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

by Jane Godman

  “So you did know her?” Katrina persisted.

  “I think it’s too much to say I knew her. If she was at the ranch, I’d have met her.” His eyes darted toward the checkout counter. “Look, I have to—”

  “Did you ever speak to her?”

  “Hey.” Although he still looked cagey, she could sense him getting annoyed. “I already told you, I don’t remember. Just stay out of things that are none of your business.”

  The attitude switch from nervy to nasty happened so fast it almost unbalanced her. In an instant, he became someone she wouldn’t mess with. Turning his back, he stalked away from her. Tossing aside the chips and cookies, he headed toward the exit. Moments later, she caught a glimpse of him crossing the parking lot with his head down and his hands in his pockets.

  Although Kenyon’s attitude wasn’t proof that he knew anything about Eliza’s disappearance, he wasn’t behaving like an innocent man. None of her business? Eliza was her sister. If her welfare wasn’t Katrina’s business, she didn’t know what was. She sensed she’d just taken a step closer to discovering what had happened to her twin. She also felt she’d just poked a hornet’s nest and put herself in even more danger.

  As she paid for her purchases, she glanced out the window at the dimly lit parking lot. The last time she’d seen him, Kenyon had been walking away. He could easily have doubled back and be waiting for her in the darkness...

  “Can someone carry these to my car?” she asked the cashier.

  “Sure.” She pressed a buzzer and a minute or two later a young man appeared from the back of the store. “This lady needs you to carry her bags.”

  Feeling slightly embarrassed at asking for help when she was perfectly capable of lifting the light weight of her purchases, Katrina followed the guy out to her vehicle.

  “Could you load them into the trunk and, um...” She extracted a generous amount of cash from her purse and handed it to him. “And would you mind waiting here until I’ve driven away?”

  “No problem.” He nodded sympathetically. “My sister had a stalker problem a few years ago. I hope it works out for you.”

  Anxious to get away, she didn’t want to get involved in explanations. After thanking him for his help, she got into her car and drove away. When she pulled up outside her house, Spencer was headed down the front steps in sweatpants and a T-shirt with his hair standing on end.

  “What is it? What’s wrong?” she demanded as she dashed from the car. “Have you heard something about Eliza?”

  “No. I woke up and you were gone.” He caught her by the shoulders as she almost hurtled into him. “Don’t ever do that to me again, Katrina.”

  Looking up at his face, she saw panic etched in the fine lines around his eyes and understood its cause. Four years ago, he’d lost the woman he loved. And she’d disappeared without letting him know where she was going, just as there was a faceless figure out there threatening to harm her.

  Although she was angry with herself for being so thoughtless, a tiny part of her exulted in the knowledge that he cared. Really cared. For now, she stored that little piece of information up for later. Right now, they had more important things to talk about.

  “I got juice and croissants.” She held up the bag.

  “In that case, let’s go inside.”

  * * *

  After checking on the dogs, who were all sleepy but recovering well, they ate breakfast and Katrina gave Spencer an account of what had happened at the store. When she’d finished, he put his head in his hands.

  “Tell me you didn’t really approach Kenyon Latimer.”

  She tossed back her hair defiantly. “I didn’t see why he should be walking around without a care in the world while Eliza could be in trouble. Or worse. If he knows where she is, he should be made to tell us. And I wanted to look him in the eye while I asked him about her.”

  “I agree with you, but you need to leave this to me and my MVPD colleagues. Someone has already driven a car at you, broken into your house, drugged our dogs and threatened you at knifepoint.”

  “I tried to keep Latimer talking to see if I could tell whether he was the person who broke in here,” Katrina said. “It could have been, but I’m not sure.”

  “Katrina.”

  “Hmm?” She was buttering a croissant and didn’t glance up from her task.

  Spencer placed a finger under her chin and tilted her face until she was looking at him. “You are not to go near Latimer, or any other member of the AAG, again without my permission. Is that understood?”

  “I like it when you’re strict.” Her smile was full of mischief and promise.

  He laughed. “I’ll bear that in mind. Right now, I need you to agree that you’ll do as I ask.”

  “Don’t worry. I won’t be going anywhere near Latimer again.” She shuddered. “The way he turned nasty so fast was frightening. Even though he denied knowing her, I think he had something to do with Eliza’s disappearance.”

  “If he did, we’ll bring him to justice. But we’ll do it by the book. The MVPD book.” He took her hand. “Trust me.”

  Something flickered in the depths of her eyes. For an instant, he saw years of unhappy memories, tears that never fell and cries for help that had never been uttered.

  “I do trust you.” Although she smiled, her lip trembled. “You’re the first person I’ve ever said that to. Or even about.”

  It would have been easy in that instant to feel the weight of his responsibility toward her. But he wasn’t concerned about letting her down. That wouldn’t happen. She had become too important to him. With everything that was going on, it probably wasn’t the right time to tell her that, but it was the truth. And it was a powerful feeling.

  Breakfast was interrupted by the ringing of his cell phone. He checked the display.

  “It’s Rafe Colton.”

