by Addison Fox
A loud noise outside her workroom window startled her, the heavy, clamoring echo a cross between a car backfire and a gunshot. She leaped off the small rolling stool she used while she worked and raced for the door that led out to the alley behind the entire row of buildings that occupied Main Street, still trying to process the noise.
Who would be shooting guns off in the middle of the afternoon?
Hot air slammed into her as she opened the back door, the fine Texas June afternoon pushing a wall of heat into her face. The back parking lot looked calm and she couldn’t see anyone, let alone any movement that would have indicated there’d even been a person outside.
Claudia stood there a moment longer, her gaze on the far side of the parking lot when the buzzing of a fly had her swatting it away from her face. It was only as she shifted her gaze, her eyes dropping as she shooed away the pest, that she caught sight of what lay just beyond her back door.
A pile of dead rodents lay there, a rat on the top of the heap, a bullet hole in its side.
“Who? Why?” The words mingled with the scream that rose in her throat and she backed toward the door.
Hands pressed into her back, stopping her progression, and Claudia screamed once more as she turned, only to find Evelyn standing there, her hands now up. “Honey! What is it?”
Claudia struggled to drag in big gulps of air. “It’s... I mean.” She stopped, shook her head as she reached for Evelyn’s hand. “Look there. Over there.”
The blend of emotions that crossed the older woman’s face went from concern to open horror before transforming into a contained rage. “Who on earth would do something like this?”
She pulled Claudia close against her small form and walked her back into the building. “I want you to sit down.”
Evelyn kept one hand on her while she used the other one to firmly close and lock the door. She then moved them back toward the work space before Claudia stopped her. “No. I don’t want to be near the dress.”
Evelyn nodded and moved her toward the far side of the room, near a rack of material and threads. “Sit down here for a few minutes. Let’s catch our breath.”
“Is the front door unlocked?”
“Yes.” Evelyn stilled, considered. “I ran back here so fast. Let me go do that.”
Claudia sat down as her friend left, only to pop back up. The image of what lay out back—still lay there—wouldn’t leave her mind and she tried desperately to process what she’d just seen.
Was it a prank? A cruel joke?
The kids in town were forever running up and down Main Street, especially now that school was out, yet she couldn’t see them responsible for such a horror.
Sure, kids enjoyed a good trick on their elders every now and again, and summer boredom could lead to many things. But what she’d just seen was disgusting. Stomach turning. And unspeakably cruel. She was no fan of rodents, but she was less of a fan of anything innocent being tortured or mistreated.
The urge to walk to the back window beckoned her, but Claudia stayed on her side of the room, suddenly fearful to stand near the outer wall.
Had someone else done this? Someone with a far darker motive than a simple prank?
Ben?
His name bombarded her senses, an immediate rejoinder in her mind.
He’d been so cruel there at the end. So dark and mindless every time he got angry. Every time he felt any perceived slight or disagreement from her. Was this his work? They’d broken up before the holidays and he’d spent the entire season reaching out and trying to get to her through friends. He’d even showed up at the New Year’s party she’d attended, drunk and belligerent.
Her friend’s boyfriend had dealt with him, adding several threats to keep away, and she’d thought it had done the trick. After that he’d only sent her two texts and an email, the time between those contacts growing longer and longer. And then she’d packed up and headed home to Texas and hadn’t heard from him at all.
Was it possible he’d only been biding his time? Worse, had he come for her?
Shivers racked her spine and she wrapped her arms around herself, trying to hug the warmth back into her bones.
Evelyn came back in, her earlier anger channeled into bustling energy. “I locked the door and put up a sign that we’re closed. Then I called the cops and my son-in-law.”
“Cops?”
Another wave of nausea coated her stomach as she pictured the Shadow Creek police force. There was no love lost between the Shadow Creek PD and her family. Even the recent events that had proven her siblings were not in league with their mother hadn’t swayed anyone in law enforcement over to the cause of the Colton family.
In fact, she’d begun to question if anyone with the name of Colton would get a fair shake from the Shadow Creek police department.
Certainly not as long as Bud Jeffries was town sheriff.
“Lot of help they’ll be.”
“Which is why I called my son-in-law, too.” Evelyn nodded, firm in her resolve. “He’ll keep watch and will help clean up that disgusting mess, too.”
“Thank you.”
Claudia stilled as another wave of nausea filled her. “Did you hear it? Before?”
“Hear what?”
“The gunshots. That’s why I went out there.”
“I didn’t hear anything, honey. But then again, I was ringing up Priscilla Todd and that woman would talk her way through the apocalypse.”
The joke was enough to ease the moment and Claudia laughed in spite of the tension that still gripped her stomach with tight claws. “Pris is just excited to have a new shop in town.”
“That she is. That was her second trip in. She dithered over the new accessories when she bought herself a new outfit this morning and then came back after convincing herself over lunch that she needed them.”
“Nothing like a happy customer.”
Evelyn was prevented from saying anything by the hard knock on the back door. She walked to answer it, her steps tentative until the unmistakable shout of “Police, open up” echoed through the door.
