by Barb Han
“Natural causes?”
Levi arched a dark brow. “From what I gather. Why?”
“He frustrated people with some of his rulings. One of them might have decided to even the score.” She lifted her gaze to meet Levi’s. Every time he looked at her, warmth shot through her body. Doing her best to ignore the sensation, she took another sip of coffee and then lifted the mug. “Thanks for this. Don’t let this swell your already big ego but it is the best cup of coffee I’ve ever had.”
She took one more sip before setting the cup down in the dirt near the fire. She stood up. “Now, if you don’t mind taking me to my car I’d like to go.”
She waited as Levi studied her for a long moment. She wasn’t afraid. In fact, this was the most relaxed she’d been around anyone in longer than she could remember. But if he couldn’t help her, there was no use sitting around talking about old times. Especially since they didn’t exactly have a shared history other than both of them living in the same town. Him, for his entire life and her until her childhood was taken away.
In fact, this was so not a good idea. She needed to go. But a voice in the back of her head reminded her that she was in town alone. Based on the way she’d been treated her senior year, Ensley felt unwanted and out of place.
To make matters worse, Ensley had barely finished the school year when her father and stepmom announced the family was moving to Tennessee. There, her stepmom had decided to ‘get on with her life’ and ‘start over’ by adopting the girl she’d always wanted and never got. Ensley might have been allowed to move with them, but she wasn’t permitted to get within five feet of the new baby. Angel had been off limits.
“Let me put out this fire and we’ll be on our way.” Levi jumped into action.
Being back in town was dredging up a painful past—a past Ensley wished she could leave alone and walk away from. She couldn’t. Not until there was justice for Cooper.
Levi finished putting out the fire and it plunged them into darkness. It took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust. There were several clouds in the sky, one of which covered the moon. Stars were hard to see, which was unusual in Texas, and their light dimmed so she couldn’t find her way.
Ensley used her phone’s flashlight to see in front of her as Levi packed up his supplies.
“Mind if I ask a question?”
“Go ahead.” Ensley figured it couldn’t hurt.
With the light from this angle, she could see his face clearly and it was evident that he was choosing his worlds carefully.
“What do you think happened?”
She knew exactly what he was talking about.
“Three pre-teens went camping in that meadow. Two bodies were discovered four days later with slits that were blamed on animals. One person made it out alive and was found almost starved to death with no memory of what happened. My little brother, who I was more like a second mother to than a sister, was one of the bodies that was found. There were three theories about what might’ve happened. One tried and killed the other before killing himself.” Ensley found herself recounting facts, as if thinking in detached, basic facts could distance her from the heartbreak that they’d brought.
“Over what? The girl?” he asked.
She nodded before continuing. “Then there was the accidental poisoning theory. But the problem there is that we grew up around ranching families. My brother was familiar with practices and never would’ve touched something he shouldn’t, let alone ingest it.”
“You mentioned something about animals?” His calm, even tone kept her a few notches below panic. It was hard to talk about what had happened, even now. And especially since she never did with anyone.
Once the investigation had concluded, her parents said rehashing the past wouldn’t bring her brother back. They’d taken everything on face value without questioning the coroner’s decision or motives. At seventeen, she hadn’t, either. So, basically, no one had stood up for Cooper.
“That’s right. There were cuts and slashes that were blamed on animals.”
“I’ve seen that happen with bodies that have been dumped in fields,” he admitted before shooting a glance that made her wonder if he regretted being so blunt.
She couldn’t afford to be offended. “Then there was the fight over the girl theory. She was friends with both boys but was Cooper’s girlfriend.”
“At that age, being boyfriend and girlfriend meant something different than it does in high school and older,” he stated.
“Not to investigators.”
“You don’t believe the deaths were accidental?”
“No, I don’t. I believe the coroner lied and covered up murder in order to give easy answers, or maybe he was bribed. He could’ve been protecting someone. All I know for certain is that he didn’t have my family’s best interests at heart.”
“My cousin said the deaths were accidental.” He caught her stare and held a second too long.
“Is that what he believed?”
“I guess so. He was always an honest kid who has grown up to be an honest man. He would have no reason to lie.” Of course, his cousin just might have the wrong information like everyone else.
“Would it be okay if I talked to him? I’d like to circle back and see what he remembers if you think he’d be willing to talk about it.” She figured it couldn’t hurt to ask and she wanted to. She needed to.
“I think he was already interviewed. Everyone at the school who knew your brother gave a statement. Can’t you request a copy of the file?”
“It’s supposedly impossible.” She rolled her eyes.
“What does that mean?”
“People were interviewed but when I hired a lawyer to get the case file, we were told that it was missing.”
His eyebrow shot up. “Did they have any idea what might’ve happened to the file?”
“Apparently not.”
“Tell me what happened that night in the woods,” he urged.
