by Barb Han
“It’s important.” He’d armored up, too. But he wasn’t giving an inch, and that had her concerned.
“I’m not up for another round of negotiations on when we should tell people about the pregnancy, if that’s what you need to discuss.” She needed to be clear on that point. The topic was closed for now.
“It’s not.” She picked up on the hurt—and maybe frustration?—in those two words.
“Okay. I’d rather come to your place then.” It would be easier to leave when she was ready to wrap up the conversation that way. It gave her the illusion of having control over how the evening went.
“What time can you be here?” he asked.
“I can head that way now, if you’re home.” Better face this conversation and get it over with than dread it for the rest of the day.
“Now’s good.”
Chapter Nine
“Come in,” Jordan said to Courtney as she stood on the same step the severed foot was found on. Jordan looked across the vast yard. He’d never given much thought to security growing up at KR. As a child, he’d been able to run free without a care.
“I can’t stay long.” Courtney walked inside but stood in the foyer. She didn’t take her coat off, and he wondered if she was embarrassed about the kiss from last night. He’d thought about it more than he wanted to during the course of the day.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“How much do you have to tell me?” Her beautiful eyes stared at him. She had the kind of eyes that sparked and drew him in. Her thick curly hair was pulled away from her heart-shaped face and too-pink lips.
“It’s not the quantity of words,” he warned.
“What happened?” She took in a breath and shrugged out of her coat. He took it from her and hung it in the hall closet.
Jordan led her into the kitchen, where he offered her a bottle of water. He watched as she took a seat at the granite island and then unscrewed the cap. She set the bottle on the hard, shiny surface without taking a sip.
“First, someone left what looks like a severed and frozen female foot on the porch earlier today,” he started.
“When? I was here. I didn’t see anything, Jordan.”
“Lone Star Lonnie found it sometime after Deacon and Amber left.” He poured a cup of coffee for himself before joining her at the island. “Also, you’ll find this out when you go back to work tomorrow, but Reggie Barstock was sighted at the diner by an employee.”
She immediately stood. “I need to be out there looking for him.”
“It’s your day off, Courtney. And I didn’t tell you any of this so you’d run out of here and try to solve this yourself—”
“Either way, I should be out there helping instead of in here.” Her eyes searched the room, and she looked flushed. There was a desperate quality to her voice that was a gut punch.
“Zach’s involved, and we’re having a family meeting over dinner. Staying here might do more good than being out there where you have nothing to go on.” He paused—knowing when it was time to stop and not oversell an idea was important. “I’d like to see if anyone here can think of any reason Reggie Barstock might do something like that or if anyone’s connected to him or his mother in any way other than Chelsea. Living in Idaho, I’m not always aware of the day to day here in Texas. But they are, and if they’ve had any interaction with Barstock, we’ll know it.”
“Didn’t one of your sisters-in-law inherit his mother’s home and business?” she asked.
“As a matter of fact, my brother’s wife, Chelsea, was given the family home and business downtown,” he said.
“She’s married to Nate, if memory serves. When did she move here?”
“It’s been a couple of months now. They’ve been married for a few weeks. Reggie wasn’t thrilled about his mother leaving her home to Chelsea, who is her great-niece, and he pulled a few stunts to try to scare her into leaving. But the animal killings started before that,” Jordan said.
“That’s true. I see why all roads keep leading back to Reggie, but the evidence isn’t as clear cut. He would have motive if he felt slighted by his mother and wanted to get back at the people who benefited. He could see your family as part of the problem,” she stated. “He was always quiet, troubled, which is most likely why his mother cut her only son out of her will in the first place. When I spoke to Mrs. Porter the other morning, she said he wasn’t stupid. She wouldn’t exactly classify him as the smartest kid in class, but he held his own.”
“He didn’t have a relationship with his mother toward the end of her life, and he’s been in and out of jail for small crimes,” Jordan said.
“Serial killers don’t normally work up from the kinds of crimes Reggie is known for. And, also, they rarely get caught, especially one as meticulous as the one we’re dealing with.” Courtney picked up a pen and started clicking it.
“Those are good points. I also keep questioning, why Breanna? How does she fit into the puzzle? She wasn’t exactly friends with my sister or Amy,” he said.
“From what I remember, Breanna didn’t have a lot of friends. She was his first human kill that we know of.” The corners of Courtney’s lips turned down in a frown. “She might’ve been an easy mark. We know she was using again, and that could have left her vulnerable if she passed out somewhere in public. An easy mark might not be as exciting, but we know that there was no sexual abuse with her. There were no signs that she fought back. My guess is that he moved quickly.”
“It seems like he’d be crazy to stick around Jacobstown. He has to know everyone has been and will be looking for him. If he’s part of the community in some way, he has to know about all the task forces that have been put together and neighborhood watches,” Jordan pointed out.
“That can be part of the thrill for a sicko like him,” she said. “I followed a pickup away from The Mart earlier. I was coming home when you called. If, and it’s a big if, he’s responsible, he lives close enough to access the community without actually living here day to day.”
