by D'Ann Lindun
“Nah.”
Mark passed the frosty bottle across the slick bar and resettled himself in front of the TV.
A little pissed at Mark’s inattention, Tad said, “What are you watching?”
Keeping his gaze on the TV, Mark shrugged. “A crime show.”
“Oh yeah?” Tad glanced at the screen. “What about?”
“Serial killers.”
Tad sipped his cold beer. “Oh, yeah? Do tell.”
“Some guy in Arizona is killing young women and mutilating their bodies.” Mark looked his way—and something haunted flashed in his eyes—then back toward the screen. “Mostly Native American girls.”
Tad didn’t give a damn, but he asked, “Have you heard anything from Rosie?”
Mark stiffened. “No.”
“Bet she took off on a whim.” Tad downed more beer, belched and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Not much keeping her here.”
The barkeep flinched as if he’d been struck. “No, I guess not.”
“It’s all bullshit anyway,” Tad offered.
Dragging his gaze from the TV, Mark lifted an eyebrow. “What is?”
“Serial killers.”
Finally, Mark turned completely away from the TV and focused on Tad with mild interest. “I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“They’re a myth. Like Bigfoot. That kind of shit.” Tad tipped his beer toward the TV. “Take your murderer there. It’s probably a half dozen killers all copying each other. But most cops are too dumb to figure that out. They see a dead body that looks remotely like any other, they jump to pin it on one guy instead of two.”
Mark looked skeptical. “Why?”
“Easier that way. Keeps panic down, too. The general public gets hold of this kind of information, there’d be pandemonium in the streets.” He waved his empty bottle. “Pony up.”
After the bartender did as asked, he settled back in his seat and faced Tad. “You telling me in this small town, four or five women have probably been killed by as many different dudes?”
“Nah. I think the bitches all took off. Every single one of them.”
“Why’s that?”
Tad scooped up another handful of peanuts and took his time shelling a few. He popped them in his mouth and chewed noisily. Finally, he swallowed. “Can you think of anything worse than being a postman, or in this case post-broad?” He looked around. “Well, maybe being a waitress here might suck dick more than lugging around a bunch of letters all day. If I was either one, I’d take off so fast you wouldn’t see my dust.”
“Rosie liked it here.” Mark frowned. “She was happy.”
Tad kept talking as if Mark hadn’t spoken. “And those two teenagers probably hit the first bus for Denver. I went to high school in this town. It was like being in a four-year coma.”
“Somebody killed that lady rancher,” Mark reminded him.
“Did they? I think she got tossed off her horse, broke her neck, and our new sheriff is making it into something it’s not.” He took a gulp of his beer. “She’s trying to make a name for herself by linking all these women together in some kind of twisted murder mystery so this town won’t regret hiring her ass.”
Mark glared into Tad’s eyes with an intensity that made him sit back a few inches. “Or one crazy fucker killed them all, dismembered their bodies and left them to rot in the sun.”
Tad lifted his beer with a hand that shook a little. “Maybe.”
With a suddenness that startled Tad into almost falling off his chair, Mark lunged to his feet and leaned across the bar. “Maybe you ought to get off your fat ass, and start looking instead of coming in here and throwing around bullshit ideas that nobody but you would ever buy.”
“Fuck you.” Tad shoved his cap down hard over his ears and stomped out of the bar. Dumb bastard anyway. Who gave a shit what he thought?
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Jamie’s head felt like a bowl of warmed over oatmeal, but she wanted out of the clinic too much to care. She’d dressed in her P.J.s, grimacing at the bloodstained top. When the nurse came to check on her, Jamie insisted she was ready to go, but might sit a few minutes first.
The nurse left with a disapproving look, and in a few seconds, came back with the doctor. He examined Jamie’s eyes, ears and then her wound. “I’m going to advise you to take it easy for a few days. You have a mild concussion. You don’t want to risk ripping those stitches.”
Jamie nodded, winced and pretended like it didn’t hurt. “I will.”