“Can’t. My brother and his best friend are dead, and the only witness can’t remember anything that happened.”
“Is it possible she blocked it out?” he asked. “I mean, it must’ve been horrific for a twelve-year-old girl to witness both of her friends’ deaths.”
She picked up on the fact that he didn’t use the word, murder.
“Her name was Oaklynn Stock.”
“I know that family.” Concern cut lines in his forehead. “They own a goat farm but stick to themselves mostly.”
This was the first good news Ensley had heard so far. “Do you have any idea where she is or what she’s doing now?”
“That I do know. She still lives on her family’s ranch. From what I heard, she doesn’t go into town much. I can’t say that I’ve seen her.”
“But you don’t go into town, either.” Ensley headed toward the ATV, preferring to let the conversation die right there. She climbed into the seat and waited for Levi. He joined her a few moments later, Karma by his side.
The ride back was short, and she was grateful. At her car, she pulled out her keys and then pushed the button on the key fob to unlock the doors.
She stopped at the driver’s side. “Thanks for the coffee. You were right. It was the best cup I’ve had, and it was nice to have company.”
Most likely, he was one of the last people who would willingly talk to her in Cattle Cove.
“I’m usually around working the ranch. If you need anything, give me a holler.”
As honest as an offer that was, they both knew she wasn’t going to take him up on it. It was obvious that he would be no use to her and her heart gave a traitorous little flip at the thought of never seeing him again.
She waved instead of conjuring up words that wouldn’t be heartfelt.
“Ensley,” he began. “I hope you find what you’re looking for.”
“Thanks.” She did, too.
4
Ensley got into her car and turned on the ignition.
Click. Click. Clic
k.
Of course there’d be something wrong with her car with the way this evening was going. Murphy’s Law was no joke and she was being bit by it right now. She was prepared to walk away and now it seemed she needed Levi’s help. Going into the woods after dark wasn’t a mistake Ensley would make twice but running into Levi had stirred up other feelings. Not only were they feelings she didn’t have time for, but they were feelings with nowhere to go? Even if he was interested, and that was a big if, she didn’t have the wherewithal to see anything through right now.
Leaving Cattle Cove, as hard as it had been at the time, turned out to be one of the best things for her. In Tennessee, there weren’t reminders of Cooper everywhere. There, it had been easier to forget.
Levi, who’d started to walk away, turned around. He stood with his feet a few couple of feet apart and his arms crossed over his chest, studying her. Karma paced and seemed agitated by something.
Her heart went out to the dog and she wanted to help if there was any way possible.
“Why’s he doing that?” She motioned toward Karma.
“Your car.”
“Mine specifically?” She had no idea what he could think was wrong with her vehicle.
“No. Generally. He’s used to clearing vehicles before anyone gets near them.”
Oh. Right. He’d mentioned Karma was a bomb sniffer.
“What can I do?” It was agony watching the poor animal suffer.
“You really want to know?” he asked, and she immediately nodded.
“He looks like he’s in pain,” she acknowledged. This couldn’t be good for him. He looked more than in pain, he seemed distressed. “If there’s something I can do to help, name it.”
“Open your car door and get out. Let him search. Open the trunk.”
She caught on immediately, popped open the trunk, and was out of the driver’s seat in a heartbeat. There was no reason to watch this animal suffer if all she had to do was let him check out her car to remedy the situation.
“Be my guest.” She held out her hand as she stepped away from her vehicle.
On Levi’s command, Karma went to work. Nose down, he moved with precision and grace through the front of the vehicle, checking under the seat and running his nose along the dash. Levi opened the backseat and she quickly realized it was to create an exit because Karma hopped over the console without so much as touching it with a paw.
He moved through the backseat and then exited. Then, he was onto the trunk before walking the perimeter.
The dog was thorough and fast. She remembered what Levi had said about not wanting to see a bomb sniffer sit down, and despite knowing there was no bomb in her vehicle, she appreciated when Karma returned to Levi’s side and stood.
Levi gave a command, she figured it was to direct Karma to lie down because that’s exactly what he did. And he looked much better and more at ease.
“Crank the engine again,” Levi urged.
She complied and got the same click, click, click noises. Since her car was in otherwise perfect working condition, she knew the battery had died. She smacked the flat of her palm against the steering wheel.
What was it about cars? She had an indicator light for when a tire was low on air, useful but not always dire. Hers seemed to come on whenever there was a rapid change in the weather. But the battery? No one had come up with an indictor light for when the juice was low.
Frustration had the best of her and she knew it.
“It’s the battery. Looks like I need a new one.” She waved Levi off remembering she could just call for roadside service and get a jump. “There’s no need for you to stick around. I have a service to call.”
“I don’t mind. I can at least keep you company until they arrive. We won’t make it too far on my ATV or I’d run to the store and pick up a new one for you.” He checked his watch. “Plus, the part store is closed and the nearest big box store is a solid three-hour drive from here.”