Courtney’s cell phone buzzed. She fished it out of her purse and checked the screen. “Gus Stanton was just picked up after he tried to ditch his vehicle and run after a routine traffic stop. He assaulted Deputy Lopez, who was able to subdue him. Lopez then found duct tape and rope in this trunk. They’re processing Stanton’s vehicle to see if there’s any DNA in there.”
She made a move to retrieve her coat, and Jordan was right behind her. “We can ride in my car.”
“You sure about that?” he asked.
“Oh. Right. It might be best if we arrive in separate vehicles.” She flashed grateful brown eyes at him, and he took a hit to the center of his chest.
* * *
COURTNEY HAD ALMOST blown it by offering to show up to work in the same vehicle as Jordan. She’d have to be more careful moving forward. At least for a few weeks until they could announce the pregnancy.
She thought about her next doctor’s appointment and the counseling appointment that would follow. Her child deserved to have a mother who could work through any mental blocks.
Courtney left the house and realized when she got to the car that she’d been touching her stomach again. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, she was starting to accept—enjoy?—having the little bean grow inside her. It was more than the morning sickness, but she detected changes in her—and not just ones in her body.
She hadn’t started gaining any weight. And, sure, there were bags underneath her eyes that she played off as from food poisoning. She was starting to notice changes in her skin, especially certain places on her face that were dry, while other spots were suddenly oily. She was starting to wish she’d paid more attention to her pregnant former coworkers. She’d tuned out all the office chatter when she’d had to be in the station.
Ready or not, a baby was coming later this year. Which made her think ab
out the phone number on her desk at home. She’d call the counselor first thing tomorrow before her shift.
Although, with recent developments to the biggest case in Jacobstown’s history, Courtney figured she’d be working overtime alongside the rest of the department until this jerk was behind bars.
She texted Zach to let him know that she was on her way in to the office. She, like many, wanted to hear firsthand what excuse Gus Stanton had for keeping duct tape and rope in his trunk.
Jordan followed her to Zach’s office and parked across the lot from her. He didn’t immediately get out of his vehicle, and she appreciated him giving her a little space. She walked in and waved to Ellen.
Volunteers were set up in the conference room, so talking freely was a little more challenging. She didn’t want someone overhearing something they shouldn’t and spreading false information. Fortunately, the door to the conference room was closed as she walked past it.
Having so many in the community willing to help out made law enforcement’s job easier. Having citizens organizing neighborhood watches in order to blanket the various areas and keep watch for any suspicious activity was a big help. Sure, there were people who got in the way. Zach grew up in this community and knew who he could trust with information and was able to sort through a lot of the less helpful folks. His history in Jacobstown was a huge benefit in a situation like this. And most folks had the best of intentions.
Law enforcement personnel were trained to watch for the one who didn’t. It was true what she’d told Jordan about the perp showing up in a veiled attempt to help but actually just being there in order to revel in how he or she had fooled everyone, including the people who lived right next door.
Her instincts tried to convince her that Blue Trunks was involved, but she had no evidence to go on. She’d learned a long time ago to put 10 percent stock in instincts and 90 percent in following the evidence.
The killer was getting cocky by delivering that “souvenir” to the Kent family home. Her heart bled for what Breanna’s family would have to learn, for what Breanna had endured. The jerk was also showing them clearly that he could breach security on the Kent ranch any time he wanted. Courtney needed to ask Jordan if there was surveillance footage of the house. Why hadn’t anyone seen him come or go? Security had been doubled at the ranch. Which brought her to another question—was the Kent family ranch safe?
Courtney joined Zach in the viewing room, standing behind the two-way mirror, studying the occupant. It was dark on her side of the mirror, and there was another off-duty deputy sandwiched inside the small space. Gus Stanton sat across the table in the next room, facing them. He was alone, handcuffed to the solid desk that was bolted to the floor. She noticed a pad of paper and a pen on the table in front of him. She realized Zach would sweat Gus out. He’d give him that pen and paper and tell him that he could leave once he wrote down what really happened to Breanna Griswold.
“How long has he been in there?” she asked in a low voice.
“Definitely not long enough,” Zach responded.
Gus wasn’t more than five feet nine inches, but he was stocky. Most of his former muscle had gone soft, and he had quite the stomach—the kind that looked like he was about to birth a twelve-pack of beer. His complexion was ruddy, and his bulbous nose looked like a clown’s. His light-colored hair wrapped his head, the dome of which shined. He wore overalls with a flannel shirt and looked like he’d already started on that twelve-pack.
She didn’t need to set eyes on Jordan to recognize the scent of his aftershave when he walked in. She turned and acknowledged him with a small nod from across the room.
He barely glanced at her, and she felt a twinge of regret. He was only honoring the agreement she’d forced him into, and yet it still felt like rejection, still stung. She wanted to blame her pregnancy for her reaction, but it went deeper than that; she couldn’t deny it. Oh, sure, maybe she could cover it up in front of others, but her heart free-fell every time he looked at her.