At the thick twang, Claudia braced herself. Sheriff Bud Jeffries had apparently come to handle the issue himself. The man was no fan of her family and the sentiment, unfortunately, was mutual. She needed every ounce of manners that had been drummed into her over the years in order to manage a base civility to the man.
But regardless of how she felt, she couldn’t deny she needed his help.
“Please let him in, Evelyn.”
Her assistant opened up, the beefy figure of Bud Jeffries standing sentinel on the other side. He had a deputy with him and Claudia vaguely recognized the guy from high school. If her memory served, he had been in between her and Jade. Tommy Jackson; that was his name.
“Thank you for coming, Sheriff.” Evelyn stepped back from the open door. “As you can see, Ms. Colton has had an incident.”
“More suspicious events hovering around the Coltons.” Bud tossed a glance over his shoulder. “Are we surprised, Tommy?”
“No, sir.” Tommy’s voice was quiet, but his obedience was absolute.
“Let’s get some statements, then.” Bud pulled out his notepad as he stepped through the door. He spoke to Evelyn first. “You called this in?”
“I did.”
Bud held back a barely veiled sneer as he walked into Claudia’s workroom. “Looks like a lot of ribbons and fuss. Women’s work.”
Claudia caught Evelyn’s eye and gave a shake of her head. It would do no good to take the bait Bud was dangling. And make no mistake about it, he was trying to bait her. He’d done it to Mac, to her siblings and to her on prior occasions. It didn’t matter how they reacted, he had the security of his badge backing him up and he knew it.
So she’d tamp down on her temper and
let him do his idiotic strut through her workroom. And if ignoring his boorish behavior was a small prick to his enormous pride, well, she could live with that.
Bud came to stand beside her, his gaze traveling the length of her body before he returned his attention to his notebook. “When did you find that little death zoo out there?”
“About fifteen minutes ago.”
“You haven’t seen any rodents before? Cities are full of ’em.”
Claudia didn’t miss the insinuation—or Bud’s deep desire for her to tell him Shadow Creek had nothing on New York—so she gave him as straightforward an answer as she could. “No. And I know we’ve done a lot of construction around here recently, getting the shop ready. We haven’t seen any rodents nor have my fellow businesses been complaining of problems.”
“Hmm.” Bud jotted down a few notes before his gaze darted to hers. “That makes it all the more suspicious, then.”
“Suspicious?”
“Yep. Awfully suspicious.” Bud’s eyes narrowed, their depths menacing, the look not unlike a rattler she’d seen in the back field of La Bonne Vie years ago. “Be easy enough to round up a few field rats. I bet they hang around barns all the time. You collect ’em up and then place ’em outside the back door. Easy peasy.”
“Sheriff Jeffries.” Evelyn’s tone was full of warning from where she was, still over by the door. “I knew your mother and she was a good woman. Do not tell me she raised you to talk such nonsense.”
“She raised me to look for the truth.” With Bud’s attention caught by Evelyn, he didn’t see the figure that poked its head in the back door. “And it’s true that Ms. Colton here comes from a family with loads of farmland. Stables, too. Perfect breeding ground for rats and other rodents.”
“The truth? Is that what you call spouting nonsense and innuendo?”
Claudia’s heart squeezed as that sure, steady voice filled the cavernous room.
Bud whirled at the intrusion, his back stiffening as he caught sight of Hawk. The impressive Mr. Huntley had Bud on both height as well as an innate confidence that only came with the personal knowledge you could hold your own. “This is a private investigation on private property. I suggest you move along.”
“Not at all, Sheriff.” Claudia slid around Bud, giving him a wide berth, to head over and intercept Hawk. She put her arm around his waist and laid her free hand over his chest. That firm, hard expanse was all delicious heat beneath her palm, but it was the steady, true heartbeat that went a long way toward calming her racing pulse.
“Mr. Huntley is my friend.”
“Your friend. Right.” Jeffries snorted.
“Is there a problem with that?” Hawk’s tone was low but the subtle menace beneath was more than clear.
Well aware Bud heard it, too, Claudia quickly pushed on. “Why yes, he is. He’s come to town for a visit and is going to be my date to my brother’s wedding.”
“Sounds like more than a friend to me.”
“We’ve been keeping things quiet.”
Evelyn’s eyes widened behind Bud’s back but she said nothing. One more set of amends Claudia would need to make later.
“But you can’t stop the real thing.” Hawk hugged her tight against him. “And now that I’m here, I can manage the little mess outside.”
“See here, now. My deputy and I came over to manage that mess.”
Hawk hitched a thumb toward the outside wall, well aware he held the upper hand. “Then you’d best get to it.”
Chapter 7
“Did you see his face?” Evelyn’s low laugh punctuated her words as she idly tidied up the counter in the work space. Her son-in-law, Dan, had arrived as promised and he and Hawk had disappeared outside to deal with the death zoo, as Jeffries had so ineloquently put it.
Claudia was still shaken by the events, but Bud’s arrival had given her a suitable outlet for her frustrations and Hawk’s arrival had gone a long way toward assuaging her fears.
Not that she wasn’t scared.