“Right. The country. I’d forgotten how isolating it could be out here.”
Levi got that half smirk on his face again. He seemed to think better of giving the response that first came to mind.
Ensley dug around in her handbag for her cell phone. She pulled it out and dialed her service.
“How can we help you tonight?” the polite voice on the other end of the line asked.
“Looks like I need a jump start or a tow into town so that I can have my battery replaced.” She highly doubted there’d be a car service out here she could rely on. Those were reserved for bigger cities. She’d forgotten the conveniences she was used to in the city wouldn’t be common here. No pizza delivery. No conveniences. But there had been a country club and her father had been all about that.
“The nearest tow truck can be to you in twenty minutes,” the dispatcher said.
“I’ll be right here,” she said for lack of something better before ending the call.
“My offer still stands. I wouldn’t feel right leaving you out here on the side of the road.” Levi walked to the driver’s side and leaned his elbows on the opened window. “How long did they say it would take?”
“A hot minute,” she admitted.
“Or I could leave Karma here with you if you prefer his company to mine.” The sense of humor shining in Levi’s eyes only made him more attractive.
“He’d love that, wouldn’t he,” she teased. The lighthearted comment broke some of the tension that had been docked on her chest. “If it’s not too much trouble, I’d appreciate the company if you wouldn’t mind sticking around.”
To most, the town of Cattle Cove could be a welcoming place. It had one of those quaint town squares. As she’d driven through it earlier, she’d noticed not much had changed. Several antique shops dotted the main square, there was one of the best steakhouses in this part of Texas. It wasn’t all highbrow. There was a hotdog stand, a quaint pizza parlor, and because summers in Texas could melt the rubber soles of her flip-flops, a seasonal snow cone shop. Art in the area was mostly southwest. Several well-known bronze sculpture artists either were from there, had spent time there, or their art was on sale in one of the many shops.
There was a candy store, a bank and places to buy clothes. A cozy bed and breakfast along with a movie theater rounded out the square. The streets were made of cobblestone, preserved from the horseback era.
It also highlighted how long the town had existed. There was a western show on Main Street every weekend during summer and a daily cattle walk, a nod to the region’s main source of income. Just on the outskirts of Main was a country kennel and boarding facility for use by anyone headed to the small but private airstrip that took them to Houston International airport and from there, the world.
The town’s population hovered around twenty thousand people, give or take.
And, what she was about to realize was not many of those people wanted to see her again.
Ensley’s phone rang. It was her service. She answered on the second ring.
“Everything okay?” she asked.
“I apologize, Ms. Cartier. However, our closest tow truck is pre-occupied. The closest one we have to you will be at least two hours away. My apologies for the mix-up.”
“Hold on a second. Are you telling me that when you first called me you had somebody who could come in fifteen minutes? I’m assuming you used a computer to locate that person and maybe some type of GPS.”
“Yes, ma’am. That is correct.”
“And now you’re telling me now that you’ve contacted them and give them the customer name suddenly no one is available for two hours? Does that about sum it up?”
“Yes, ma’am. It does.”
Ensley hadn’t expected the mayor to roll out the red carpet when he found out she was back in town. But this?
She smacked her flat palm against the steering wheel again.
“I guess I’ll wait then.”
“Someone will be there as quickly as we can get them there. I apologize agai
n, ma’am.”
“I understand. It’s not your fault. I appreciate the assistance.” That was how Ensley ended the call.
She blinked up at Levi.
“I’m pretty sure you figured out what just happened. There’s no reason for you to stick around and waste your whole evening. From what I remember days on the ranch started super early. You and Karma should go home.”
Levi didn’t budge an inch. In fact, there was so much intensity in his dark eyes that it took her back for a second. She was pretty grateful that stare wasn’t directed at her.
“Unbelievable.” There was so much disdain in that one word.
She couldn’t agree more.
“It is what it is. I didn’t exactly expect a parade. That’s why I think I was so drawn to stopping off at the meadow on my way to the motel. I wanted to remind myself why I was here.”
“Well, we can do better than that. Call her back and tell her that you don’t need help anymore.”
“I appreciate what you’re trying to do but we’re not exactly going to make it to the store on that ATV of yours. You said so yourself. I have no choice but to wait this one out. If someone is coming from Houston, they won’t know who I am and it’s not that terribly long to wait anyway. I’ll be fine.”
“I have never known someone to say, ‘I’ll be fine,’ and actually mean it. There’s no reason for you to sit out here alone on the road with nowhere to go. I’ll make a quick call to one of my brothers and they’ll be here in a few minutes.”
“Don’t go to that much trouble. It’s really fine. I kind of expected that kind of treatment here.” It did remind her once more to watch her back while she was in Cattle Cove.
