by Jodi Thomas
Today he was all smiles, and those magnetizing eyes seemed to be looking at her with longing. His voice had more of a country tone. The wide grin made him look like he’d drowned one too many brain cells with whiskey.
“Oh, come on, darlin’. Surely it’ll take more than ten years for you to forget me.”
She had the urge to slap that grin off his face. The man was looking at her like she was dessert.
“Ten years ago,” his voice rose slightly like a growing echo, “you were about to marry my best friend. I thought I’d get one kiss in before you two tied the knot. You didn’t take it well as I remember. Banned me from your wedding.” Colby lowered his voice slightly as the people turned silent so they could hear. “Now, was that fair, darlin’?”
Piper nodded a polite farewell to Winston and started to walk away, but Colby followed her, sidestepping like a salesman determined to make the deal. He didn’t seem to notice that all locals within ten feet were watching.
“Oh, come on, Piper. Give me a break. I drove halfway across Texas to see you again. You’re the one girl that I could never get out of my mind. You didn’t even give me a chance to say I was sorry. It was just one kiss, but it stayed forever in my memory.”
Piper knew this was a game. Nothing more than an act to give Colby a reason to be in town, to ask questions, to be seen with her. But he was so corny she had to fight to keep from rolling her eyes back.
She managed to keep walking, playing her part. “Go away. I’m not interested in getting reacquainted.” Even if they weren’t acting, she wasn’t interested. Her husband had left too many scars on her heart.
When Colby kept following behind her, she suddenly whirled and said in a voice just loud enough for several people to hear, “What do you want?”
Colby looked confused, as if he hadn’t thought that far ahead. “I just want to talk to you,” he finally said. “That’s all. I’ll be a perfect gentleman. We’ll stay out in public. I just want to get to know you so you’ll figure out I’m not some nutcase.” He made his goofy grin again. “Maybe kiss and make up after all this time?”
When she didn’t laugh at his joke, he wheedled on. “You don’t have to go out with me, just have a cup of coffee. I’m available for anything from an ice cream to a one-night stand, Piper.”
Now the crowd of locals was circling them as though they thought the mayor and the cowboy were putting on a street show. Half had paused, ready to jump in if they needed to protect her, and the other half looked like they felt sorry for the poor guy standing in the middle of the farmers’ market with his hat in his hand.
“All right, I’ll have coffee with you, but if you touch me in any way, I will file assault charges on you. Do you understand that, Colby?”
He nodded so fast she feared his head might be loose. “At least you remembered my name. Any chance you’ve thought of me over the years?”
“Not once,” she snapped. “Wait for me just outside at the Honey Creek Café. It’s at the end of the road if you head toward the creek. You can’t miss it. I’ll be there within an hour and we will have one cup of coffee.”
He crammed his hat on his head and walked away whistling. Then, as if doing an encore, he looked back and added, “One cup of coffee might turn out to last a lifetime, darlin’.”
“Idiot,” she whispered. He’d made a fool of himself in front of half the town.
She turned to the crowd and realized all were watching him leave. Colby might have played the part of a love-sick cowboy, but he’d won them over. Maybe he wasn’t as dumb as she’d thought. Her loyal neighbors would probably help him if they got a chance.
The gardener who sold tomato plants and aprons made out of grain sacks whispered, “Give him a chance, dear. It won’t hurt to talk to him. He’s a good-looking cowboy. A curly-haired man with amber eyes wouldn’t be bad to wake up to.” She chuckled and moved away.
Piper took her finds to the car, aware that people were talking about her. His show had only given them more to gossip about. The people in Austin might think she was engaged to Boone Buchanan, but the locals knew differently. They’d seen him in the company of her father in papers, but his fancy sports car had never been parked at her office or at Widows Park, where she lived with her grandmother and half a dozen widowed relatives. Buchanan had never taken her out to dinner anywhere around here or people would have talked. And last, Piper rarely left town on the weekends. A woman, even a mayor, would take a few days off now and then if she had somewhere to go.
All the people in town would have to do was look up at her window to see that she was working late. Weekdays and weekends.
Piper pulled into her parking place at city hall and went up to her office.
After an hour, she drove over to the Honey Creek Café. If he was still there, she’d play his game and talk to him.
More than likely the trooper turned investigator had decided to give up. She wanted him to do his job, not get involved in her life.
To her surprise, Colby was sitting out alone at the gazebo, his chair facing the water. Since it was Saturday, and too late for breakfast, most of the café was empty. Three men stood beside him, talking low.
When Colby caught sight of her, he rose, dusting blueberry muffin crumbs off his shirt. “Mayor Mackenzie, I’d like you to meet my three new friends. They happened to all be named Jeff.”
Piper nodded. “Good morning, gentlemen.”
As she stepped closer, Colby pulled out her chair and said to the Jeffs, “Thanks for the advice. I’ll fill you in later if any of your ideas work. Right now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to talk to my lady alone.”
The oldest Jeff in the crowd whispered to the other two, “How about we meet up at the Pint and Pie after five.” He slapped Colby on the back. “That is, if you don’t have a date.”