  He answered the call, and Rafe launched into an account of how he, Ainsley and Marlowe had met with Sebastian Clark, the guy born the same night—and in the same hospital—as Ace.

  “He was clearly his parents’ child, that much was obvious from his resemblance to them, but we asked him to have a DNA test to be sure,” Rafe said. “We paid to have it done and it was expedited. The results, which were available within twenty-four hours, were as expected. He’s not Ace Colton.”

  “So we keep trying,” Spencer said.

  “Of course.” Rafe sounded dispirited. “But it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack. The real Ace Colton could be anywhere in the world, for all we know. He could even be deceased. He was born a bit frail, remember?”

  “That could be true, but something tells me he’s out there somewhere. Waiting for the chance to bring himself into your lives.”

  “Yeah, as long as we can avoid any more Jace Smith style impostors,” Rafe sighed.

  Spencer ended the call and turned to Katrina. “You heard that?”

  “I got most of it.” She crumbled the remains of her croissant. “What you said about the real Ace Colton waiting for his chance. Does that mean you believe in fate?”

  He gave it some thought. “I suppose I do. Life seems to have a way of unfolding over time in unexpected ways. And, with hindsight, a belief in destiny helps us make sense of things that have happened in our past. I’m not sure I can apply that to all of the things that have come my way, but it’s useful to straighten some of them out.”

  She nodded, seeming satisfied with his answer. He didn’t ask her what she was thinking or why it mattered. They hadn’t had any deep conversations about their beliefs. Maybe this would be the first of many.

  “What are the plans for today?” Katrina asked.

  “I want to call in at the station and find out where Kerry is with her background checks into the AAG members. When I know what she has for us, I’ll decide where to go from there.” He got to his feet. “And
I need you to follow my rules.”

  “What are they?”

  “You stay with me at all times. No leaving my sight.”

  Her smile was brilliant. “Suzie and Laurence are covering my classes, so I can follow those rules.”

  * * *

  So Spencer believed in fate. Katrina had always felt that destiny played a part in the way life panned out. In a world where there were so many people, she thought how unlikely it was to randomly meet that one person who would make a difference in your story. In a certain place, and at a certain time, making a connection to someone you were intended to meet... No, there had to be an external force at work.

  If Spencer felt the same way, did that mean he thought they were meant to be together? She pulled herself back from that idea. Why was she even thinking that way? It was way too soon to even picture them together in any long-term sense. The connection between them might be beyond anything she had ever known, but it was too much, too sudden, too scary.

  Still, it didn’t hurt to know they were on the same wavelength...

  With her dogs—who were both fully restored to health—safely deposited at the training center, they were headed toward the police station with Boris in his compartment at the back of Spencer’s vehicle.

  “With luck, Kerry will have discovered where Latimer is from,” Spencer said. “She should also have found out if he has a criminal record.”

  “If Rusty is right about him selling drugs, it doesn’t sound like the sort of thing he just started recently.” Katrina thought again about Eliza, and how easy it would have been for her to get drawn back into that lifestyle. Her sister was vulnerable and a man like Latimer would be able to easily persuade her to do what he wanted.

  “Latimer hasn’t been around Mustang Valley for long.” Spencer pulled into the parking lot at the MVPD building. “He’s not known to us here as a drug dealer, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been arrested in another area.”

  “He could still be trouble and not have a criminal record,” Katrina pointed out.

  “Unfortunately, that’s true. If he’s like Aidan Hannant and has slipped beneath the law-enforcement radar, there’s not much we can do about it.”

  They left the vehicle, after having released Boris. Skirting around the building, Spencer took his canine partner to his training session before returning to the front entrance. In the lobby, Katrina recalled their first meeting with a shudder. She’d flown through the door, almost knocking him off his feet, yet he’d treated her with courtesy and respect. Was it any wonder he’d questioned her reliability when she’d been so close to the edge of her control?

  When they reached Spencer’s office, he used the internal telephone system to contact his colleague, Kerry. When she arrived, she was carrying a file of papers and she wore a harassed expression.

  “I still can’t find anything on Micheline Anderson or Leigh Dennings,” she said. “I think we have to accept that they are who they say they are. Hardworking, dedicated to the good of the community, both of them willing to go the extra mile to help those less fortunate than themselves.”

  “When did Micheline found the Affirmation Alliance Group?” Spencer asked.

  “Forty years ago. She’s a gifted self-help guru and healer, who quickly built up a following and grew the AAG into a thriving business.” Kerry consulted her notes. “Leigh is twenty-six. She’s worked for the group for a few years and appears to be devoted to Micheline. Using her looks to her advantage, her role appears to be to charm new males into becoming members and stop any others from drifting.”

  “And Kenyon Latimer?” Spencer asked.

  “He’s a different story.” Kerry’s expression changed to one of distaste. “He was arrested for possession of heroin last year in Tucson—his hometown—and is a small-time troublemaker. He has a record of low-level offenses up and down Arizona, dating back to the age of eighteen. I haven’t started on out-of-state records yet.”

  “Is there any information on my sister’s whereabouts?” Katrina asked. She didn’t hold out much hope but figured it was always worth asking.

  “I’m sorry,” Kerry said. “We don’t have anything more to report.”

