Small-Town Secrets
Page 15
“Let’s get out of here. Maybe we’ll see something on the way back.” She pulled open the door.
She doubted they would see anything. Not if the person was able to get up there without being detected, and could escape unnoticed just as easily. But she was going to hope.
“There’re any number of trails out here as long as you have an off-road vehicle.” Cole helped her into the truck and closed the door after her. He walked around the front of the vehicle, passing through the glare of the headlights, and climbed into his seat. Nothing in his actions hinted that he felt they were under observation. He switched on the engine and turned the vehicle around to move down the dirt trail.
Bree pretended vague interest as she looked out the window.
Cole was right. Anyone with the right kind of vehicle could get up there.
She felt the watcher was still around, secure in his hiding place. And sure he hadn’t been detected. She couldn’t imagine it was a casual passerby who’d happened to see them, and play the role of Peeping Tom.
The tingling along the back of her neck told her she was right: whoever was up there had deliberately followed them.
As so many times before, she wondered why.
Chapter 9
“Any idea who it could have been back there?” Bree asked as Cole sped down the highway.
“Not a one. How about you? Any ideas come to you? Maybe a jealous ex-boyfriend?”
“Not a one,” she parroted.
“Damn, I don’t like it,” he muttered. “Could we have been followed since the restaurant? Before then? I don’t like to think someone’s been tailing us all evening.”
“I have trouble believing anyone followed us from the restaurant. I didn’t sense anyone watching us while we had dinner.” Bree searched her memory but came up a blank.
“We should have sensed something,” he said grimly. He didn’t need to point out that they’d been too occupied with each other to worry about any unwanted watchers. He cursed fluidly under his breath.
“Perhaps we both overreacted. For all we know it could have been a coyote or mountain lion or even a dog back there,” she commented, unable to stop glancing in the sideview mirror. There wasn’t even a hint of headlights along the flat road.
“Is that what you think?”
“No, but it sounds good.” She wrapped the shawl around her even though the interior of the vehicle was warm.
“Let’s say you were feeling paranoid about something and you happened to see the people who caused your paranoia. Would you try to creep up on them? Do whatever it took to hear what they were saying?” he asked.
“If I had the mind-set whoever is following us does. And if I had a chance, I’d do it.”
He glanced up, looking at the rearview mirror for the same reason she’d checked the mirror on her side.
The road was as empty as it had been two minutes ago.
Cole felt uneasy. Tonight the traffic on the highway wasn’t even sporadic. He pressed down harder on the accelerator. The big engine immediately responded and the speedometer needle moved upward.
“If you get stopped for speeding, don’t expect me to intercede,” Bree said.
“I won’t worry if you won’t.” Cole silently damned himself. He’d wanted to show Bree something beautiful. He hadn’t expected to kiss her and find himself practically knocked out of his socks.
What else could have happened up there was a moot point. Considering his reaction, it was probably a good thing it hadn’t gone any further. With his luck, a sheriff’s copter would have shown up at the wrong time.
He was relieved there weren’t any headlights behind them. He’d hate to think he’d have to dig out his cell phone so he’d have it close at hand.
“You don’t happen to have a gun in that tiny excuse for a purse, do you?” he asked half-jokingly.
“It’s expected I carry a weapon when I’m off duty,” she replied.
“Good. I hadn’t anticipated running into anything out there, but if we had, it’s nice to know one of us had protection.”
“Now why doesn’t that comfort me?” she asked out loud.
“I don’t know. You’re the one with the gun.” He wasn’t going to breathe a sigh of relief until he escorted Bree to her door.
The moment he pulled into the driveway, Cole started to feel the tension in his shoulders start to loosen.
“I don’t even want to think what this means,” Bree murmured, looking at the house. Not only was the light by the front door burning brightly, it looked like all the lights inside the house were blazing as well.
“Probably makes you want to come over to my place instead,” Cole said, feeling his old self return.
She turned around and eyed him. “I don’t think so.”
He hopped out and walked around to her door. “Wild party? Long distance phone calls? Watching dirty movies?”
“You’re talking about your idea of an evening’s entertainment, Becker. Not theirs.” She nudged him with her elbow as they walked toward the door. “I have to say you sure know how to show a girl a good time. Dinner. A nice view of the county. A Peeping Tom. A mad race back to the house. I can’t imagine you’ll be able to top this.”
“I aim to please.” He pulled on her hand to stop her from reaching for the doorknob.
She tipped her head back. “I’d invite you in, but I plan to kill my children for running the electric bill up a good thousand dollars, and if you saw me commit the murders, I’d have to kill you, too.”
“Come on, Bree,” he murmured, moving closer to her. “Danger’s a great aphrodisiac.”
“Not when there are three minors in the vicinity.”
He didn’t miss the sparkle in her eye. The lady could be convinced. He’d started to work on that when the sound of raised voices reached them.
Bree sighed. “Thank you for a lovely dinner, Cole,” she said softly.
“You are very welcome.” He smiled. “And I’d like to do it again.”
