Smolder, page 12
“Exactly,” Donny says.
“So they have a dog or dogs,” Dale says. “How does that help us?”
I widen my eyes. “Oh my God.”
“You see what I’m saying?” Donny smiles.
“Yeah. This is a clue. They use canines.”
“They could just be bringing pets around.” From Dale.
“Really? I doubt it,” I say. “These dogs are trained. Otherwise they wouldn’t bring them. Dogs would just get in the way. Especially around decaying bodies. They’d be going crazy.”
“Okay, I see your point,” Dale says. “But how exactly does this help us?”
“They’re probably trained guard dogs,” I say. “We may be able to trace these people that way.”
Dale cocks his head. “Would guard dogs shit inside a barn?”
“Why wouldn’t they?” I ask. “They don’t live here. It’s just like outside in here, ground and all.”
“I think guard dogs have to be registered in most states,” Donny says. “Except that whoever these people are, they aren’t exactly law-abiding citizens.”
“No,” I say, “but they had to have their dogs trained somewhere. It’s a long shot, but we might be able to trace them that way.”
“Okay…” Dale puts his baseball cap back on his head. “The idea has merit, but still it’s going to be like looking for a needle in a haystack.”
“I agree,” I say. “But that’s all we’ve got, Dale. That, some old bones, and plastic red fingernails. What do you think is the most easily traced?”
“Dogs,” Dale finally relents.
“I can look into it. Put Callie on it,” Donny says. “We’ve got the databases at the office.”
“Perfect,” I say. “I know it’s not much, but what else can we do?”
“We can get out to those other coordinates as soon as possible,” Dale says.
“Problem is, we all have other things to do,” I say. “We all have jobs. Jobs that don’t wait.”
“What about tomorrow?” Dale says. “Sunday.”
“The winery may be closed on Sunday, but the beef ranch isn’t, Dale,” I say.
“The winery never closes. I always have to be watching fermentation. But if you can’t make it tomorrow, maybe Donny and I can.”
“Tomorrow won’t work for me,” Donny says. “Sorry.”
Dale sighs. “All right. You’ve convinced me. We need some recovery time after today. In the meantime, we’ve done everything we can here for now.”
I nod. Recovery time. Now my cousin is talking sense.
I need to get home. I need to shower this disgusting filth off my body.
And then I need to call Rory.
I should’ve called her before now, but I was giving her space.
Tonight? I need to see her. I’m not exactly sure why, but she is the one person I want to see right now after all of this.
“Let’s take one more look around the perimeter,” Dale says. “Then let’s get the fuck out of here.”
We climb down carefully, and I eye the hole we’ve left in the ceiling. “They’re going to know we were here now.”
“They already know we were here, Brock,” Donny says. “These are not amateurs. The fingernails may have been plants. The bones too. But the dogs? They’re using dogs for a reason, and it’s not to throw us off track.”
“I agree,” I say. “The dogs are our best bet for now.”
“Callie and I will get on that first thing Monday,” Don says.
I nod.
The mention of Callie makes me think of Rory once more.
Damn.
I should’ve taken her into my bed.
Yeah, I wanted to try something new. Not do the patented Rake-a-teer system.
Right now, though, I need to fuck.
And I only want to fuck one person.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Rory
I’m standing on the sidewalk in front of Doc Sheraton’s home when my nerves strike. My feet don’t want to move.
“You okay?” Callie asks.
“Yeah.”
“What happened to the I’m damned sure I want to do this?”
I clear my throat. “I’m good. Good. Just for a moment, I saw myself spread-eagled and naked coming across everyone’s Twitter feed.”
“We don’t have to do this, Ror.”
“No. We do have to do this. We need to put an end to this once and for all.” I stride up the pathway to the front stoop, and before I can think better of it, I knock harshly on the door.
Callie stands next to me, her eyes on fire.
We’re ready. Don’t fuck with the Pike sisters.
Except that no one comes to the door.
I pound on it once more.
“Rory, they have a doorbell.”
“I don’t care. I feel like pounding on the door, and I’m going to pound on the door.” I throw my fist against it a third time.
“You can hurt your hand,” Callie says.
“You kidding me? I feel nothing. I’m angry right now, Callie. Really, really angry. I can’t believe they think they can do this to us.”
Finally the door opens in front of me.
“Of course,” Callie says dryly. “Going to break a few windows over here as well?”
Pat Lamone stands in front of us, framed by the doorway. “The Pike sluts. Where’s your criminal brother?”
“Filing a false police report carries a penalty of up to six months in jail,” Callie says.
Pat ignores the comment. “What do the two of you want?”
“We want to see Doc Sheraton.”
“He’s out of town.”
“Great, just great,” I say.
“Where is he?” Callie demands. “We want his number.”
“I’m not giving you his personal cell number.” Pat’s hands whip to his hips.
“Yeah, you are. We think he might be really interested in this email that came from his account.” I shove a hard copy of the email under Pat’s nose.
