lead to him sleeping with another woman; which after catching him in the act, he told me it was all my fault." I said and Beau just continued to give me a sympathetic look.

"None of that was your fault. You did your job and put a criminal behind bars, you probably saved a lot of people's lives in the process." Beau tries to assure me but I shake my head. "But I couldn't save the people that counted the most! I couldn't even save my baby. It was my job to protect him and all I did was get him killed." I cried as fresh tears run down my face and he pulls me back into an embrace.

I start breaking down again and Beau just whispered soothing words to me until I finally calmed down. Beau raises my head and gently wipes away my tears then fixes my hair before he speaks. "I can't even begin to imagine the pain you're going through. But I do know the level of guilt you're feeling. I know that no matter how many times you hear it wasn't your fault, it ain't ever gonna feel right to you. But it truly and honestly wasn't your fault. You're not the one responsible for their deaths. And you shouldn't be punishing yourself for a monster's actions." He tells me and I felt some sort've gratitude and comfort with his words and I let out a small chuckle.

"There you go again with your cowboy wisdom." I teased, weakly, and he laughs, softly. We stare at each other for a moment or two before he leans in and places a kiss on my forehead. I close my eyes and just enjoy the feeling of his soft lips on my skin.

He pulls back and I open my eyes to look at him to see the corner of his lips perk up into a grin and he cups my cheek in his right hand and, slowly, runs his thumb across my bottom lip then down to my chin. We continued to stare into each other's eyes, both of us not knowing what to do next, until my phone rings.

We pull back a little bit and I clear my throat. "Sorry..." I said, apologetically. "It's okay, sweetheart." Beau said, softly, as I pull my phone out and see the caller ID. "It's Jenny." I said and I answer my phone. "Hey, what's up?" I asked her. "I hate to interrupt your evening but....Cassie has found out who our mystery guy is." Jenny said and my brow furrows. "Wait, what?" I said.

"Yeah, his name is Walter." Jenny said and I look over at Beau, a surprised look on my face.

The next day, Jenny, Beau and I enter the interrogation room where Walter was now sitting in. "Hiya, Walter." Beau greets and Walter looked a bit surprised that he knew his name.

"Well, we figured out your secret. 20 years ago, you murdered your parents in a house fire." Beau said as he sets down a file with old newspaper clips that Cassie had found in that abandoned cabin where we arrested Walter at. The title on the top newspaper said: Two Killed in house fire; boy and girl missing.

"They weren't my parents." Walter replied after he looked at it then pushed the file away from him, still wearing that smug smile. "Ah. Well, according to this, there was another kid in that house. A little girl named Meredith. She was never found." Beau said as he takes a seat across from Walter.

"Did you kill her too?" I asked Walter. "I was protecting her. From them. They hurt her worse than me." He replied. "Where is she now?" Jenny asked. "I set her free." replied Walter. "You mean you killed her." Beau stated. "It's not what you think." Walter said.

"Well, here's what I think I think you killed her just like you killed Paige, or set her free in your parlance. Same damn thing." Beau said, spreading his hand out in a dramatic sense. "Yeah, I know what you're trying to do." Walter mutters. "Do you?" Beau asked, in a low tone, and the two men glare at each other.

"Okay, let's talk about something else. You were just a kid when this happened. You been out in the woods all this time?" Jenny asked him. "Yes." Walter said. "Hmm. So you expect us to believe that you built that cabin and you made supply runs into town all these years all by yourself?" Beau asked him, disbelieving.

"Who was helping you, Walter?" I asked him. "Is it the same person that helped you hide Paige's body?" Beau asked as Walter fidgets. "Was it Sunny and Buck Barnes? We know you were in Buck's truck." Jenny said. "No. No. It was just a coincidence." Walter said, with a small smile. "So you do know who they are." Jenny said and Walter yanks on his cuffs. "Why don't you leave Sunny out of this?" He asked us, in underlying threatening tone.

"Okay, well, if Sunny and Buck are lying about knowing Walter, there has to be a reason." Cassie said as we gather in Beau's office. "Okay. What are you thinking?" Beau asked her. "Maybe Buck's his accomplice. Walter did have Mark Woodman's body in his old truck." Cassie said.

"He told us to leave Sunny out of it. There has to be a connection." I said. "Well, right now, we got nothing concrete, and Walter is due to be transferred to County. So, we need to ask our questions while we have the time." Beau tells us. "The girl that went missing after the fire, Meredith, Walter said he was protecting her." Cassie noted. "He said the same thing about Paige." Jenny points out and Beau hums.

"You guys, maybe Paige isn't dead. We still don't have a body." I said as Jenny sighs. "That's true. Just his word." Beau said. "The more we learn, the messier this gets." Jenny said, exhausted. "Yeah, maybe we need to start from the beginning, before all the lies." Cassie said and Jenny turns to her.