“Next time we’ll take Jinx. He can flush out the rabbits who might have been spying on us.” She dug her key out of her purse. “Drive carefully.”
“I will.” He took a chance and dropped a light kiss on her lips. “Good night, Fitzpatrick.” He waited until she opened the door and slipped inside the house.
Cole sat in the truck. He drummed his fingers against the steering wheel.
“When I find out who was up there, we are going to have a serious conversation,” he muttered as he started up the engine.
Bree was still smiling when she stepped into the family room. She was prepared to referee a battle between David and Sara about who handled the television remote control. She would even accomplish it without resorting to threats. Instead, she found Lacey and David seated on the couch, watching a movie, while Sara, cradling a bowl of popcorn in her lap, slouched in the big easy chair. She noticed her stepmother’s presence first. She smirked.
“Hi, Mom,” she sang out.
David and Lacey’s heads swiveled around. Guilt crossed the young man’s face.
“Hi, Mom,” he said quietly. “Lacey’s parents were gone for the evening and she felt nervous staying there by herself.”
Bree mentally gave him points for meeting the problem head-on and not making excuses.
“Did you see or hear something that bothered you, Lacey?” she asked.
“It’s not like I haven’t been by myself at night before. I have,” the girl replied. “I don’t know why I felt nervous tonight, but I didn’t want to stay there.”
After the last hour, Bree could comprehend that feeling.
“Understandable.” She unwound her shawl and dropped it on the back of the couch. She was tempted to wrap it around the young girl, who wore a red silk handkerchief halter top and black leather miniskirt. She wondered how Lacey managed not to freeze when she was out in the chilly night air. “Did you leave your folks a note in case they get back before you? I wouldn’t want them to worry.”
“This is different.” Bree gestured for her to remain seated. “Not to mention you two had the best chaperone around.” She glanced at Sara, who was busy tossing popcorn into the air and catching it in her mouth.
“At least I let them sit together,” she stated. “How was your evening?”
“We had dinner at a very nice restaurant out of town.”
“You must have gone to Sadie’s Place,” Lacey said. “My parents go there a lot.” She sat back and crossed her legs.
Bree silently prayed the skirt wouldn’t go much higher.
“Yes, we did.” She smiled at them. “And if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get out of these grown-up clothes.” She shot David a telling glance. She gathered up her shawl and draped it over her arm.
“I’ll be right back,” he murmured to Lacey as he rose to his feet.
He followed Bree down the hallway.
“She was really scared, Mom,” he said. “And with what happened here, I couldn’t let her stay there alone. She said she knew it had to be her imagination, but she heard stuff out back and they don’t have a dog or anything.”
“David, you don’t have to explain. I understand.” Bree waved her hand dismissively. “Did anything happen around here while I was gone?”
He shook his head. “All was quiet. The kitten went to sleep after she ate a big can of tuna. She’s in a box in the laundry room. Cody asked if Jinx could sleep in his room and I said it was fine. He said he was going to stay awake until you got home, but he conked out about fifteen minutes after going to bed.” David stood in the doorway, his hands jammed in his jeans’ pockets. “So, you like this guy?”
“Cole is very nice.” She reached behind her and unfastened her necklace, placing it on her dresser top. “An interesting conversationalist.”
“Does he have anything to do with the weird stuff that’s gone on around here?” David asked.
“More like he’s had some of it, too.” She glanced at the clock. “If Lacey wants to use the guest room, she’s welcome to as long as she calls her parents to let them know she’s staying over.”
He looked surprised at her offer.
“David, there is no way I would let you take her home if her parents still aren’t there. I don’t think she should be alone,” she said. “Sara can loan her a nightgown.”
“Thanks. I’ll tell her. I’d feel better if she stayed.” He turned away.
“David, do you think Tim Holloway could have been over there?” she asked.
His features tightened. “I thought of it. I don’t care if he is the sheriff’s son. He’s a bastard who would do anything to get his way. Lacey said he wasn’t happy when she broke up with him.”
“Think of him as the walking plague and stay out of his way,” she recommended. Then something occurred to her. “You said she broke up with him. Did she ever say why?”
He shook his head. “She never wanted to talk about it and I didn’t push. I don’t think it was good, though. She got really upset about my fight with him.”
“Her hero.” Bree’s lips curved. “Don’t stay up too late even if you don’t have school tomorrow. And make sure Sara doesn’t try to talk Lacey into loaning her that skirt.”
“Good night. And thanks.” He flashed her a smile.
Bree went into the bathroom and grabbed her robe. It didn’t take her long to wash her face and change into her nightclothes. Then she moved quietly down the hallway.
Jinx lifted his head and promptly dropped it when he recognized the late-night intruder. Bree murmured a few words to him before she walked over to the bed, with its Dalmatians comforter hanging halfway to the floor. She straightened the covers and pressed her lips lightly against Cody’s forehead.
He half opened his eyes. “Mom?” The word came out a sleepy croak.
“Go back to sleep,” she whispered.
