by B. J Daniels
She understood his pain more acutely. It was another reason she said nothing as he drove her back to Whitehorse in a fierce silence that brooked no arguments or discussions.
* * *
CADE MENTALLY KICKED himself all the way back to town. What in the hell had he been thinking? All Tex cared about was her damned news story. Seeing the home Grace had made for him had only given the reporter something more to write about.
But now she wanted him to exhume Grace’s body?
It had been all he could do not to dump her in a snowbank on the way back to town.
Fortunately she’d had the good sense not to say a word all the way back, otherwise he couldn’t be responsible for what he would have done.
He dropped her off without a word at the newspaper office and drove toward the bait shop, still kicking himself.
As he drove home, Christmas music played from somewhere down the street. Everywhere he looked there were twinkling Christmas lights.
Grace had been so excited about their first Christmas together. She’d decorated the cabin and made sugar cookies and eggnog.
It had started snowing the week before Christmas that year. Grace had been like a little kid, catching snowflakes in her mouth, making snow angels out in the yard. She’d said she’d never seen that much snow before. He promised they would make a snowman when she got back from her shopping trip to Billings.
He had wanted to go with her, but she’d been insistent that she had to go alone.
“It’s a surprise and you’re not going to ruin it,” she’d said. “The roads are plowed and sanded. I’ll be careful.” She’d kissed him, holding his face between her warm palms, those blue eyes of hers filling with tears.
“You make me happier than I ever dreamed possible,” she’d said.
He shoved the memory away, no longer sure what had been a lie, and looked in his rearview mirror.
His mood didn’t improve at the sight of his brother’s patrol car behind him. With a curse, Cade pulled into the bait shop, his brother pulling in behind him.
“Where you been?” the sheriff asked after motioning for Cade to get into the patrol car.
Cade cringed under his brother’s intent gaze as he slid into the passenger seat. “Out to the cabin. Fishing.” Why was he lying? Why didn’t he just tell Carter he’d been with the reporter? “Why? What’s going on?”
Carter had his bad news look on.
“Just tell me.” Cade hadn’t meant to sound so abrupt. “Is it about Grace. Or Andi?”
“Andi?”
“Miranda Blake,” Cade snapped, knowing he’d given himself away. He already knew about Grace. What he didn’t want, he realized with surprise, was bad news about Tex.
Cade wanted the news, short and sweet. He didn’t want sympathy. Nor did he want to have to explain himself.
“I can’t find any record of Grace Eden Browning,” his brother said. Carter looked more than a little uncomfortable. “No record of any kind. All I can figure is that she must have been born under another name. Do you happen to have her social security number?”
Cade shook his head. This wasn’t news but hearing it from the sheriff definitely made it all the more real. “I’ll see if I can find it. I’m sure there’s an explanation.”
“Yeah.” Carter didn’t sound convinced. “You don’t seem surprised by this.”
Cade knew it was just a matter of time before he was going to have to tell his brother the truth. But not yet. “What did you come up with on Miranda Blake?”
Carter seemed a little taken aback that Cade appeared more interested in Ms. Blake than this news about his former wife, but opened his notebook and said, “As for Miranda Blake...”
Cade listened, not surprised that Andi had been a top news anchorwoman in Fort Worth, working her way up as an investigative reporter and making quite a name for herself.
But her reason for leaving Fort Worth did surprise him.
“She took the job up here to get away from a stalker. Apparently one of her viewers had a crush on her,” Carter said. “At first he sent her flowers, candy, love letters all anonymously. But when she asked him on the air to please stop, he felt rejected and started threatening her.”
“Didn’t she contact the police?” Cade asked.
The sheriff nodded. “But it’s hard to catch these kinds of secret admirers. The threats escalated and she left the station. Not even her former boss knew where she’d gone.”
“You didn’t tell him where she was,” Cade said, unable to hide his fear for Andi.
His brother looked even more surprised. “He knew I was with the Phillips County Sheriff’s Department in Montana, but I doubt he was her secret admirer.”
Still, Cade couldn’t help being concerned.
“Her boss said they are holding her job for her for six months,” his brother was saying. “That’s why I would hate to see you get involved with this woman since you know she won’t be staying for probably even that long.”
Cade wanted to laugh out loud, but he had to go on letting his brother think his interest in Andi was romantic for a while longer.
“Don’t worry,” he told Carter. “I’ve already figured that out. I just thought it would be smart to know what I was dealing with.”
His brother eyed him. “Dealing with?”
Cade shrugged and looked away, realizing he’d been too truthful. “Well, it has been a while since I’ve...dated.”
“Yeah,” Carter agreed quickly. “You’ll want to take it slow.” But he sounded pleased that Cade might even be thinking of dating again.
He felt a little guilty for leading his brother on like that. But in time, he would have to confide in Carter on a professional basis.
Cade didn’t want to spoil the holidays. This could wait until after then. Until after his brother popped the question to Eve Bailey. Cade just hoped to hell she accepted Carter’s proposal. There was enough heartbreak as it was.
