The sheriff returned to finish his conversation with Father Esteban. After that, Giovanni continued his patrol, just as he promised—he went out to check the area for the missing cow.

It didn’t take long for him to find fresh tracks along the path leading to the river. He crouched to inspect them and, after following the trail a few meters, he saw it.

There she was. Calmly grazing by the water, as if she hadn’t caused a bit of trouble.

—Well, look at you… —muttered the sheriff, climbing down from his horse.

He approached slowly, rope in hand, as if he were about to capture a dangerous criminal.

—Come on, girl, you’ve caused enough chaos already…

But instead of cooperating, the cow stared him down, chewed on some more grass… and then bolted.

—Ah, for fuck’s sake! —Giovanni yelled, dashing after her.

The cow barreled into the brush, pushing past branches and leaping with far more grace than a creature her size had any right to. Giovanni tried to cut her off, but the damn animal kept slipping away.

After several useless minutes of chasing, Giovanni leaned over, hands on his knees, panting hard.

—This is ridiculous… —he muttered.

As if she’d heard him, the cow stopped a few meters away and stared at him defiantly.

Giovanni, clinging to the last shred of his dignity, dusted himself off and took a breath.

—Alright… let’s do this the old-fashioned way.

With slow, calculated moves, he picked a handful of fresh grass and waved it in front of her.

—Look at this tasty grass, nice and green… come on, girl, come to Uncle Giovanni…

The cow tilted her head, apparently interested. She took a step, then another… Giovanni braced himself to throw the rope… and at the last second, the ungrateful beast turned tail and bolted again.

—YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!

The day slipped away like water down the river as Giovanni chased the cow, but in the end, he finally caught her. On the way back, he handed her off to her rightful owner and gave him a stern lecture about being more responsible with his livestock.

Now, night had fallen, blanketing Arcelia in a starry sky. The sheriff rode back toward the station with only one goal in mind: to collapse in the nearest corner and not move until morning.

However, all those plans went straight to hell when he saw Nil standing outside the apothecary.

For a moment, Giovanni had forgotten he still needed to interrogate that man. He was so exhausted that the temptation to leave it for the next day seduced him like a woman ready to forgive all his sins.

But Nil saw him.

Still on his horse, that blue gaze swept over him from head to toe with clear amusement. Then, he smiled with that damned sly expression Giovanni hated with every fiber of his being.

—And now, sheriff? —Nil asked with a low, teasing tone—. Did you go fight the devil in the mountains… and lose?

Giovanni let out a long sigh.

—I’m not sure it was the devil, but it definitely had horns.

Nil raised a brow.

—Now I’ve got more questions than I should.

—It was a damn cow! —Giovanni rolled his eyes and dismounted clumsily—. What are you doing outside?

Nil’s sarcastic grin widened even more.

—Is this an interrogation? Because if it is, let me sit down and get nervous.

Giovanni didn’t take the bait. He just stared at him in silence, wearing that resigned patience he usually reserved for drunkards.

Nil kept watching him for a moment, like he was evaluating how much further he could push him. Finally, he stood up and brushed the dust off his back.

—Come on, let me check if the devil didn’t break anything.

Giovanni narrowed his eyes.

—If you really want to help, you could just tell me what I want to know.

—Or I could yank out one of your molars while you sleep. —Nil winked at him and walked into the apothecary like he owned the place.

Giovanni growled under his breath, but followed. He tied up his horse and walked with heavy steps toward where the apothecary was waiting.

He collapsed onto the exam table with a deep sigh.

His joints cracked.

His body finally began to relax after a day of riding, chasing a cow, and now, putting up with Nil.

—You look awful —the apothecary commented while rummaging through jars on the shelves.

Giovanni scoffed, closing his eyes for a moment.

—I’m fine.

Nil completely ignored him.

—Take off your shirt.

The sheriff’s eyes flew open, staring at him like he’d just asked him to dance on the table.

—Excuse me?

Nil turned, raising a brow.

—I said take off your shirt. I’m going to check for bruises or anything like that.

