by Donna Grant
“Uh-oh. That doesn’t sound good,” Marlee said as she wrinkled her nose.
Cooper started the truck and turned around to head to their next location. “Let’s just say that he fell hard for her. Real hard, and real fast. He was still dealing with a lot, and when the relationship began to fall apart, he didn’t know what to do. Jace spiraled out of control pretty quick.”
“But all of you were there for him.”
“You bet your ass we were. We brought him back from the brink, but he’s never been the same.”
Marlee looked out the window. “That’s so sad. Jace seems like a good guy, and from what I discovered about him when I was investigating you, he’s a good guy on paper, as well.”
“He’s strong-willed, and he has us.”
“Then he’s very lucky.”
Cooper smiled as he glanced at her. He found it so easy to talk to her. The kind of natural that didn’t come along every day.
She went back to looking at the computer and entering the information for the next location. When he came to a four-way stop and looked in both directions, he happened to see a frown forming on Marlee’s brow.
“Everything okay?” he asked as he turned to the left.
“This next place looks interesting. It’s been rented by someone with a fake name.”
Cooper sat up. “Looks like we might have found our quarry.”
“How close can you get us?”
“Not as close as you’ll want.” Despite wanting to gun the truck to get there faster, he kept their speed regulated, though both of them were quiet as they drove.
He looked over when he heard Marlee’s fingers punching keys on the laptop. She glanced up and saw him, flashing him a quick smile.
“I’m trying to see if I can dig up this woman’s real name. No one comes out here with a fake name if they aren’t hiding something,” Marlee said.
Finally, they reached the house. It was set a ways off the road like most in the area. Unfortunately, Cooper couldn’t park the car there since it was too exposed.
“We have no cover,” Marlee pointed out.
Cooper shook his head and kept driving. “We’re going to have to come back when night falls. If we attempt anything right now, we’ll be spotted, and she could take off.”
“Agreed,” Marlee said, though her lips were tight.
He took one more look at the house in the rearview mirror. It was white with a dark green front door. One car was parked beneath the carport, but there was no sign of movement. Cooper turned his attention to the next address. For the next several hours, they crossed off every other location on the list, yet it still wasn’t dark.
Cooper called the others so they could meet up again. This time, they headed to the East Ranch, where Naomi, Audrey, her sister Maddy, and Abby had been cooking all afternoon. Cooper was used to the welcome they got, but Marlee took it all in stride. She cast him a glance before she went with the other women to coo over Nate and catch up.
Jace handed Cooper a beer. “How’d it go?”
“Did you find anything interesting?” Cooper asked.
“Nothing. You?”
“Maybe.”
Jace’s hazel eyes brightened. “Really? That’s good to hear.”
“What’s good to hear?” Brice asked as he walked up.
“Cooper and Marlee might have found something,” Jace told him.
That instantly quieted the girls. Cooper looked into the kitchen and met Marlee’s gaze.
Clayton, Danny, and Ryan walked out of Clayton’s office toward the kitchen. Clayton gave Abby a kiss before saying, “I don’t think this is going to wait until after dinner.”
“I certainly don’t want to wait,” Ryan said, his green gaze pinning Cooper. “What did you find?”
Marlee spoke then. “One of the locations is being rented by a woman with a fake name. I attempted to locate her real name, but I’ve not found anything yet.”
“We didn’t get a chance to do any surveillance because we had nowhere to hide,” Cooper told them. “Marlee and I figured we’d go back after dark.”
Clayton’s brows shot up. “That certainly sounds like something that needs to be looked into. My list with Brice was a bust. Everything looked normal, but I still think we should take a closer look into all of those to see if anything comes back interesting.”
“Sounds like a solid plan,” Caleb stated.
Danny said, “I’ve got a computer, and so does Ryan. Apparently, even Marlee has some access. That means only two groups need the names checked.”
“Got them right here,” Jace said as he handed the sheet to Ryan, who pulled out his computer and set it on the island.
Brice yanked a folded sheet of paper from his back pocket. “Here’s ours.”
Danny took it and motioned for Marlee to come with him. Cooper stood with the others and watched the three of them work. It seemed so easy the way Marlee fit in with everyone. Surely, that would make her want to stay.
The moment Cooper thought that, he remembered her parents. There was no way she would stay here with her parents out in California. And moving them? Why would she? It would be easier for him to move.
Whoa. Hold up, Cooper thought to himself. He was getting way ahead of things. He needed to pump the brakes a little.
The thing was, he didn’t want to. He wanted to be with Marlee. And he believed that she wanted to be with him. That was enough, wasn’t it? But he knew it wasn’t. There had to be more. If only he had more time with her. He couldn’t wish for them to not find the criminals, because they needed to be stopped. Yet, the quicker that happened, the sooner she would be out of his life.
“You should tell her,” Jace said.
Cooper started and looked at his friend. “What are you talking about?”
“You love Marlee. You should tell her.”
Caleb nodded. “Jace isn’t wrong.”
“Not at all,” Brice added.
