Colton Manhunt (The Coltons 0f Mustang Valley Book 6)

by Jane Godman

  The big dog wagged his tail and, obviously feeling that something more was needed, gave a soft woof. Clearly feeling that this was some sort of signal, Holly and Dobby started dashing around in circles, then darting back to Boris as though inviting him to join in their game. The patient canine watched them like an indulgent nanny before charging after them. Laughing, Katrina watched their antics for a few minutes before returning to the kitchen.

  “Boris is giving the kids a workout. You’d never know he was actually younger than Dobby.” She went to the fridge and withdrew the bottle of wine. Although her knowledge was limited, it looked like Spencer had good taste. “Do you want some?”

  He grinned. “Of course. And your timing is perfect because this is ready.”

  She poured two glasses and brought them to the table as he served dinner. As they sat and ate companionably, she was struck again by the ease with which they’d slipped into this new normalcy. Awkwardness had always come naturally to Katrina. Overthinking what she said, being unsure of what to do with her body, just generally high discomfort levels around other people, particularly new ones, was her default setting.

  With Spencer, it was as if an invisible shield had been lowered. She could release her guard and allow him inside. Yes, that meant exposing her vulnerabilities, but she was fine with it. With him, it was okay to expose her true self. It even felt like maybe she could start to trust him. The thought caused her to gulp down too much wine and she spluttered.

  “Is the food too spicy?” Spencer asked.

  “No. It’s perfect.”

  He quirked an eyebrow at her but didn’t make any further comment. When they’d finished eating, Spencer carried the remaining wine and their glasses through to the living room. His presence made the room seem even smaller, but as she took a seat next to him on the sofa, Katrina decided she would sacrifice space for comfort. And he made her feel comfortable...

  With his next words, her feeling of contentment became a memory. “I couldn’t interview Aidan Hannant any more today. But I’m going to the hospital to speak to him tomorrow.”

  “He said he couldn’t tell you who hired him.”

  “Maybe not. But what you said about his accessibility struck a chord with me. Someone knew he would be open to taking a job of that kind. How did they know he’d operate outside the law? Had he done that kind of thing before? If so, who knew about it? How would word have gotten around? If I ask the right questions and I can get Hannant to answer them, he might just lead me to the person behind these threats.”

  “It has to be the AAG,” Katrina insisted. “This all started when I went looking for Eliza.”

  “You could be right, but I need to find a way to prove it.”

  “When I went to the ranch and asked about Eliza, they were covering something up. I could feel it,” Katrina said. “But that makes me sound like a fantasist. The AAG has done so much good work in Mustang Valley. How could they possibly be involved in anything shady? Even supposing one of their members had committed a crime, surely the leaders of the group wouldn’t hide it?”

  “Even the most respectable organizations can be used as a screen.” Spencer appeared lost in thought as he sipped his wine. “Maybe we should start looking at the key players in the AAG and find out if they really are on the up-and-up.”

  “Leigh Dennings is the public face of the group.” Katrina thought back to her encounter with Leigh at the AAG ranch. “It seems to me that her job is to stop outsiders finding out about the AAG’s activities.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Can you take some time off?”

  “Probably. Suzie and Laurence know the training classes as well as I do and I’m pretty much up-to-date with my paperwork.” She sipped her wine. “Why?”

  “I think we should spend some time watching Leigh Dennings. Let’s find out if she’s as sweet as she appears.”

  “You want me with you?” She regarded him with surprise. “Why?”

  “Because I can’t trail her and protect you,” he replied bluntly. “And your safety is my priority.”

  “Oh.” She looked down at the sofa cushions as heat coursed through her body.

  When she looked up again, the blazing look in Spencer’s eyes turned the temperature even higher. Leaning closer, he removed her glass from her hand and placed it on the coffee table next to his own.

  “Can I kiss you?”

  “Yes, please.”

  Slowly, he reached up and placed his hands on both sides of her face. Katrina’s eyelids fluttered closed. His lips met hers, and the world disappeared as she melted against him. Her brain closed down, rational thought deserting her as instinct took over and she responded to the magic of his mouth on hers. Their lips moved together in perfect choreography, as if they’d kissed a thousand times before.

  It was the most wonderful feeling she’d ever known. Then it was over all too abruptly, and Spencer was getting to his feet.

  “Good night, Katrina.”

  Bewildered, she watched him walk away toward the spare room.

  * * *

  Even though Katrina’s spare bedroom was small and cozy, Spencer was still awake well after midnight. His insomnia had nothing to do with the furnishings, the temperature, or the noise level. The cause was simple. He couldn’t get that electrifying kiss out of his head.

  And yet you walked away.

  Telling himself it had been the right thing to do hadn’t eased the ache in his chest, or the corresponding tightness south of his belt buckle. There were so many reasons why the kiss should never have happened, and even more for why he couldn’t take things further.

  The first was straightforward. Although it was an unconventional approach, he was staying in her house as part of his job. Getting romantically involved hadn’t been part of the agenda. And how would that look to an outsider? He would hate it if anyone viewed his intentions as sleazy.

