Shaking my head, I reached for my water in the cup holder. I took a large swig of it and set it back down. When I glanced up in the mirror, I saw flashing cop lights. Groaning, I slowed down, pulling to the gravel on the side of the road. I had no idea what the reason could be for getting pulled over. I was doing the speed limit, and I recently had an oil change, so all my lights should be working.
It was dark out, and the scenario made me nervous. You heard all the time about cops not really being cops. I was even more leery considering that I was near Luna Hill. The cop climbed out of his vehicle, placing a hand on the butt of his gun.
Pressing the button to roll down my window, I glanced up in time to have his flashlight shine in my eyes. “Ma’am, do you know why I pulled you over?” His voice was deep with a thick southern accent.
I shielded my eyes with my hand. “No, I don’t. I just want to let you know that I have a firearm on me. I’m licensed to carry.”
“Place your hands on the steering wheel, where I can see them.” His voice became deeper as he realized that the situation may have become more serious than he thought.
Doing as he asked, I waited for the next set of instructions. He opened the car door and stepped back. “Step out of the car slowly, and keep your hands where I can see them.”
“Why did you pull me over?” I asked.
He aimed the light in my face again. At the same time, a second car pulled up behind his, the headlights washing over us. The officer glanced over real quick and then focused his attention back on me. “You were drinking and driving.”
Alarmed, I shook my head. “I was drinking water.”
“Looks like Vodka to me.”
“In a water bottle?”
“People do it all the time.”
Someone was now coming towards us, his shoes crunching over the gravel. The officer sighed, aiming the light in that direction. He didn’t seem at all surprised to see the visitor. “Lance,” he grumbled.
Shit. Lance? My heart started pounding. I wasn’t ready to come face to face with him yet. What was he doing interfering with a routine stop? Did he know I was coming? My eyes darted in his direction. He immediately smiled, handsome as he had always been. His blond hair was longer than I remembered, but he was fit, as if he still played football.
“Hank, why are you pulling this poor girl over? Shouldn’t we be giving her a better welcome home than this?” Lance asked, grinning, his gaze never leaving me.
I shifted uncomfortably, never letting my hands drop from the raised position they were in. It was odd that he chose to stop. Maybe he knew more about me coming down than I thought he should have. It didn’t bode well for me. This could make my retrieval of the girl a lot harder than I’d initially anticipated.
The officer, Hank, returned the light to me and his face suddenly broke out in a grin. He was slightly overweight, protruding stomach straining against his dark uniform. I examined his face some more, noting the scar on the left side of his face. It dawned on me then on who he was. Hank Jeffries. The guy had been constantly bullied in school until the Thatchers rescued him. Then he became their pet, always doing small things for them until they all got older. I wasn’t sure what they made him do then, but now that he was a cop...their reach was even worse than I figured. They had people in the police force.
“Riley Cole. Never thought I’d see you again.” Lance chuckled, reaching out for a hug.
I debated dodging out of his grasp, but decided it would look better for me to seem harmless. Maybe he didn’t know all the details about my showing up here. When his arms went around me, I tried my best not to become stiff as his cologne cloaked my body. He gave me a squeeze before his hands went down to my waist to direct me so I was facing him.
“She has a gun, Lance.” Hank watched me carefully as the grin slipped from his face.
“A gun? Are you law now, Riley?” Lance asked, dropping his hands from my waist as he eyed me curiously. He still had those boyish good looks and southern charm in spades; that was for sure.
Shaking my head, I forced a smile. “No, just a private citizen carrying. Can’t be too careful anymore with the shit that’s happening in our world today.”
Lance nodded in agreement. “All these random shootings around the world, I say it’s a good idea that you got your conceal permit. Smart woman. Always have been.” He winked at me before glancing over at Hank. “Let her go.”
Hank dropped his hand from the gun and nodded. “I guess I can do that. Just let me check your drink to make sure it’s not alcohol.”
“Hank, everyone here drinks and drives. You see people cleaning out their cars of beer cans at the gas station. Maybe you should go pull them over.” Lance’s voice became a little deeper to show that his mood was becoming less charming.
Hesitating, Hank finally nodded. “If she hurts someone from drinking and driving, the blame is on you, Lance.”
I pressed my lips together. Hank just told off Lance. Realizing it himself, Lance’s jaw tightened, but he nodded, his gaze becoming stony as he stared down the officer. Finding that he was probably in deep shit, Hank dropped the light and headed back to his cruiser. After about a minute he pulled out onto the road, his lights shutting off as he disappeared.
Suddenly even more uncomfortable, I looked at Lance, deciding on what to do next. The silence was unnerving, but Lance just smiled, going around me so he could place a hand on the top of my car door. He gestured for me to get in. “It’s nice to see you back here, Riley. I hope it’s a more permanent thing.”
“Just visiting. Decided to see what everyone has been up to,” I replied, glancing inside of my car. Should I get in? It would be a hard position to defend myself from. Then again, if Lance were going to do anything to me, he probably would have done it already.
He watched me climb into the car, still smiling. “Well, your mama is the only one alive. Your daddy died after falling over the side of the boat a few years ago. Drowned.”
