Читать книгу Last Chance Reunion - Linda Conrad - Страница 15

Chapter 4

Colt heard a vehicle approaching as he stepped out of the shower. Lacie wasn’t supposed to arrive until later this afternoon after her shift. This visitor could be one of his brothers, he supposed, but they were supposedly either working or out of town. And if something bad had happened to his family, they would’ve called first.

No good reason he could think of for anyone to drive clear out to this remote part of the ranch.

A chill ruffled the hair on his arms while he quickly dressed and stepped into his boots. Something felt wrong about a visitor coming so early.

Running a hand through his wet hair, Colt headed for the door just as someone knocked. He took a quick glance out the front window and saw the sheriff’s SUV. What the hell?

“Hello, Chance,” the sheriff growled as Colt swung open the door. “Heard you were living out here.”

Colt set his jaw, wondering if Lacie had lied to him after all. But after a moment’s consideration, he refused to believe she could be capable of that kind of betrayal.

“Nothing to say?”

Colt had plenty to say but he was trying to hold his tongue. “You drove way out here for some reason. What do you want, Sheriff?” He stood squarely in his doorway, not budging an inch. No way would he invite the bastard inside.

“Just checking up. I understood you were seriously injured awhile back and that’s why you’ve come home to the Bar-C. You planning on staying in Chance for good?”

The anger surged from his gut to his throat, but Colt knew better than to let it show. “None of your business.” He stepped back and took hold of the door, ready to slam it in the old man’s face. “Now if that’s all, I’m busy.”

“Hold on there. I have a couple of things to say.” The sheriff casually laid a hand against the gun at his hip and squared his shoulders. “I’d hoped you’d changed since you left town. But it looks like you’re the same as always. Trying to get your own way, and everyone else be damned. Wanted you to know things are different in Chance now.”

“Oh?” The old man didn’t scare Colt but whatever he had to say might be interesting. “How so?”

“For one thing, my daughter is now a deputy sheriff for Chance County. She’s the law. You’d be smart to leave her alone.”

“You mean your stepdaughter, Lacie? We were good friends once upon a time.”

“I do remember you dogging around her when you two were in high school.” Though he was shorter by a couple of inches, the sheriff looked down his nose at Colt as though he was eyeing a bug. “She’s changed. Grown up. Stay away from her.”

“Who I see and don’t see is also none of your business.” Colt tried to close the door again but the other man put his foot out to stop him.

“Listen, Chance, you were good for nothing back in the day. Asking questions about things that had nothing to do with you. I would’ve hoped that as an adult you’d grown smarter than that.” The sheriff raked a pointed gaze down to Colt’s injured leg. “But maybe not.”

“I still have plenty of questions, old man.” The pent-up bitterness got the better of him. “For one thing, I still don’t believe that my father murdered my mother. You know I never have. And I intend to make a formal request to reopen the case.”

The sheriff’s dark brown eyes grew black as he glared at Colt. “See there? That’s what I’m talking about. The case is closed. Has been for nearly twenty years. Everyone involved is dead now.”

“I’m not dead. And neither are you. That’s reason enough to review the case.”

Taking a threatening step closer, the sheriff narrowed his eyes. “There’s dead and then there’s dead. You ever heard the old saying about curiosity killing the cat, boy?”

“That is the worst possible old cliché to use on me, Sheriff. If you want to issue a threat, say so.”

Sheriff McCord drew himself up and stepped back. “Not at all. Just letting you know how we take care of legal questions in Chance County these days. Trying to save you the wasted effort.”

With the sheriff’s foot out of the doorway, Colt stepped back, too. “I’d say your trip here today was the wasted effort. And we’ll just have to see how the legal system is handled in Chance County these days, won’t we?”

As the door slammed in the sheriff’s face, Colt paced toward the kitchen, determined to stem his anger and direct the energy toward solving the crime. It was time to draw up an action plan. The sheriff was hiding something. And now Colt felt more curious than ever.

* * *

“I think the first thing we’ll need is a list of people who might have had a motive.” Lacie jotted a note on the yellow pad sitting on the table in front of her.

Colt’s anger had almost settled into resoluteness six hours after the sheriff’s visit. He and Lacie had joked about the sheriff’s nasty warning and about her own confrontation with her stepfather. Colt knew he would find his answers—all of them—no matter what or who stood in the way.