  “I’m going to check my messages, then Chief Barco has given me permission to spend the rest of the day working from Katrina’s office,” Spencer told Kerry. “You can reach me there if you need me. I’ll be back to collect Boris after lunch.”

  As they left, Katrina turned to him. Nothing in what she’d heard gave her any hope for her sister. If anything, her spirits were lower than ever.

  “If Eliza got mixed up with Latimer, she didn’t stand a chance.”

  Spencer hooked an arm around her shoulders, drawing her into a quick hug. “We still haven’t established any connection between them.”

  “But we both know you will.”

  He didn’t answer and that was all the confirmation she needed.

  * * *

  That evening, they walked the dogs in the park.

  “They get along,” Spencer said as the three canines snuffled along the ground together, excitedly chasing the same scents.

  “That’s good, isn’t it?” Katrina asked. “I mean, if we liked each other but our dogs hated each other, it wouldn’t make for an easy life.”

  He didn’t answer and she wondered if she’d said too much. Did he think she was pushing him into an admission that they had a future? Or was she just overthinking, as usual?

  Holly brought her a stick, dropping it at her feet and wagging her tail as she invited her to throw it and Katrina focused on the game. She could overthink anytime.

  When they left the park, Spencer suggested ordering pizza, then he checked his cell and groaned. “I’d completely forgotten.”

  “Hot date?” she teased.

  “Sibling date. I’m supposed to be meeting my brother and sister at Mustang Valley Steak and Seafood in ten minutes.”

  “It’s not a problem. I can take the dogs home,” Katrina said.

  “Hey.” He caught hold of her hands, swinging her around to face him. “The rules about not letting you out of my sight haven’t changed. That’s if you’re okay with dinner for four instead of for two?”

  “I guess so. As long as your siblings won’t mind?” He had mentioned her meeting his brother and sister at some point, but she’d thought it was just a throwaway remark. Suddenly, it had become a reality.

  “Mind?” He started to laugh. “They’ll be delighted to be able to gossip about me. There’s just one problem.” He pointed to the dogs.

  “I could call Suzie and see if we can leave them with her for a few hours,” Katrina suggested. “She lives close to the restaurant.”

  “Sounds perfect.”

  By the time they’d dropped off the dogs at Suzie’s place, they arrived a little later than planned. Spencer’s brother and sister were already seated at a table for three, and there was an initial fuss as the captain changed the arrangements to make room for Katrina. She was aware of Jarvis and Bella exchanging a couple of meaningful glances while this was going on.

  “Are you going to introduce us?” Bella asked, when they were finally seated. She was petite and pretty with reddish-blond hair and green eyes. Katrina got the impression that appearances were deceptive and that she was nobody’s fool.

  “This is Katrina Perry,” Spencer said.

  “Oh, I know who you are.” Bella flapped a hand. “You own the dog-training place. The one with the cute name.”

  “Look Who’s Walking.” Katrina smiled at her enthusiasm.

  “Yes. I’m a lifestyle blogger but I did an exposé on dog thefts. One of the people I interviewed mentioned your classes.”

  “In a good way, I hope?”

  “Oh, yes. She raved about how you taught her dog to sit and stay and not chase the mailman,” Bella said. “She even showed me t
he graduation pictures.”

  “Graduation pictures?” Jarvis sounded bemused as he joined in the conversation. “Are we still talking about dogs?”

  Katrina nodded. “We have a graduation ceremony at the end of our puppy classes. It started out as a joke, but the owners love it, so now we give out certificates and we take pictures of the dogs wearing a ceremonial cap.”

  They continued talking about dogs and training as they decided on their food, and Katrina was surprised at how quickly she’d relaxed around the other two Colton triplets. Spencer had talked about the way they made jokes that no one else understood, but Jarvis and Bella appeared to be on their best behavior around her.

  “I know the focus is all on the AAG and the work they’re doing to support the earthquake victims, but I’ve been hearing about how much the police and first responders have been involved in the rebuilding efforts,” Jarvis said as they were eating.

  “Chief Barco was keen for his officers to get involved in the community and be hands-on in helping people who’d been affected,” Spencer explained. “Rather than simply fund-raising.”

  “All we hear about these days is the AAG. You’d think no one else ever did any good work in Mustang Valley. I know they have worked hard and what they’ve done has benefited the community but...” Bella pulled a face. “All the publicity feels a bit icky.”

  “Icky.” Spencer looked across the table at Jarvis with a straight face. “It’s one of those intellectual words. Taught in only the best schools.”

  “Oh, you.” Bella gave him a shove that nearly knocked him off his chair. “Does he tease you like this, Katrina?”

  It was a blatant attempt to find out more about their relationship and Katrina snagged Spencer’s gaze. His eyes were brimming with laughter and she hid a smile. “Sometimes.”

  Bella pouted. “Okay. I get it. You’re going to be as secretive as he is.”

  Jarvis, who was a ranch hand at Payne Colton’s Rattlesnake Ridge Ranch, talked about the shock waves that had hit after the shooting of his boss. “Hope you catch the guy who did it soon,” he told his brother.