The news didn’t even faze me. I barely blinked when he mentioned my father. I lost all love for my parents a long time ago. But my visit has to be suspicious to him, so I just nodded, not sure what to say.
“You must be here for your sister, then?”
It was really hard for me not to appear shocked at that bit of information. I just stared at him, my mouth unable to move. He continued talking as he looked up at the clear sky. It was still really hot out. I could smell the sweat forming on his skin.
“A year after you left, your mama gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. She doesn’t know who the daddy is.” He shrugged. “I’m sure Annie will be pleased to know she has better family than her mama to depend on.”
Annie would have to be about fifteen years old. Was she living the same life now as I had? What the hell was I going to do? I couldn’t be responsible for a teenager. Especially not right now, since I was here on a case.
“My aunt mentioned I had a sister, so I decided to come down to introduce myself. Though, she doesn’t know I’m coming. My aunt didn’t have any contact information, since she cut ties with this place,” I replied more easily than I should have.
Lance just nodded his head, running a hand through his hair. It went just past his ears. It was probably soft to the touch. He always did have perfect hair, him and his brother. They were tan and muscular from working out in the sun all the time. They weren’t exactly farm boys, but they didn’t hide from the hard work. His brother wasn’t a bad boy like Lance was, though. He usually kept to himself as the black sheep of the family. They had different mothers, and Lance didn’t let him forget it.
When I was finally driving away, it dawned on me that Lance was going to be keeping an eye out on what I was doing in town. I could tell he didn’t truly believe that I was here for my sister. My lying abilities only went so far, and he was a natural-born criminal. He could probably smell a lie from miles away. Unfortunately, my situation just became abundantly more complicated.
Chapter Three
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Making it over the last hill to enter town, I was a little surprised how much it had grown. There were a few businesses, including a large grocery store, that hadn’t been there before. A gas station sat right in the middle of town where there was now a blinking red light. I noticed the restaurant was still completely packed, even at eight o’clock at night.
Wondering if the woman who had always helped me still owned the place, I considered pulling in. Stopping first at the motel was probably the best idea so I could settle in before it got too late. Then I would go to the bar that Lance always hung out in. The restaurant would have to wait until the morning, just like Annie would. Hell, I didn’t even want to meet a sister, but what choice did I have? Was she trapped in the same life as our mother? Hopefully she wasn’t, because then it would be harder than I thought to get her out of town. Was that what I really wanted to do, though? Maybe she didn’t even want to leave. Just because I hated the place didn’t mean that everyone else did.
The motel was about a block from the restaurant. It hung out in the back of some trees, looking spookier than I cared for. There was only one other car parked there. If I had to guess, it probably belonged to the person currently manning the office.
Dreading my stay at the motel, I climbed out of the car after parking. The man in the office looked up and out the window at me. He set down a remote he was holding, preparing for my entrance. Hopefully, he wasn’t the type that spied on his customers. He looked kind of creepy that way, though. The hair on his head was thin and swept over a bald spot on top, although it barely even covered anything. He was probably around the same age as me, thinly built with beady eyes that didn’t leave me the entire time I walked through the lobby.
“Are you Riley Cole?” he asked, reaching behind him to grab a plastic key.
Nodding, I raised an eyebrow. “Do I know you?”
He shook his head, handing the key to me. “Lance told me you would be in. He said to give you the best room I had.” A bead of sweat made a trail down his forehead to the bridge of his pointy nose.
Now Lance was taking care of my arrangements. This was definitely not good. I took the key and turned around, pressing a hand on the door to leave.
“Call me if you need anything.”
The way he said it made me feel like there was a little more to that offer than I would care to admit.
Shuddering, I hurried out to my car to grab my bag from the trunk. I left the bag of goods from Alex’s house. Knowing Lance, he might have my room searched if he became suspicious enough, which was more likely to happen the longer I stayed in town. Maybe having Alex with me was a better idea. His presence would probably make Lance nervous. A big guy like Alex didn’t go unnoticed, especially in a small town like Luna Hill.
My room was the second to last one in the row of doors. I pushed the key into the slot and the light on the lock went from red to green. I let the door shut behind me, examining the room. It was pretty basic and dark. The air conditioning by the window was blowing hard, keeping the room cool. There was a flat screen hanging on the wall, and two queen-sized beds next to a couple of nightstands.
Setting my bag on the bed, I went to the bathroom, noting the regular tub and white shower curtain. Everything appeared to be clean. It probably was the best room in the motel. Hopefully there weren’t any hidden cameras. Maybe I was judging the clerk too harshly, but he had a suspicious vibe about him.
Digging in my bag, I grabbed a tight black shirt and a pair of jeans that had some pretty designs on the ass. I then grabbed my makeup. I knew I would have to spend some time in the bar, so I prepared. My normal wardrobe didn’t include anything more revealing, so that was a downside. Going shopping wasn’t an option with the timeline I set for myself. This case required urgent attention, so I had to work with what I had. Partying and going out to bars wasn’t really my thing. In fact, I barely dated. If I did, it was a one-night stand kind of thing, and that only happened a couple of times when I got drunk with Alex. Sometimes he forced me to let loose, claiming that I would die alone if I didn’t put myself out there.
