Chapter Twenty-One
LAREDO’S HEART SQUEEZED painfully as he watched Diana across the restaurant table. She looked defeated, and he’d give decades of his life in exchange for cheering her up.
The Christmas carols playing in the background and pine tree branches decorated with ornaments were a sharp contrast to the gloomy mood at the table. A young laughing couple in matching red-and-green Christmas sweaters underscored that mood, as well. Even the scent of pine needles that, since childhood, signified the Christmas festivities were near, failed to lift his spirits after Diana had learned something that could make her life fall further apart.
Rachel’s phone rang, making him wince. She pulled it out of her pocket, and her eyes narrowed. “I need to take this. Away from the buzz of people. It’s from Marina.” She looked up, and her gaze swept over the place. “The table looks safe enough. But please watch both exits.” She addressed her husband and Harris.
Laredo was thankful for the latter. While he did his best to be aware of his surroundings, his gaze kept returning to Diana.
Tex and Harris nodded. “Will do.”
A woman with a five-year-old girl with pigtails passed them, leaving one table. The girl had a skip in her step, maybe because she was hugging a large box wrapped in paper with many snowmen. A lovely present probably waited inside, but for Laredo, the biggest Christmas present ever would be Diana’s happiness.
Rachel answered the phone call. “Please give me a few minutes to step outside.” Then her gaze swept over the restaurant again, clearly taking in every detail, but ignoring the décor such as the faux yellow rose bouquets on the tables and shelves, the mini lone-star flags, and the walls papered with pictures of famous Texans. There sure were a lot of those, far more than he’d have guessed. Seemingly satisfied, she hurried to the exit.
“It’s only suspicions about your dad. Could be a coincidence.” He infused his words with a confidence he didn’t feel.
“That’s right. There could be a logical explanation for that conversation. Or Noah could be lying.” Tex didn’t have Laredo’s appetite problem as he attacked his barbecue ribs oh-so generously smothered in sauce.
“Or Dr. Casey Silvers could be lying.” Harris picked up a pickle with his fork.
“That’s right.” Laredo gave his salty pickle a half-hearted attempt, grateful for his brothers’ support. He and his brothers prided themselves on being honest men, and he hoped for honesty from others—well, except his father while growing up. He’d given up hope for that while he was still quite young. Still, he almost prayed for either Noah or Casey to be lying about those accusations against Diana’s father.
“Yes. It could totally be.” Yet, visibly shaken, Diana didn’t touch her food. Which was understandable. The news she’d received was a lot to take in.
Delicious scents of honey barbecue and french fries swirled around them, joining the pine-needle tang, but he had no appetite, either. People celebrated the holidays. But as much as he loved hearing people laugh and considered the sound even better than music, the laughter at other tables grated on his nerves right now. Apparently, not only the pickles on their table were salty.
He just couldn’t understand why bad things happened to good people. Good people like Diana. How many hits could one person take?
Lord, why?
“Diana, if I can do anything to help...” What more could he say? Unsure, he shrugged to finish his statement.
Her hint of a smile was shaky, and she didn’t look up. “You’ve already done so much. All of you.”
It wasn’t nearly enough.
Her fingers wrapped around her tea glass as if clutching at a lifeline. He wanted to see her eyes, but though she’d taken off the sunglasses, she stared into her untouched plate, scowling at the barbecue ribs beside that loaded potato, topped with gooey cheese, butter, sour cream, and bacon bits.
Well, not only the potato was loaded here. Tension loaded the very air.
He wanted to reach out to her. But how could he when she seemed a world away, even though she was just across the table? He ached to search her eyes, but she didn’t look up.
Rachel returned, and his brother’s eyes lit up. “Marina didn’t get anywhere from talking to Pat’s neighbors and friends. But she did confirm that Pat made it to Dallas. Also, Marina has been checking the local hospitals and clinics daily for someone who matches Pat’s description. Nothing there so far.”
Diana flinched and paled even more, and Laredo barely resisted reaching out to her.
As much as he wanted to hold her and tell her things would get better, what she really needed was to find Pat or Noah if he could lead them to Pat. And Diana needed to clear the ridiculous accusations Adam had thrown at her father, the accusations that could be a motive for Adam’s murder. For her sake, Laredo sure didn’t want to believe that.
He’d leave no stone unturned, be it in Port Sunshine or Dallas, if that could help her.
“Thank you.” She finally looked up.
Her gray eyes were so tormented he shifted back as if physically struck.
He sipped his cold tea with lemon, then braced his left forearm on the tabletop and leaned onto it. “Rachel, please thank Marina for us. What did she say about the new developments?”
He and most of his brothers were simple cowboys, hardworking and reliable. Except for his PI brother, they didn’t know the intricacies of searching for people. He sent a prayer of thanks to God that they’d married women whose minds worked in ways he’d never comprehend.
Rachel’s gaze hardened. She smothered a biscuit with butter. “I hope it’s okay if I eat while I talk.”
“Totally,” everyone chimed in.
“Marina proposed two things that I agree with and wanted to suggest myself. First, we should visit the people on Jill’s list. Cross-check it with others, as well, because Jill can’t be trusted. We’re thinking home visits are best because one of them might not be telling the truth on the phone on Noah’s request and hiding him.”
