by Linda Conrad
“Okay. Great.” Nina thought she would like that. She’d never had a real girlfriend and she did like this young woman sheriff very much.
“Good. I’ve asked my husband to stop by for a few minutes because I wanted you to have a chance to meet him. He’s the county attorney and we might eventually need his services in this investigation. Plus, I thought the more people you knew in Chance the safer you might start to feel.”
“I’d like that. Thanks.”
“Sure. And another thing, you might want to come out to the ranch and stay with us tonight after we talk about what you saw. There aren’t any motels or inns anywhere near Chance.”
“Oh?” A sudden chill ran up her arms.
Lacie tilted her head to look at her. “Were you considering going back to the RV for tonight? That might be a dangerous move.”
“Dangerous?”
“Yes. Your stalkers could certainly know about the RV by now. And there aren’t that many places to park one of those big rigs in the surrounding counties.”
Oh. My. God. She’d walked away from Josh, left him in the RV, and now he might be in danger because of her? That was exactly the reason why she’d sneaked off without him in the first place. Trying to keep him out of danger. How could she have been dumb enough to do anything so unthinking?
“Are you okay? What’s wrong?” Lacie took a step closer but just at that moment a nice-looking, tall man appeared in the open doorway.
He began to say something, but Lacie put her palm up to silence him for the moment. “Nina? What’s wrong?”
“I…I have to make a call.” She dug out her phone again and hit the button to connect her to Josh.
*
“What’s going on?” Colt stepped closer and Lacie took his hand.
“I don’t exactly know for sure, honey. My witness apparently just thought of something, turned a sick shade of pea-green and made a call before I could ask anything.”
“Lacie…”
His voice was shaky so she stopped staring at Nina and turned to her husband. He seemed focused on her witness and his eyes were the size of basketballs, his breathing labored.
“What is it?” She took his hand in both of hers. “You think you’ve seen her before?”
“That’s her,” he said in a hoarse voice and nodded to Nina. “That’s the woman I saw on a crowded street when I was in that California border town. Seeing her changed my life. I’m not likely to forget. She has to be my sister. I would swear to it.”
Lacie put her arm around her husband’s waist. “Take it easy. We have no proof. She certainly hasn’t made any moves that could be construed to mean she knows who we are. We have to go slow. I called Gage. He’s on his way.”
Colt fisted a hand and put it against his heart. “Is this really possible?” he whispered. “After all these years of looking for our baby sister, and Cami just walks right in the door?”
It did seem coincidental, but Lacie wasn’t ready to accept or reject the idea. Not yet.
“None of this makes sense,” she told him. “Let’s not say anything for a while. Give Gage a chance to check her out. I did a little research myself and couldn’t find any background for her beyond about the age of ten or twelve. Very odd. But Gage should have better luck.”
Lacie patted her husband on the arm. “Calm down, dear. Remember I’m in the middle of a murder investigation and this young woman is my only witness. Give us all some time.”
Colt stood frozen in place, staring at Nina. He seemed to be taking in every detail of her very curvy body. If Lacie hadn’t known that he was probably trying to find a family resemblance, she might’ve been jealous.
Just then the young woman hung up the phone and looked up, her face the picture of distress.
“He didn’t get my note.” The quiver in Nina’s voice told Lacie her witness was about to lose control. “He doesn’t know where I am and now he won’t answer his phone. What am I going to do?”
Lacie went to stand beside her chair. “Who? That doctor you said helped you leave the hospital?”
Nina gazed at her, her expression one of helplessness. “Yes. Josh White is his name. And he doesn’t know why I came here without telling him.”
Lacie slid an arm around her shoulders. “Hold on. I’m not getting the whole story here.” But she could judge when a woman was in love when she saw one. “Where did you last see him?”
Nina’s eyes filled with unshed tears. “The RV. Back in the park. Oh, Lord, you don’t suppose something bad has happened to him?”