"You want to find Meredith?" She asked. "Yeah." Cassie said. "Way ahead of you. Already ran the name. Big old pile of nothing." Beau said. "Then we look harder." Cassie said as Jenny's phone goes off and she answers it.

"Hey, Pops, what's up?" She said then listens in for a moment. "Okay, sit tight. I'll be right there." She said and she hangs up. "What's up?" Beau asked. "There was a murder at a wedding." Jenny said. "What?!" I exclaimed. "Come on." Beau said, exhausted. "It happened at a ranch near Birdseye." Jenny said and Beau sighs.

"Okay. Um..." Beau mutters then he points at me and Jenny. "You two good to take it? I'll stay with Cassie, 'cause clock's ticking on this Walter thing." Beau said. "For sure. We'll let you know if we need you." Jenny said as she gets up and heads to the door and I stand up but turn to Beau.

"Uh, can I talk to you for a moment...alone?" I asked him and Jenny and Cassie look between us while Beau seemed surprised. "Uh, yeah, sure." He said and Cassie gets up. "That's my cue." She said and her and Jenny walk out of the room but I see them looking at me, giggling like high school girls. I roll my eyes at them as Jenny shuts the door and I turn to Beau, who stands up and goes around the front of his desk then leans against it.

"What's up?" He asked me as I walk up to him. I look into his eyes before I lean in and kiss his cheek. His eyes widen in surprise at this as I pull back. "What was that for?" He asked me, curiously, but I could see a shade of pink forming on his cheek. "It was a thank you for...listening to me last night. I'm sorry I was a total mess and..." I said and he shakes his head.

"Darlin', you don't have to feel bad about that. That was a very serious and awful ordeal you went through, you had every right to feel that way." He tells me and I give him a small smile. "Thank you." I whispered and he smiles at me then he reaches out and strokes my left cheekbone with his right hand thumb, my eyes closing at the feeling for a moment.

Once I open my eyes, I noticed his eyes wandered over to the right and he lowers his hand. "Looks like we got an audience." He said and I give a confused look and I turn my head to my left, and see Jenny and Cassie looking at us through the window. Once I spotted them, they both scurried off and I sigh through my nose. "Great! Never gonna hear the end of this." I grumbled and Beau chuckles.

"Well, I better go." I said as I head to the door. "So, wait, does this mean you're Pop's plus-one at a wedding?" He asked me and I turn to him, smirking. "Jealous?" I asked, in a teasing manner. "Yeah. I want to be Pop's plus-one." He said, in a mock upset tone, and I laugh. "Maybe next time, Texas." I said, giving a wink to him before I leave the office.

Once I walked out, I come upon Jenny and Cassie, who both give me this knowing look on their face. "Shut up, both of you!" I said and they raise their hands. "We're not saying anything." Cassie said. "Yeah, you two were thinking it!" I said and I walk off.

"So, you mind telling me what all that with Beau was about?" Jenny asked me as she drives her jeep down the road, heading to the ranch. I sighed and decided that I better tell her or she wouldn't leave me alone. "I told him about Liam and my parents." I said and Jenny looks at me, surprised, before she looks back at the road.

"Wow, really?" She asked and I nodded. "I just figured now was the time to tell him what happened. And he listened and took it pretty well. I was just afraid that..." I stopped then sighed again. "What? You were afraid that he'd hate you?" Jenny asked me and I shrug. "Honestly? Yeah..." I said and she looks at me with a sympathetic look.

"Why do you think that?" Jenny asked me and I sighed. "I don't know. I guess...I guess I keep letting James' words affect me. I mean, how can you deal when someone you had loved so dearly for years a-and had a child with, tells you that your son's and parents' deaths were your fault and that you drove him away to the point he went and cheated?" I said, upset, and Jenny reaches a hand over and places her hand on my shoulder.

"Beau is nothing like James." Jenny assures me and I nod at this. "I know. I guess that's why I'm falling for him so much. I mean, James was a good man, maybe a bit uptight, takes things a bit too seriously. But Beau..." I stopped and sighed, happily, at this and Jenny gives me a smile. "He just seems a bit more laidback and can be a bit silly." I said. "Well, maybe that's what you need, a bit of silliness in your life." Jenny tells me and we chuckled.

"Yeah..." I said then Jenny turns back to watch the road. "So, what's this about you and my brother?" I asked her. "Oh God..." she said, exasperated, and I laugh.

"Victim is Austin Chambers, 28. His bride-to-be, Skylar Sharpe, found the body." Poppernak tells me and Jenny as he leads us to one of the rooms where Austin's bloody, dead body lays on the floor. "We're so sorry, Pops." Jenny tells him, sympathetically.