Clayton winked at Abby. “Don’t wait around for the right time if you care about her. Plus, we know she plans on leaving. If you think there’s something between the two of you, then you should share that with her.”
Cooper knew that his friends were giving him sound advice, and he wanted her to know how he felt. He just hoped he didn’t run her off in the process.
Chapter 29
The night was quiet and still. Mist billowed out around her as Marlee breathed. She huddled in her coat as the temperatures continued to drop. Ever since they had parked about a mile from the house and walked the rest of the way, there had been no movement. She and Cooper weren’t the only ones there, either.
Danny and Ryan had refused to allow them to go alone. In fact, Clayton, Brice, Caleb, Ryan, Jace, and Danny were there. Each team was set up in a different area. For her and Cooper, they were toward the front right of the house.
“What are you thinking?” he whispered.
Marlee shrugged. “There are lights on inside, which makes me believe someone is in there. But they could also have the lights on a timer to make people believe someone is home.”
“That’s what my mom does.”
Marlee sniffed and bit her lip. “I really wish Danny or Ryan could’ve uncovered this woman’s real name. Especially since she’s the only one we’re looking into now.”
In some ways, she was happy that there wasn’t another name they had to dig into deeper. At the same time, the fact that everything rested on this individual, who was clearly hiding something, could make things even harder.
“We have nothing to go on here,” Cooper stated in a low whisper. “Only the fact that her name is fake. Unless we can get some answers, we could be sitting out here for days.”
Marlee wouldn’t mind more time with Cooper, but she knew that action needed to be taken. She rose to her feet and started toward the door. Cooper grabbed her hand to stop her. She looked at him and smiled. “You said we needed answers. How about we go talk to her?”
“I’m not sure tha
t’s a good idea.”
“I spent too much time going down the wrong path for this job. I don’t want to do it again. Besides, I’m good at picking up on when people lie. If she’s who we’re looking for, we’ll know.”
Cooper blew out a breath and stood. “Well, you’ve got a point. Let’s go.”
“Let me do this on my own. She’ll be more likely to talk if there’s just another woman. I can handle this,” she told him. “Besides, you and the others are watching my back.”
He linked his fingers with hers and pulled her near. “Damn straight, we are. Be careful.”
She gave him a quick kiss and walked away as he ducked back down behind some bushes. None of the others stood up to question her. No doubt, Cooper texted them to let them know what was going on.
Marlee went up the two steps to the porch. As she approached, the light came on outside the door. A moment later, a dog began barking inside, the sound deep and throaty. Marlee knocked and waited. There were no sounds of anyone walking toward the door, but the dog’s barking grew louder as he or she approached. Then, suddenly, the dog was silenced.
After a moment, a female voice asked, “Who is it?”
“Hi. My name is Marlee. My vehicle broke down a mile or so back. I ran out of the house in a hurry and forgot my cell phone. I was wondering if I could use a phone to call my boyfriend for help,” she said through the door.
There was a hesitation on the other side.
Marlee then said, “I don’t have to come inside. You can just hand it to me through a crack in the door. I promise I won’t be long. It’s dark, and I don’t like being out here on my own. People are crazy nowadays.”
The sound of a lock turning made Marlee smile. That smile vanished when she heard four other locks being thrown. Then the door opened a crack so Marlee could see the woman. Her face was thin, her straight blond hair pulled back in a ponytail, a deep purple robe enveloping her body.
“Hi,” Marlee said, waving. “Thank you so much for talking to me.”
“I can’t let you in.”
Marlee took a step back. “I understand. I mean no harm.”
“People always say that.”
Something about the woman’s tone combined with the various locks and the dog made Marlee take a second look at things. The dog, a big black and white one, stood beside his mistress, his gaze never leaving Marlee as if he were waiting for her to make a mistake so he could attack.
“I’m new around here,” Marlee said. “I moved because of a guy, and I’m still trying to find my way around things. I’m from California and used to cities. Things here are so wide-open.”
The woman suddenly tossed out a phone. “Be quick.”
“Thanks,” Marlee said after she caught it. She dialed her own number, thankful that her phone was on silent. Then, she left a quick message and handed the phone back to the woman. “I appreci—”
The door slammed in Marlee’s face, the locks sliding back into place in quick succession. There was a very good chance this woman could be part of the criminal ring, but that’s not what Marlee’s gut told her. Marlee had a feeling she was hiding. The alias—and not one that took a lot to uncover as fake—the locks, the dog, and the fact that the woman never left the house and seemed paranoid told her everything.
Marlee turned and walked down the road back toward the truck. She knew the woman was watching, so she didn’t stop next to Cooper. As she passed their hiding spot, she glanced over to find him gone. When she reached the truck, she found him waiting for her.
“Well?” he asked.
She shrugged her shoulders. “She could be the one, but my gut is telling me that she’s hiding. It was too easy to discover her fake name.”
“But not easy enough to uncover her real one.”
“That is a good point. A really good point. Most times, name changes done to escape an ex are done well enough to get the person a new life, but not so well done as say, witness protection. It takes a PI or the authorities to uncover those real names. Yet, none of us were able to do that today.”