But when he glanced over at Lacie across the table, he couldn’t help wondering if she was the one big question that would never adequately be answered. Why had she left town so suddenly right after high school?

She looked delicious today, dressed in her casual jeans and T-shirt. He could almost gobble her up like an ice cream sundae. She made his mouth water. The auburn hair he remembered as being soft and silky was still as big a temptation as ever, even though it was cut shorter. His fingers itched to touch. To glide through that sensuous silk.

But he sat on his hands. While they worked together on this cold case, he wanted the two of them to grow to be friends again. At some point, he hoped they’d be close enough that she wouldn’t mind if he asked the most difficult personal questions.

But he would have to work up the nerve first. When she’d disappeared without saying a word to him, she’d broken his heart. He’d been positive the reason must have had something to do with him.

He planned on making sure they became friends again. But then did he have the guts to chance having his heart handed to him all over again?

“Colt? What do you think? Since we can’t get to the old case file yet, should we work on finding other suspects?”

“Yeah, we should. Neither you nor I were old enough at the time to remember my parents’ contemporaries. We need to check with people who were around at the time.”

“Do you remember the names of any of your parents’ friends?” Lacie turned her beautiful hazel eyes in his direction and the sympathy in them worked to calm him down.

“Not really.” He turned his head away when her expression suddenly became more sensual than sympathetic.

He couldn’t keep his hands to himself while she looked at him like that. “But we should go see my aunt June. She wasn’t living in Chance when the murder happened, but she hadn’t been out of town for long. And she was my father’s sister—only a couple of years older. She’ll remember who was who.”

“Good idea. Can we go to your aunt’s house now?”

Lacie’s gaze seemed so earnest and hopeful he nearly reached out to pull her close. But he checked himself and folded his arms over his chest instead. She’d pushed him away the last time he’d tried getting close, saying it was too soon.

Maybe she’d been right, but it didn’t feel too soon to him. He vividly remembered their past and the way she’d felt in his arms back then. Time and another opportunity were all he needed to make her remember, too.

He stood, telling himself to have patience.

“Now that you’re on your feet, let’s go.” She smiled, grabbed their notes and headed for the door.

A little unsteady, he braced himself and followed. He’d worked for hours this morning on strengthening his leg muscles, but it seemed he still couldn’t keep up with her. Damned spectacular woman.

* * *

Lacie sat quietly as Colt drove them into town to visit his aunt. She’d volunteered to drive because of his injuries, but he would have no part of that. Darned stubborn man.

“You sure you don’t want to duck down while we head through town?” He kept his eyes trained out the window, but his tone was full of concern.

“I already told you I don’t care if anyone sees us together. We’re not doing anything wrong.” Folding her arms across her chest, she lifted her chin. “If the sheriff thinks he can fire me for simply seeing you, let him try.”

“Stubborn.” Colt’s voice might be hard but the grin on his face told another story.

Funny, she’d just been thinking the same thing about him. Maybe they had more in common than she’d thought. Turning to look out the window, she found herself grinning like an idiot the very way he had.

A few minutes later Colt’s aunt June let them into her two-story clapboard house and led the way into a gigantic old-fashioned kitchen.

“I’m so glad to see y’all,” June said and pointed to chairs around a huge table. “Have a seat. I’ve been meaning to come out to your mother’s old office and check on you, Colt. But it looks like you’re doing fine.”

“Not exactly fine,” Colt began as he sat in one of the chairs. “But better every day. You remember Lacie McCord?”

“Of course. I remember that you and Lacie went to school together. And these days I keep running into Lacie around town now that she’s a deputy. Nice to see you again, sweetheart. Are you two hungry?”

“No, thanks,” Lacie answered.

“Yeah, we could eat,” Colt said at the same time. “Something smells good.”

“That’s rude.” Lacie elbowed him in the side.

June laughed and shook her head. “Nonsense. I have a brisket sitting on the counter that’s done and resting. I was going to slice and freeze it, but I’d rather serve meat right after it’s been cooked. Give me a few minutes.”

“Can I help?” Lacie asked.

“Set the table, please. Silverware is over on the other counter with the napkins.”

Spinning, Lacie set to work. “Can I get you something to drink, Colt?”

He grimaced and drew a breath. “Just a glass of water. We can talk while you work, can’t we, Aunt June?”