“I’m glad you’re doing better. I really am,” his brother said. “I’ve been worried about you.”
Cade knew he’d put his family through a lot. “I’m sorry I haven’t been around much for you.”
“Hey, I’m not complaining,” Carter said. “I know you’ve been through hell.” He smiled. “Just don’t forget Christmas Eve. Unless I lose my nerve.”
“You won’t,” Cade assured him. “You and Eve are made for each other.”
“You care about this Andi Blake,” Carter said.
He nodded. He could have argued the point, but didn’t.
“Just be careful, okay?” his brother said. “I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
Carter had no idea just how he’d been hurt by the woman. “Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”
Carter didn’t look as if he believed him.
“I have another favor,” Cade said, quickly changing the subject. “I was hoping you could find out about a woman named Starr Calhoun for me.”
His brother’s expression didn’t change. “Starr Calhoun?”
“She was originally from Texas.”
“Texas? Like Miranda Blake,” Carter said.
“Yeah. Thanks for doing this.” Cade reached for the door and opened it.
Carter reached past him and closed it. “When are you going to be honest with me and tell me what’s really going on?”
Cade felt the full weight of his brother’s gaze. He squirmed. “Soon. Just trust me a little longer?”
Carter met his gaze and held it. “I’ll trust you. But I have to know. Are you involved in anything illegal?”
“No.” Not unless you considered withholding evidence illegal.
* * *
A WINTER STORM warning alert had been put out for Whitehorse and all counties east
of the Rockies. With the blowing and drifting snow, the road south of Whitehorse was closed to all but emergency traffic.
Andi did what she had to at the newspaper, then headed back to her apartment. In this part of the county during winter, it got dark shortly after 4:30 p.m.
Once home, she got out of her cold car since the drive hadn’t been far enough for the engine to even warm up a little. Snow fell silently around her. She didn’t want to go up to her apartment, but she had nowhere else to go.
And while she was too upset to sit still, she didn’t feel like unpacking any boxes. She wasn’t even sure why she’d brought so much stuff. She wouldn’t be staying. Especially the way she was feeling right now.
She was cold and tired and sick at heart as she climbed the stairs to her second-story apartment. Her thoughts kept coming back to Cade Jackson. He was a victim in all this. And the woman who’d involved him was allegedly dead and buried. Andi could understand how Cade didn’t want to exhume the body of the woman he’d loved.
But how could he still love a woman who had deceived him the way Starr had? And wouldn’t he need to know if she’d pulled a disappearing act, possibly with his baby?
The moment she flipped the light switch and nothing happened Andi knew someone was there in the dark waiting for her just as the man had been in Texas.
He came out of the blackness. She felt the air around her move an instant before he was on her. She caught his scent, a mix of body odor and cheap aftershave.
He slammed her back into the wall, knocking the air out of her, his fingers closing around her throat.
She tried to call out, but she had no breath and the pressure on her throat choked off any sound. She scratched at his face, only to get a handful of thick mask.
He let go of her throat with one hand and slapped her hand away, wrestling her arms behind her as he pinned her body to the wall, his fingers digging into her throat.
She’d been wrong. It wasn’t her attacker from Texas. This man was larger, stronger. She couldn’t breathe.
“Listen, bitch. Hurry up and find the money like you’re supposed to. Run and I’ll track you down and kill you. Don’t even think about telling your friend’s cop brother.”
At the sound of pounding footsteps on the stairs to her apartment, he loosened his hold, then slammed her hard against the wall before letting her go. “I’ll be in touch.”
She saw stars. She gasped for breath, her throat on fire. Her legs gave out. As she slid down the wall to the floor someone burst into the apartment. She caught the glint of a star—and a weapon.
“Help.” The word came out in a whisper. But even as she said it, she knew that her attacker was gone. She could feel the cold breeze blowing across the floor and knew the back door was open.
“Stay with her,” the man with the badge ordered as he turned on a flashlight and swept the beam across her small apartment. She looked away, blinded by the sudden light.
“Are you all right?” The voice surprised her. Just as Cade did as he knelt down next to her.
She looked up into his face and began to shake. He gently pulled her toward him.
“It’s okay,” he said as he rubbed her back.
His kindness brought the tears. She hated this feeling of weakness, and worse letting him see her like this. She’d always had to be strong. For her mother. For herself because there was no one else.
“You’re okay,” he said, as if he knew how hard it was for her to be vulnerable in front of him.
She leaned into his strength, no longer able to fight back her emotions as she remembered the man’s threat—and the sensation of knowing she was going to die if she didn’t get air.
The lights flickered on. She pulled herself together and Cade handed her a tissue from the end table nearby.
“How is she?” the sheriff asked standing over them.
Cade got to his feet, gently pulling her up and easing her over to the couch. “Give her a minute.”
“I’m all right.” Her voice came out in a whisper. She was far from all right.