"Were you close with the bride?" I asked him in a soft tone. "Uh, went to her christening. Our families have always been tight. Especially Eli, Skylar's father." Poppernak replied, looking a bit bothered and upset. "Was anyone with her when she found the body?" Jenny asked as we look down at Austin. "Yep. The wedding photographer. She and the victim were due to have a photo session before the ceremony, but he didn't show." Poppernak said as I look over the body.

The right side of his head looked like someone repeatedly beat him with a heavy object, blood was all over the right side of his face and his shirt. "Do we have a time of death?" I asked Poppernak. "Crime techs narrowed it down to the early morning, sometime before the wedding guests arrived." Poppernak informed.

"Who had access to the property during that time?" Jenny asked him. "That would be the wedding party. They all stayed overnight after the rehearsal dinner. Uh, more than one person mentioned that Skylar's dad got into a big fight with the victim." Poppernak said and Jenny and I share a look before she turns back to Pops.

"Okay, keep the wedding party here. Send the rest of the guests home." She tells him. "Copy that." Poppernak said as I kneel down to Austin's body. "Looks like he was hit with something sharp." I noted as I saw a large gash across the side of his head. "Crime techs are still looking for the murder weapon." Poppernak said.

"What can you tell us about the victim's family?" Jenny asked him. "Cattle ranchers. Yeah, this property actually belongs to the victim's father, Mr. Chambers." He said and Jenny looks around the wooden cabin. "Property like this must be worth a fortune. I wonder if the victim and the bride-to-be stood to inherit." Jenny said as I stand up.

"Yeah. Something tells me this one ain't gonna be easy." Poppernak said before he starts to walk out of the room. "Weddings never are." I remarked and Jenny nods in agreement before we leave as well.

*3rd Person POV*

"So, we couldn't find anything on Meredith Levinson in the system either." Denise tells Cassie and Beau as they sit in the Hoyt and Dewell office. "Mm, so you basically did the same thing I had a desk jockey do earlier, with the same results. Good thing you're not billing the Sheriff's Department." Beau jokes and Denise and Cassie look at him.

"You're not billing the Sheriff's Department, are you?" He asked Denise. "I wasn't finished, Bo-Bo." Denise said, exasperated. "Okay." Beau said while Emily looks up at this. "Bo-Bo?" Emily asked, confused. "Yeah, it's the cringiest of all time." Cassie said. "It's a harmless term of endearment." Beau defended and Cassie hums at this.

"Can't you two come up with a better nickname that doesn't make my skin crawl?" Cassie asked. "Nope." Denise said. "What do you suggest?" Beau asked Cassie. "I don't know, maybe...sweetheart or darling? You know, what you call (y/n)!" Cassie said and Beau's face goes a pink and Emily looks over at her father. "(Y/n)?" She asked and Cassie nods.

Then Emily looks over at her father. "Is there something you need to tell me?" She asked him with a teasing tone and Beau sits there in silence for a moment while Cassie and Denise look at him as if to say you're on your own with this. "Uh, we'll talk about it later, okay?" Beau says to her and Emily wanted to know more.

Truth be told, from what she knows of (y/n), she sounds like a nice and cool woman and Emily always wanted her father to meet someone to make him happy. But she knows her father is working and doesn't have time to talk about his personal life. So she sighs then nods.

"Alright." Beau said and Cassie shakes her head at this as Beau turns to Denise. "What do you got, Denisey-poo?" He asked and Cassie sighs while Denise giggles and Emily smiles. "Well, anyway, so, unlike your desk jockey, we don't give up, do we, Em?" Denise asked and Emily shakes her head. "Nope." She said.

"Instead, we're changing course and looking into the possibility that Meredith Levinson might have changed her name." Denise said, pointing to her temple then dramatically spins towards her desk. "Oh. I'm listening." Beau said, intrigued. "I mean, it's taking forever, but..." Emily started to say but Beau speaks up. "But you know what they say Patience is a..." he said and Emily nods.

"Virtue." She finished. "No. It's just an eight-letter word starts with P." Beau said and Denise chuckles while Emily frowns and shakes her head then goes back to the laptop and Cassie groans. "Okay, I'm going through change of name requests with the state." Emily said.

"Oh, I'm with ya. Okay. So, what if we back-trace the name with the birthdate in the Montana Vital Statistics?" Beau said as he and Cassie go around behind Emily as she types on her laptop.

"Um...Ooh, I think we got her. Yeah, Meredith Levinson. She's still alive, except now she goes by Madeline Lowe." Emily said once the results came up and Beau stands up and gives her a proud smile. "Nice work, Em. That's my girl. That one." He said as he pats her back and he and Cassie head out while Emily smiles proudly to herself and Denise also smiles.

