Which eccentric cowboy in Stockton County branded Evan Sting on Shotner Hill, murdering the young man? This is what private eye Joe Boxford asks himself when he's hired by Evan's father Benny to find the murderer. Joe needs some help, and enlists the services of Tal Linear, owner of The Linear Bar. But sparks begin to fly between the two. As romance heats up between them, they attempt to solve the branding crime. As the suspects start to pile up and weird relationships unfold in West Stockton, Joe and Tal begin to unravel a heinous crime. That is, until Tal vanishes and Joe thinks his sleuth buddy is going to be the killer's next victim. Does Joe have the skills needed to be a hero and save Tal from the killer's secret agenda and solve the crime? Or will Joe fall flat on his face and lose his reputation as a private investigator as well as his new lover, Tal Linear?

Stockton County Cowboys Book

I thought about quitting the Shore Case. Who needed the money from Maddy since I had Tal? Wasn’t love a little more important?


I had quit nothing in my life, though. Never did, and never would. It wasn’t about the money, and deep down inside the folds of my heart, I knew that. It was about character, integrity, and running an upstanding business. It was about getting a job done that needed done, no matter how I had to go about it.


Nor could I quit Tal. There wasn’t a chance in hell that was happening, certainly not after just finding him. My heart raced for him, and the backs of both hands perspired, confirming my attraction to him. And I couldn’t keep my eyes off his eyes for a second when we were together. The guy had me reeled in and hooked, and I wasn’t going anywhere, and nor was he. Those were inflexible facts that could be tucked away in the Tal Case. That was hard evidence that my heart belonged to him and no one else.


Chapter 32