Laredo nodded. “That’s right. I mean, usually I trust people, but—”
“Ahem.” Tex cleared his throat as he picked up another rib. “That might be because you and Harris work more with animals than people. In my field and I’m sure in my wife’s as well”—he pointed that rib at her—“many people, um, let’s say, twist their words a bit.”
“Exactly.” Rachel bit into a biscuit. “When I conduct an investigation, I don’t trust a word people tell me unless I can verify it. And even then, I don’t believe it one hundred percent. So it’s worth it to double-check their statements.”
Diana’s face brightened a tiny degree, which was progress. “So we still might find Noah?”
Laredo would take whatever progress he could, but oh, how he wished he could whisk her away to a world without hurt. Did such a place exist, though? Even his family ranch, which he loved with his whole heart, could hold dangerous secrets hidden for decades. To maintain his strength, he chewed on the barbecue ribs without sensing their taste.
Rachel smothered a fry with ketchup. “Absolutely. As this is time-sensitive, I propose we split into three groups.”
“Sure.” Harris nodded. “I suppose I’ll be the one going solo. I can get a rental vehicle if you drop me off at an agency.”
Rachel munched on her buffalo wings, then licked her fingers. “Yup. We’ll divide the list into three parts. Please linger after you visit the house, in case the owner lies and hides Noah and Noah tries to escape from us once he knows we think he’s there. He doesn’t want to talk to us. While it’s illogical to run from a house where he’s been hiding, he’s been through a lot lately, and such people don’t always think logically.”
“Got it,” Laredo and his brothers said in unison. His heart shifted, and he added fast, “I’d like to go with Diana?”
“Please,” Diana said.
Her desire for his company touched him, gave him hope.
“Now, I feel the second thing Marina suggested is more important. She’s, um, she’s verifying Noah’s alibi and”—Rachel’s eyes became apologetic as she looked at Diana—“your parents’ alibis right now.”
“My parents’ alibis,” Diana echoed, her voice hollow.
“You know, to rule them out as suspects.” Laredo did his best to sound reassuring.
“They loved Adam. Honestly. I... I think Noah made it all up.” Diana’s voice shook, and so did the glass she lifted from the table. She thumped the tea back on the table. “They loved Adam,” she repeated. “Probably much more than they loved me.”
“No, that can’t be true.” True or not, Laredo cringed, his heart breaking for her all over again that she could even think it. “I mean, the part where they loved him more than you.”
“He was everything they ever wanted in someone to carry on their legacy—everything I could never be.” Diana looked away.
“I’m sure they loved you but had a poor way of showing it.” If only he could believe his own words.
“Thanks.” She glanced at him. “It’s fine. I’m used to it. But that’s why I can’t imagine my dad doing anything to harm him. Even if Adam came up with some weird accusations.”
“Which we still need to verify.” Rachel finished her biscuit on her plate and wiped her fingers on her napkin. She fluttered that napkin like a white flag. “Now, it’s going to be difficult. It’s heartbreaking to recall it. But in light of recent discoveries, we need to reconsider the day your husband died.”
Diana’s gaze steeled. She took a deep sip of the amber liquid. “Yes. I understand.”
His heart went out to her. He hated making her suffer through those memories, and his eyes narrowed at his sister-in-law. But Rachel’s request was necessary now more than ever, wasn’t it?
Finally, Diana picked up a single fry and chewed on it absentmindedly. “Ironically, when I pushed the memories of that day away, they kept flooding my brain. But now, when I need to remember every detail, it’s blurry.”
He gave up on resisting and reached for her hand across the table. “Just tell us whatever you do remember.”
Her lower lip trembled, tugging on his heart. “It started like an ordinary day. I... I never thought it would turn out to be a day that ended so tragically.” She dropped the fry on her plate. “Here’s another irony. Adam wasn’t even supposed to be home early that day. But he had a headache and called to tell me that he was leaving his job early. Sadly, I had a full shift and couldn’t join him.”
“Stop.” Rachel lifted her hand, holding up a second biscuit. “Knowing what we know now, I believe you need to call Jill and verify whether she saw Adam that day. It might be the reason he decided to leave work early. I can make the call, of course, but there’s a much bigger chance she’ll answer you truthfully but hang up on me.”
“She’ll probably hang up on me, as well.” Diana moved a salad leaf over her plate. “Do you... do you really think she was with Adam that day?”
Rachel’s gaze sharpened while she polished off a chicken wing. “She might even be the last person to see him alive.”
“O–okay.” Diana’s eyes widened. “I... I’ll have to step out for the call. To reduce the noise.”
“I’ll go with you.” Laredo rose to his feet. Then heat tingled up his neck. “For your protection. Of course.”
Her lips tugged up a tiny bit. “Of course.”
He kept a careful watch on other people as he and Diana weaved between the tables, but Rachel led the way. She checked the outside perimeter fast before nodding to Diana. Then Rachel and Laredo stepped out of the restaurant, followed by Diana. As wind and colder air met them, he barely resisted the urge to wrap his arms around her to keep her warm. To keep her protected. To thaw the icicle her heart seemed to be becoming in order for her to survive all the betrayals. But he couldn’t.
He had to believe God could.
She called Jill.
He blocked her from the wind, but how could he protect her from all the horrible discoveries? Premonition tightened his gut, telling him there were probably more to come.