  Then there was the issue of Katrina herself. In many ways, she was a strong character. She had built up a successful business and she was good at what she did. This was despite a difficult start in life and the fact that she had to support her troubled twin her whole adult life. Her determination and drive had clearly carried her through some tough times. She was feisty and funny, and he admired her more and more as he got to know her better.

  But right now, Katrina was vulnerable. She was fearful for her sister, and was also under attack from an unseen aggressor. It was a powerful combination. One that could make her seek protection. And if that protection happened to take the form of a strong pair of arms and a shoulder to cry on? Well, who could blame her? The problems would arise later, when the threat was gone and his presence was no longer needed.

  In addition, he had added a whole new layer of fragility. By allowing himself to be duped into believing she might have been making up the threats, he had turned their relationship into a ticking time bomb. She barely trusted him now. When she found out he had doubted her, any trace of confidence she had in him would be shattered.

  Putting Katrina’s well-being first was his focus, of course, but there was more to it. When his fiancée had been killed, Spencer had retreated behind a wall of pain. The world had ceased to be a safe and reliable place, and he knew he would never risk his heart in the same way again. Nor would he allow grief to damage his capable and competent facade.

  It would have been hard for other people to tell, but he had simply disengaged from life after Billie’s death. He knew Bella and Jarvis had been concerned about his emotional disconnection, but he had shut down any attempt they made to talk about it. Throwing himself into work had been his coping strategy. The only guy who got to hear his problems was a certain large, chocolate-colored dog. And Boris was good at keeping secrets.

  He knew love involved risk. No one could see into the future. Time and fate played their own tricks. But he’d known when he’d gone down on one knee and p
resented Billie with a diamond ring that they were both prepared to take a chance on a future together. Then she’d been snatched away and his feeling of loss had been so raw that he had dismissed the possibility of love in his future. He simply couldn’t contemplate losing another loved one.

  Until now, he’d never had cause to reconsider his decision. Then Katrina had come along and tipped his world off balance. Was he thinking of taking another leap of faith? He wasn’t sure he’d reached that point. Not yet. But she’d awakened something inside him and reminded him of how it felt to be alive. When he was with her, he remembered that life had texture, color and meaning, and that it was full of excitement and joy. Did he want to walk away and retreat behind his wall once more? He wasn’t sure, and that, in itself, surprised him.

  He reached for his cell phone on the bedside table and checked the time. 2:00 a.m. Sleep seemed a million miles away. He sat up and pummeled the pillows in hopes of getting more comfortable. As he did, Boris gave a deep bark from the kennel outside.

  Although Spencer’s canine partner had a varied vocal range, the “woof” he’d just given was unmistakable. That was his warning bark. In response to the sound, Holly and Dobby had responded with a series of yaps, but Spencer ignored them. His own well-trained dog was telling him there was danger nearby.

  Getting out of bed, he pulled sweatpants over his boxer briefs and padded barefoot to the window. He was able to open the slats of the blinds just enough to get a view of the yard. There was only a trace of moonlight and he remembered Katrina’s comment about not wanting to install motion-sensitive lights in case her canine visitors triggered them.

  After a moment or two, his alertness was rewarded. Another bark from Boris was followed by a sudden movement close to the fence. Straining his eyes to get a better look, Spencer could make out a crouching figure moving slowly toward the house.

  Lightning fast, he pulled his weapon from the drawer of the bedside table, where he’d placed it earlier. As he stepped from the room, another door opened, and he almost collided with Katrina.

  “I was woken by barking.” Although the hall was in near darkness, he could make out her pale features. “I thought something might be wrong.”

  She wore a tank top and shorts and, as he placed his hands on her shoulders, her flesh was cool beneath his touch. “I’m going to check out the yard.”

  She shivered. “I’ll come with you.”

  “No. I’ll only be a few minutes.” His earlier thoughts about keeping his distance were momentarily forgotten as he drew her close and pressed a kiss onto the top of her head. “Stay inside. Lock the door after I’ve gone.”

  He moved toward the kitchen and she trailed after him. When he reached the door, she halted him with a hand on his arm. “You’ll be careful?”

  He smiled. “I’ll do my best.”

  “Not good enough, Spencer.”

  It wasn’t the words so much as the emotion in her voice that made his head spin. Even in the urgency of the situation, he was blown away by the knowledge that she cared. The timing was awful, but his heart had developed a happy new rhythm.

  “I’ll be careful.”

  Chapter 10

  When Spencer had gone, Katrina paced up and down the small kitchen for a few minutes before returning to her bedroom. Snatching up her cell phone and shoving it into the pocket of her pajama shorts, she returned to the kitchen.

  Her mind was in turmoil. She knew Spencer would have to check out the yard when he heard Boris barking, but she had sensed there was more to this. He had been too tense, too impatient to get moving. The thought that he knew something was wrong had her on high alert, her nerves buzzing. With no idea what was happening outside, her fears for Spencer’s safety were spiraling out of control.

  An attempt to distract herself by drinking a glass of water didn’t work. Maybe if she looked out the window, she would be able to see what was going on. She stepped up close, standing to one side and gazing out on the moonlit scene. She couldn’t see any sign of movement, and the dogs had been silent since Spencer had left the house.