The other two Jeffs laughed. Then they all moved off, leaving Colby and Piper to their meeting.
“I’m not your lady,” Piper said under her breath. “You’re laying it on a bit thick.”
Colby simply shrugged. “We’re far enough away that no one will hear us now, but you can bet they are watching.” He kissed her on her head as he passed behind her and she batted him away as if he were a fly.
They sat in silence until the waitress took their order of coffee and brought two cups. As she took her time refilling the waters, Colby murmured just loud enough for the waitress to hear. “I’ve been hoping you might kiss me hello and we could make up. Ten years is a little long to hold a grudge.”
He reached for her hand, but she pulled it away.
Colby tried again. “Being here with you is like a dream. I measure every woman I meet to you and none come close. I swear, Piper, I could drown in your green eyes.”
Piper scanned the windows of the beautiful home-turned-café behind Colby to see if anyone was watching.
As the waitress walked slowly away, Colby added, “I promise if you give me a chance, I’ll love you till the day I die.”
“Not even one chance, cowboy,” she whispered.
Colby winked at her. “How about a one-night stand, Mayor?”
Piper fought down a laugh.
Colby sat with his back to the audience, but she saw them all smiling. The gardener’s words drifted through her mind. A curly-haired man with amber eyes wouldn’t be bad to wake up to.
It had been so long since she’d waken up to any man. Boone had asked once if she’d like to end the night at his place. She’d said no and he’d shrugged as if he’d suggested going for ice cream.
Maybe her rejection hurt his pride. Men like him must rarely go home alone. The only time he drew close was when cameras were near, and she’d figured out early that Boone would never love anyone but himself.
Colby’s voice came low and direct, pulling her from her thoughts as he leaned closer. “Is it working? People have left their tables and are practically lined up watching.”
“Why am I not surprised? How about we give them a show?” She
touched his jaw thinking he truly was a good-looking man but somehow she got the feeling he didn’t know it.
Colby grinned and leaned an inch closer. “Everyone will want to talk to me after this. I plan to let them coach me on how to court the mayor, who they all love by the way. Then I’ll start asking about the town and the people like I might settle here if you ever smiled at me.”
“Be careful, Trooper. Half the people in the town would walk around the truth to tell a good story. Honey Creek may sound sweet, even innocent, but we were founded by outlaws and people who didn’t fit in to the standard for their time.”
“I know, but usually there is an ounce of truth in even gossip. I can play along. I’ve got a gift. I can spot a lie.”
“You’ve studied the subject, have you?” She glared at him and folded her arms as she sat back trying to look like she was arguing with him now.
“Sure. It’s called interrogation. By the way, folding your arms over your breasts is telling anyone watching that you’re not interested in what I have to say.”
“What do you have to say?” She didn’t move her arms. “And, I’m folding my arms over my chest.”
“Oh, sorry. Maybe we could address that subject at a later time.”
“Not likely.” Something about him brought out a violent side in her. The urge to knock her coffee cup against his head flashed in her mind. If there were more men like him, she might become a serial killer.
Colby, totally unaware of her thoughts, leaned back in his chair and waited a long moment before leaning forward and whispering, “I walked the river at dawn.” His voice was direct. Facts, no pretend.
She frowned. “A dozen investigators have already done that. I thought the area was roped off.”
“Where they pulled the car out was marked ‘No Trespassing. ’ So was a place where it looked like someone crawled out of the water, but no one was around. I was careful not to contaminate those spots.” He drank his coffee and slowly slid his hand across the table until their fingertips touched.
She jerked away.
Colby straightened and kept his voice low. “What kind of shoes did your boyfriend wear?”
She fired up. “He’s not my . . .” Realizing Colby must have heard her on the radio this morning, she answered simply, “I have no idea.”
“Any hint what he was doing around Honey Creek?”
“No. As far as I know he never came here. We’re not a stopover place to anywhere. Once, when we were kids, he came with his dad for a barbeque at my granddad’s ranch. You know the kind where they roast a pig and sit around a campfire. Smoke, fire ants, and snakes. I was about eight. I threw a fit and refused to go. A photo of Boone and my grandfather made the Dallas papers.”
“I can see that happening.”
“The picture hitting the Dallas paper?” she asked.
“No, you throwing a fit.” He smiled a real grin. “Back to our problem. According to the reports you delivered to my cabin last night, Boone had been in court until after seven the day he disappeared.
“Assuming he drove straight here, and the car was discovered in the water a little before midnight, there is a good chance he didn’t stop to change clothes.”
“Makes sense.”
“But according to the footprints found, whoever climbed onto the bank and walked away was wearing sneakers.”
“Maybe he had the shoes in his car, or maybe he stopped and changed clothes.” Colby seemed to be putting the pieces together in his mind. “If he left Austin at say seven, the traffic might still be slow. An hour to get out of town, three or four hours to get here depending if he was speeding. Almost midnight. Plenty of time to run the car in the river and climb out and be long gone before the car was seen.”
She shook her head. “What does changing shoes have to do with anything?”
