Mason straddled him and bent, knocked Calvin's poor attempt to defend himself aside, he yanked him up and slammed his face with his fist. Calvin stumbled backward and fell onto a table, sending patrons scattering.
Calvin crawled away. Mason lifted him by the back of his clothes and hurled him against the far wall. He slumped there, half sitting, blinking blood from his eyes.
Mason leaned over. "Let me say this really slow so you don't miss a single word. You...are not...getting any... money. No wire transfer. Nothing. Do you hear me?"
Calvin's jaw tensed as he debated his next words. "She got to you, too, didn't she."
Not a good thing to say to him right now. "Don't make me kill you."
"It wasn't the first time my stepdad took a liking to a young woman, did you know that?"
Mason didn't say anything. Calvin was trying to goad him.
"You don't want to believe she'd do something like sleep with an old man to get rich. I can understand why." He gave Mason a knowing look, a lewd insinuation from a man who'd sampled the same woman. "She's pretty hot. My stepdad wouldn't have given her his fortune if she wasn't spectacular in bed. Can you deny that?"
Mason punched him again, jerking his head to one side and then the other, easily blocking his attempts to stop him. "Leave town, or I'll snap your neck. Understand?"
Calvin continued to look up at him, uncertain but careful.
Mason grabbed his hair and slammed his head back against the wall. "I asked you a question."
Calvin nodded unsteadily.
"Good." Letting go of his hair, Mason punched him between his eyes. Calvin slumped, unconscious. "That's just so you know I'm not kidding." He straightened and looked around the bar. No one moved to interfere.
###
Mason came back to Utah's house with his duffel bag. His dad was relieved he wouldn't have to cover up a crime for his son, and the look in his eyes said he approved heartily of Mason staying with Utah. And not entirely because of Calvin. Mason wasn't in the mood to argue. No matter what, he was going back to the Army. The only question was when. But first he'd make damn sure Utah was safe.
He knocked on Utah's front door. Roanne answered. Her gaze traveled over him as if searching for signs of blood. When she saw none, she stepped aside and let him in.
"Ellie called us. We sent her home." Behind her, Keegan stood, not as ruffled as the women.
He put the bag down just inside the entry. Utah sat in the living room. The sight of her battered face made him kick himself for not staying with her sooner. He'd known Calvin was threatening her. She should not have been left alone.
She stood from the couch as he approached her.
"Are you hurt anywhere else?" he asked.
She shook her head. "What did you do?"
"Don't worry. Calvin will be leaving town by morning."
"How did you get him to agree to that?" she asked. Then held up her hand. "Never mind."
"It looks like you'll be okay the rest of the night, so I think we should, you know...go," Roanne said, hauling Keegan out by his hand.
"Sure you don't need me to stay?" Keegan asked.
"No. I've got this."
He gave a single nod, not doubting him.
"You don't need to stay the night," Utah said after the front door closed.
"I'm staying until I'm sure nobody's going to come after you again."
Her eyes opened wider, the blue of them growing more pronounced. She hadn't considered he'd stay longer than the night. "Oh, no you're not."
He started to get mad all over again. "That isn't up for discussion, Utah."
"This is my house. I didn't invite you to move in."
"I'm not moving in."
Her mouth pressed tight with irritation. His leaving hung in the energy between them. Damn it. He wished he didn't feel so torn over that.
"I'll sleep in your guest room," he said.
"I don't have a guest room. I got rid of the furniture because I want to redecorate in there."
He looked at the couch. It wasn't very long.
Utah sighed and headed upstairs. She hadn't told him he couldn't sleep with her. And if he kept his hands off her, everything would be fine. He followed her up the stairs. She stopped at a linen closet and pulled out a pillow and blanket.
Turning, she handed the pile to him. He took it with a disappointed frown.
