Chapter 4 #2
With a wince, Trevor realized he should have told Bailey the information he’d learned about her husband’s death. She wasn’t the only one with memory issues. He kept forgetting she didn’t know anything about her past.
Including the fact that she’d apparently gone to the police about her husband’s fatal car crash.
“Tom, would you be willing to share your investigation into Clark’s death with me?” He knew he was asking for the impossible. The police wouldn’t share their investigations with the public. “You said yourself it was deemed an accident.”
“If I don’t, are you going to sic Griff on me?” Howell asked.
“Probably.” He didn’t see any reason to lie. “Bailey’s life is on the line here. I don’t think standing on protocol is the smart way to go. As I said before, we need all hands on deck.”
There was a long pause as Tom considered that. Then the older man sighed. “Fine. I’ll share the file. But if you learn anything more about the guy in a black hat, or the black truck, or anything else, I need you to let me know. And I’ll need that shell casing too.”
“I promise. And the same goes.” Trevor was glad the Cody police got along well with the Sullivans. “Thank you.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Tom groused. “I’ll be in touch.”
When Howell ended the call, he turned to Bailey. “I guess I owe you an apology.”
“Yes.” Her voice was taut. “You should have mentioned my husband may have been murdered.”
He couldn’t blame her for being upset. “I’m sorry. But you heard Sergeant Howell. Your husband’s death was ruled an accident. They didn’t find any evidence of murder.”
“So I’m supposed to believe my car crash was an accident too?”
“No, that’s not what I said.” He reached for her hand. She tugged it away. “I think your car crash was an intentional act. But thinking isn’t proving. And without your memory to tell me what happened on the highway last evening, there’s no way to know for sure.”
She laced her fingers over her pregnant belly. “Is there anything else I need to know? Was Clark a criminal or something?”
“No. He co-owned the Sweet Water Pub and Grill.” He glanced over. “Does that sound familiar?”
She shook her head and bit her lip. “I wish it did. I must have eaten there if my husband owned the place. I’m surprised. Based on my small house, I wouldn’t have thought we’d have a lot of money.”
“He had investors from what I understand.” Trevor wished he’d paid more attention to the things Miles had told him about Clark. “I don’t know all the details, except for the fact that you purchased the house you’re living in now after he died.”
“So I don’t have a lot of money?” She frowned, clearly trying to make sense of things. “Shouldn’t I have gotten part of the pub?”
“I’m not sure how Clark’s will was set up.
” That was something Trevor could dig into, though, first thing in the morning.
He didn’t like the idea of Bailey scraping by for money.
Maybe the pub’s financial situation contributed to Clark’s death.
Although he’d have thought Tom would have ruled that out in his investigation.
With a mental shake, he focused back on the present.
“You work at City Hall as a receptionist, so you may be able to get the public records on the pub in the morning.”
“Okay.” She sighed. “I guess that’s better than sitting around doing nothing.”
He’d have to figure out a way that she could get to City Hall and back without Black Hat knowing it. Bailey had mentioned seeing the guy four times in two days. He assumed at least one of those times was when she was leaving work.
“I feel like we’re driving in a circle,” Bailey said after a moment. “Didn’t we pass that storefront earlier?”
“Yeah, we are. I’m doubling back to make sure that nobody comes up behind us.
” He was surprised she’d noticed. “We can’t get a rental property until later this morning, so staying on the road seems our best option.
As soon as it’s closer to six, I’ll call my sister Kendra.
She’s been helping with getting rental properties for us when needed. ”
“I’m surprised you’d stay in rental properties when doing search and rescue missions.”
“We’ve found ourselves in some dicey situations recently.
” He didn’t want to get into the crimes he and his siblings had helped solve over the past year.
Although he found it rather ironic, he was the one on the run from danger now.
The month of October had been quiet, so he’d assumed the worst was over.
Technically, Bailey was the one in trouble, but there’s no way he’d let her deal with this on her own.
Even if her memory was fully intact, he’d stick to her like superglue.
“Is there anything else I need to know?” Bailey asked, interrupting his thoughts. “Were Clark and I happily married?”
“As far as I know, yes. And I know your brother really liked Clark.”
She frowned at that but didn’t ask anything more. He was glad she hadn’t sought his opinion of the guy. Not that it was relevant.
His personal feelings weren’t important. Finding Black Hat or the black truck were all that mattered. Once the police had their suspect in custody, they’d understand exactly how Bailey’s crash and her husband’s death were connected.
Or so he hoped.
He kept an eye on the rearview mirror as he took the long way around town.
He had instinctively headed to the far side of the city.
A few months ago, his brother Joel had stayed in a cabin that was on the northwest side of Cody.
It was the opposite end from where Bailey lived, and while he’d rather head all the way to Greybull or some other city, he thought it better to stay close.
For one thing, he still had the shell casing.