He scribbled something on a piece of paper and handed it to her. “This is a prescription for pain medication. It’ll make you sleepy, so no driving.”
She took it and stuffed it in the pocket of her pants. “Got it.”
“Who’s going to drive you home?”
“I am.”
They both turned toward the sound of a male voice in the doorway. Austin stood there, Stetson in his hands. He looked good enough to eat. Jamie shivered. She glanced down at her own pitiful get-up and resisted the urge to run in the bathroom and hide like a rodent. She’d been about to go to bed last night when she’d been attacked, and her P.J.s weren’t exactly sexy. Pale blue top with spaghetti straps, bottoms same color with fluffy sheep all over them. Flip-flops. With a pristine white bandage around her head, she must look like a homeless hippy.
When her horrified gaze met Austin’s, his lips quirked. “I called your mom and told her I’d pick you up. She’s going to meet you at your house with Dani.”
Before she could respond, the doctor repeated his instructions and Austin nodded. “Got it. Plenty of rest.”
“That’s right,” the doctor said. “If you have any questions, call my office.”
“Thanks,” Jamie called after his retreating back. She looked at Austin. “I want out of here.”
“I don’t blame you.”
She glared at him. “Go ahead and say it.”
He feigned innocence. “Say what?”
“That I look like road kill.”
“I never thought that.”
She snorted. “Right.”
~*~
By the time they reached her house, Jamie wished she’d stayed at the clinic just a little longer. Her head throbbed and her stomach churned like an old-fashioned washing machine. When Austin came around to open her door, she swayed.
“Come here.” Before she could protest, he scooped her up in his arms. His heart pounded a steady rhythm under her palm and his muscles bunched and corded as he carried her the short distance. He placed her on the sofa. “Feeling low?”
She felt too bad to deny it. “Been better.” Hammer padded in from the kitchen, and Jamie stroked his head. “Hi, boy.”
Austin dialed, filled Rae in on Jamie’s condition, then hung up. “Your mom is on her way.”
“I hate for Dani to see this.” She pointed to her bandaged head. “I don’t want to scare her by this.”
Austin didn’t reply as he slipped out of the room. In a flash, he was back with a pillow and a blanket from Jamie’s bed. He placed the pillow under her head and covered her. “Get some rest. I’ll stay until your mom gets here.”
“Thanks.”
Austin sat on the coffee table facing the couch. “I know you don’t feel great, but I need to ask you something before your mom shows up.”
“Shoot.” Jamie struggled to stay awake. The medication the doctor had given her was kicking in, making her woozy.
He looked grim. “Kate’s belt buckle wasn’t here when I came back.”
Even in her half-doped state, Jamie understood what he said. “What? It has to be here.”
“It’s not.”
She shook her head a little to clear it, and pain throttled her. “I know it’s around here someplace.”
“Where was the last place you remember having it?”
She gnawed her bottom lip. “My bedroom. I dropped the thing on the end of the bed when it occurred to me what it was. When I went back in my
bedroom I was hurt so I didn’t look for it.” By his frown, she couldn’t tell if he didn’t believe her, or he thought her head injury had addled her brains. “It was there. I held it.”
“I believe you. I think someone came back and took it.”
She struggled into a sitting position. “What? Why?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. My best guess is someone is trying to scare you off of this investigation.”
She squared her chin. “It’s not working. I’m not running.”
His gray eyes narrowed. “Maybe you should.”
Their gazes clashed. “No.”
“You could get killed.” Something—grief?—filled his voice.
“Yes, and I could get killed in an arena, or driving, or sleeping. I’m not letting this guy scare me away. I took a job, and I’m going to see it through.”
“Even if it kills you?”
“Even if it kills me,” she declared.
“You have a little girl who needs you,” he said. “Think about her.”
“I think about Dani day and night. I need to show her to stand up for what you believe. That you don’t cut and run when things get boggy.” Jamie took a deep breath. “I’m afraid, Austin. But I’m more scared of letting Dani down. And I owe my dad, who put his trust in me to see this through.”