###
Staying with Utah just might be his undoing. He'd gotten no sleep last night, riddled with urges to climb the stairs to her room. The uncomfortable sofa hadn't helped. Mason walked into the sheriff's office and couldn't stop thinking about her sitting at the kitchen table this morning wearing pajamas that should not have turned him on the way they had. She looked like a mountain girl. No other woman made cotton look that sexy.
"One night living like a small town family man and you're already smiling like that?" His dad said from behind his desk, reading the scrap of a Timberline newspaper with his feet up and ankles crossed.
He didn't even realize he'd been smiling.
"You might as well give it up now, son."
Mason took the paper from him and dropped it folded onto the desk. "I'm just glad she's all right."
"Yeah," his dad replied, his tone dripping with skepticism. He swung his feet off the desk and stood. "You ready?"
"Let's head out to the trailer park first."
They'd made plans to track Calvin out of town. Andy drove to the trailer park, where they found the trailer void of Calvin, and the landlord informed them he'd left early in the morning. After driving all over town with no sign of him, Mason began to relax.
Then he spotted a familiar old Toyota at the Gas n' Snack on Main and Fourth. He pointed for his dad.
"I see him." Andy pulled into the gas station and killed the engine, stopping Mason from getting out with an outstretched arm. "As long as he sees us, that's enough."
Mason waited. Calvin finished filling his truck, glancing their way a few times. He may appear to be on his way out of town, but what would he do once no one was watching? He got into the truck and drove onto Main street.
Andy followed him to the highway and pulled off the road to make a U-turn.
"What are you doing?" Mason asked.
"That's far enough."
"Don't you think we should follow him down the highway a while just to be sure?"
His dad drove unhurried. He had no concern whatsoever. "No. This should be good enough."
"What if he comes back."
"He won't."
He sounded so sure. Mason began to realize his dad wasn't telling him something. "What are you up to?"
"Let's just say he won't make it back to Denver."
"Yeah? What did you do?"
"Called a friend of mine at Colorado FBI office. At first it was just to get some advice on how to handle someone who could potentially become violent over a dispute over a will. Once I gave him Roderick's name, a whole new can of worms opened up. I couldn't believe my luck. Then again, I wasn't surprised. A man that desperate has other skeletons in his closet. In Roderick's case, turns out he's wanted in connection with a drug smuggling operation. It was discovered after he took Utah to court over the will. He's been in hiding. Probably intended to force her to give him money and then disappear." Andy glanced over at Mason. "I was assured he'd be spending a few years in Canon City."
Mason chuckled. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't tell anyone. Gossip in this town can't be trusted."
"How long have you known he was wanted?"
"Since the day after he confronted Utah in the Timberline Market parking lot."
"You could have told me."
"You've got too much on your mind."
Because of Utah and his last mission. Mason couldn't hold that against his dad. He wouldn't have contributed to the gossip here, but he had been burdened over what to do about Utah.
###
"Mornin' Utah."
Walking down Main S
treet, Utah turned with a confused frown to see Bernie waving at her from the Timberline Market parking lot. The local realtor normally didn't give her the time of day. She waved back, hoping her makeup covered the bruise on her cheek.
"Glad to see you're doing all right," Bernie said.
"Thanks." Why was he being so friendly? She stopped as he approached.
"We heard what Megan did. She's a blabbermouth but who would have thought she'd go that far? I hope that man will leave you alone now."
What had Megan done? Bernie sounded as though she'd done more than call Calvin and tell him she was here. She decided not to ask.
"I'm sure Andy and Mason will see to that." Mason especially.
"We're lucky to have them."
Them. Bernie talked as though Mason were already a fixture over at the sheriff's office.
"You ever need help selling your house, you be sure and stop by."
"Oh, I'm pretty happy where I am, but thanks anyway."
"You could afford a lot bigger place, I bet."
Utah didn't take offense to his comment, not sensing any ill intent. "Maybe so, but I don't want anything bigger."