“No. Why would it? He didn’t see the murderer, did he?”
Nina shook her head as tears began leaking from the corners of her eyes.
“See there. He’s probably fine. Might he have another reason to be…uh…not answering your calls?”
Hanging her head, Nina murmured, “Maybe. His voice mails didn’t mention my note. He could be furious that I left without telling him.”
“Well,” Lacie began, trying to find some way of calming down her witness, “how about if I call him? Then if he doesn’t answer a call from the sheriff’s office, I’ll send a deputy out to check on the RV. How does that sound?”
“Okay.” The word was shaky but the voice sounded stronger and the tears were gone.
Colt came up behind Lacie and whispered in her ear. “Wouldn’t it be faster to ask Sheriff Hunt to check on that RV park? It’s in his jurisdiction.”
Lacie touched his cheek and whispered over her shoulder. “I’m not too certain about Sheriff Hunt these days. There’s something not right with him. Can’t put my finger on what but I’d rather not ask for anything just now.”
Still searching for a way to keep her witness calm, Lacie turned back to Nina with a smile and turned her hand to indicate Colt standing right behind her. “I’d like for you to meet my husband, Colt Chance. He’s the county attorney I told you about.”
Nina gazed up at Colt through wet eyelashes. Her expression suddenly switched from mildly curious to something close to alarm.
“Nina?” Confused, Lacie took the girl’s hand again. “Do you think you’ve seen Colt before? You can tell me. I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”
“He’s not the man I saw murder the woman if that’s what you’re asking.” Nina’s whole demeanor changed from open to closed.
“But you have seen him before?”
“No.” The answer came out forced and far too fast. “I mean, I don’t think so. He does look a little familiar, but I couldn’t have seen him before, could I?”
Lacie wasn’t certain what to say. But her gut instinct was to keep her witness calm at all costs.
“Colt’s just leaving,” she said instead of answering. “We’ll see him again this evening at home. Maybe something will come to you by then.”
“But I…” Colt’s tone spoke of the confusion she knew he must be feeling, as he hadn’t said a word about going.
“I’ll find a portable office phone so we can call your doctor, Nina. And I’ll see Colt out. His office is right next door if we need him.” With that, she grabbed her husband by the arm and dragged him out the door.
“What was that all about?” Colt asked in a low voice once they were in the hallway.
“I think she must have felt something when she looked at you. Some familiarity, maybe. But it wasn’t good for her. Did you see the look on her face? She was on the edge of panic, when I was trying hard to keep her calm.”
“I’d like to stay and talk to her,” Colt said in a hurt voice. “Why would she panic just by looking at me?”
Lacie rubbed up against him, trying to make him see her point. “I don’t know. But isn’t it possible she doesn’t remember her childhood? Doesn’t remember any of you? And perhaps that whole time in her life scares her. I’d say she looked more terrified than anything else.”
“You think? We never did find out what our aunt did to her after she took her away.” He looked thoughtful for a second. “If she’s blocked it
out, we may never get her to remember us.”
Lacie smiled at her husband and stroked the back of his hand. “I know patience is still not your strong suit, honey. But give her time. Give all of us time.”
“Sheriff!” At that moment one of her dispatchers came running down the hall. “There’s been a terrible accident on the ranch-to-market road, right at the bridge. Single vehicle. An RV. One of those big suckers, and they say it turned over and broke up.”
Uh-oh. “Are Sheriff Hunt’s people there yet? That’s right on the county line.”
“I guess so. No one has asked for an ambulance. Maybe it’s not as bad as it sounds.”
“Thanks, Louanna. See if you can find one of our deputies cruising in that part of the county who can go check on the wreck.” The dispatcher nodded and hurried off.
Lacie turned to Colt and said, “Stand by, will you, honey? I don’t like the sound of this and may need you.”
Colt leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “I’ll go up front and wait for my brother. Gage should be here any minute and he won’t like not being able to see our sister the second he comes through the door.”