Giovanni didn’t look too convinced. He didn’t love the idea of letting this man examine him.

But he was tired. And he needed answers.

So he sighed with resignation, sat up, and slowly unbuttoned his shirt, pulling it off with some effort. He tucked his locket into the pocket of his trousers —he didn’t want that man to touch it.

Nil turned to look, and for a moment, he stood completely still.

The sheriff had a solid torso, well-defined muscles but nothing excessive. Broad back, strong shoulders, powerful arms shaped by years of work and endurance.

His skin held a slight tan, marked with scars that told stories he would never share. A natural layer of dark hair covered his chest, trailing from his collarbone down, disappearing beneath his belt in a tempting line any curious gaze would want to follow.

Nil grinned shamelessly, not even bothering to hide the fact that he had stared a little too long.

—No wonder the cow let you go… she probably felt sorry for you.

Giovanni shot him a glare that could kill.

—Are you going to check me or piss me off?

Nil raised both hands in mock surrender.

—Alright, alright. Don’t bite.

He stepped closer and placed his hands on Giovanni’s abdomen, pressing gently.

Nil’s fingers moved with calm precision… but also with a touch that had no reason to feel that way.

Giovanni tensed immediately. Not because it hurt.

But because that damn touch sent a shiver down his spine.

Nil noticed.

And smiled, mockingly.

—Does it hurt here… or are you just nervous?

Giovanni clenched his jaw and frowned.

—Shut up.

Nil pressed a little harder, slowly, without taking his eyes off him.

—As you say, sheriff.

But that smile… it didn’t leave his face.

Giovanni shot him a warning look, but the apothecary kept inspecting his torso calmly, as if he had all the time in the world.

First, firm pressure on his abdomen.

Then, fingers subtly sliding over his ribs.

The sheriff held his breath.

It wasn’t pain. Not exactly.

But the way Nil’s fingertips touched him —so much more gently than necessary— made him feel something strange. Something he wasn’t sure he wanted to understand.

—No bruises. —Nil murmured in a tone far too casual, as if he wasn’t noticing the tension in Giovanni’s body—. Seems like the cow only bruised your pride.

His hands moved to his sides, then up to his shoulders.

Giovanni tensed immediately.

Nil felt it. And smiled wickedly.

—Relax, Sheriff. Just making sure you’ll still be able to do your job tomorrow.

—You don’t seem too concerned about my job —Giovanni growled.

Nil tilted his head slightly, his thumbs drawing small circles on his shoulders.

—Mmm… let’s just say I wouldn’t want you to die. At least, not yet.

The sheriff’s dark eyes locked onto his.

—How thoughtful.

Nil raised an eyebrow.

—You came by this morning, didn’t you? Wanted to ask me something? Do you suspect me?

—Depends. —Giovanni inhaled deeply, trying to ignore the heat under his skin—. Why were you on the road where they found you?

Nil took his time to answer.

His hands slid down to Giovanni’s shoulder blades, barely brushing his skin with his fingertips, slowly.

—Is this part of the medical exam? —he joked, with a sly grin.

—It’s part of the interrogation.

Nil sighed dramatically.

—And here I thought we were having a nice moment.

—Answer me.

The apothecary tilted his head a little, his thumb gliding from Giovanni’s collarbone to the base of his neck.

A shiver ran down the sheriff’s spine.

Nil noticed the reaction —and smiled even more.

—Like I said before… I was attacked.

—By who?

—You mean names, ages, and whether they like their atole with bread or tamales? Because, if so, I’m afraid I didn’t ask.

Giovanni clenched his teeth.

—Nil.

—Sheriff.

Staring contest.

One second.

Two.

Nil didn’t move away.

—You’ve already checked me. —Giovanni spoke in a low voice, deeper than usual.

—Mmm, yes, but I haven’t cleared you yet.

Nil let one of his hands rest on the sheriff’s chest. His fingers, warm and firm, slowly descended.

Giovanni felt his breath catch in his throat.

Nil lowered his gaze, and for a moment, he seemed to study his reaction with silent amusement.