Bernie smiled in a genuine way. "Should have seen that about you sooner, Utah. I'm sorry I fell for all the talk around here."
"Part of living in a small town," she dismissed the apology.
Bernie resumed his trek to his car and Utah hers toward Ro's. She was still ruminating over Bernie's friendliness when a waitress from Angler's passed and said hello.
"Utah. Good to see you out and about."
She turned to see Lulu about to enter a bookstore. She waved and continued on. What was going on? What had happened to change their minds about her? They must have heard about her attack. Was that all it had taken to soften their regard?
Roanne opened the door to her flower shop before Utah reached it. "It's about time you got here!" She tugged Utah inside, making her walk faster.
"I just had a pleasant conversation with Bernie," Utah said.
"You're not going to believe this!" Roanne swung her around so they faced each other. "Everybody is trashing Megan today. She's probably going to lose her café."
Utah didn't want to celebrate anyone's demise. "I'm going to start having breakfast at the Over Easy more often."
Roanne cocked her head. "What?"
"Megan doesn't deserve to lose her livelihood over a few nasty comments about me."
"The woman is a shallow cad. And don't you think for a minute that she'd have extended you the same nicety."
"That's just a cover for her insecurities."
"You called her a hen."
"I know."
Roanne gaped at her. "When did you get so humble?"
"Megan isn't my friend, but I don't want to take pleasure in her failure."
"Lulu and Melva ordered flowers for you."
"Really?"
"Talk about kissing ass."
"What kind of flowers?"
"Cheap. Carnations."
Utah smiled and laughed a little. "It's the thought that counts."
"When Lulu called to place the order, she couldn't stop talking about how Mason ran Calvin out of town."
Mason ran Calvin out of town? She shouldn't be surprised. Much less even more infatuated than ever. "When did that happen?"
"Just a little while ago. Annie said she saw them at the Gas n' Snack. Calvin's face was bruised and he looked afraid of Mason and Andy. The whole town is romanticizing about it. They hope Mason runs for sheriff."
Utah rolled her eyes. "Why is it so hard for people around here to stick to the facts? Why does there always have to be an embellishment to go along with the talk?" Romanticizing about Mason and her. Calvin could have killed her!
"In this case, it's justified, honey. Mason is a hottie and it's Megan who lied to make you look bad. Andy made sure that was made public. You told the truth about Arthur."
"What did Andy do?"
"Something out of character for him." Roanne laughed with glee and went to the checkout counter. There, she handed Utah the Timberline newspaper. Not really a newspaper. More of a what's-everybody-up-to flyer. No national news.
On the front page was the story about Calvin breaking into her house and attacking her.
"Go to the second to last page," Roanne said.
Utah turned there and saw another headline.
Over Easy Over Done.
She read on.
Megan's eggs have finally run over her plate. When I met Utah Pieper at the West End Inn for lunch, it wasn't to whisk her up to a room and do what she and Mason did the night of the Celebrate the West Festival.
"Uh!" Utah was appalled. How could he? Was he scheming again?
"Keep reading," Roanne said.
"Utah asked to meet me for lunch so that she could tell me something private about Mason. Most of you know that Mason came home on leave, but what you don't know is he came home to heal from a terrible experience in the Army. Utah was concerned for him and that's why she met me for lunch at the West End Inn. She is not the wicked gold-digger Megan has done her best to prove her to be.
I resent Megan's heartless lie and resent even more that she lured a hardened criminal to our peaceful town. Because of her careless tongue-wagging, Utah was attacked and could have been seriously injured or killed as a result. As sheriff of this town, I demand that from now on, all citizens behave themselves in a respectful, courteous manner, with the good of the community their highest priority.
Utah looked up at Roanne.
"Andy was pissed when he found out what Megan said about you and him meeting at the West End." Roanne nodded, her eyes bright with emphasis. "Her hand has been duly slapped."
