There were a few people in the place already. A couple lingering over a late lunch, holding hands and giving each other adoring—and annoying—smiles. There were a few guys nursing beers at the bar, but Lani focused in on Wes Eggleston, recently split from his wife. He was looking at his beer as if wishing he could dive in headfirst. Rosey, her boss, was in the back with her husband, supposedly taking inventory, but Lani guessed they were taking inventory of each other. More than once she’d caught them making out like a couple of teenagers. She envied the bond they had—both business and personal.
Lani was handling bartending and waitressing duties until Annie Kellerman arrived to take care of drink orders. The bartender had called in and said she was going to be a little late tonight. Glancing at Wes again, Lani felt kind of sorry for him and walked behind the bar, stopping in front of where he was slumped.
“Hey, Wes, can I get you some water?”
His eyes were sad and bloodshot. “No, thanks.”
“How are things with you and Kathy?”
“Separation’s not doing it for her. She wants a divorce. Told me today.”
That explained a lot. “I’m sorry,” she said. The couple had a three-year-old daughter. “Any chance you two can work things out?”
He shrugged. “She wanted me to go to counseling. But I said no.”
“Why is that?” Lani saw stubborn slide into his expression and held up her hand. “Sorry. It’s none of my business. You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”
“Nah. It’s okay.” He shrugged again. “I just don’t see how telling a stranger our problems is going to solve ’em.”
The screen door behind her screeched and slammed shut, but whoever it was could wait just a minute.
“I don’t know, either,” she said to Wes. “But what can it hurt to talk to someone? An objective stranger could give you some things to think about.”
“Seems like nonsense to me,” he said stubbornly.
She scooped ice into a glass then squirted soda water into it. After dropping a lime into the bubbly liquid, she set it on the bar beside his beer bottle.
“If you don’t do anything, it’s over, right? So you’ve got nothing to lose by trying it Kathy’s way. And if it turns out to be nonsense like you say, no harm, no foul. At least someday you can tell your little girl you tried everything to keep her family together.”
He stared at her for several moments then nodded. “Never thought about it like that.”
“See?” She smiled. “Talking to someone can change your perspective, get you to see things differently. Can’t fix a problem you don’t know about.”
“I’ll consider it. Thanks, Lani.”
“Don’t mention it.” She set a paper-wrapped straw beside his soda water. “Let me know if you need anything else.”
She half turned to the new arrival and said, “Sorry to keep you waiting, I—”
The words stuck in her throat when she saw Russ Campbell in all his worn-jeans, snug-T-shirt and leather-jacket-wearing glory. Last time she’d seen him, the town was all dressed up in red, white and blue, in the full swing of summer. Now Labor Day was a week away and fall just around the corner. She might not have seen him since that night, but she’d thought about him plenty.
At first when she worked a shift, every time that squeaky screen door opened, her stomach dropped as if she was riding the jackhammer at the county fair. But he never showed. After a few weeks of that adrenaline roller coaster, disappointment settled in and she was torn between wondering what might have been and relief that it turned out to be nothing.
Now nothing was sitting at the bar in front of her.
“Hi, Lani.” That voice was smooth as dark chocolate mixed with expensive Scotch. Those hazel eyes studied her intently.
She couldn’t believe he was really here, had convinced herself that he would never darken her doorway again. Let alone voluntarily speak to her. He wasn’t ignoring her. “It’s been a while.”
“I’m here on official business.”
So, his talking to her wasn’t voluntary; he was here as a cop. “Just when I thought I’d beaten the rap, you talked Gage into filing charges against me for my fountain dance. Isn’t there a statute of limitations on that?”
“This isn’t about the fountain.” One corner of his mouth curved up. “But I am here about what happened on the Fourth of July.”
Her heart pounded. Maybe he’d been thinking about her, too. Heat filled her when she glanced at his wide chest, and memories of him holding her came rushing back. “Oh?”
“A lot of folks have reported drinking the wedding reception punch and getting drunk then doing things that were out of character.”
“Like me?” She couldn’t manage to keep a little bit of I-told-you-so out of her voice.
“Yeah,” he said. “Like you. We’re pretty sure someone put something right in the punch.”
“That’s a sobering thought, no pun intended. Who would do that?” Chills prickled through her. “Why?”
“Don’t know. But Gage hired me as an investigator to find out.”
“Don’t you have another job?” She knew he did. He was a detective. She almost winced, remembering when she’d called him Detective Dreamy. Out loud. It was the truth, but still...
“I’m taking a month’s leave to handle this.”
“Now you’re scaring me. The sheriff’s really that concerned?”
Russ nodded. “The who and why are important. If someone has a grudge against Rust Creek Falls, there could be another incident. Labor Day is coming up. There will be picnics and public celebrations. If someone wants to cause harm, it’s another opportunity.”