Lacie had a feeling Colt wasn’t thrilled about sitting while the two females worked around him. He rubbed absently at his thigh and made a face.

“Sure,” June answered as she opened a bag of lettuce greens. “What’s up?”

“We’ve decided to review my mother’s murder case. We...”

“Not for one minute did I ever believe my brother could’ve killed Ellen.” June interrupted him on a strong note. “Maybe he was tough but never mean. And he loved her.”

She hesitated and took a slow, deep breath. “Oh, how Jake loved that woman. More than his own life. They fit together like they were made for one another. I was always jealous of their kind of love. Wished I could’ve found someone who loved me like that.”

Jealousy was known to be one of many good motives for murder, Lacie speculated silently. But then she looked at the unshed tears in the older woman’s eyes and thought June wouldn’t be capable of killing anyone.

A little later as they sat at the table eating, Colt asked his aunt quietly, “Would you help us make a list of people who were in my parents’ same circle? People who might know something about the murder?”

June set down her fork and gazed into the distance. “It’s been so long ago. And I was living in Boston when it happened. I’m not sure I can help.”

Lacie reached out and touched her shoulder. “Anything you can remember could help. Ellen must’ve had friends. People her same age.”

June turned to her with a sad smile. “She was fairly close to her sister. But that won’t help you, since Marla’s been dead for years, too.”

Oh, yes. Lacie remembered that Marla was the aunt who’d kidnapped Colt’s little sister after the murder and then overdosed in California.

“And I do believe Ellen and your mother were friends, dear.”

“My mother...” Lacie wasn’t sure what to say. “She can’t help us.”

June nodded. “Yes, I’ve heard. I’m very sorry.” She patted Lacie’s hand and then turned to Colt. “Your father and Austin McCord always seemed to be buddies. It was a shame Austin had to be the one to arrest Jake. I know it must’ve killed him.”

Colt’s expression turned hard. “Nope. He’s not dead. Sheriff McCord is still alive and as mean as ever, unfortunately. And still causing trouble.”

“Trouble?”

Lacie jumped in. “It’s nothing, June. My stepfather doesn’t believe we should be opening up the old case. That’s all.”

“I can understand his point.” June shrugged. “At the time of Ellen’s death rumors and innuendos flew everywhere. Each citizen in Chance took some kind of position on who could have done it. It wasn’t particularly pleasant here that year. I was glad to be needed elsewhere.”

“We needed you here.” Colt’s voice carried a tone Lacie had never heard before—somewhere between a whine and anger.

June’s face turned ghostly pale. “I...I know that now, son. I’m sorry I wasn’t thinking clearly back then. My brother had been accused of murder. And I...I...

“But I did come home when your brothers begged for help after your sister disappeared. And I stayed.” She tilted her head as though to clear it. “I don’t understand something. You were the one son who seemed to be getting along so well then. No trouble in school, no major breakdowns. You were the steady son. It surprises me to hear you sounding bitter.”

Colt stood and ran a palm down his jean-covered thigh. “I’m not bitter. Anyway, it doesn’t matter now. Didn’t matter then either. This town and most of the people in it are not worth bothering about. I wouldn’t be in Texas at all if it weren’t for being injured.”

Lacie’s heart turned over and sighed. He still hated it here—after all these years. She’d so hoped things would change.

She and June both got up from the table to join Colt. The older woman clasped her hands together, looking flustered. Lacie wasn’t sure what she should do. The atmosphere had grown tense.

“If everyone’s done eating,” Colt began, turning his back and reaching for the plates, “I’ll do the dishes.”

“There’s no need.” June held a tentative hand out toward him. “I can do them later. Just leave the mess.”

Colt sidestepped so she couldn’t touch his arm. “It’s the least I can do after ruining your good dinner.”

Gathering up the dirty dishes and utensils and dumping them in the sink, he moved like a man on an urgent mission.

Lacie went to June’s side and slid her arm around the other woman’s waist. “Let him do it. It’ll make him feel better. Why don’t you and I go into the front room and talk?”

June looked numb but agreed.

After they settled on the sofa, June said, “Do you think he’s in pain? Is that why he’s so touchy?”

“Maybe. But he’ll never say so.”