For another, he really wanted to see the paperwork for the Sweet Water Pub.
Would Kendra be able to secure that cabin in the woods again? When Joel had been there back in August, a bomb had gone off under his SUV, causing damage to the front of dwelling. The Sullivans had paid for the repairs, so he knew it was back up and running as a rental property.
His younger sister would balk at being used as the ranch secretary, but the truth was that they all protected Kendra from the harsher side of life.
As if losing her parents when she was barely nineteen hadn’t forced her to grow up fast. It had.
She’d insisted on training her K9, Smoky, to perform SAR missions, but they’d always managed to make sure she took on the easier searches.
Partially because a year ago in November, she’d suffered a bad fall and sustained several fractures.
They’d all been forced to grow up fast, he silently admitted.
He’d been an EMT for two years and had been training as a firefighter when their parents had died.
He’d quit school and moved back to the ranch without a second thought.
Maya and Chase had moved back, keeping the family together. He’d admired them for what they’d done.
The shared tragedy had drawn them closer together. Far more than if they hadn’t gone through the loss.
Was that a part of God’s plan? His siblings would say it was. At the same time, it was difficult to imagine why Bailey being in danger was part of the Lord’s master plan.
“The streets are so empty,” Bailey said. “It feels like we’re the only one on the road.”
“Yeah.” He glanced at the rearview mirror again. Archie was stretched out with his eyes closed. “Traffic will pick up soon.”
“Your idea of checking gas station video was great,” Bailey said. “I hope the police get it first thing.”
“They will.” He had learned a lot about police work over the years they’d been doing search and rescue. Especially in the past ten months when his siblings had been drawn into danger. He glanced at his fuel gauge. “Speaking of gas stations, I need to fill up.”
Bailey reached down for her purse and rummaged through it.
“Don’t.” He put a hand on her arm. “I have plenty of cash.”
She grimaced and opened her wallet. “I guess that’s a good thing because I only have ten dollars.”
He frowned, wondering what had happened to Clark’s portion of the Sweet Water Pub and Grill, but he didn’t voice his concern. He pulled into the next gas station and killed the engine.
“I need to use the restroom,” Bailey murmured. “Especially if we’re not going to be stopping at another hotel anytime soon.”
The closest motel to their current location was the Wild Bill Motel, which was known to rent rooms by the hour.
It was no place he’d go by himself, much less with Bailey.
He glanced around the empty lot. The gas station was open, and when he glanced at his watch, he realized they’d been driving around for almost an hour.
Time flies when you’re having fun.
He escorted Bailey inside the gas station, partially to keep her close, but also to pay the attendant in cash. The scent of freshly brewed coffee made his mouth water.
“Here, I’m filling up outside.” He slid fifty dollars across the counter. “I’d love some coffee, too, when I get back.”
“Okay.” The clerk was young, maybe eighteen or nineteen. He yawned widely as Trevor turned to head back outside.
The cold November wind hit him square in the face. He hadn’t paid much attention to the freezing temps, too concerned with getting Bailey to safety. He opened the back hatch for Archie, letting the dog stretch for a bit.
“Get busy.”
Archie looked at him, then went over to pee on a bush.
Trevor smiled. “Good boy.”
Archie wagged his tail and came bounding back. The look in his K9’s dark eyes asked if they were going to be playing the search game.
“Not now, boy.” He bent to pet the dog’s thick fur. “You did your good deed for the day, remember?”
When he finished with the gas, he headed back inside, bringing Archie with him.
He poured himself a large coffee and carried it to the clerk.
When Bailey joined him, he gestured toward the coffee station.
“I’m not sure if you can have caffeine, but there’s tea and hot chocolate if you’re interested. ”
“Thanks. Hot chocolate sounds good.” She turned to help herself.
Through the glass window, Trevor frowned when he saw a black pickup truck roll past. He moved quickly to Bailey’s side. “I need you to go back toward the restrooms. Come, Archie.”
“What’s going on?” She stopped filling her cup.
“I just saw a dark truck.” He tugged her toward the restrooms. “Stay here with Archie. I’m going to try to get a closer look.”
“Okay.” Bailey’s eyes were wide with fear, and she reached down to rest her hand on Archie’s head.
He quickly turned and headed back out to the convenience store. The clerk was scrolling on his phone rather than paying attention to his surroundings.
Scanning the parking lot outside, he didn’t see any sign of the black truck. Had he overreacted? His gut was telling him no.
Then he saw it. The black truck pulled into the gas station parking lot. Trevor reached over to grab the clerk’s wrist. “Call 911.”
“Huh?” The kid looked confused. Then the truck’s driver’s side window opened, revealing the muzzle of a gun.
The guy behind the wheel opened fire, shattering the glass windows of the gas station. Trevor ducked low, using the counter for protection. Then he pulled his weapon and prayed.