“Explain the problems, will you? Find out if he’s contacted the forensic artist yet. And tell him I said for him to stand by, too. Both of you practice a little restraint while I try to make sense of this.”
Turning into her office, Lacie opened her mouth and tried to find the words to explain the situation to Nina. But before she could speak, the other woman’s cell phone rang.
Nina looked at her phone. “It’s Josh! Thank goodness. Can I have a moment with him, please?”
Lacie nodded and backed up a few steps. But before reaching the hall, she could tell something was not right.
“Yes, I understand if you’re sure,” Nina was saying to the person on the other end. “But why can’t one of Sheriff Chance’s deputies take me there?”
Hearing her name, Lacie raised her head and listened openly.
“All right. And thank you.” Nina closed her phone off and slipped it in her backpack’s pocket.
Lacie waited while the young woman stood and pulled her backpack over her shoulder.
“Oh, Lacie.” She looked up at her as though she’d forgotten where she was. “Josh has been in a traffic accident. The sheriff from the next county just called me. It’s okay, he said Josh isn’t hurt. Just a little banged up. But he’s asking for me. I have to go.”
“Whoa,” Lacie said as she stepped in her way. “Let’s talk about this. Are you sure that was Sheriff Hunt on the phone? Why wouldn’t he call me first?”
Nina looked a little confused, but she had an answer. “His deputies didn’t know I was here. Apparently, Josh was knocked out and the deputies couldn’t talk to him. So the sheriff found my number in his phone and…” She stopped talking and put a hand to her mouth in thought. “Josh was knocked out? But that sounds more serious….”
Lacie did not like this at all. Sheriff Hunt knew damned well where Nina was. She’d told him herself.
“Why don’t you and I drive back there together and see what’s going on?” she offered to the young witness.
Nina shook her head but screwed up her mouth in obvious confusion. “You don’t have to bother. The other sheriff said he would send a deputy to pick me up. Josh is in an emergency center in his county. And the sheriff promised a ride would be here for me within the hour.”
“Nina, we need more information about this. None of what the sheriff told you makes any sense. I’m afraid for you to go off alone just on the basis of one phone call.”
“Uh… It doesn’t sound right, does it?” Nina’s face became a mask of fear. “What’ll I do? Where’s Josh really? I need to talk to him. Tell him… Tell him…”
Chapter 10
Ten minutes later Lacie came into the office where Nina was still waiting. “I have a plan. I just made a few phone calls and now I’m more convinced than ever that it would be foolish for you to go off not knowing all the facts.”
Nina didn’t care one bit what Lacie thought. Josh was in trouble and she was going. Period.
Lacie must’ve guessed what she was thinking. “I called the one urgent care place in Jim Abbott County and Dr. White has not been brought in. Also according to his dispatcher, Sheriff Hunt is unreachable. And as far as anyone in his office knows, none of his deputies are on their way here to pick you up.”
Nina’s nerves were hopping. She began pacing off the room, trying not to think about what kind of trouble Josh might be in. Where was he? If only she could talk to him. Ask his opinion of the smartest thing to do.
Lacie stopped her march with a hand to the arm. “I can’t let my only murder witness be harmed. So—”
“But what about Josh? I have to find him and if driving off with someone we can’t prove is a deputy is the only way to do that, then I volunteer. Follow us if you want. But I’m going.”
“Nina, please.” Lacie put both hands on her shoulders, forcing her to look straight into the sheriff’s eyes. “Calm down and listen. You have to be tough to get through situations like this. And from what I can tell so far, you are plenty strong enough to take whatever comes your way.”
Hell, yes, she was tough. Life had made her that way.
Lacie lowered her voice. “Josh may be already gone. Deep inside you know that. The crash could have taken his life. This whole deal with the sheriff may be just a charade to get you away from here—so the murderer can kill you, too. I can’t let that happen.”