“When he was a kid, he was always the one with the questions.” June folded her hands in her lap. “But he was so good otherwise, we just seemed to ignore him. Like he wasn’t there. Maybe that’s why he says he hates it here.”

Lacie wanted to say that she never ignored Colt. To her, he was impossible to ignore—then and now. But she didn’t say anything and only nodded her head to let June talk it out.

The two of them spent the next quarter of an hour talking about who, of the many citizens of Chance, might be considered the biggest gossips in town. Both of them were much calmer by the time Colt ambled out of the kitchen, rolling down his long sleeves.

“All done. You ready to go, Lacie?”

She and June stood. Lacie found her coat on a peg behind the door.

June cleared her throat. “Thank you for cleaning the kitchen. But really, it wasn’t...”

“No problem,” he mumbled. “I didn’t mind.”

“Son,” June began as she took his arm, “you know how happy your brothers and I are that you came to us for help. We’ve never stopped hoping you’d come home for good. We love you, Colt. Your family will always be here for you.”

Colt’s cheeks turned slightly pink as he straightened his shoulders. “Yeah. I know. I love you back and I’m sorry for being an ass. But I can’t stay in Chance for good, so don’t get your hopes up.”

Lacie stood back as the two of them hugged and June wished them good luck with their investigation. “You’ll get to the truth,” she said as they walked toward Colt’s truck. “I have faith in you—both.”

After they climbed in and Colt turned the engine over, he put his foot on the brake and turned to her. “You want me to drive you home? Your car is still at my place, but it’s late and...”

“I can’t go home without my car. I have to go to work early tomorrow.”

“Okay.” Turning his gaze out the windshield, he put his foot on the gas.

They drove through the quiet town of Chance in total silence. It wasn’t that late but she knew the town. Knew that people had to be up before daybreak for work, so they retired earlier than in the city. Did that bother Colt? Would he rather have the hustle and bustle of a bigger place?

He turned on the radio to fill the silence and she was surprised to hear country tunes. Listening to country radio didn’t seem very “big city” to her. It seemed more like the Colt Chance she remembered from high school.

As she hummed along and kept her gaze on his profile, she went over what had happened at June’s house. He said he still hated it here. Did that include her?

An ache developed in the vicinity of her heart and she absently rubbed at the pain. What was wrong with her? Why was she doing this to herself?

She’d always believed they were meant to be together. But that was ridiculous. Just because he’d been her first love did not mean he was somehow destined to be the only love of her life.

She was only twenty-eight. There would be other men.

But as she thought that, her stomach clenched. No other man could ever take his place in her life. That was as sure as tomorrow’s rising sun.

Still, she shouldn’t be sticking her chin out like this, just begging him to knock her down and leave her flat when he left town. Helping him, being with him, meant her job was probably on the line—and she liked this job. A lot. But if her stepfather ever decided she should leave town, she would have to go. No question, if Sheriff McCord wanted someone gone, they would be gone before the next daybreak.

Well, tomorrow she would give Colt her thoughts on who he should seek out to question, and then she would just become too busy to go along. After a few days of not seeing him again, and not assisting his investigation, he would forget about her. And she would forget how badly she’d wanted him.

Oh, God. The mere thought of that hurt a lot worse than she’d expected.

“Hey,” Colt said as he interrupted her thoughts. “Something’s not right.”

“What?” She looked around and discovered they were almost to the turnoff for the Bar-C. Everything around them seemed as dark and quiet as usual on the open range.

“Take a look out the back window and see if you think we’re being followed.” He picked up his speed. “Whoever it is has their headlights turned off. But I keep getting flashes of metal in the moonlight.”

She swiveled to check and stared out at the lonely highway behind them. The sliver of moon hung precariously in the night sky above them like a big question mark. But it sent just enough light to make out a shape in the road.

“Yes, I think I see someone. What do you think they’re doing on the highway without lights?”

“Following us?” His voice was dark and rough. “This isn’t good. If we make it to my place, I don’t think it’d be smart for you to travel back to town by yourself. You’ll have to stay over.”

“I have a weapon in my car, Colt. I can take care of myself.”

“Still,” he argued. “We need to find out what’s going on before I’ll feel safe. Stay.” The tone of his voice got to her.

At that moment she knew things had gone too far. She couldn’t stop helping him. Or doing anything else he asked.

No matter what it cost her in the end.