“That’s not going to happen, Jo. You’ll see.” I patted her hand. “Even Gary said Cole would never let anything happen to his family.”
“At what cost?” Jo asked, her eyes filling with tears.
Another disturbing thought came to me. “You said Cole went to the bike expo, right?”
“Yeah. He loves motorcycles.”
“He’s not the only one,” I said, and bit my lip.
“What do you mean?”
“I’m pretty sure that was where Gunther and his sidekick and some mysterious guy they were trying to catch up to were headed over an hour ago.” Our lunch had taken longer than normal due to a left-over mess from a large crowd of bikers. My phone buzzed. I checked the caller ID. My stomach pitched. It was Mitch. Knowing I couldn’t avoid him forever, I said, “I have to take this. I’ll be right back.”
I stepped away from our table. “Hi, Mitch. How’ve you been?”
“We live together, Tink. You see me every day.”
“I see you, but I don’t really see you. Not since I brought up the whole baby thing.”
He hesitated, then finally said, “I’ve been busy with work.”
“Yeah, me too.” I felt guilty over feeling relieved. Almost just as quickly, I knew we couldn’t avoid the topic forever. Taking the plunge, I asked, “Have you given the idea of being a father more thought?” I held my breath.
“I’m working on it, I promise,” he said uncomfortably, then cleared his throat. “That’s not why I called.”
I frowned. “It’s not?”
A heavy silence filled the air before Mitch said, “Is Cole with you ladies at lunch?”
“No, why?”
“There’s been a murder.”
My mouth went dry as a sinking feeling hit me. “Who is it?”
“A man named Gunther Corp.”
I let out a noise that didn’t even sound human. “How? Where?”
“He was found shot to death in the parking lot of the community center a half an hour ago. No one saw the shooter.”
“At the motorcycle expo,” I said in barely more than a whisper.
“That’s right.” Mitch sounded surprised I knew that. “Ballistics isn’t back yet, but it appears the murder weapon was a 9-millimeter handgun.”
“The same kind of gun Cole owns,” I added, feeling numb.
“He was spotted there earlier in a heated argument with Gunther, but he was gone after the murder happened. I checked his house, but he wasn’t there or at Smokey Jo’s or at the construction yard.”
I explained what happened at the hardware store earlier.
“Any idea where Cole is now?”
“No clue,” I mumbled. “Jo is with me. The last place he told her he was going was the expo. He didn’t call to say he was going anywhere else. Does this mean what I think it does?” This was going to kill Jo if my hunch was right.
“Unfortunately, yes. At this time Cole West is the number one suspect in the murder of Gunther Corp.”
4
Mitch, Jo, and I all sat on her living room couch an hour later, trying to figure out what to do. Suddenly the front door opened, and in walked Cole. Biff, his massive Great Dane puppy, charged forward with an awkward gait to greet him.
“Hey, Buddy.” Cole caught Biff’s front paws as he stood on his hind legs to lick his Daddy’s face, no questions asked, just happy to see him.
“Where the hell have you been?” Jo lumbered to her feet just as awkwardly, but she wasn’t about to shower him with kisses. She had plenty of questions she wanted answers to like yesterday.
Cole blinked at us in surprise, then focused on his wife with a guilty apologetic expression. “I take it you’re still mad at me?”
“Yes, no, I don’t know!” She burst into tears.
Cole let go of Biff and rushed to Jo’s side. “Awww, baby, don’t cry. I’m sorry. It will all be okay, you’ll see.”
“Maybe not,” I muttered.
“What did you do, Cole?” Jo stepped back. “What did you do?”
“I went to the expo just like I said I would, and then I went for a drive.” He looked at her helplessly and a little confused.
“Is that all?” Mitch asked, with a pained but serious expression as he pulled out his notebook.
Cole narrowed his eyes. “Okay, so I ran into a man from my past in the parking lot and we argued.”
“And?” Mitch studied him closely.
