Chapter 3
3
G uy was a godsend. He had worked all night last night, too, and still found the energy to stay awake so Chloe could grab a few more hours of sleep after a quick trip across the street to grab his laptop. He’d fed the boys before putting them down for a nap. By another stroke of luck, Chloe got up fifteen minutes after the boys nodded off.
“Can I make you something to eat?” she asked her friend, who sat at the kitchen table staring out the window.
“I’m good.”
He wouldn’t accept any form of payment for the help he offered. He said he’d been raised by an aunt who would’ve expected nothing less of him. Ranching communities were generally tight-knit, going back to the years when they’d needed to trade to stay alive. Now, there were grocery stores, feed stores, and delivery. But helping each other out in times of need was still in their DNA. Even so, Guy went above and beyond the call as far as Chloe was concerned.
“Go clean up. Don’t rush,” he said, his voice gruff.
“A long shower does sound like heaven right now.” She wouldn’t be able to relax while listening just in case one of the boys woke up. Annmarie would be home soon after her shift at The Bean Counter. “But I don’t want to keep you.”
“Go,” he said with a half-smile and a wave. His laptop sat in front of him, opened. He refocused on the screen. “I’m in the middle of something anyway.”
Chloe knew better than to argue, so she didn’t. “I’m not sure what we did to deserve you, but thank you doesn’t begin to cover my gratitude.”
Guy shook his head.
Having the luxury of a long shower was amazing. Knowing there was someone reliable to watch over Grayson and Miguel let her relax for the first time today. She reminded herself to drop off a thank-you gift of some sort to her next-door neighbor. As infuriating as the morning had been, Chloe realized having someone look out for her was more gift than annoyance.
Clean clothes made her feel half-human again.
By the time she walked into the kitchen, Guy had shut down his laptop. He immediately stood. Before she could thank him again, he put his hand up to stop her. On the way out, he gave her a pat on the shoulder and then walked past her. Not exactly an intimate move as Annmarie had suggested. If Guy had a crush on Chloe, wouldn’t he go for a kiss on the cheek at some point? Or anything more intimate than a pat on the shoulder?
She had other questions. Like how did an hourly worker afford one of the most expensive laptops? Especially when he drove a beat-up truck to work every night? And, why didn’t he date? He would be considered attractive by most people’s standards. Shouldn’t there be a line around the corner of ladies to pick from? Or did he play for the other team? She didn’t care one way or the other, but she was curious about the person she’d been friends with since she’d returned to Saddle Junction.
Guy was an anomaly. One of these days, she hoped to pin him down to get answers. Or, at the very least, figure out his type and maybe set him up on a date. He would make a great partner in a relationship.
After feeding herself, she checked her cell. The family group chat had been active. A meeting had been called for tomorrow. She typed a quick message asking to move it to Monday. She wouldn’t get much sleep tonight and needed a low-key day with Grayson tomorrow to reset. The inheritance could wait. Besides, it wasn’t like anyone could touch the money. A stipulation of the will was for everyone to take their rightful place on the horse ranch and run the operation. It was strange to think of herself as an heir to a fortune. She’d never once believed Beaumont would leave her any piece of the ranch after he’d cut her off.
Then again, reaching a consensus about what to do with the ranch was about as likely as her bank account suddenly filling up and running over.
After cleaning up and laying out her clothes for work, she put her feet up. Not long after, the hum of Annmarie’s old Jeep’s engine sounded outside. A minute later, her roommate walked in the door.
“They’re still out,” Chloe quietly said.
Annmarie nodded before practically tiptoeing down the hall to put her stuff down. When she came back, she plopped down on the couch next to Chloe.
“Hard day?” Chloe asked.
“Aren’t they all?” Annmarie leaned her head back and rubbed her temples.
Chloe hated doing this right now, but she owed it to Annmarie to tell her about what had happened this morning. “I didn’t hear the boys this morning, and Ms. Bouche called and reported me.”
Annmarie’s eyes flew open. “Are you okay?”
Chloe blinked back tears. She’d been stressed about letting her friend down. The fact Annmarie was so certain Chloe would never do something like this under normal circumstances caused emotions to well up.
“I’m so sorry to have let you down,” Chloe said as a hot tear broke free and rolled down her cheek.
“Miguel is fine,” Annmarie reassured. “The boys were always safe. You were here, and that’s what matters.”
All the dangers that could have happened raged in her thoughts. “What if there’d been a fire?”
“Then Ms. Bouche would have called the fire department,” Annmarie reassured. She sighed. “I get it, Chloe. If the situation were reversed, it would be hard to forgive myself, too. We are human. We make mistakes. It’s okay.”
Those words were a flood to dry plains. Chloe gave her friend a hug. Her understanding meant everything.
“There’s more,” she said before retelling the rest of the story as to why she’d been dead to the world this morning in the first place. “We should both watch our backs in case there’s another hell-bent criminal in town.”
Annmarie shivered. “You’ve been through a lot recently. I’m here whenever you need to talk.”
Chloe nodded. “Same for you.”
“You’ve always been there for me,” Annmarie said.
“Guess who else showed up this morning?”
Annmarie made a production out of putting her fingertips to her temples. “Let me see. That would be Guy.”
“You would be correct.”
“I told you the man has a thing for you.” Annmarie wiggled her eyebrows.
“Um, no,” Chloe disagreed. “In fact, I’m not even sure he likes women.”
“Oh, he does,” Annmarie said with confidence.