He didn’t argue any more.
By his silence she knew she’d won.
But at what cost?
“Speaking of Dani, do you want her to see you like this?” Austin nodded at Jamie’s bloodstained tank.
Jamie glanced down and an involuntary gasp slid out of her. The top rode low on her breasts, and her nipples stood at attention. God. She was putting on quite a show. The man was her co-worker, not her boyfriend, and he shouldn’t see her half-dressed. A little late, but she had to regain some semblance of a professional relationship. “I need a shower, then get to work.”
“You shouldn’t get your stitches wet,” he advised. “And you’re in no shape for work.”
She’d argue with him about work when she was cleaned up. “A bath then.”
He stood before she could, and said, “I’ll run it.”
“You don’t have to do that—” She spoke to his disappearing back. She sighed. An invisible line had been crossed, and she wasn’t sure how to step back across. Sort of like getting a pant leg tangled in downed barbed wire—the more you twisted to get free, the more you got torn up.
Austin was back in a flash. “Bath water is drawn. I found clean towels, and laid two out for you. Anything else I can do?”
“No.” She amended her cranky tone. “Thanks.”
He moved to help her. “Can you stand on your own?”
She shot him a disbelieving look. “Of course.”
Crossing his arms over his chest, he said, “Show me.”
Determined to show him how silly he was acting, she pushed to her feet. Stars swam in front of her eyes and the world tilted sideways. If the couch hadn’t caught her, she would have landed flat on the floor. “Oh.”
“A little woozy?” His voice sounded like it came from over the next ridge.
“Uh-huh.” Jamie closed her eyes. “Maybe I’ll rest for a bit.”
Before she could react, he picked her up and carried her down the hallway into her bedroom, and with surprising gentleness, placed her on the bed. “You’re in no shape for a bath. You might drown if I leave you alone.”
She winced. “I’m fine. I need to get to work.”
“You’re not. You have a head injury that needs attention.” He moved to her doorway. “Get some rest. I’ll call Hattie and tell her you’re taking a personal day.”
Already her eyes were drifting shut. “Thanks.”
~*~
Austin sat in the living room with Dani while Rae checked on Jamie.
She returned and cut her eyes toward Dani, who was busy playing on the floor. “Sweetheart, why don’t you take your toys and go play in your room for awhile?”
Dani stuck out her bottom lip. “I want to see Mommy.”
“She’s sleeping right now. You can see her when she wakes up.” Rae bent to help Dani scoop up her plastic ponies, then took the child’s hand and guided her toward her bedroom at the back of the house.
When she was safely out of earshot, Rae returned and faced him. “Do you have any leads?”
Austin met her worried eyes. “No.”
“Why not?”
Because the woman was frightened, Austin didn’t let his irritation show. “There aren’t any.”
Rae raised her brows. “How can there not be any clues?”
“The guy is stealthy.”
“He’s a damn ghost,” Rae said. “Four missing women, one dead, another attacked and nobody seems to be able to do a thing about it.”
“We’ll catch him,” Austin said. “It just takes a little time.”
“You don’t have any time.” Rae fisted her hands by her hips. “How many women have to die before this guy’s put out of his misery? I’m going home and load up every rifle in the house. I’m damn sure not letting my granddaughter out of my sight. And I’m making my daughter quit this ridiculous job. It was fine when she was going to issue a few tickets, maybe break up a fight or two at the rodeo, but this is insanity.”
“I’m not quitting, Mom.” Both turned toward the hallway where Jamie stood. She stepped into the living room. “I mean it. I’m not turning tail and running. I wouldn’t be Big Jim’s daughter if I did.”
Rae considered her with a worried expression. “Somebody got the drop on you last night.”
“It won’t happen again,” Jamie assured her. “I was careless.”
“You can’t afford to be sloppy.” Concern clouded Rae’s blue eyes. “This maniac is deadly.”