*(y/n)'s POV*

We walked to a different part of the cabin when Jenny's phone buzzes and she picks it up to look at it. "Everything okay?" I asked her. "Yeah, I just keep getting calls from a blocked number." She said as she hangs up the call. "Ignore it. Spam. Car warranty, condos." Poppernak said. "Maybe. My mom always calls from a blocked number." Jenny said. "Answer it, then." Poppernak advises while Jenny didn't look too thrilled about this answer.

Then we peek around the corner to see the dining area and a man sitting at the end, looking distraught. "The bride's dad is waiting." I said as I gesture towards the man. "Let's do this first." Jenny said and we walk into the room.

"Hey, Eli." Poppernak greets and Eli looks up at him then stands up. "Hey." Eli greets and they shake hands then Poppernak points to me and Jenny. "These are my partners, Jenny Hoyt and (y/n) (l/n)." He introduced. "Can we make this quick? I really need to be with my daughter. You want to ask me about the fight with the groom, I suppose?" Eli inquired as he sits back down.

"Can you tell us what it was about?" Jenny asked him and Eli chuckles. "All that family cares about is money." Eli sneered. "And you thought the rehearsal dinner for your daughter's wedding was an appropriate time to bring that up?" I asked him, suspiciously. "The timing choice was theirs, not mine. At dinner, my daughter told me that Austin made her sign a last-minute prenup. So, yes, I approached him at the rehearsal dinner." Eli replied, sounding angrier with every word he said.

"What'd you think about the wedding moving forward after that?" I asked him. "It didn't sit well with me. But it was Skylar's choice to make, not mine." Eli replied. "Bringing two families together is complicated. It's only natural you wanted to protect her." Jenny said and Eli looks down at the table and shakes his head.

"You don't get it. After Skylar lost her mother, she stopped smiling. Austin was good for her, despite his family. She was happy. So, if you think I was gonna take that away from her? Not a chance." Eli said, upset, then he takes a drink from his glass, slams it down on the table and stands up.

"I've said my piece, and that's all. And for Skylar's sake, you better find out who did this." He said and he storms out of the dining room. Jenny had this suspicious look on her face and I couldn't blame her while Poppernak was looking sad.

"Do we have to do this now?" Skylar asked us after we sat down with her in one of the rooms that acted as her dressing room. She was in normal attire while her wedding dress was displayed over a nearby chair, blood all over it. "We'll be quick. Promise." Pops assured her and she sighs.

"So, is my dad really a suspect?" She asked. "We're still checking his alibi after the fight." Jenny tells her and Skylar sniffles a bit then looks up at Pops. "Mo, you know my dad. You know he wouldn't do anything like this to hurt me. He-He knew that Austin and I were in love." She said, her voice shaking.

"What about the prenup?" I asked her and she looks at me and Jenny. "I could care less about the prenup, about the land and the cattle. "I...Even if there was something more valuable." She said. "What could be more valuable than land and cattle in Montana?" Jenny asked. "A dinosaur." She replied and this surprised me as it did with Jenny and Pops.

"How big a specimen are we talking?" Pops asked her. "I don't know. I didn't know about the dinosaur fossil until Austin asked me to sign the prenup." She replied. "Did that bother you? That he was keeping this discovery a secret?" Jenny asked her. "No, it was just his hobby. Searching for buried treasure. He was gonna unveil it after the ceremony. He was gonna name it after me." Skylar replied then she starts to cry.

"I'm so sorry, hon. Do you need a moment?" I asked her, sympathetically, and she cries a bit more then Pops hands her a tissue. "I'm okay. I'm..." she cries then takes the tissue and wipes her noses. "Just a few more questions." I tell her as she sniffles. "Yeah." She said

"How much did Austin know about dinosaurs?" Jenny asked her. "Not much. He had to ask a friend to help him figure out what to do." She informed. "What can you tell us about this friend?" I asked her.

*3rd Person POV*

Cassie was rattling on about something that Beau started to tune out as he drives along the road towards Madeline's house. They were talking about TV shows and what were their favorites but Beau got a bit bored as Cassie talks about some boring soap operas. "Can we talk about something else, please?" Beau asked after a few moments. "You're the one that brought up on talking about your favorite tv show." Cassie said and Beau sighs.

"Yeah, well, time for a new subject." He said. "Fine." Cassie said then she looks out the window for a moment then turns to him. "So, are you and (y/n) dating or what?" She asked. The question startles Beau so much he accidentally makes his car swerve a bit. "Whoa!" Cassie said as Beau straightens his vehicle back on the road.

"Where did that come from?" Beau asked her. "It's not exactly subtle. What's going on between you two? Everyone's in on it." Cassie said and Beau looks over at her. "Really? Everyone?" Beau asked and Cassie smiles and nodded while Beau returns his eyes to the road.