“How do you know?”
“He’s brought a few home,” Annmarie supplied.
“How do you know? Were you spying on him?”
“I heard him drive up,” she defended.
The image of Annmarie peeking through the slats in the miniblinds to get a look at their neighbor was enough to make Chloe smile even bigger. “When was this?”
Annmarie shrugged. “It’s been a while. A year? Maybe more? Who keeps track?”
From the sounds of it, she did.
“The man patted me on the shoulder when he walked by,” Chloe said.
“He touched you,” Annmarie pointed out. “Have you ever seen him do that to me?”
Chloe laughed.
And then she thought about going to work tonight. Her smile faded.
“What’s wrong?” Annmarie asked.
“I have to go back tonight.”
“You could call in sick.”
Chloe pushed to standing. It was long past time to get the boys up and get them ready for dinner. “I need the money.”
Annmarie frowned. “If Beaumont Sturgess had had half a heart, you wouldn’t be in this situation.”
“But then, what would you do without me?” Chloe asked, forcing a smile.
“I’d be lost,” Annmarie said.
“So would I.” Chloe was going to have to double down on ensuring no one followed her home from work. No way would she risk the boys or her dear friend—her only friend outside of her brothers—being hurt because someone wanted to hurt Chloe.
In a few hours, the bastard might get another chance.
Travis got to Boots and Buckles forty minutes before the bar opened to the public. Jep’s pickup was parked in back. Between that and the opened door, it was obvious Jep was at work instead of in his trailer, where he lived half a mile behind the bar. Jep owned twenty acres. His residence sat a healthy drive down a dirt road from his business.
After parking, Travis knocked at the metal door before entering the kitchen. A clanking caught his attention. “Hello,” he called out when he didn’t immediately see anyone. He also didn’t want to surprise Jep. It was widely known a shotgun was kept in the small office where he did the books and kept his safe.
“In here,” Jep shouted.
Travis found the man in a supply closet with the door wedged open. He was on all fours, tossing items from the bottom shelf.
“Everything okay?” Travis asked, biting back the urge to explain how exposed Jep was, leaving himself in this position with the backdoor wide open.
“Mouse,” Jep said by way of explanation before turning around to sit on his backside. “Got away.” Jep grabbed a red bandana from his pocket and wiped the sweat off his forehead. “What can I do for you?”
Jep was known for his kindness. He kept a cot in the backroom for anyone who had one too many and needed to sleep off the buzz before getting behind the wheel and endangering themselves. At fifty-two, he was in good shape, no doubt from lifting crates of liquor and barrels of beer. He came in just shy of six-feet-two-inches and had a hawk-like nose on a serious face. Jep’s expression warned anyone from messing with any of his waitresses, especially while on shift.
“I realize you’re opening soon, but I’d like a few minutes of your time,” Travis said.
Jep pushed up to stand and motioned for the two to go inside the adjacent office. Once they were seated, Jep asked, “Everyone make it home last night?”
Travis filled the bar owner in on the situation and asked for the names of folks who’d shown up. The names matched the ones Chloe had provided earlier.
“We had new folks,” Jep said. “There were more than usual.”
“Cash or charges?”
“All but one paid in cash,” Jep said.
Folks who lived in and around Saddle Junction were more the cash-and-carry types. They didn’t like the idea of anyone being able to track when and how they spent their money. Paying with cash wasn’t unusual, so it wouldn’t stick out in Jep’s mind. An experienced criminal wouldn’t pay with a credit card. Travis filed the information about one credit user away.
“Chloe’s been through enough already,” Jep said, shaking his head. “She deserves to be left alone.”
Jep was referring to Chloe having been abducted. Thankfully, she’d been found before being hurt. However, the experience would traumatize anyone. “I couldn’t agree more.”
“Any chance this person might come back to the bar?” Jep asked, his jaw clenched.
“It’s possible,” Travis said. “I’ll be watching out for her on the way home, just in case.”
Jep rubbed the scruff on his chin. “I’ll keep a closer eye on things here. See if anyone seems to be watching her.”
“I’m sure she’d appreciate it.”
“Dishes are washed from last night,” Jep continued after a nod.
“Chloe will bring in a travel mug from now on,” Travis supplied. “Do me a favor and leave it sit.”
Jep’s hands flew up, palms out. “You have my word.”
Travis stood up and then offered a handshake. “I appreciate how much you look after everyone. Let me know if anyone walks in looking like they don’t belong.”
“Will do,” Jep promised. “And Travis.” He shot a look. “If I may still call you Travis…”
“It’s still me, so I’d expect nothing less.”
“Thanks for stepping up to act as sheriff,” Jep said. “I can’t think of a better person to look after this county.”
Travis smiled. “Then, I hope I can count on your vote.”
“You know it.”
Jep’s words meant a lot to Travis. But he wouldn’t be much of a sheriff if he let anything happen to Chloe or a friend. A fist tightened in his chest anytime he thought about anything bad happening to her.
He knew her personally. He was friends with her brother. Of course, her safety would be even more important to him. It didn’t mean there was anything more brewing.
Why was it getting more and more difficult to convince himself of the fact?
After thanking Jep for his time, Travis returned to his service vehicle. The SUV marked SHERIFF would take some getting used to.
Taking a seat, he fought the urge to check on Chloe. He had, however, sent a lab tech to her home for urine and blood samples to test for substances, including ketamine.
Glancing around the almost empty lot, he couldn’t help but wonder what he was missing.