“But…” The idea of Josh being dead made her legs wobble. Her hands began to tremble.
“I do have a plan.” Lacie backed up a step and gave her the once-over. “We’re about the same size. Maybe an inch or two difference in height is all. What if we change clothes and I go in your place? If Josh is alive, I stand the best chance of bringing him back to you.”
Flustered by the sheriff’s offer, Nina sat on the edge of the desk and tapped her foot. She had to think. Would she be a coward for not going? Or would she be smart?
What would Josh want her to do? The answer to that question seemed clear. Josh would want her to stay safe. That was all he ever talked about.
Still… “I’ll change with you. You can go in my place. But I want to go, too.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Lacie hedged.
“Yes, you do,” Nina shot back at her. “You plan to have someone else there covering your back. Right?”
She didn’t wait for Lacie to agree. “I insist on going with the backup. I need to be there when you find out what happened to Josh.”
A half hour later Nina stood in a hallway of the sheriff’s station while Lacie handed shotguns out of a locked gun cabinet to the men gathered. Nina tugged at the neck of her sweatshirt. Turned out she couldn’t squeeze into one of Lacie’s uniforms so she’d donned the sheriff’s gym clothes. And it was just as well. None of the men preparing to be Lacie’s backup were in uniforms either. In fact, most of the men in the group were friends and relatives of the sheriff’s instead of her regular deputies.
In a few minutes everyone walked out behind the sheriff’s station. She let Lacie install her in the backseat of an SUV with some of the men. The two tall good-looking guys in front were Lacie’s brothers-in-law. And the two men flanking her in the backseat had been introduced as another brother-in-law’s hired hands.
Lacie disappeared from view as she walked back into the station to wait for the ride from the supposed deputy. Meanwhile, silence settled on everyone in the SUV as they listened to the sounds coming from a speaker on the dash connected to a hidden wire Lacie was wearing. The sheriff gave whispered updates and bulletins to her posse as the minutes counted down.
Boy, Nina felt a ton of choking testosterone rolling in this small space. Every man there was tense. Every man had a gun.
The two men in front, one named Sam Chance and the other called Gage, kept turning their heads to give her odd looks. Okay, she knew it might not b
e smart for an unarmed woman to tag along on a dangerous plan like this. But she didn’t care. She felt plenty safe with all these gun-toting men.
And besides, she was not the most important consideration here. Josh was. Nothing else mattered. All her old worries about him being too much of a hero had disappeared as she feared for his life. All her angst about being caught in Texas had also apparently dissolved by the side of the road in the heap of a trashed RV.
Oh, Josh. Hang on.
She closed her eyes and tried to pray, though it had been many years since she’d known how. Please, Lord, just keep him alive until we find him.
*
Josh cracked open his lids, ignoring the razor-edged pain behind his eyes, and tried to get his bearings. His head felt like someone had used a sledgehammer on it. Where was he?
Oh, yeah, the RV had crashed. He’d lived through that disaster? Amazing. But now what? He tried moving and another pain, this one both sharp and throbbing, nearly took his breath away. Shoulder. He could bet that much pain meant his left shoulder was dislocated.
An injury like that needed treatment by a doctor. He should be in an emergency room having a shoulder reduction. He managed to twist his body enough to sit up and look around. Well, this wasn’t any hospital. He was on the floor in some kind of dusty storeroom.
But why? A memory of those two dudes with guns riding in the pickup that ran him off the road came back to remind him that he still might not live to see the end of this day.
He stopped panting through his pain long enough to listen to his surroundings. Someone was here. Distant conversation could be heard through the closed door. The same men? Probably.
Now he fought to keep the pain at bay long enough to think. Why had they tried to kill him?
Nina! Of course. They must’ve thought she was in the RV when they caused it to crash. Thank God she’d already taken off on her own.
But where was she now? And was that why they were keeping him here? To lure her? He had to do something.