"What is this? High school?" He asked. "Nope, just a small town. You know, we're always in each other's business." Cassie said and Beau shakes his head. "Sooo...?" Cassie said and Beau sighs. "It's...complicated." He said just as they pull up to Madeline's house. "We're here." Beau said, relieved to be away from this conversation. "Okay..." Cassie said. "We'll talk about it later then." She said and Beau rolls his eyes as he turns his car off.

"Quite the postcard." Beau compliments as he and Cassie get out of his vehicle and walk up to the house with a fence that was adorn with vines and flowers. "Yeah. She's impressive. Graduated top of her class at Montana State." Cassie said as they walk up to the nice two story house.

"Yeah, 2.5 kids, picket fence. Looks like Madeline went all straight and narrow. Meanwhile, Walter went Ted Kaczynski. Guess it's an argument for nature, huh? 'Cause he lives in the..." Beau said and Cassie smiles. "Yeah. I got it. The woods. Yep." She said as they get to the front door and Beau knocks on it.

The door opens and a pretty brunette woman opens the door. "Hi, Madeline Lowe? Sheriff Beau Arlen. This here's Cassie Dewell of Dewell and Hoyt Private Investigators." Beau introduced. "What's this about?" Madeline asked. "Well, we were hoping to talk to you about a house fire that happened 20 years ago." Beau said and Madeline gets out on the porch and shut the door.

"And our condolences. We know your parents were lost in that." Beau said. "They weren't my parents." Madeline corrected, firmly. "Right, well, they...They adopted you, along with another boy. Walter?" Cassie said while Beau seems taken aback by Madeline's attitude.

"Why are you asking me about Walter?" She asked. "'Cause he's currently in police custody, on murder charges." Beau tells her, firmly, and Madeline seemed shocked. "Wow. Okay." She said, stunned. "We were hoping you could shed some light on what happened the night of the fire just so we can understand who we're dealing with." Cassie said.

"Walter set the fire, but the Walter I know wasn't a killer. He was gentle. Kind, protective." Madeline replied. "He killed your adoptive parents. You...You saw him do that." Cassie said, sounding confused. "Yes, but...The things that went on in that house...We were beaten, starved. I didn't think it was ever going to end. Trust me, he did what he did so that we could escape." Madeline replied.

"Where did Walter take you after the fire?" Beau asked her. "His birth mother picked us up. She told me to change my name and start fresh. I haven't looked back." She replied. "And what was her name?" Cassie asked her. "I don't remember, but she sang to us. Oh, and she had the most beautiful red hair." Madeline said and Cassie eyes widen at this then she looks at Beau, who looked just as stunned as she felt.

*(y/n)'s POV*

Jenny and I pull up to the digging site and see some equipment around and a giant square shaped hole in the middle of the area, yellow tape surrounding it. We get out of her car and walk towards the site. "Hello?" Jenny calls out but no answer. "Anybody around?" I called out as we walk deeper into the site.

We looked around and saw absolutely no one and I turn to Jenny. "Isn't this the part where the serial killer comes out and attacks?" I asked her and she scoffs as we come upon the hole. We looked over the hole until both of us felt someone pushing us into the hole.

Jenny and I fall into the hole then turn over, quickly, and aim our guns at a young man, covered in dirt and carrying a shovel. "This is private property. Who are you?" He asked us as he sets his shovel down. "Jenny Hoyt and (y/n) (l/n), Sheriff's Department." I tell him, still aiming my gun at him.

"Who are you?" Jenny asked him. "I'm Carson Price." Carson introduced. "Oh. You're Austin's best man. We were looking for you." Jenny said as we stand up then out our guns away. "Sorry, I thought you were trespassing." Carson said. "Wanna help us up?" I asked him as we hold a hand out to him. He sets the shovel into the dirt and goes to help Jenny out first then me.

"Right now, this site's still a secret, and so we always gotta worry about thieves." Carson tells us as we walk along the site. "Mm. We requested the wedding party to stay put. You're the only one who did not. So, your friend's dead, the bride is grieving, and you're out here digging around in the dirt." Jenny said as she looks at Carson, accusatory.

"I know how it looks, but, you know, winter's coming. With the fossil weathering out of the ground like it is and the rain and the snow on the way, we...we don't have any time to waste." He said and he leads us to another large hole where we see large dinosaur bones.

"Wow." Jenny and I said, stunned. "Tyrannosaurus Rex." Jenny stated and Carson nods. "You know your theropods." Carson said and Jenny shrugs. "Mm. My son was a dinosaur freak." She said and I smirk a little. My son was more into superheroes than he was into dinosaurs.

"That's not why you came out here, though, is it?" Carson asked us. "Skylar told us that Austin asked you for help. Are you some kind of expert?" I asked Carson. "Hardly. This is...This is like a side hustle, I guess. Yeah, this one day on a job site, I found a Spinosaurus tooth. And the rest is history." Carson informs.