The sheriff took out his notebook. “I’m going to need to ask you some questions. I’m Sheriff Carter Jackson, Cade’s brother.”
She nodded and told him about reaching for the light. When it hadn’t gone on, she’d known someone was in her apartment.
“How did you make the call?”
She shook her head. “I didn’t.” She’d wondered how they’d gotten to her so quickly. She saw the sheriff exchange a look with his brother.
“I was with my brother when he got the call about the break-in,” Cade said as if seeing her confusion.
“Someone must have seen him break in.” It hurt to talk. She swallowed, her eyes tearing from the pain.
The sheriff looked up from his notebook. “Is your apartment number 555-0044?” he asked.
She nodded numbly, knowing what was coming.
“According to the dispatcher, the call came from that number. From inside your apartment.”
She felt her eyes widen in alarm. “I don’t understand.”
“Neither do I,” the sheriff said as he walked into her kitchen and picked up the phone near the back door and hit Redial.
She watched his face, knew the emergency operator had answered.
“This is Sheriff Jackson. I was just testing the line.” He hung up and looked at Andi. “The last call made was to the 911 operator. If you didn’t make the call from here, then who did?”
Chapter Nine
“WHAT THE HELL was that about in there?” Cade demanded the moment he and his brother were outside again. “Did you see her throat? She was attacked. You’re acting as if she staged the whole thing.”
Carter said nothing as he opened the door of his patrol car. “You want a ride home?”
“No, I want you to tell me what the hell is going on.”
“I don’t know,” his brother said calmly. “I just know that the 911 call originated inside that apartment. Either she made the call, or her attacker did.”
“That’s crazy. Did the dispatcher say whether it was a man or a woman on the phone?”
“The voice was muffled.”
Cade swore. “You should be out looking for her attacker.”
Carter was studying him. “This has something to do with why you wanted me to check on her, doesn’t it?”
“Forget it,” Cade said, holding up his hands in surrender as he backed away from the patrol car. “There’s no talking to you.”
“Try telling me what’s going on with you and that woman in there. She’s trouble. Can’t you see that?”
Carter called after him as he headed down the street. “Come on, I’ll give you a ride.”
Cade didn’t answer as he kept walking toward home and his truck. He didn’t know what to think, but he wasn’t leaving her alone tonight.
* * *
ANDI BOLTED THE door behind the sheriff and Cade. She was still shaken but the sheriff had checked the apartment and assured her there was no one in it. He’d found a window that had been ajar and shut it for her.
The sheriff had offered to take her to the emergency room to have her throat checked, but she’d declined. It was feeling better and she didn’t want to be seen with the sheriff after the threat her attacker had made.
Lubbock Calhoun. That’s who it had to have been. Hadn’t she suspected once she’d learned he was out of prison and on the loose that he was the one sending her the information?
She shuddered at the memory of his hands on her throat. Why did he think she could find the money? This was crazy, but no crazier than her coming to Montana because of the Calhouns. This was where her obsession had gotten her—in worse trouble than she could imagine. Bradley was right. She should never have come up here.
She had to get out of Montana. But even as she thought it, she reminded herself that she’d already run from trouble in Texas. She’d thought she was safe here in Whitehorse, Montana. But Lubbock had found her.
She remembered what he’d said and began to shake. Hurry up and find the money like you’re supposed to. Like you’re supposed to?
Was it possible someone had tricked her into coming here? Feeding on her obsession with the Calhoun family?
Her heart began to beat harder. The stalker in Texas. “Oh, no.” She put her hand over her mouth, tears burning her eyes. She’d been set up from the beginning. First the stalker to scare her out of Texas, then the job ad that had been sent to her.
Whoever had done it had known that she’d been running scared and had wanted to get away from Texas. She would never have come to Montana if Lubbock hadn’t been arrested just miles from here.
She shook her head. She’d been set up. By Lubbock? It was too preposterous that a man like Lubbock Calhoun had planned this, manipulating her through each step to the point where he would physically threaten her into finding the money? As if she could.
She tried to imagine the man who’d almost strangled her to death having the patience to lay the groundwork to get her here and couldn’t. It would have had to have been someone in Texas. Someone who knew her. Someone...
Fear curdled her stomach as she dug out her cell phone.
Bradley answered on the first ring. “I’m so glad you called. I have news.”
She said nothing, all her fears growing inside her. Bradley knew her better than anyone. He was the one person who knew about her obsession with the Calhouns and how she would jump at a chance at retribution. But he’d also fanned the fires of her terror when her secret admirer had become a stalker. He’d encouraged her to leave Texas, for her own safety. If Bradley had hired someone to stalk her...
“Are you all right? You sound funny,” he asked as if hearing the change in her.
“News?” she said, her voice breaking. How could she be thinking these things about her friend? Her closest friend?
“Great news,” Bradley said with a flourish. “There’s been an arrest. The police found your stalker.”