Austin remained silent, but he hoped Jamie’s mother might talk her out of continuing. From their conversation earlier, he doubted she would have any more luck than Austin had. In spite of his reservations, her determination to press on impressed him. So did her grit. Marisol had been tough, but Jamie was stronger in many ways. He doubted Marisol could have juggled motherhood and a career in the style Jamie did.
Sometime in the last hour, she’d bathed. Dressed in worn Levis with a hole in one knee and a plain T-shirt, she looked almost normal—except for the white bandage around her head. When his gaze dropped to her feet, his tongue swelled. Her toenails were painted bubblegum pink, close to the shade of her T-shirt. He’d always been a sucker for a woman with a pastel toenail polish.
Austin realized Rae’s gaze was on him and he reluctantly looked up. The woman had a speculative look in her eye and Austin schooled his features to impassive. “I’ve got her back.”
“You make sure that’s all you have,” Rae said.
“Yes, ma’am.” Austin meant it. As cute as she was, Jamie was too young for him. And she had a kid. Something he wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole, much less his cock.
“Mom, please.” Jamie’s face flamed and she looked as if she might crawl under the couch.
Rae changed the subject. “Who’s hungry? I brought soup.”
Dani skipped into the room and threw herself into Jamie’s arms. “Hi, Mommy.”
“Hey, sugar.” Jamie kissed her daughter and hugged her tight. “You hungry? Gram brought lunch.”
Dani ignored the question and stared at the wrap on Jamie’s head. “Did you get an owie? How did you get it?”
Jamie gave her daughter a solemn look. “I fell down and hit my head. I have to wear this bandage for a few days, then I’ll be good as new.”
Austin’s chest tightened as he watched the mother and daughter. He couldn’t remember a time his mother had spoken so gently to him or his brother. Usually she’d been screaming at them to get out of her way, and out of her house. The minute they turned eighteen, it was all over. She threw them out and didn’t expect to see them again.
And she hadn’t.
Austin got lucky. By his eighteenth birthda
y, he’d graduated high school and had won a small scholarship to the community college. When Austin turned eighteen, Andy still had six months to go before graduation. With few options, Andy joined the Marines. Last Austin heard, his little brother was still in Afghanistan.
“Let’s eat,” Rae said impatiently. “The sooner Jamie gets her strength, the sooner she can catch this creep.”
“What creep, Gram?” Dani’s blue eyes were huge as she climbed out of Jamie’s lap.
“Never mind, Miss Nosypants. Come on. Let’s eat before the soup gets cold.” When Austin moved to leave, Rae said, “You stay, too, Austin. There’s plenty.”
Dani rushed over and grabbed his hand. “Sit by me, Mr. Varner.”
Charmed in spite of himself by her bright blue eyes and cheeky grin, he nodded. “Okay. I will. Thank you, Miss Dani.”
The conversation stayed light over lunch due to Dani’s presence. No one mentioned Jamie’s attack, Kate Hollenbreck, or the missing women. As usual, Rae had outdone herself with enough chicken noodle soup for an army, fresh baked rolls with butter, and fruit salad.
Austin thought if he kept eating Rae’s food, he’d be the size of a house. He buttered a second roll and thought what the hell.
Rae wasn’t fat, tiny in fact. He’d never met anyone nicer, though, or with a kinder heart. He glanced at Jamie. How did she stay so thin, yet curvy in all the right places, eating like this? But Jamie hadn’t gotten her height, or figure, from her mom. What was her daddy like? He’d seen a few pics and the guy had the girth of a grizzly bear. Stood almost as tall as one, too. Apparently, people didn’t call him Big Jim for no reason.
He glanced at Jamie and his appetite vanished. The black circles around her eyes were pronounced and her skin tone was icy white. She looked as if she might faint at any moment. “You need to lie down.”
To his surprise, she didn’t argue with him. “I do.”
Rae leapt to her feet. “Come on, sugar. I’ll help you. Dani, you come, too. You could use a nap.”
Dani’s bottom lip stuck out as she pushed away from the table, but she didn’t argue.