A muscle in Cole’s jaw bulged, and he took a moment as if mentally counting to ten. “And I wanted to hurt him in a bad way. Is that what you want to hear?”
Mitch glanced at me with a worried expression.
“Seriously, guys? I didn’t actually hurt him,” Cole continued, his gaze shooting between Mitch and myself in disbelief. “I walked away because I knew that is what Jo would want me to do. Then I went for a drive to clear my head. I didn’t want to come home and upset Jo more than I already had, so I waited until I cooled off.”
“Did anyone see you?” Mitch asked in his most serious detective tone.
“No, no one saw me. I drove through the country.” Cole scratched his head, then dropped his hands to his hips, studying us.
“So no one can vouch for your whereabouts?” Mitch carefully asked.
“I don’t scare easily, but I gotta admit you’re freaking me out, Mitch.” Cole’s gaze darted around the room. “What the hell’s going on?”
Mitch rubbed his jaw and waited a beat before saying, “Gunther Corp is dead.”
“What? That can’t be right. I just saw him.” Cole focused on our expressions as reality sank in. He stumbled back a step, his mouth falling open and eyes wide with shock. “And you think I had something to do with it?”
“I’m just doing my job, Cole,” Mitch said carefully. “You were the last person to talk to Gunther before he died, and several witnesses saw you two argue. He was shot point blank with a 9-millimeter handgun.”
“I haven’t taken my gun out in months.” Cole’s tone was incredulous.
Mitch made a few more notes. “Where is it now?”
Cole answered in frustration, “In my gun safe.”
Mitch’s gaze met his with sympathy, but that didn’t stop him from doing his job. “Can you show me?”
“Follow me. I’ve got nothing to hide.” Cole led the way to the master bedroom with long purposeful strides and his head held high.
Mitch followed close behind him.
“Are you okay?” I asked Jo after they were out of earshot.
She shook her head. “I don’t think so. This is crazy. I know my husband did some questionable things in his past, but he wouldn’t hurt anyone.” She looked me in the eye with fear and anger and desperation. “And he certainly wouldn’t commit murder. You have to believe that, Sunny, you just have to.”
“I want to, but I’ve seen how protective Cole is of you. Are you sure he wouldn’t go that far if it came down to protecting you and his babies?”
“Not a chance.” Jo’s response was immediate. “There was a time Cole did things he wasn’t proud of, and I know he can be loud and scary and he hates Gunther, but I’m telling you he’s a changed man. He would never risk not being there for his babies. He knows first-hand how it feels to lose a parent. He wouldn’t put his children or me through that. You have to help him.” She started getting worked up and rubbed her stomach on a wince.
“Shhh, okay, okay.” I hugged her. “I promise, Jo. We will figure this out, but you have to take care of yourself while we do. Your babies need you, too.”
“You’re right.” She took several deep calming breaths while we waited.
Moments later Mitch came back into the living room, wearing a grim expression. Cole followed him with a face that had drained of color. They both stopped and stared at us as if they didn’t know what to say.
“It’s gone, isn’t it?” Jo asked with a hitch in her voice.
Mitch nodded once.
Cole kept shaking his head,
looking baffled and confused. “I have no idea where the gun is, and no one knows the combination except for Jo and myself. How could it just disappear? This doesn’t make any sense.”
“Unless someone’s trying to frame you.” Mitch nodded, staring off in concentration as though putting the pieces of the puzzle together in his head. “I have to take you in and go by the book, but we’re going to figure this out, Cole, you can count on that.”
Cole’s shoulders wilted and a huge sigh of relief escaped his lips. “Do whatever you have to. I can handle anything as long as I know you believe me.”
“Of course, I do,” Mitch replied with conviction. “We all do.” He squeezed Cole’s shoulder, and I held Jo’s hand. “But you have to know that doesn’t mean the road to proving your innocence is going to be easy.”
