Chapter 7
“Wait...what?” Dan stared at Bree, then back at Avery and then back at Bree. “You’re not Agent Hart?”
Bree shook her head. “No.” Then she tipped her head toward Avery. “She is.”
“You’ve been impersonating a federal officer. That’s a federal offense,” Avery said. “Working as a detective on a city police force, you, of all people, should know that.”
“Look,” Bree said, “point that weapon in another direction or use it.”
“Don’t tempt me,” Avery said, though she was fighting to keep her hand from shaking and showing just how outraged she was.
Grant held out his hand and took the gun from her. “What’s his story?” he pointed the barrel at Dan.
“He saved me from whoever was in my room.” Bree’s eyes narrowed at Dan as she held out a hand to the man. “Although it’s creepy that you’ve been watching me.”
Dan let her pull him to his feet. “You were nice to me the other day. I don’t like to see nice people hurt.”
Bree brushed the dirt off her jeans. “Is that why you bring coffee to the sheriff’s station?”
Dan nodded. “They work hard to take care of the community.”
“Go home, Dan,” Bree said.
“But what if that guy comes back?” Dan protested, glancing past them to the street beyond.
“I’ll handle him,” Bree said. “I would’ve handled him, even if you hadn’t come along.”
“He was much bigger than you,” Avery said. “In this case, size matters.”
“Yeah, well, I won’t let that determine my fate.” Bree lifted her chin. “Want to go back to the bar and grill and talk? I’m thinking you also want to bring Agent Bradley and Sheriff Taylor in on whatever conversation we’re going to have.”
“Damn right, I do.” Avery shot a glance at Dan. “Are you all right? Could we give you a ride home?”
“My car is parked behind the building,” Dan said. “I can get myself home.”
“Yeah?” Bree said. “And what if the guy you knocked down circles back because he’s pissed?” She lifted her chin. “I’ll walk you back to your car.”
“You’re not walking him anywhere,” Avery said. “The only place you’re going is to the sheriff’s station to be locked up.”
“Look, you can lock me up or do whatever after you make sure this man makes it safely back to his car,” Bree said. “He very well could’ve saved my life.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Dan insisted.
Bree hooked the man’s arm and turned him toward the end of the building. “Come on, Dan. Thank you for coming to my rescue when you did. However, you had no business following me around, no matter if it was to keep an eye on me. You need to go home.”
“For the love of God, we’ll all walk him to his car,” Grant said. “But I’m not taking any chances. The gun stays out.”
Dan stood fast, refusing to move forward. “Are you sure you don’t need help locating the murderer? Or could you use a bodyguard until you find him?”
Bree shook her head. “We’re working on it and hope to know something soon.”
“That’s a relief,” Dan said. “I hear people talking. They’re scared. Every woman in Shadow Valley is terrified.”
Avery’s heart squeezed hard in her chest. It was her responsibility to help local law enforcement find the man and put him away.
Preferably, before he claimed another victim.
Yet, hearing Bree say she was working on it lit a fire in Avery’s gut.
Bree had no jurisdiction over the case. She didn’t work for the sheriff’s department or the FBI.
She was out of her area and could lose her job if word got back to Omaha that she’d impersonated an FBI agent.
Even worse, she could spend time in prison.
It would serve her right.
“We’ll all go together,” Avery said. “You first, Ms. Lansing.”
Bree shrugged and started toward the end of the building.
With one hand holding the gun, Grant gripped Dan’s other elbow with the other and led him around to the back side of the motel, following Bree.
Avery brought up the rear. She didn’t trust that the man dressed in black wouldn’t return.
She didn’t trust Bree Lansing and wanted to get to the bottom of her deception.
The woman had already lied about who she was and had taken Avery’s identity for the days she’d been laid up in a coma.
What else had she done concerning the case?
Dan’s car stood behind the building, tucked in next to a giant trash bin.
“Thanks for walking me to my car. I didn’t need the help, but it’s appreciated.” He turned to Bree, not Avery. “I hope you find the murderer soon. I like thinking this little town is a safe place to live.”
“We’ll do our best,” Bree said.
Avery ground her teeth to keep from saying anything else in front of Dan.
Bree touched the man’s arm. “Thank you for helping me, Dan. And thank you for the coffee you’ve brought every morning since I’ve been here.”
“You’re quite welcome.” Dan looked to Grant and Avery and back to Bree, his eyes narrowing. “Agent—Ms. Lansing, will you be all right?”
Bree laughed, though the sound fell flat. “I’ll be fine. These two are the real deal. I was only filling in.”
Dan stared at Grant and Avery as if they were the ones guilty of impersonating an FBI agent, not Bree. “Okay then. Good night.” He got into his car, backed out and slowly drove away.