"Any money in that?" Jenny asked. "I mean, I made 350 bucks on the tooth." Carson said. "What about your T. Rex? How much is that worth?" I asked him. "I mean, it's too early to say." Carson said. "Well, just a ballpark." I specified. "Okay. Uh, I mean, if this thing's intact, it could be worth millions." Carson replied and Jenny and I shared a look before she turns to Carson.

"Carson, where were you early this morning?" She asked him and he turns to face us. "I was asleep in my room." He said. "Anyone else who can verify that?" I asked him. "No. Sorry. But it's the truth." He said to us.

*3rd Person POV*

"The way Madeline described Walter's birth mom..." Cassie said, shocked still. "Oh, Sunny Barnes." Beau said, as if it was obvious. "It has to be. It explains a lot. He had help hiding all those years." Cassie said. "Yeah, it does. Yeah, we definitely got to talk to her. What about Cormac? Think he knows anything about this?" Beau asked her. "I don't know." She sighed just as Beau's phone rings.

"Ah, that's my ex. Hang on." Beau said as he reaches over to his phone, which was on a phone holder on his dashboard, and presses the answer number then put it on speaker. "Hey." He greets. "Beau, thank God. I don't know what's going on, but it's really bad." Carla said, sounding fearful and panicked.

"Whoa, whoa. Slow down. What happened?" Beau asked her. "It's Avery. I-I think something terrible might've happened. I just need you to come." She said, shakily. "Okay, where are you?" Beau asked her. "At his hotel." She replied. "I'm on my way." Beau assures her. "Okay." She cries and Beau hangs up.

"I'm gonna need Emily to hang out with you a little longer. Is that cool?" Beau asked Cassie. "Yeah, whatever you need." She assures and Beau steps on the gas, going faster.

*(y/n)'s POV*

"You talk to the vendors?" Jenny asked Pops once we make it back to the ranch. "Sure did. And I have decided that I am never getting married." Pops said and Jenny and I laugh. "For the right guy, I might try again." I said and Jenny nods. "Same here.

"For the right guy, huh? Have either of you met him yet?" Pops asked us and we smile at him. "Well, (y/n) might've found him." Jenny said and she gives me a knowing look and I glare at her. "Jen, don't start." I said and Pops turns to me. "Oh, really? Who's the guy?" He asked me and I bite my lips, glare at Jenny then change the subject.

"What do you got, Pops?" I said and Pops and Jenny chuckle. "Let's change the subject. Alright, so the florists, they, uh, had a crew on-site at the ranch early this morning." Pops said. "Somebody see something?" Jenny asked him. "One of the crew noticed a person leaving Austin's room. Fits our timeline for the murder." Pops said.

"Any chance they can I.D. the suspect?" I asked him. "Doubtful. It was still pretty dark. But they got a look at a jacket. It had this reflective mountain logo on it." Pops said and Jenny and I exchange a look. "Carson had a jacket just like that." I said to her. "The best man?" Pops asked and Jenny and I nodded. "Our bone collector might be hiding something." Jenny said.

Jenny, Pops and I walk towards the front of the cabin to see Carson pulling up into his car. "Carson, gonna need you to step out of the vehicle." Jenny tells him and Carson opens his car door and gets out.

"You were seen leaving Austin's room this morning." I said to him as he walks up to us. "That's impossible, but okay." Carson said, uncaring, as he shrugs. "A witness said that the person leaving Austin's room was wearing the jacket you have on right now." Jenny said as she points at the green jacket he had.

"Austin and I aren't the only ones with this jacket, alright? I had them made for the whole crew when we started the dig." Carson said and Jenny turns to Pops. "Cuff him." She ordered. "Yeah." Pops said and he goes over to Carson. "I didn't kill him." Carson said, firmly, as Pops walks closer to him.

"Wait, wait, hold on. I think maybe I know who was in Austin's room." Carson said and Pops stops and stands in front of him. "Who?" He asked. "Austin wasn't always the most faithful. I thought he had ended things with her, but maybe not." Carson said and Jenny and I share a shocked look before I look back at Carson.

"Ended things with who?" I asked him. "With Natalie, Skylar's bridesmaid. She and, uh she and Austin found the dinosaur together." Carson said and Pops looked beyond surprise. "I met her. She said her and Austin were working on a project." Pops said. "Yeah, and she was part of our crew." Carson added.

"Did you ever confront him about the affair?" I asked Carson. "When I tried to talk to him, he just told me to mind my own business." Carson said and Jenny turns to me and Pops. "Let's go." She tells us and we walk away.

"Okay, so maybe Natalie goes to Austin the night before his wedding, a last-ditch effort to convince him to be with her. He chooses Skylar, and she kills him in a jealous rage." Pops suggests. "Well, there's more. Natalie discovers the dinosaur with Austin, but it's on his family's land. She has no legal claim to it." Jenny adds. "It's gotta be her." Pops said but I place my finger and thumb on my chin, getting into a thinking stance.