“That’s okay,” Cole said, repeating, “I’m okay. It’s going to be okay. As long as I know I have you all in my corner, which is something I haven’t had much of in my life, then I know I can get through anything.”
“So, what do we do now?” Jo asked.
“We get to work,” Mitch said, in full detective mode.
Suddenly the mood in the room lightened a little with hope. Maybe everything really would be okay, I thought. But then another scary thought hit me. Maybe it wouldn’t…
The real killer was still on the loose.
“Jo sent me with lunch.” I walked through the door of West Construction a few days later, carrying a bag with a couple burgers, some French fries, a tub of macaroni and cheese, and a big slice of carrot cake—Cole’s favorite.
Cathy, Cole’s secretary, was on the phone. She waved me through, indicating Cole was in his office. I waved back at her and made my way inside.
Cole sat behind his desk with a contract spread out before him. It was winter, so business was pretty slow for him, but he needed to keep busy according to Jo. He said he was mulling over some projects for the spring, but she was worried about him. He’d spent every day and evening at the construction yard this week, barely showing his face around town or coming home. She knew it was because he felt ashamed of the man he used to be, and frustrated over the stupid mistakes he’d made recently that had put his family in danger. He was worried what would happen to them if he went to prison. That thought kept him awake at night.
He looked up and smiled at the goodies I brought, but I could see the worry he was trying so hard to hide. He looked tired and a bit thinner upon closer inspection. “You can set it on the desk, Sunny, and tell my wife thanks, would you?”
“Why don’t you go home for once and tell her yourself. Maybe over a nice dinner?” I set the bag on his desk as requested, and then sat down across from him, making it clear I didn’t intend to leave until I’d said my piece.
He rubbed a large hand over his buzzed head, drawing his hard eyes together, his lips turning down at the edges. He was so big and strong and tough with his tattoos, chains, and leather. Most people would be intimidated just by looking at him, but Sasquatch had turned into a massive teddy bear. He’d melted like butter in Jo’s hands and would do anything for his friends, but anyone who knew him well, knew that he was loyal and fiercely protective to a fault. You didn’t mess with him or those he cared about, end of story.
“I’ve been busy, that’s all.” He gestured to the papers on his desk then tossed down his pen and sat back.
“I can see that,” I said knowingly as I waited patiently.
We both knew there wasn’t a thing on his desk so important that required his working overtime. He had a great assistant he trusted enough to hold down the fort after the twins were born, so why not give her more duties now? His family needed him, and he needed them. Besides if he didn’t have a clear head, then what good was he to his company?
He held my gaze for a moment longer, but I won. Giving up, he took a deep breath. “What can I say, I just want to keep Jo and our babies safe. She doesn’t need the stress that seeing me causes her.”
“Are you kidding?” I sputtered. “She’s more stressed out over worrying about you because you’re shutting her out in trying to protect her. That’s not helping either of you, Cole.” I reached out and squeezed his hand. “Go home.”
He sat in silence for a long minute, then nodded once. “You’re right, and I will. I promise. I just want to finish up a few things, then I will be home in time for dinner.” He held up his hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll call her and tell her myself.” His lips tipped up into a lopsided smile. “You’re good for her, you know. For both of us.”
I blinked back tears, feeling so emotional these days. With everything going on, I was pretty much a mess.
“Ditto, Sasquatch,” I finally managed to get out, and Cole winked, knowing me almost as well as Mitch did.
Before I embarrassed myself further by becoming a blubbering fool, I thought it best to get while the getting was good and work on my own relationship. I stood up when the door to Cole’s office opened. Two men came in, whom I had never seen before, which was a little surprising. Summertime in Divinity was always full of tourists, but this was the middle of winter. The only touristy thing to do in Divinity had been last weekend at the bike expo, but that had ended badly. And after the recent murder in the news, not too many people wanted to come to town right now.
Recognition dawned on Cole’s face mixed with surprise, which was quickly replaced with a genuine smile. “I don’t believe it. How the hell are you guys?” He stood and shook each of their hands.