“Lacey came over,” he mumbled. “Sara said David would get in trouble cuz she was here. Lacey was nice. She told me Eartha Katt is really pretty. Then she made me hot chocolate and she put lots of marshmallows in it.” He rolled over and promptly fell back to sleep.
“I’m glad to hear she knew how to get you on her side.” Bree straightened the covers around his shoulder. “May the angels come down and be with you through the night. And may they sing sweet songs to you while you sleep. And may you have happy dreams.” She kissed him again before she left.
Minutes later, she was curled up in bed, tired but unable to sleep. The evening’s events crowded her mind.
Not only that, but memories of Cole kissing and caressing her left her feeling unsettled. She told herself it was because it had been a long time since she’d been the object of a man’s desire, and naturally, she would eat it up like a hot fudge sundae.
Which had her thinking about the way Cole looked at her. She’d swear it was the same way Eartha Katt had looked at that can of tuna earlier this evening. Bree felt as if she could turn into the main course on the man’s menu if she wasn’t careful.
“I don’t need a man in my life,” she told herself, rolling over and punching her pillow. She repeated that mantra until she fell asleep.
Bree had no idea how long she’d been sleeping, but the house was dark and quiet when her eyes snapped open.
Jinx had left Cody’s bedroom and come into hers. His low throaty growl was her next clue something wasn’t right. She slowly turned her head to see the dog standing at the window. Even in the dim light she could tell his body was tense and his fur practically stood straight up. He didn’t move from his position.
Bree murmured Jinx’s name as she slowly turned and reached into her nightstand drawer, pulling out her weapon. She stealthily made her way to the wall next to the window and flattened herself against it. She’d just started to part the miniblinds to look outside when she heard the distinctive sound of a truck engine growing fainter by the minute.
She knew Jinx would have been standing there from the moment he realized something was wrong. She cursed herself for sleeping so deeply she hadn’t been aware sooner.
Not that it would have helped. She knew it had to have been the same truck that was out there before.
“What were you looking for this time?” she whispered. “Thought you’d find Becker’s truck parked in my driveway?” She looked down at the German shepherd, who still hadn’t relaxed. “Thanks, partner. Jinx, stand down.”
He backed up a few steps and sat on his haunches. Bree went into the kitchen and returned with a training treat, which he inhaled.
“Do me a favor. Next time let me know when they arrive,” she told the dog.
She climbed into bed again and settled back. Sleep refused to return. She replaced her weapon in the drawer and picked up the phone.
“Maybe I should put this number on speed dial.”
“Yeah?” The sleepy growl sounded intoxicating to her still-heightened senses.
“Not a morning person, are we?” She settled the covers around her knees. “I had a visitor tonight.”
“The truck?” Now he sounded more alert.
“Jinx let me know. It was leaving when I tried to get a look. Maybe I should set up a motion sensor light out there. Give my visitor a surprise next time. Do you think installing a thousand-watt bulb would be a bit too much?”
“Damn,” Cole mumbled. “What the hell is going on?”
“That I figured out. Someone thinks you have me convinced of something. After this, I’d say we were wrong. There was someone at the restaurant, but there was nothing going on to alert us. Only when we were out in a place where there shouldn’t have been any other human beings could we sense someone there. Just as there was no reason for anyone to check on me at—” she leaned over to glance at the clock “—four-thirty in the morning.”
&nb
sp; “Four-thirty?” Cole groaned. “You couldn’t have waited a few hours before calling to tell me all this? What is it with you and middle of the night phone calls?”
“I wasn’t going to wait until you were awake and alert, and I couldn’t catch you off guard. I would have asked Jinx to make the call, but he always calls those psychic hotlines.” She pulled out a notebook and began writing.
“What are you doing?” Cole asked.
“Talking to you.”
“No, you sound distracted. You’re doing something else at the same time.” A rustle of sheets sounded faintly on his end.
“I’m writing down everything that’s happened from the beginning. I should have documented this from the get-go.”
“So when you got inside, did you have to break up any wild parties?”
“I guess they decided to behave tonight. What do you know about Lacey Danvers?”
“Ah, the lovely Lacey. She dated Tim Holloway for two years. Amazing they stayed together so long, since he treated her pretty lousy. Their breakup could have rivaled World War II for fireworks. Tim insists he dropped her. I’d hazard a good guess it was the other way around.”
“What about her parents?”
“Her parents?” he repeated.
“Yes, parents,” she said, losing her patience, but keeping her voice low in case anyone else was awake. She’d noticed Lacey had closed her door when she went to bed. “You know. The adults who supposedly are in charge of her.”
“Ken Danvers is an extremely successful general contractor. Maria Danvers’s major hobby is spending her husband’s money. They like to party.”
“And their daughter?” Bree already didn’t like what she was hearing.
“Unlimited spending money, credit cards and next to no supervision. A year ago a kid made the mistake of calling her a slut. Tim practically turned the kid into hamburger. It was written off as self-defense.”
“Is that all you know?”
“I told you gossip is almost as popular as cable around here. What I really think is that she’s basically a nice kid who acts the way she does because she doesn’t want anyone to know how hurt she really is.”