He grabs it from me. “Let me see that.”
“We know Brittany sent this. Or maybe you did. Whoever did had access to the doc’s computer.”
“I didn’t send it.”
“Right. You expect us to believe that.” Callie shakes her head. “You’re even dumber than I thought.”
“Actually, this is probably Brittany’s work.”
“So you’re going to sell out your little girlfriend,” I say. “Typical.”
“Brittany and I broke up.”
“Which explains why you’re in her father’s house.” I roll my eyes.
“Okay… We didn’t technically break up. But my plans are to break up with her.”
“You better quiet down,” Callie says. “She’s going to hear you, Pat.”
“Brittany’s not here. She went to Wyoming with her dad. I’m house-sitting.”
“Why’d they go to Wyoming?” I demand.
“How the hell should I know? Business, I guess.”
“What the hell kind of business does a small-town veterinarian have?” Callie asks.
“Do I look like a freaking encyclopedia? I don’t know. I’m just house-sitting.”
I whisk past him then, walk right into the home. “You won’t mind if we come in, then. Have a look around.”
“I don’t mind, but the doc might. You’re trespassing.”
“You a cop?”
He says nothing.
“Of course he’s not a cop,” Callie says. “And if you call the cops, we’ll be happy to tell them what you’ve done.”
“You don’t have anything on me.”
“Want to bet?” I say.
“Yeah, I’ll take those odds.”
Callie and I exchange a look. We’re not going to tell him about the child porn charges. We’ll keep that to ourselves.
“Go ahead, then,” Callie says. “Call Hardy. Call the whole fucking force.”
“You’re bluffing.”
“Try us,” I say.
I’m well aware that my photos could still be plastered across social media. And in a disgusting way, I’m almost hoping he tries to post Callie’s. Then we get him.
“Where are the photos?” Callie demands.
“Like I’d tell you.”
“We found the ones you buried. Same place where you found our key.” I scan the hallway. “Nice try.”
“We’re going to find all the photos,” Callie says, “and when we do, you’re going to be in a world of hurt.”
“Yeah, I know, I know. You can send Donovan Steel after me. The whole fucking Steel family.”
“The Steels have a lot of power,” I say.
“You think I don’t know that? I know more about the Steels than either one of you do.”
Callie scoffs. Holds out her left hand. “I doubt that.”
“Yeah, yeah. I heard the good news. You think because you’re engaged to Donny Steel you know everything? There are things Donny himself doesn’t even know.”
“Like what?” I raise my eyebrows.
“Like…Steels are everywhere.”
“They’re a big family,” I say.
“That’s not what I mean. Now get the hell out of Doc Sheraton’s house.”
“I don’t think so,” Callie says. “I think we’re going to have a look around while we’re here.”
“And you’re not going to call the cops,” I say, “because you don’t want to know what’s going to happen to you if you do.”
His lips quiver. Just a touch, but I notice. I frightened him. Perhaps he does know that it’s illegal for him to possess those photos of Callie. He doesn’t need to even post them. Possession is all it takes.
But first, we have to prove that he possesses them.
“The photos probably aren’t here,” Callie says. “Not at Doc Sheraton’s. They’re probably in his room at Mrs. Mayer’s house.”
“I’ll have you arrested if you break into that nice old lady’s house,” Pat says. “Her heart can’t take it, especially after your brother and his cronies smashed it up.”
“Jesse’s innocent and you know it,” I say. “Besides, we have no intention of breaking and entering anywhere.”
“What the hell do you think you’re doing right now?”
“Why, you invited us in,” I say, giving him my best wide-eyed innocent look. “Didn’t he, Callie?”
“He sure did. I’m an eyewitness.”
Pat scoffs and shakes his head. “You two bitches are something else.”
I smile then. My most sickeningly sweet smile I can come up with. “Oh, Pat, my darling. You have no idea.”
He drops his gaze to my chest. “You’re still hot.”
Then he looks at Callie. “And you’re still an ugly duckling.”
“Shut the fuck up,” I say.
Callie says nothing.
Good. He’s not worth the response.
“I should’ve fucked you that night,” Pat says. “That night in the van.”
“You really think I would have let that happen?”
“I don’t think you would’ve had a choice.”
“So you want to add rapist to the rest of your criminal monikers,” Callie says. “Nice.”
“What did you mickey me with?” Pat asks.
“Nothing.”
“Then why did I wake up somewhere else?”
“Don’t know.” I shrug. “You couldn’t get a freaking boner either.”
It’s a low blow, and it’s probably not true. We didn’t get that far, and I didn’t go near his crotch.
“Right,” he says.
“It’s a shame you don’t remember, Pat. You had performance anxiety.”
Callie chuckles next to me.
I can’t help myself. This guy’s an asshole. The asshole of assholes.
“You might want to watch what you say to me, Rory,” Pat says. “I can still make your life pretty miserable.”