Getting ready was harder than I thought. My nerves had my hands moving far too much for putting on my eyeliner smoothly. Somehow, I managed to get it right on my third try. Running my fingers through my hair, I stared at myself in the mirror. I looked a little better than usual. Hopefully, it was enough to show that I was out for a good time.
The bar was basically next door to the motel, but I decided to drive to it in case I had to follow Lance later. The plan was to, but how was I going to without it being obvious? He would surely see me leaving.
Grabbing my camera bag from the other suitcase, I slung it over my shoulder. It was time to get down to business. I would have to go into the bar and look as if I was going home with someone. Then they wouldn’t bother trying to find my car later if Lance was checking up on me.
Swearing, I went to the car, throwing the camera into the backseat. My car was a newer black Camry. In the city it would be inconspicuous, but in this town, it was be easier to spot, considering that most people drove farm trucks or serious beaters. I’d have to work with what I had, though. Hopefully, Lance wasn’t keeping that close of an eye on me.
The bar was a little warm, smelling of booze and cigarette smoke. Music blared as someone sang karaoke at the back part of the bar. People turned to look when I entered, immediately whispering and nodding in my direction. I recognized some of them. Plus, I knew I looked like my mother a little bit. We both had long brown hair and dark brown, almond-shaped eyes. We could have been sisters, had she not been twenty years older than me.
I went to the bar, taking a stool to sit next to a decent-looking guy. He wouldn’t be too bad to flirt with. Then I glanced at his finger, disappointed to find he was married. Though, that didn’t stop him from leering in my direction and throwing a grin that probably got to a lot of the girls in town.
Looking to the other side of me, I found someone that I was definitely going to avoid. His body odor was too much for me, so I got up to move, choosing a stool two seats away from an officer. The man barely looked up at me, not even offering up a smile. I recognized him almost instantly. Luke Thatcher, Lance’s brother. A cop, though? Worse than I thought.
The bartender nodded to me once, holding up a finger to tell me he would be right with me. He took a glass to Luke, removing his empty one. “Here you go, Sheriff.”
I groaned inwardly. The Sheriff? How much worse could it get? This town was controlled by the Thatchers completely.
How the hell was I supposed to get out of it alive?
Frowning, I debated the merits of leaving completely. Did Mary or Annie really need me that bad? Could they figure out their lives without me? Scolding myself, I drummed my fingers on the bar top. I was being a coward. They wanted me to come back here, so I had to do what I came for. If only I had some friends in high places to give me an advantage over Lance. I did know one FBI agent, but we hadn’t talked in nearly a year. Alex had some friends, but I didn’t really want to drag him into the middle of my problems.
“Don’t seem happy to be here,” Luke said, interrupting my thoughts.
My gaze snapped to him in surprise. I turned in the stool to face him and forced a smile. “Just been a long drive, is all.”
“I heard you were back in town. Chicago, right?” he asked, taking a sip of his alcohol.
The man was juicier than Lance. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen it before. His hair was a darker blond and short, with highlights from the sun. The uniform fit him really well, tight in all the right places, giving me an excellent idea about his well-muscled body.
When his blue eyes captured mine in a knowing glance, I looked away immediately. My face was probably bright red from getting busted. I never was good at playing off my attempts at checking someone out. He was off limits anyway, considering that he was a Thatcher. They were always up to no good. Those thoughts seemed to put out the fire that had been building inside me. N
othing like a big dose of reality to slap you in the face.
“Why come to the bar if you’re so tired?”
I went to respond, but someone wrapped a masculine arm around my shoulders, causing Luke’s face to scrunch up in distaste. When I looked over to see who it was, I came face to face with Lance. He flashed me his irresistible grin and gave me a squeeze. “What a pleasant surprise to see you here, Hot Stuff.”
His arm was hot around my shoulders. When he released me, a chill went up my spine, missing the warmth. The only man to ever touch me casually was Alex, and that was more out of brotherly love. This was Lance hitting on me. Luke didn’t seem that pleased to see his brother, however. He slammed back his drink, dropping the glass to the bar with a crack.
Lance’s eyes glistened when he locked eyes with Luke. “How’s the policing?”
“Same as usual. Dealing with the crackheads and whores.” Luke’s gaze didn’t break from Lance’s. There was a lot of hostility between them, which surprised me. Maybe Lance didn’t control the entire department. But I couldn’t know that for sure. Brothers always protected each other, right?
Chuckling, Lance gave me another squeeze before taking the stool next to me. My plan was already going sideways. We weren’t supposed to hang out with each other. I wasn’t even supposed to run into his brother, but what else did I expect? People never left Luna Hill. Well, except for me. I managed to escape before getting caught.
“Can you believe we let this one escape, brother?” Lance asked, referring to me.
What was he? A mind reader? I looked at the bartender as he was coming in my direction. “Just a beer.” I told him, immediately getting a nod of approval from Lance.
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