  Even though the night was warm, after a few minutes of standing in one place in the darkness, she was feeling chilled. After shifting from foot to foot on the tiled floor, she decided to go in search of some footwear.

  Turning away from the window, she let out a startled cry as she walked straight into someone who was standing behind her.

  “What—”

  His hand snaked out and he caught her by the arm, jerking her hard against him. The lower part of his face was covered with a scarf and he wore a hoodie pulled up over his head, with sunglasses hiding his eyes. Tall and strong, he held her easily despite her struggles.

  “If you scream, I’ll cut you.” He held a blade up to her face, letting her feel the cold steel against her cheek.

  It was as if a dark hole had opened in the floor beneath her feet and her bones turned to liquid, pulling her into it. She couldn’t break free of his grip. Even if she’d been able to, she had locked the door after Spencer had gone and the key was on top of the cabinet across the other side of the room.

  Should she defy this guy and cry out for Spencer? Even if he was close enough to the house to hear her, he was on the other side of that locked door, and this thug had a knife...

  “We need to have a little talk.”

  Was it her imagination, or was he trying to disguise his voice? That gruff, growling tone didn’t sound natural. She didn’t think she recognized him, but her nerves were stretched so thin she barely knew her own name.

  He hauled her roughly through to the living room and pushed her down onto the sofa. It flashed through her mind that this attack could be unrelated to anything that had happened recently, that this intruder’s intentions were more sinister. Was she about to be subjected to a sexual assault?

  Her cell phone dug into her thigh, reminding her of its presence, but she couldn’t think of a way to sneak it out of her pocket without the intruder noticing.

  “You haven’t been listening to the warnings.” He was an imposing figure, looming over her in the darkness.

  “I don’t know what you mean.” Although her voice wobbled slightly, it came out stronger than she expected. The fact that her mouth worked at all under the circumstances was a bonus.

  He grinned. “Yeah. I don’t want to play that game. Let’s get straight to the point. We tried the car. We did the break-ins. You still keep poking your nose in and now you have your very own cop security guard hanging around. You, lady, just don’t know when to quit.”

  His use of the words hanging around made her wonder if he knew Spencer was living with her. If he didn’t, he may not know just how close Spencer was at the moment. “Sergeant Colton wanted to make sure I was safe.”

  “That sounds good, except we know the truth is slightly different, don’t we?” He leaned closer, catching hold of her chin and tilting her face upward. “The handsome cop is convinced that you are an eccentric who cries ‘poor me’ every chance she gets. He doesn’t want to take care of you. He’s staying close to stop you making up any more wild stories.”

  His words tore into her stomach and took over the beat of her heart. She tried counting to five, forcing herself to find the energy to breathe.

  It’s not true. But she knew it was. How many times had she noticed that odd response of Spencer’s? A curious nonreaction to things she’d said and done.

  “Why would he think that?”

  Her tormentor laughed. “Because we wanted him to.”

  Gaslighting. Wasn’t that what they called it? Perhaps it wasn’t a classic case, since Katrina wasn’t doubting her own memory, but she had been painted as something other than herself in Spencer’s eyes. And the incident with Christie Foster had made her question her own recollection of events. Because of that, her sense of self had been damaged.

  And Spencer ha
d believed it. The thought left her trembling. With him, she had begun to take that first step into the chasm between fear and trust and this was how he had repaid her. Just hours earlier, he had kissed her, and her treacherous body had responded as though he was the only man in the world.

  She had no idea who this guy standing over her with a knife in his outstretched hand was, or whom he represented. When he said we, he could mean the AAG, or he might be talking about someone else. Maybe this was a favor for a friend. Spencer had said these things could escalate from low-level encounters. Right now, it didn’t matter. Someone had told Spencer that Katrina was unreliable. Instead of coming to her with that information and checking it out, he had accepted it was true.

  All her life, she had known what it was like to be let down. Why should it surprise her, just because this time it was Spencer Colton who was responsible for her disillusionment? She needed to put that hurt behind her and move on. Because at the moment, she had a bigger problem to deal with.

  As she slid her fingers down her side and into the pocket of her shorts, she wondered if this guy knew Spencer was close by. From Boris’s barking, it seemed likely that he’d gotten into the house through the backyard. That meant it was possible he hadn’t seen Spencer’s car parked out front.

  She knew how to activate her cell’s emergency function. Whether she could do it without the aggressive guy standing inches away noticing was another question.

  Keep him talking. Right. How was she supposed to do that? Talk about the weather? Ask about his family? What kind of music he liked?

  “Who persuaded Sergeant Colton that I was making up the threats against me? Was it Aidan Hannant?”

  He snorted. “That guy? He’s on his way out of town with his tail between his legs.”

  It was an interesting piece of information. Clearly, whoever was behind all of this didn’t know that Hannant was in Mustang Valley General Hospital with a police guard on his door.

  If she could trigger her phone’s emergency function, a prerecorded audio message warning that she was in immediate danger, and giving her precise location in GPS coordinates, would be sent automatically to two contacts. One of those contacts was Spencer and the other was Suzie. All she needed to do was press the power button on her cell three times in a row.