“Oh, my gosh—”
“Then there are more holidays—Halloween. Thanksgiving. Christmas. All of them traditionally have community events attached. I’m going to get to the bottom of this before then.” His expression was determined. “And I’m starting with you.”
“Me?” She blinked at him. “You don’t seriously believe I was responsible for that?”
“I don’t know for sure who did it, but it’s not like you didn’t stir up trouble that night.”
It was the first time ever, but that was splitting hairs. “You say trouble, I say...mischief. I had some of that spiked punch and was experiencing a sensation of...happy.”
And feeling no fear.
“You call stealing the keys to the jail cell and locking me in while I was on duty mischief?”
“Me?” Maybe she could bluff. “Someone else could have—”
“Don’t.” He held up a hand. “They were under the mattress.”
It didn’t seem as if he was in the mood to be teased out of being mad about this. She’d wondered if that’s what had kept him from coming back to the Ace in the Hole. The suspicion on his face told her she might be onto something.
“I’m sorry, Russ.”
“Really?” He didn’t sound convinced. “Anyone else would have used them to get out of jail, not hidden them to stay locked in. The question is why you would do that? What were you up to?”
That night she’d had her brother’s back, but she couldn’t tell him. “I would never do anything to hurt anyone, especially the people here in Rust Creek Falls. They’re my friends and neighbors.”
He looked at her for several moments, assessing her sincerity, no doubt. She really hoped those eyes of his didn’t miss anything, because she was being absolutely straight about this.
“Gage vouched for you.” He rested his forearms on the edge of the scarred bar. “But I’ve learned not to take anything or anyone at face value.”
Needing something to do with her hands, she grabbed a damp rag and used it to wipe the already clean wooden surface in front of him. “That sounds really cynical.”
<
br /> “I’ve got my reasons.”
A girl didn’t deal with the public as much as Lani without picking up instincts about people. Some of what happened that night was fuzzy, but other things were crystal clear. She remembered how he’d guessed about her bad relationship experience, and she was going to return the favor. “Spoken like a man who’s been dumped. Want to talk about it?”
The tough cop facade slipped for a second, then he recovered. And ignored the offer. “My job is all about dealing with people who break the law then lie through their teeth. If that doesn’t entitle a guy to be wary, I don’t know what does.”
“I suppose.”
“Look, Gage sent me here to talk to you. He says you know pretty much everyone in town, and you’re an astute judge of character. That you might be able to shed some light on what went on that day. Maybe someone had a little too much to drink and started bragging. Maybe you’ve overheard something that would give us a lead.”
Lani thought for a moment, but knew something like that would have stuck in her mind. She shook her head. “If I had, I’d have brought it to Gage’s attention right away.”
“Okay, then.” He slid off the stool, apparently anxious to get away from her.
“But Gage is right. I do know everyone. And I can read people pretty well, unless romantic feelings are involved,” she said ruefully. She’d completely misread the guy who walked out on her.
“So I was right about you getting dumped.” His gaze held hers. “Want to talk about it?”
“Wow, a man willing to listen. That’s a surprise.” She folded her arms over her chest. “But, as you said, it’s part of your job description.”
“Pretty much.”
“Well, you’re off the hook, Detective. I don’t want to talk about it except to say that my romantic life consists of listening to the sad stories of folks who come into the bar here.”
“Yeah. I heard you talking to that guy on the end.”
She glanced over her shoulder and saw Wes finishing off his water. “It’s even sadder when kids are caught in the middle.”
“I know what you mean.” He rested his palm flat on the bar. “Okay, then. If you do hear anything, can I count on you to pass it along to someone in law enforcement?”
“Of course. But I really want to help find whoever did this.”
“Get in line.”
“Seriously. Like I said, I know nearly everyone in town. I have information about things that happened way back when. Feuds, fights, disagreements. Someone who might have a reason to do harm. I could be of help.”
“That’s okay—”
“Look, Russ, I understand why you don’t trust me, but Gage assured you that I’m on the up and up. Don’t blow off a potential resource because of what happened.” Heat burned up her neck and into her cheeks because the list of sins under the heading of what happened included sleeping with him. She couldn’t go there.
“This is my town,” she continued, “and I have a personal stake in helping to protect the people here that I care deeply about. You know you’d never forgive yourself if someone got hurt and you didn’t do everything possible. I know I wouldn’t.”
“I understand what you’re saying, Lani, but—”
She held up her hand to stop him from saying no. “In the spirit of fair disclosure, you should know that I’m going to do it anyway. I’ll keep my ears open and ask questions. So you can either let me work with you or I’ll just go rogue.”
“Go rogue?” Suddenly, he smiled and looked completely adorable.
“Yes.” All her girlie places tingled, and she wanted to flirt like crazy. Too bad she’d burned that bridge in a jail cell. “It’s up to you.”
He looked at her for a long, assessing moment. Finally, reluctantly, he said, “Okay.”
“Great. We need to talk about—”
“Not here.” He looked around. “Anyone could overhear.”