I cleared my throat, feeling awkward.
Cole shot me a startled glance as though only now remembering I was still there. “Sorry, Sunny.”
He turned to a man who looked to be about his age and almost six feet, with brown curly hair, cut military style short, and a body that had seen better days. It was hard to tell but I was pretty sure he had a prosthetic leg, and one arm was amputated at the elbow.
“This here’s Zack Kruger.”
“Ma’am.” Zack tipped his head in salute.
“Please call me Sunny.” I smiled warmly.
“And this guy is my brother-in-law, Miles Winslow,” Cole said, his throat sounding clogged.
“Ex-brother-in-law actually,” the shorter man with blond hair and a slight build replied solemnly, with a nod in my direction.
I acknowledged him with a smile and nod of my own as I stared in wonder over how much he looked like his sister, Faith, from the pictures Jo had shown me of Cole’s widow. Jo had said Miles and Faith didn’t just look alike. They had been inseparable. Their parents had died when they were young, so they’d only had each other. He’d taken her death especially hard. He’d gone away somewhere no one knew, preferring to heal on his own, and Cole hadn’t seen or heard from him since.
I recognized the name Zack Kruger as well. Jo had said the men had been the Three Musketeers from the moment they met. After Cole married Faith and moved to Divinity, Miles had followed them, working for Cole while Zack went into the army. Zack hadn’t been able to come home for the funeral, as he was deployed in Afghanistan, and Miles had ventured off on his own soon after the burial.
“You’ll always be my brother.” Cole clapped Miles on the shoulder.
Miles nodded, his face flushing with emotion as his Adam’s apple bobbed. “That’s why we’re here, man. We heard about what happened.”
Zack nodded gravely, looking concerned. “You okay?”
“I’ve been better.” Cole’s face strained as he looked Zack over. “I take it you got out early with honorable discharge. What the hell happened, man?”
Zack shoved his good hand in his jean’s pocket. “War.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Me too, but I’ll live.”
Miles looked at Zack and then at Cole with promise and conviction in his eyes. “What can we do to make sure you have a life.”
“You’re already doing it,” I interrupted, hoping to dissuade any of them from taking matters into their own hands. That was the last thing Mi
tch or Cole needed. “My fiancé, Detective Stone, is working on clearing Cole’s name.”
“Wait a minute. Isn’t that the detective who arrested him?” Zack eyed me suspiciously with a hard gaze.
“Protocol,” I quickly tried to reassure him. “He was just doing his job and going by the book, but that doesn’t mean he won’t do everything possible to make sure Cole stays a free man.”
“It’s okay, guys. Mitch is a friend,” Cole said with confidence.
“Sounds it,” Miles added, heavy skepticism lacing his voice.
“I know you’re just trying to protect Cole, but you’re not the only one who has his best interest in mind. His pregnant wife is also my best friend. You can rest assured that none of us want to see her raise her babies alone.”
“I heard you were going to be a father.” Miles smiled at Cole, but I could tell it pained him to do so. It didn’t take being psychic to know he was hurting. If his sister was all he had, then he would never have a niece or a nephew to spoil and love and help raise. He shifted and slipped his hands in his coat pockets. “Congratulations. I hope everything works out for you.”
“Yeah, congrats, man. You deserve to be happy. You’ve been through a lot.” Zack looked down to the floor as if uncomfortable with emotion. After all he had been through himself, it wasn’t surprising.
“We all have.” Cole nodded. “Thanks guys. You stopping by means more than you know. Don’t take so long next time.”
“I agree, it’s been too long, and far too much has happened. Life has a way of getting in the way sometimes. You just say the word if you need anything, you hear?” Zack’s voice rang with sincerity.
“No worries, brother,” Miles added. “We’re not going anywhere until this mess is settled and justice is served.”
5
“Okay, so where are we at?” I asked as I walked into Divinity Police Department later that day.
Hazard in the Horoscope Page 4