Once Dan was gone, fully out of sight, Avery turned to Bree Lansing.
“I want to know exactly why you’re here and why you stole my identity.
” Anger roiled up inside her. At the same time, she had to admit that when Detective Lansing had been attacked, Avery had experienced something so intense it had had nothing to do with anger at this woman for impersonating her.
She’d felt fear so wildly powerful that she couldn’t let go of that feeling to be viciously angry at Bree.
“I want to speak with you, Agent Bradley and Sheriff Taylor at the same time.” Bree held out her arms, palms up. “I’m tired, a little bruised, and I don’t have time to explain twice.”
Grant pulled out his cell phone, selected a number and held it to his ear.
“Agent Bradley, this is Grant Hayes. I need you to meet me at TJ’s Bar and Grill as soon as you can.
And bring Sheriff Taylor.” He paused and then said, “I’ll explain when you get there.
” He ended the call and waved the gun in his hand toward Bree. “Let’s go.”
Avery tensed and stepped aside, allowing Bree to precede them. If the woman tried to run, Grant wouldn’t have to shoot her. Avery would take her down.
“You don’t have to worry,” Bree said. “I’m not going to run.”
“That’s right,” Grant said.
Avery didn’t say anything. She didn’t trust the woman. At the same time, she could see and feel the other woman’s resolve to end the charade. “We should have the sheriff meet us here and have someone dust for Ms. Lansing’s room for prints.”
“Wouldn’t do any good,” Bree said. “The perp was wearing gloves. He wouldn’t have left any prints. I would like to look inside to see if he took anything or left a message.”
Grant and Avery followed Bree back to her room. Since Grant was carrying the gun, he followed Bree inside while Avery stood guard at the door.
They were back out in less than a minute.
“Nothing taken, that I could tell,” Bree said.
“No messages left,” Grant reported.
“He was waiting for me.” Bree shook her head. “Not a good feeling.” She forced half a smile. “Ready to rendezvous with Agent Bradley and the sheriff?”
“We’ll go in my car,” Grant said.
Avery got there first, opened the driver’s side back door and motioned for Bree to get in. “You first and scoot across. I’m riding back here with you.”
Bree folded herself into the back seat and slid across.
Without saying a word, Grant waited for Avery to get into the back seat. Once she was settled and had her seatbelt buckled, he handed her the gun.
Avery nodded. It made more sense for her to hold it on their prisoner so Grant’s hands would be free to drive.
Bree secured her seatbelt and placed her hands on her thighs, her gaze following Grant as he slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine.
After Grant pulled out onto the street, Bree turned to Avery. “How old are you, Agent Hart?”
Avery frowned. “None of your business. Besides, why would you care?”
“I’m thirty-four years old,” Bree said.
Avery’s frown deepened. “So?”
“Never mind,” Bree said and stared straight ahead. “I’ll save it for our meeting with Agent Bradley and the sheriff.”
“What does my age have to do with you?” Avery demanded, holding the gun steady.
Bree’s lips pressed together. “It’ll wait.”
“Damn right, it’ll wait.”
Grant drove to TJ’s Bar & Grill and parked in the lot. He got out, opened Avery’s door and took the gun.
Before Avery exited the vehicle, Melissa Bradley drove up in her SUV and got out. She crossed to stand in front of Grant. “Mr. Hayes, what’s going on?”
“Where’s Sheriff Taylor?” Grant asked.
“He should be here about...” Melissa glanced down at her watch and turned toward the street. “Now.”
The sheriff pulled into the parking lot and parked next to Grant’s truck.
He got out, wearing the uniform he’d worn all day. His hair was rumpled, and he looked like he’d aged ten years since that morning. “What’s happening? What’s the emergency?”
Melissa shrugged. “I don’t know. Mr. Hayes asked us to meet here ASAP. I assume it has something to do with the case.”
“It does,” Avery said as she got out of the car and scraped the hat off her head, letting her hair fall down around her shoulders. “I’m Agent Avery Hart.”
Melissa Bradley frowned. “I know that.”
“So do I.” Sheriff Taylor crossed his arms over his chest. “Why do you think it’s necessary to introduce yourself again?”
“Because I just got to Shadow Valley this morning,” Avery said.
Melissa’s frown deepened. “How can that be right when you’ve been here three days, working alongside both of us?”
“Because I haven’t been here.” She leaned down and said to the woman in the back seat. “Ms. Lansing, you’ve got some explaining to do.”
Avery stood back as Bree Lansing climbed out of the back seat and turned toward Melissa and Sheriff Taylor.