Utah was no longer the talk of the town. At least, not in a negative way, unless she considered the town supporting a union between her and Mason negative. While it thrilled her to finally have respect, she hesitated letting Mason's chivalrous actions woo her too much. And Andy...
"I'm going to kill Andy for telling the whole town I slept with Mason!"
"When I read that I almost choked on my orange juice this morning. Where did you go with him? Keegan said you were last seen riding alone with him in the hay wagon."
Utah dropped the newspaper down on the counter. "Well, there you have it."
"The wagon?" Roanne wiggled her eyebrows. "Lots of hay. I love it! Oh, Utah, I'm so thrilled for you."
"And at his house," Utah wasn't finished. She only told Roanne all of this because she was her best friend. She may talk about some things, but something this personal she'd keep to herself. And Utah needed to confide in her. "All night and the next morning, too."
"That good, huh?" Roanne wasn't teasing. She didn't smile, to make light of it. She could see that Utah wasn't happy.
"Yes. So good, it crushed me afterward. He isn't going to stay, Ro."
Someone entered the flower shop. Roanne took Utah to the back and sent her one worker up front. When the swinging doors closed, she said to Utah, "You're sure?"
"He all but told me."
"He did? He told you he wasn't staying?"
"Not in exact words." She explained all that Mason had told her at the fairgrounds when he'd dropped her off at her car.
"He has compelling reasons for going back, but I just can't see him staying away for good, Utah."
She couldn't allow herself the luxury of that speculation. "I have to let him go."
"Yes, I see that. He needs to find closure. But he'll be back, you wait and see."
"I'm not so sure."
"Do you really think the night you shared together had no impact on him?"
Recalling the intensity they'd shared, Utah had to say no. She shook her head, weighed down with sadness.
"It was the same with Keegan and me. Sex is a big indicator of how good a relationship is between a man and a woman. Keegan and I didn't know each other, though. You and Mason have a history. That makes the bond so much stronger."
Utah's hea
rt wrenched with the truth of what her friend said. "What if Mason doesn't find closure, Ro?"
That resonated with Roanne. Understanding left her with no response.
"You see now why I can't hang on to the hope that he comes back to me."
After a moment of contemplation, Roanne nodded. "Yes. I do see that. So you don't hang onto it. I'll hang onto it for you."
She still believed Mason would be back. It got her thinking. Losing Mason would be painful no matter when he left, but...
"He isn't gone yet."
Catching on, Roanne smiled wryly. "Nope."
Once he was gone, she'd let go of him and move on with her life. Until then, she'd give him plenty to remember. She'd give him a reason to want to come back. She'd fight for him while she still had him.
With new vigor, she began planning.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Mason could smell Utah's kitchen before he even opened the door. She was cooking. Did Utah cook? Stepping inside, aroma bathed him. When she'd called, she'd just said to come over. And he hadn't been able to resist.
She peeked her head around the wall of the kitchen, pulling a spoon from between her lips, then sucking her fingers. The light in her eyes said it all. She was no longer an outcast in town and Calvin was gone. The change had done her well. God, she was beautiful.
He went into the kitchen. Utah walked over to the kitchen counter. She wore jean shorts that were frayed at the hem and a white halter. Her hair was piled on top of her head and her feet were bare. Her trim ankles sloped to shapely calves and lean thighs. The shorts covered her ass, but only that.
She turned with the spoon in hand, a round, green thing with a tomato and cheese on top of it. She brought the offering to his mouth.
"Zucchini tomato bites," she said in a husky, happy tone.
He let her put the appetizer into his mouth, watching the pleasure in her eyes and wondering if he was missing something.
Without looking away, he chewed and swallowed. He wasn't crazy about zucchini but these were really good.
"You know what they say about the way to a man's heart," she said.
What did she mean by that? "Then I'm in for a treat tonight."
Her lip still looked sore as hell, but she seemed to be faring just fine. More than just fine. She was radiant. Content.
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