Movement in the interview room caught her attention. Adrenaline surged when she caught sight of Gus stabbing himself with the pen that had been on the table.
She, Deputy Lopez and Zach jumped into action. Zach went in first with Courtney a close second.
“Stop it right there, Gus,” Zach demanded in that authoritative voice only law enforcement seemed to possess.
“Stay away from me.” Gus’s attempts to stab himself in the neck left marks, but he didn’t break skin. The fear was that he’d jam it in an eye or through his ear, where he could do a lot more damage.
Gus pushed back from the table and then tried to topple it. When that didn’t work, he held the pen out toward them like it was a weapon.
“You don’t want to threaten an officer of the law, Gus,” Zach warned. “Trust me on that one.”
The three of them encircled him. He shifted his head from side to side. Sweat rolled down his forehead.
“No one will believe me that I’m innocent. Not now. The judge will take my kids away. Arresting me for this is the last straw my ex needs to cut me out of my kids’ lives forever,” Gus shouted. “I might as well have done whatever it is you’re accusing me of.”
“What do you think you’re in here for?” Zach took a step toward Gus, who swiped the pen through the air like it was a knife.
“I know what you think I did. That’s sick. I wouldn’t do that to another human being,” Gus argued. A look of disgust crossed his ruddy features as he focused his attention on Zach, which gave Courtney the opportunity to tackle him from behind. She dived into the back of his knees. Deputy Lopez took a swipe at the pen at the same time she made her move and caught Gus’s meaty hand.
Courtney made contact, and Gus flew backward, landing square on top of her. He felt like he weighed two hundred pounds. His elbow caught her in the back as his heft knocked her to the floor. She scrambled to make herself into a ball in order to protect her organs, but it was too late. He was too heavy. So he flattened her like a pancake. Her mind flashed to the little bean growing in her stomach, and she flinched.
Before Gus could strike her or move, he was being lifted off her. She pushed up to all fours in time to see the others, Jordan included, slam Gus facedown onto the hard flooring. Within a few seconds, his hands were pulled hard behind his back and he was in zip cuffs.
Her stomach cramped, and her gaze flew to Jordan, who was studying her. In the next second, he was beside her, righting the chair that had been turned on its side and helping her sit in it.
“I’m fine.” She couldn’t afford to show signs of weakness in her line of work. She stood and dusted herself off before looking at him. “It’s fine.”
A muscle pulsed in Jordan’s jaw. He clenched his back teeth hard. He, of all people, should understand the position she was in. When it came to doing her job, she had to show that she could pull her weight. Lives of other law enforcement officers depended on her. His gaze was fierce and protective.
“Can I have a word with you in the hall, please?” he ground out, and it look liked he was using an enormous amount of self-control to hold on to what he had to say.
Courtney’s gaze flew to her boss, who nodded.
Jordan, who’d witnessed the exchange, started toward the door almost immediately.
In the hallway, Jordan whirled around on her. The intensity of his gaze almost knocked her back a step.
“You have until morning to tell him,” he said. “I can’t go along with this any longer in good conscience.”
“That’s too soon,” she argued. “I need more time.”
Chapter Ten
“No can do.” Jordan didn’t to take a hard line but Courtney was forcing his hand. He’d just witnessed her in a struggle that could’ve ended badly for their unborn child.
“I know you’re right, Jordan. Once this jerk is put away we can circle back—” Courtney
had another think coming if she thought changing the subject would help her argument to keep the pregnancy a secret.
“I won’t change my mind about telling Zach tomorrow.” Jordan was firm on that point.
She shot him an incredulous look, opened her mouth to speak and then seemed to think better of it as she glanced around. “This isn’t the time or the place. We can discuss this matter after dinner tonight when everyone goes home. We’ll make a decision then. Deal?”
“No. I’ll listen to whatever you have to say, but we’ve done this your way so far and none of it feels right.” Jordan realized she had the most to lose in the equation, and that was the reason he’d agreed to her idea in the first place. But she was putting herself in jeopardy by doing her job when she wasn’t at full strength, and he doubted she even realized it or would allow herself to consider the thought. She wasn’t a glutton for punishment. He wondered if the cause of the nightmares was the same reason she wasn’t thinking clearly now—her past.
There was plenty she could contribute inside the office rather than going out into the field every day. A desk job was better than nothing, and Zach needed plenty of help training and organizing volunteers for neighborhood watches as well as answering the tip line. There was a lot for her to do that didn’t involve physical altercations with scumbags.
Zach walked into the hallway before Courtney could mount another defense. “Both of you mind stepping into my office?”
“Not at all,” Jordan said with a glance toward Courtney.
Courtney nodded, but a flash of panic crossed her features. He had no intention of rolling her under the bus. He’d told her what his intention was, and he planned to stick to it. Come tomorrow morning, he’d have a conversation with his cousin in confidence. He and Courtney could come up with a plan to tell his family together if that’s what she wanted.