“Not as miserable as I can make yours.” I walk toward the kitchen. “Let’s split up, Callie. Check each room. Anything a little out of the ordinary? Take a photo.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Brock
As soon as Dale and Donny drop me off at my place, I call Rory.
“Hello.”
“Hey, Rory. It’s Brock.”
Her throat clears. “Hey.”
“Listen, I’m sorry I haven’t called.”
“I got your email. About renting out the cinema.”
“Oh, good. So are you excited? About putting together a program?”
“I’m…kind of in the middle of something right now.”
“Are you free tonight?”
A pause.
Then, “Seriously? You’re calling me at the last minute to go out with you tonight?”
This time I pause. How do I respond to that? I tried to give her space, to help her to think that I wasn’t just after one thing. Of course I am after that thing tonight. After the fucking day I had.
“It’s been a busy week at work. I apologize. I should’ve called you sooner.”
“I think I might be busy.”
“You think?”
“I just told you. I’m kind of in the middle of something.”
“What are you in the middle of? Maybe I can help.” I look down at my watch. It’s nearly five o’clock already.
“I’m…investigating.”
“Then I definitely want to help.”
“Forget about it. We’re done.”
“We?”
“Callie and me.”
“Where are you?”
“We’re at Doc Sheraton’s house.”
“The veterinarian? What are you doing there?”
“I told you. Investigating.”
“Investigating…what?”
“Just investigating. But we’re done. And about tonight…”
“Yeah?” My heart jumps as I wait for her reply.
“Yeah. I’d love to go out with you tonight.”
Thank God. “Great. Where do you want me to pick you up? You want me to come to town and pick you up there?”
“No. I’ll drive back home with Callie. Pick me up at our ranch house in about an hour and a half. Six thirty.”
“Perfect. It’s done. And Rory?”
“What?”
“I can’t wait to see you.”
Before she can respond, I end the call.
But I can’t help but wonder—what is she doing at Doc Sheraton’s house?
Then I call her back quickly.
“Yeah?” she says into the phone, her voice breathless.
“Hey, I need you to ask Doc Sheraton something for me.”
“He’s not here.”
I wrinkle my forehead. He’s not there? But Rory is? No, she so did not…
“Before you freak out on me,” she says, “Pat is here. Pat Lamone.”
“What the hell is he doing there?”
“He’s Brittany’s boyfriend. He’s house-sitting. Doc and Brittany are in Wyoming.”
“And he just let you in? To…investigate?”
“Yeah. He didn’t have a lot of choice.”
“Rory, what’s going on?”
“You wouldn’t believe it if I told you.”
“Try me.”
“We’ll see how things go tonight,” she says. “Bye now.”
This time she ends the call without waiting for my response.
So much for talking to Doc Sheraton. He would know all about guard dog registration. In fact…
Oh my God.
Doc Sheraton trains guard dogs.
I knew that. He’s a small-town vet. He takes care of horses, cattle, and house pets, but Snow Creek is a small town. He needed a side hustle.
He trains guard dogs.
In Wyoming.
Oh. My. God.
Why didn’t I think of this? He’ll know all about guard dogs. He may have trained the guard dogs that those degenerates are using.
But he’s out of town. In Wyoming. Probably working at his guard-dog kennel.
I make a quick note on my phone. I don’t have his cell number, only his office number in town. But he’ll be back. He probably has appointments this week. I’ll go talk to him. Maybe take Rory with me.
Or…not.
Just because Dale and Donny brought their significant others in on this—one who happens to be Rory’s sister—doesn’t mean I should bring in Rory. Rory is hardly my significant other. She’s a woman I’ve been on one date with. A woman I’m wildly attracted to.
I choke back a laugh.
A woman I turned down.
I’m still not sure I was myself Monday night.
Except I was.
Something inside me wants more with Rory Pike.
Tonight. Tonight has to go well. I can’t piss her off again.
I shower, and boy, does that feel good. Getting the grime of that horrible tract of land off me.
Red fingernails. Guard dogs. Bones.
Dale has the bones. And it’s time. It’s time to have them analyzed. The experts will be able to tell how old they are, maybe even get some DNA. We just talked about all this, but something is niggling at the back of my neck. Time is of the essence.
“Dale,” I say into the phone after punching in his number.
“Yeah, Brock?”
“We need to get those bones checked out right away. Like today if possible.”
“I know that. We probably should’ve done it before now. But I just…”
“You don’t have to explain. We don’t really want to know who they belong to, but if they can help us…”
“Yeah. You’re right,” he says. “I get it. We do it ASAP.”
“You got any contacts?”
“Not off the top of my head, but Aunt Ruby used to be a cop. She’ll know who we can talk to about it.”
“Dale… Don’t tell her about the bones.”
“God, no. I’ll just get some names of people who can analyze them for us.”
“How are you going to do that?”
“I’ll think of something.” He sighs. “Anything else?”
A lightbulb explodes in my head. I need help for tonight, and Dale is recently married to a beautiful woman.
“Yeah. Tell me how to…” God, am I really about to ask him this? “Woo a woman.”
