it
wouldn’t be a big stretch of her imagination to believe Billy had something to
do with her disappearance.
The door opened and closed
behind her. What to tell Colt? He needed to know, and she hoped he wouldn’t
think less of her for being mixed up with a man like Billy.
Colt stared at her for a
moment and then sat down next to her. He seemed to be at a loss for words. He
took her hand and sat quietly next to her as though he understood her need to
gather her thoughts.
“I opened the package.” Her
voice was barely audible.
Colt glanced at the empty box.
“Anything you want to talk about?”
Spring nodded, got up grabbed
a tissue and mopped up her face. She sat back down and put the ring on the
table. “This was inside.”
“I see.” He frowned as he took
the ring, examined it and put it back down. “It’s from—”
“Billy, it’s from Billy. It
belongs to me, but a girl at the last home I was at stole it, and I never
thought I’d see it again.” Colt’s chocolate eyes held too much compassion, and
she had to turn her head and look at the wall.
“The girl who took it from me,
her name was Teresa and soon after she stole my ring she went missing. I never
gave it much thought because everyone said she ran away. Now I’m not so sure
that’s what happened. If Billy had gotten it back from her, why not just give
it to me? I’m afraid I’ve brought Billy to your door, and I thought I knew what
he was capable of, but this puts a completely added dimension to his monstrous
behavior. He may have killed her, at least that’s my fear and it’s a message to
me. I think he plans to hurt me.”
Colt took her hand in both of
his large warm ones, then he reached out and wiped away a tear from her cheek
with his thumb. “Nobody messes with me and mine. Don’t worry, darlin, we’ll get
it figured out. I know he abused you, but do you think he’s capable of murder?
It’s a big jump from hurting to killing.”
“I just don’t know. He always
protected me at the foster home but once we started living together, he became
mean. He wanted to know where I was at all times, and he made me feel as though
I couldn’t do anything right. He wanted the house kept a certain way, his
clothes folded just right and meals cooked to his specifications. I tried so
hard to make him happy, convinced that it would get better if I just did things
right.”
Sighing, he let go of her hand
and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Why didn’t you just leave?”
“And go where?” The bitterness
in her voice echoed through the kitchen. Her frustration grew, and she wanted
to run and hide. It wasn’t her fault, was it? She’d tried so hard to placate
Billy but to no avail.
“I’m glad Caleb sent you here.
I have a few errands to run, but Bibbs and Shady are working close to the house
today. I’ll give them a heads up about this creep.”
“Thank you.” She leaned over,
kissed his cheek and pulled away.
Colt gave her a crooked smile.
“What does this jerk look like?”
“Blond hair, brown eyes, he’s
a big guy but not muscular.”
“I’ll let the others know.” He
nodded, grabbed his hat and coat and gave her a long look before he went out
the door.
She hadn’t realized how tense
she was until her body began to relax. There was no way she could fight Billy
on her own but she didn’t want Colt to get hurt. Maybe he was right; it was a
big jump from smacking a woman around to killing. Billy must have wrestled the
ring from Teresa before she left. Maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t a threat. What
if a gift was just a gift? Spring shook her head nothing was simple with Billy.
* * * *
Colt went to town, talked to
the sheriff, and was surprised the old man acted as if he wanted to help. He
actually said he’d keep an eye out.
The turn off to Summer and Holden’s place lay just ahead. Colt gunned the
engine and headed to their house. Today there was a meeting with Holden, Jonas
and Stone. It was
wouldn’t be a big stretch of her imagination to believe Billy had something to
do with her disappearance.
The door opened and closed
behind her. What to tell Colt? He needed to know, and she hoped he wouldn’t
think less of her for being mixed up with a man like Billy.
Colt stared at her for a
moment and then sat down next to her. He seemed to be at a loss for words. He
took her hand and sat quietly next to her as though he understood her need to
gather her thoughts.
“I opened the package.” Her
voice was barely audible.
Colt glanced at the empty box.
“Anything you want to talk about?”
Spring nodded, got up grabbed
a tissue and mopped up her face. She sat back down and put the ring on the
table. “This was inside.”
“I see.” He frowned as he took
the ring, examined it and put it back down. “It’s from—”
“Billy, it’s from Billy. It
belongs to me, but a girl at the last home I was at stole it, and I never
thought I’d see it again.” Colt’s chocolate eyes held too much compassion, and
she had to turn her head and look at the wall.
“The girl who took it from me,
her name was Teresa and soon after she stole my ring she went missing. I never
gave it much thought because everyone said she ran away. Now I’m not so sure
that’s what happened. If Billy had gotten it back from her, why not just give
it to me? I’m afraid I’ve brought Billy to your door, and I thought I knew what
he was capable of, but this puts a completely added dimension to his monstrous
behavior. He may have killed her, at least that’s my fear and it’s a message to
me. I think he plans to hurt me.”
Colt took her hand in both of
his large warm ones, then he reached out and wiped away a tear from her cheek
with his thumb. “Nobody messes with me and mine. Don’t worry, darlin, we’ll get
it figured out. I know he abused you, but do you think he’s capable of murder?
It’s a big jump from hurting to killing.”
“I just don’t know. He always
protected me at the foster home but once we started living together, he became
mean. He wanted to know where I was at all times, and he made me feel as though
I couldn’t do anything right. He wanted the house kept a certain way, his
clothes folded just right and meals cooked to his specifications. I tried so
hard to make him happy, convinced that it would get better if I just did things
right.”
Sighing, he let go of her hand
and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Why didn’t you just leave?”
“And go where?” The bitterness
in her voice echoed through the kitchen. Her frustration grew, and she wanted
to run and hide. It wasn’t her fault, was it? She’d tried so hard to placate
Billy but to no avail.
“I’m glad Caleb sent you here.
I have a few errands to run, but Bibbs and Shady are working close to the house
today. I’ll give them a heads up about this creep.”
“Thank you.” She leaned over,
kissed his cheek and pulled away.
Colt gave her a crooked smile.
“What does this jerk look like?”
“Blond hair, brown eyes, he’s
a big guy but not muscular.”
“I’ll let the others know.” He
nodded, grabbed his hat and coat and gave her a long look before he went out
the door.
She hadn’t realized how tense
she was until her body began to relax. There was no way she could fight Billy
on her own but she didn’t want Colt to get hurt. Maybe he was right; it was a
big jump from smacking a woman around to killing. Billy must have wrestled the
ring from Teresa before she left. Maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t a threat. What
if a gift was just a gift? Spring shook her head nothing was simple with Billy.
* * * *
Colt went to town, talked to
the sheriff, and was surprised the old man acted as if he wanted to help. He
actually said he’d keep an eye out.
The turn off to Summer and Holden’s place lay just ahead. Colt gunned the
engine and headed to their house. Today there was a meeting with Holden, Jonas
and Stone. It was
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