"Unless..." I said, thinking out loud, and the two turn to me. "What are you thinking?" Pops asked me. "Skylar didn't know about the dinosaur until Austin asked her to sign the prenup. She thought he was spending all that time digging for buried treasure on his own. What if, on your wedding day, you're betrayed by the two people supposed to love you the most?" I suggest and Jenny gives me an impressed smile and Pops gasps.

"Oh, God. It's Skylar." He sighs. "Do you know where she is?" Jenny asked him. "I saw her getting into Austin's truck." Pops said. "I have an idea where she might be headed." I said as I take the lead on walking, Pops and Jenny follow me.

*3rd Person POV*

"Convinced the front desk clerk to let me in." Carla said as she leads Beau into Avery's motel room, which there was a desk with a couple of laptops, some bottles of alcohol and a case of bullets, which catches Beau's eyes.

"He got a gun." He said. "Avery hated guns. His voice when he called me I'm telling you, something is wrong." Carla said, her voice shaking, and Beau turns to her. "Hey, it's okay. We'll have a look around, see what it tells us. Okay?" He assures her. "Okay. Uh-huh." Carla whispers and Beau turns to the laptop and starts to look it over.

"Well, he was definitely working on something." He said as he sits down and picks up a couple of pieces of paper. "Avery never left his computer unlocked." Carla said. "Wait, what is this?" Beau asked as he holds up the two pieces of paper that looked like they were torn out of a notebook. "I've never seen it before." Carla said as Beau looks over the writings on it.

"It looks like a recovery phrase, maybe, or a password." Carla said as she leans in and reads the paper and Beau sighs as he puts two and two together. "He was going after that money that Luke and Paige stole, wasn't he?" He asked. "How the hell should I know that? I don't know!" Carla exclaims, upset, and Beau stands up and turns to her again.

"Alright. Hey. Listen to me. I'm gonna find him, okay? I will." Beau tells her as he places his hands on her arms. "Okay." She mutters, nodding as tears form in her eyes. Beau cups her face in his hand. "Come here." He said and they hug as Carla starts to cry.

"More importantly, I'm not gonna let anything happen to you or to Emily." Beau said as he runs his hand up and down her back, comforting, as she cries. "Okay." She cries, softly. "You got it?" He asked her. "Yeah." She said while Beau has a determined look on his face.

*(y/n)'s POV*

"There she is." Pops said as Jenny drives us back to the digging site. She stops, dust billowing around the car, and we jump out of the car and pull out our guns as we see Skylar standing over the edge of the hole.

"Skylar, step away from the ledge." Jenny demanded her and she turns to us, surprised, then she tosses the shovel down but she was holding a hammer in her right hand. "Put the weapon down." I tell her and she backs up as we get closer, to where we see Natalie half buried in the ground and blood pouring down her right side of her head.

"Stay away from her. She deserves this." Skylar tells us as she stands in front of Natalie. "You don't have to do this." Pops tells her, calmly. "They weren't just sleeping together, Mo. They were in love. He lied to me about everything. He named the dinosaur after her. I found the paperwork." Skylar cries and Jenny looks over at Natalie.

"I gotta get in there, Pops." She tells him and Pops lowers his gun. "Skylar." Pops said and she looks back at Natalie then at us and back to Natalie. "Skylar. Skylar. Look at me. Look." Pops said as he raises his hand and takes small steps towards her.

"Okay, look at me. Think of your dad. He's lost everything. He can't lose you, too. She...She's not worth it." Pops said as Skylar stares at him. "Right? Neither was he. Alright?" He said to her and she seemed to contemplating something.

Seeing the opportunity, Jenny runs over to Natalie. "No! Stop!" Skylar screams and Pops tackles her down and I go over to help Jenny. "Natalie." Jenny said as she shakes her and Natalie groans. "Natalie, wake up." Jenny pleads and her eyes open a little while Pops handcuffs Skylar.

"Call an ambulance!" Jenny shouts and I pull out my phone. "On it!" I said as Pops pulls Skylar up to her feet. "I'm not sorry." She said and Jenny, Pops and I stare at her while Jenny cradles Natalie.

That night, I pull up to Beau's house and see him sitting by his fire pit on the porch of his trailer, staring into the fire. I get out and pull out a six pack bottles of beer then shut the door of my car. "Hey." I called out and he looks up towards me.

"You weren't answering your phone, so I thought I'd take a chance and swing by." I said as I walk toward him and he stands up and walks up to me. "Hey, you okay?" He asked me, concerned, and I sighed, heavily. "Yeah. Yeah, it's been, um, a rough day. And, uh I wanted to see you." I said as I hold up the beer.