“Right. This is too public. So we need to find a place where no one can eavesdrop.” She thought for a moment. “Can you ride a horse?”
“Yes. I’m a farm boy, remember?”
She nodded. “Okay. Meet me at the ranch tomorrow. Around noon. I guarantee I can find a place where no one can listen in.”
“Okay. If you need me, I’m staying at Strickland’s Boarding House for the next month. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Lani couldn’t wait.
Chapter Five
Damn his protective instincts, Russ thought, as the horse he was riding kept pace with Lani’s. If not for that, he would be at the sheriff’s office in Rust Creek Falls mapping out an investigation strategy on his own. But he’d seen her bullheaded single-mindedness for himself and couldn’t let her go rogue on this. Until they knew who was responsible for spiking the wedding punch, the motive was a mystery. He couldn’t risk Lani working on her own and getting hurt.
So, at the appointed time, he’d met her at the Dalton ranch, where she’d had two horses saddled and waiting for their ride.
“It’s awfully quiet over there.”
Russ looked at her and waited for the thump in his chest that always happened when he looked at her. He felt it and sincerely wished he hadn’t.
“I’m using all my powers of concentration to stay in the saddle.”
“Oh, please,” she scoffed. “You sit a horse as well as my brothers do, and that’s their job.”
“You’re not so bad yourself.”
She looked sexy all the time but, for some reason, even more so on the black-and-white pinto pony named Valentino. Worn jeans covered her legs, but there was something even more tempting about what he couldn’t see. Her hair was in a French braid that hung down her back, and a brown Stetson protected her head and face from the sun.
She met his gaze. “Riding a horse is my job, too.”
So she’d told him while they shared a jail cell where they’d done a whole lot more than talk. The problem was he really wanted to do a whole lot more again. He’d come back to Montana to kick-start his stalled career. Spending time with Lani had distracted him just as he’d suspected it would the first time he laid eyes on her. Now he was forced to interact with her—which gave him greater incentive to solve this case quickly.
Russ realized they were heading for the local waterfall when he heard the sound of rushing water. They crossed a wooden bridge and rounded a bend in the mountain trail. After lazily moving through a stand of trees, he saw the clearing and the waterfall for which Rust Creek Falls had been named. At the base there was a pool ringed by rocks. It would be a romantic spot with the right person. That was a dangerous thought in itself, since he’d been unable to resist this woman in a jail cell, which was the polar opposite of romantic.
“No one will overhear us here,” Lani said.
In a grassy area she stopped her horse and slid off then led Valentino over to the pool for a drink of water. Russ followed her lead.
He patted the neck of his mahogany horse. “Coming all the way out here might be an overabundance of caution.”
“Maybe. But it’s a spectacular day, and I never get tired of looking at the falls. I call that a win-win.” She looked around and breathed deeply of the clean air.
His gaze settled on the chest of her plaid, snap-front shirt and the way it perfectly fit her full breasts and trim waist. Another spectacular view and a definite win-win.
But that wasn’t why they’d come here.
After the horses finished drinking, they ground-tied the animals near the grass so they could graze.
“Okay,” he said, “about the investigation—”
“Hold on.” She grabbed a cloth bag and a blanket roll tied to the back of her saddle. “I packed lunch. Don’t know about you, but I’m starving, and I can’t think on an empty stomach.”
Russ was hungry, too, and not just for food. Deliberately avoiding her since that night in jail hadn’t done anything to diminish his wanting her, and seeing her last night had only made things worse. But it had been thoughtful of her to pack lunch for them.
“Thanks, that would be great.” He took the blanket from her and spread it out under a shady tree.
Lani sat cross-legged then handed him an apple, a small bag of chips and a sandwich, then she took hers out of the plastic bag. “Hope you like ham. And if you’re a mayonnaise hater, you’re not going to be a happy camper.”
“I’m good with it.” He pulled one of the sandwich triangles out of the bag. The fact that she’d cut it in half struck him as a womanly touch, not something he, or any guy he knew for that matter, would do. It was nice.
“Okay, then.” She took a bite of hers and they ate in silence, the only sounds in the clearing coming from the waterfall rushing over the rocks on the side of the mountain. Or the occasional chirp of a bird.
“I’ve come up with a list of suspects,” she said, after chewing the last of her sandwich.
“What criteria did you use?”
“Incidents from that night.” She held up three fingers and ticked them off. “A couple got married. Another split up. And a ranch was won in a poker game. That’s just for starters.”
“I’m aware of the first two,” he said. “A week or so after they got married during the reception, Will Clifton approached me about the possibility that his wife, Jordyn Leigh, was drugged at the wedding.”
“Did he act guilty?”
“No.” In Russ’s opinion, he’d behaved like a man who was looking out for the woman he loved. “And I talked to Claire Wyatt about the fight she had with her husband.”
“And?” Lani took a bite of the apple.
An Officer and a Maverick Page 6