Despite the sheriff’s innuendo, she hadn’t been the one to put that mess outside her back door. And she had heard a gunshot, of that she was now certain. Even though Bud didn’t think it was possible for anyone to have gotten off a shot that no one else on Main Street heard or observed. Claudia wasn’t so sure, but arguing with Bud Jeffries only made him dig in harder and it wasn’t a big enough point to matter.
She’d manage this herself. She’d been meaning to get perimeter cameras for her business—had already made the investment for the front door—and now she’d just need to get them for the back, as well.
One more investment in a long line to get her business up and running, but if it meant peace of mind, then it was well worth it.
“So now that we’re alone, you want to tell me how you went from an introduction to dating in the span of a morning?”
Evelyn had been quiet up to that point, giving Claudia space, but clearly her grace period was at an end. “I’d like an answer before Hawk and Dan get back in here.”
“There’s not that much to tell.”
“Right. And I’m the first lady of Texas.” Evelyn snorted. “Spill it.”
Claudia shot one last glance toward the back door, her fervent hope Hawk would walk back in dashed. And based on the muted discussion she could hear coming from the other side of the door, she didn’t think he and Dan would be back in before she could stall Evelyn.
“He had some news for me yesterday morning.”
“What sort of news?” Evelyn was across the room in a heartbeat. “You’re okay? Is it your mother?”
“Yes. And no.” Claudia answered the questions in order. “Well, it sort of is my mother but not how you mean.”
When confusion only added to the worry in Evelyn’s eyes, Claudia pointed toward the stiff-backed chairs that sat around the small table where they took their breaks. “Let’s sit down and I’ll tell you.”
Claudia reiterated the same details Hawk had shared with her over coffee the day before, then further relayed to Mac. “And Mac’s the only one who knows, so I need you to keep this between us for now.”
“How’d he take it?”
“He’s Mac. He took it all in stride, just like he does everything else.”
“I’m sure he’s worried about you.” Evelyn ran a hand over Claudia’s cheek. “Just like I am.”
“Maybe you can call him. See if he needs to talk about it.”
“Well, of course I can—” Evelyn stopped and snatched her hand back. “That’s so manipulative!”
“I’m a woman on a mission.”
“A futile one.”
“Why? Give me one reason and I’ll stop.”
“I’ve already given you three. My age. My stage of life. And my grandchildren.”
“Mac’s older than you. He’s in the same ‘stage’—” Claudia made air quotes “—as you call it. And he has Cody and a new grandbaby on the way. Should he sit home dateless?”
“Of course not.”
“Then give me a real reason.”
Evelyn shook her head but was saved from saying anything when Dan and Hawk walked in the back door.
Hawk had remained quiet after Bud Jeffries left, his faithful deputy in tow, but his eyes had said it all. She might have only met the man the day before, but it wasn’t hard to read raw, furious anger in the depths of Hawk’s sky blue eyes. The time that had passed since the sheriff had departed hadn’t appeared to lessen the fire and fury that burned in those azure depths.
Dan spoke first. “Since I’m guessing you’re not going to open back up today, can I take you home, Mom?”
Claudia loved that Evelyn’s son-in-law called her “mom.” She’d marveled at it the first time she’d heard it and had smiled each and every time since. How lovel
y would that be? To marry into a family where you had so much love and devotion for your spouse’s parents?
Unlike hers.
She couldn’t imagine Allison calling Livia mom, or Leonor’s new fiancé, Joshua, doing that, either. And Maggie would no sooner speak to Livia than attempt any moniker that suggested the woman was a parental figure.
“Get out of here.” Claudia waved them on. “Hawk and I can run your car by your house on our way to Mac’s tonight.”
Evelyn looked about to argue before her gaze drifted to Hawk. Although he kept his smile light and easy, his anger radiated off him in waves as he paced near the door. “That would be nice. I’ll just get my things.”
In moments, Evelyn had her purse and handed over her keys.
“I’ll see you later, then.” Claudia pressed a quick kiss to her cheek before pulling her in for a tight hug. “Thank you for everything.”
“Of course, sweetie.” Again, Evelyn ran a hand over Claudia’s cheek, the moment sweet and motherly. More motherly than Claudia had ever experienced from Livia. She reveled in that soft touch and knew Evelyn was one more example of the gifts that had come back into her life with the move home to Shadow Creek.
Claudia closed the door and flipped the lock behind Dan and Evelyn. She’d deftly ignored the industrial trash can that sat behind her store, focusing her gaze on her friends instead. The pile from her back sidewalk had likely been swept up in there and she didn’t want to remember the disgusting image or think of it still so nearby.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Claudia leaned her back against the door, pushing the revolting image from her mind. “Better now knowing that...pile is gone.”
Hawk moved closer and placed a hand on the door, just beside her head. “Dan and I disposed of everything. You don’t need to worry about it.”
He was close, but not touching. Even with the small distance, she could feel the heat emanating off his body. Despite the summer warmth of the day, a bone-deep cold had settled beneath her skin as she dealt with the dead animals and then the sheriff’s visit. It was only with Hawk’s closeness that she began to feel that chill fading.