Cooper pulled her against him and wound his arms around her. “What do you want to do? It’s your call.”
“We’re in this together. All of us. I’ve made some mistakes on this one, and I’d rather not make any more. I want to get everyone’s thoughts on this.”
Cooper took out his phone and sent a text. “Consider it done. Caleb and Jace are going to get some pictures of the house. Ryan went into work, but everyone else will meet us back at the East Ranch.”
They climbed into the truck and drove off. On the way, Marlee began thinking about Stephanie. She hated asking Stephanie for favors, but this was serious. Especially if Ryan and Danny couldn’t find out the woman’s real name. By the time Marlee and Cooper reached the ranch, she had made up her mind to call Stephanie in the morning if Ryan and Danny still couldn’t get a name.
Cooper held the back door open for her to enter the house. Abby was coming down the stairs, pushing the sleeves of her light blue sweatshirt up to her elbows. She smiled at them and motioned for them to follow her into the kitchen after they’d hung up their coats on the hooks. Cooper then hung his hat and sat Marlee’s backpack that held her computer on the floor.
“I’ve got coffee ready,” Abby said.
Cooper grunted as he raked his hand through his dark brown locks. “Think we might need something stronger.”
Abby turned and opened a cabinet, then pulled out a couple of bottles of liquor. “Pick your poison.”
“I’ll take mine added in the coffee,” Marlee said as she walked around the island to get a mug.
Abby waved her away. “Sit, sit. I’ll get whatever you need.”
“You don’t need to wait on us,” Cooper told her.
Abby smiled at him. “Now, you know me better than that, Cooper Owens. This is my house, and y’all are my guests. Besides, both of you have been working this case really hard. Rest for a minute. I just got a text from Clayton. He and the others will be here in about five minutes.”
Marlee blew out a breath and eagerly reached for the mug of coffee Abby handed her. She then added a shot of bourbon to it. The jolt of caffeine and liquor was the exact combination she needed.
After Abby gave Cooper his cup, she looked at Marlee. “This job takes a toll on you.”
“It does,” Marlee agreed. “However, I forget all about that when I’m able to give a family closure.”
“I keep telling her she needs to hire others to help,” Cooper said.
Marlee smiled at him and lowered the mug. “I have to admit, you’re right. I’ve done this for too long on my own. Having you and the others helping has shown me what needs to change.”
“That’s good news,” Abby said as she leaned back against the sink, holding her own cup of coffee, though hers didn’t have any alcohol in it. “I’m gathering by the expressions on both your faces that tonight didn’t go well.”
Cooper lifted his brows briefly. “That’s an understatement.”
“I spoke with the woman inside the house. I wanted to see if I could determine if she was who we were after or not,” Marlee said.
Abby waited a moment before she said, “And?”
Marlee took a drink of the coffee and shrugged. “I can’t give a definitive answer. Part of me says that she’s running from someone. The five locks on the doors, the guard dog, and the way she never left the house, or even opened the door all the way, points to all of that. But then I think about how no one has been able to uncover her real name.”
“Not even Danny or Ryan?” Abby asked in surprise.
Cooper shook his head. “Nope.”
“I see the conundrum,” Abby replied.
Lights outside caught Marlee’s attention through the large windows overlooking the barns out back. She turned her head and saw two vehicles pull up before the men made their way into the house. Clayton walked straight to Abby to give her a kiss before he took off his coat and hat and hung them by
the door.
“Tell us you got some good pictures,” Cooper told them.
Jace held up the camera Danny had used earlier. “About to download them now. We walked all around the place, getting as close as we could without the dog barking.”
“Let’s get those pictures downloaded onto a computer,” Caleb said.
Marlee jumped off the stool and went to her backpack. She pulled out her laptop and opened it. Jace plugged in the camera, and within seconds, the pictures were downloaded. Marlee crossed her fingers that they found something to put the woman in either the criminal category or the innocent one.
Chapter 30
The bitch was getting close. Chuck’s fingers itched to have a weapon in hand so he could go after Marlee. Now that he was finished with Stella’s most recent request, he could devote all the time he wanted to Marlee. Except, she hadn’t been alone.
Chuck had been on his way to her motel to find her when he happened to see Cooper’s truck turn down a road very near where Stella’s house was located. That caught his attention quickly. Chuck had continued driving, but when he could, he turned around and followed Cooper. Chuck switched off his lights and rolled down his windows so he could listen as he slowly drove down the road. He even shut off the lights on his dashboard so nothing could be seen.
The wide-open pasture area made it easy for him to spot Cooper’s truck. Chuck pulled over and quickly killed the engine. He watched as both doors of the vehicle opened, and two people stepped out. It was easy to spot Marlee’s smaller frame and curly hair, even in the moonlight. Chuck waited until he saw them hide near a white house. It wasn’t long before he saw a few more shapes take form, setting up a perimeter.
As much as he wanted to get closer and hear what they were saying, he didn’t have to. Something about the house and its occupants had gotten Marlee’s attention, and she had somehow been able to rope Cooper and his friends into helping her. It was no longer just a single woman trailing Stella and her crew. It was a group.