"Tough case, huh?" He asked me. "Never gets easier, does it?" I asked. "Well, something's wrong if it ever does, you know?" He said and I give him a small smile. He returns the smile then reaches his left hand out then, slowly, pushes a strand of my hair out of my face and places it behind my ear. I felt my face heat up at this then he and I share a look before I hear a vehicle pull up and headlights shine on us.

We turn towards the car as it stops and I could see Carla and Emily inside the car. "Hey." Beau greets them as they get out of the car, carrying suitcases. In all honesty, I felt my heart drop at this. Call me selfish but...I was hoping to have a night with Beau but...it wasn't meant to be.

"Hey." Carla said then she noticed me, the smile in her face lowers once her eyes met mine. "Oh, I didn't know you had company." She said, less cheerful. "Hey, (y/n)." Emily greets me, happily, and I smiled at her, hiding my disappointment. "Hey. Uh, I..." I stammered as I look over at Beau, who has a concerned look.

"It's okay. We can catch up later." I said and I walk towards my car, tears burning the edges of my eyes and I do my best to blink them back. "Hey, hey, hey, (y/n)." I hear Beau said as I hear him coming up behind me. I stop and turn to him. "I actually asked them to come here and stay with me. I think Avery is making a play for the money that Luke and Paige stole." He said and I raise an eyebrow at this. "I saw some stuff in his hotel room. It doesn't look good."

"What did you find?" I asked him and he looks over his shoulder at Carla and Emily, who start to put their bags away, then he turns back to me. "Let's get into it tomorrow, okay?" He said and I nodded. "Of course." I said then I lean sideways. "Hey, Carla." I called out and she turns to me and I walk towards her as she comes up to me

"I think you might need this more than me tonight." I tell her as I hand her the beers. "Thanks. It's good to see you." Carla said, sounding a bit nicer than she usually does towards me, and I give her a small smile. "You too." I said as she takes the beers and heads inside the trailer.

"Night, (y/n)." Emily said to me and I smile at her. "Night, Em." I said and I walk past Beau. "I'll see you." He tells me. "Yeah." I said, a bit too quickly, as I walk past him and head to my car. Once I get there, I turn back to look towards the trailer and see them talk a bit then Emily goes inside the trailer.

Then I see Carla and Beau talk a bit as they take a couple of beers then Beau hugs Carla. I couldn't help but feel my heart break a little at this, I know he still cared for Carla but I guess I was hoping he was fully over her when he admitted that he liked me.

I don't know...I'm so confused.

I sighed, sadly, then get into my car and drive back home.

After finishing up a bowl of ice cream and cleaned it up, I sighed and walked back into the living room and see Liam's guitar hanging on the wall and I had the urge to play. I go to grab it then sit on my couch as I try to think of a song that fits with how I'm feeling. Then I start to play a song.

On my own
Pretending he's beside me
All alone
I walk with him 'til morning
Without him
I feel his arms around me
And when I lose my way I close my eyes
And he has found me

In the rain, the pavement shines like silver
All the lights are misty in the river
In the darkness, the trees are full of starlight
And all I see is him and me forever and forever

Tears formed in my eyes and a few of run down my cheeks. And I did my best to finish the song.

And I know it's only in my mind
That I'm talking to myself and not to him
And although I know that he is blind
Still I say, there's a way for us

I love him
But when the night is over
He is gone
The river's just a river
Without him
The world around me changes
The trees are bare and everywhere
The streets are full of strangers

I love him
But every day I'm learning
All my life
I've only been pretending
Without me
His world will go on turning
A world that's full of happiness
That I have never known

I stop as I felt more tears for run down my cheeks and I wipe them away. This song usually makes me tear up whenever I watched the musical, I didn't think I could relate to a song more than I do right now. But the next part is what always brought me to tears.

I love him
I love him
I love him
But only on my own

I let out a sob before setting my guitar aside then wipe away the tears streaming down my face. I sighed and started to think if I was overreacting and overthinking this whole thing. I mean, we weren't technically together, we were just talking and getting to know each other. Hell, I don't even know much about his ordeal with his old partner that died.

But seeing him with Carla that old, sick familiar feeling of jealousy, which I've only felt a couple of times before a long time ago, overcoming me. Then I wondered am I actually in love with Beau Arlen?

At that moment, my phone goes off and I jump a bit at this to look down and see my phone on the coffee table in front of me. I see that it was Jenny calling me. "What the hell?" I muttered as I pick it up. Why the hell is Jenny calling me so late? Did she have some sort've spider-senses and knew I needed to talk to someone? Maybe. I pick it up, taking a deep breath then answer it. "Hello?" I said and I hear Jenny talking but she was talking a bit too fast.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait, slow down! What's wrong?" I asked her and she calms down a bit. "My mom...she was here ...then some guys came in and...(y/n), she's gone!" Jenny said and my heart dropped at this.