“If he changed shoes, he planned it all. And, for some reason despite the long day in court he had to do it that night.”
“Or he stopped somewhere and another person drove the car into the water. Boone doesn’t seem the type to get muddy.”
When she remained silent in thought, Colby leaned closer to her and whispered, “Good point. Question is, why did he pick that night and why here? There are lots of lakes or streams near Austin.”
They heard a laugh from behind them. “Sit back in your chair. Everyone watching thinks that you’re making progress whispering in my ear.”
“Am I?” He remained close.
“We’ve got a date tonight, Mayor. We’re going out to where the car was found. We’re going to walk the bank just like he did four nights ago. We’re going to see what he saw, or maybe see what he couldn’t.”
She nodded. “I’ll pick you up at eleven.”
“Come by boat. I’ll be waiting behind my cabin.” He stood and leaned in to kiss her cheek.
She turned away as she stood.
So low that no one could have heard him, he added, “Don’t wear a suit, PJ. Wear jeans.”
As they walked away, Colby made an okay sign with his fingers and yelled at the men who’d been talking to him. “See you at Pint and Pie tonight.”
When they reached the street, she stood away from him, making it plain that they were not together. “Don’t you already have a date with me tonight?”
“Yeah, but the boys I’m meeting will be too drunk to follow us by nine. Then I’ll be alone with you so I can fill you in on local theories on what happened to your last boyfriend.”
Piper gave a quick wave and turned back toward her SUV. She didn’t correct him again that Boone was not her boyfriend or that Colby was not or would ever be her new boyfriend. She could tell the trooper got a kick out of needling people.
Or maybe it was just her? If she wasn’t so worried, she might have to admit it was fun pretending.
Chapter 10
Late Saturday morning
Pecos
Pecos Smith slept until almost noon on Saturday. Something he never did. He’d made it home by midnight, but he couldn’t get to sleep. His almost date with Kerrie Lane still floated thick in his mind. Some might say it was just a job taking her home after the dance. His one fare for the night, but she didn’t offer to pay him. It could have been just a favor, but she’d kissed him on the cheek and held his hand.
Now that sounded more like a date, he thought, as he rolled out of bed and scratched his wild hair. Glancing in the mirror, he decided it looked almost as good as it would have if he’d used a comb. So he pulled on last night’s clothes and headed downstairs.
Reliving every moment of being with Kerrie in his mind, Pecos stumbled into the long ranch kitchen decorated in garage sale finds. “Got any breakfast left, Mom?”
His mother, round as she was tall, frowned at him. “No. What do you think this is, a diner? I got better things to do than keep a skillet warm in case you wander in. You’re finished with school now, so it’s about time you pulled your weight around here.”
As Pecos sat down, she walked by and slapped him on the back of his head as if he were a kid and not a grown man about to graduate from high school. “You’ve got chores to do before you have lunch so you might as well get to it.”
Pecos knew there was no use arguing. Mom’s sunny disposition vanished years ago, probably about the time she had him at forty-four. He stood, took an apple from the bowl on the counter, and walked out into the cloudy Saturday.
He had four older brothers, two in the army, one in the marines, and one was lost somewhere in California. They all left home soon after high school and he was starting to see why. His parents considered them free labor on the farm as soon as they were old enough to feed the chickens. From there the chores piled on until the next brother could help.
All the boys could plow and work the small fields where their dad raised grain by the time they were twelve. When his first son Tucson was old enough to milk cows, Dad decided to buy a barn full.
His brothers reminded Pecos every time they came home that being in t
he army was easier than farming and in the army you got days off even from war.
As a slow rain began to fall, Pecos stayed around the barn working. He knew his dad would be mad at him for not getting up to help with the milking at dawn. The two men he’d hired were not near as good as Pecos.
Every time a brother left, more chores were added to Pecos’s workload. There were times when he’d missed school to get it all done.
His oldest brother, the marine, came home one Christmas and saw what was happening. The morning before he was leaving for his second tour of duty overseas, Tucson followed their dad out to the barn.
Pecos silently followed them through the freezing dawn just to see what was going on.
Tucson looked like a warrior in his uniform. His bag was packed by the door, but there was apparently one last thing he needed to do.
From the back of the barn Pecos couldn’t hear much of what he said. His nose was two inches from their dad’s as he talked.
For the first time Pecos thought Dad looked old, very old. He was now shorter than all his sons, and the anger lines on his face dug deep into his tanned skin like tattoos.
As Pecos watched, their father’s face turned red and his arms rose and lowered at his sides as if he thought he could fly. But the old man never struck his oldest son like he had when Tucson was small.
The marine wouldn’t have taken it now. To his credit, Tucson never raised his voice. He never lifted a hand, but his words came fast. Dad seemed to shrink a bit. When Tucson turned and marched away, Pecos saw his father lower his head, beaten without a blow.
The old man never mentioned the barn conversation to anyone, as far as Pecos knew.
After that, Dad let Pecos go to school. They sold most of the cows and leased out all but one field. Maybe his parents were tired of farming, as well as parenting, or maybe they were just slowing down, but they seemed to forget about their youngest.