Giovanni was losing his patience.

But not just because of the interrogation.

—Finish this.

—The checkup… or the interrogation?

Nil raised his gaze and his blue eyes pierced through him.

Giovanni didn’t answer.

Not because he didn’t want to.

But because, for the first time, he wasn’t sure of the answer.

A few seconds of silence stretched out, feeling endless.

Finally, Giovanni sighed in resignation.

—One question. Just answer one.

Nil smiled mischievously.

—Depends… what if I don’t like the question?

The sheriff shot him a deadly glare.

—Then I’ll make sure you do like your cell.

Nil let out a low chuckle.

—So intimidating. Fine, shoot.

Giovanni didn’t take the bait this time. He kept his composure.

—Among those who attacked you… was there anyone with light-colored eyes? Light gray.

The apothecary crossed his arms. For the first time that night, his smile faded.

It was an opportunity.

If Giovanni believed there was another man with light-colored eyes involved in the attacks, the suspicion over him would fade.

And when that happened… Nil could leave without fearing the sheriff would put a bounty on his head.

So he did what he did best.

Mix lies with truths.

—Yes. —He finally said, in a neutral tone.— Light brown hair, gray eyes, a scar on his eye.

He walked a bit further from Giovanni, giving him his back.

—I was heading toward Totolapan. But first, I was planning to pass by the river to bathe Sombra.

Nil let himself drop onto the edge of the desk, resting his hands on the wood.

—Before I got there, three guys blocked my path. They wanted money.

Giovanni watched him silently.

—I told them I didn’t want any trouble, that I’d give them what little I had. I turned to grab some coins… but I guess they thought I was going to pull out a weapon, because they jumped me.

Giovanni frowned.

—How did you get the wound?

Nil stood up calmly.

He walked towards the sheriff, slowly.

He leaned in close to his ear and whispered, in a low, mocking voice:

—You said one question.

Giovanni clenched his jaw.

But he didn’t argue.

Because, at the end of the day, he already had the information he needed most.

Or at least, the one he wanted to hear.

—I'm leaving tomorrow, sheriff.

The phrase hit him like a bucket of cold water.

Giovanni grabbed him by the wrist and pulled firmly.

—What do you mean you’re leaving? You said you’d stay in the clinic.

Nil slipped free of the grip with ease.

—I’m going to San Bartolo with Don Jacinto. Didn’t you hear his daughter? They’re looking for me over there.

The sheriff opened his mouth to argue, but Nil stepped closer again.

Far too close.

Giovanni didn’t see it coming.

Nil tilted his face up and looked at him with a flirty smile, like it was a game only he understood.

—Don’t be scared, Giovanni… I’ll be back in a few days.

The sheriff felt a chill run through him.

Out of irritation.

Or something else.

He stepped back, frowning.

—In that case, Noé will go with you. He’ll be your escort.

Nil raised an eyebrow and leaned back against the desk again, crossing his arms.

—Afraid I’ll leave you?

Giovanni growled and clenched his jaw.

—Don’t be ridiculous! You’re still recovering. There’ve been robberies on the roads lately. It’s just a precaution.

Nil clicked his tongue.

—How thoughtful.

Giovanni was just about to tell him to go to hell when—

—What the hell are you doing naked in my house?

Giovanni felt his soul plummet to the floor.

Nil burst into loud laughter, clutching his stomach and covering his mouth.

María stood at the door, holding a basket of bread, looking at him like she’d caught him stealing chickens.

Giovanni spun around and realized his torso was still bare.

In his rush to answer Nil, he’d forgotten to put on his damn shirt.

—I’M NOT NAKED!

María tilted her head, giving him a “Yeah, sure” look.

—Right. And I’m the Virgin of Guadalupe.

Nil couldn’t stop laughing.

Giovanni growled furiously, grabbed his shirt, and stormed out, muttering unintelligible curses as he dressed.

—SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH, NIL!

The apothecary watched him go, smiling triumphantly.

María sighed tiredly.

—I just wanted to eat my bread in peace.