Anticipating.
Reagan broke the silence. “Doing what?”
“Ray was a businessman, buying and selling real estate. Made a lot of money flipping houses. Chris was his partner.”
“And this Chris guy just disappeared? Nobody knows where he is?”
Chayton popped a piece of shrimp in his mouth and chewed, gloom shrouding him as he focused his attention everywhere but on her.
“Was Ray’s death an accident?” she asked. She no longer cared if she ruined dinner.
“It was ruled an accident,” Garret stated. She noticed Chayton swallow his shrimp, his throat tense and jaw tight.
She turned her attention to Garret. “But was it?”
In stilted movements, Garret grabbed his napkin from his lap and wiped his mouth before placing the napkin on the table. “We think so.”
“He died while ice climbing by himself,” Chayton barked. “Yeah, it was a stupid accident. And a stupid move on his part.”
The food arrived, but Reagan could only pick at her plate. The steak tasted like ash and roosted like coal in her belly.
She sat down her fork. “My mom didn’t like Ray. She said he probably spent the last few years in prison.”
Chayton coughed, bringing his napkin to his mouth. “What?” he exclaimed, anger denting his forehead.
Reagan shrugged. “I’m just telling you what my mom thinks.”
“How would she know anything? She hasn’t seen him in over twenty years. Wouldn’t allow him to visit.”
“I know, I know.” She didn’t want Chayton to be angry with her, and everything he said was true. “It’s just that, I think she knows something she’s not telling me. And Ray’s death, along with his friend Chris. She sent me, or someone sent me, a letter. I checked Ray’s mail today, and she’s the only one who would know to send me mail here.”
“What letter?” Garret asked, his voice crisp and rugged.
She hadn’t meant to tell them. Mentioning it indicated it bothered her, and she didn’t want anyone to know it did.
“Some warning that I should leave before death finds me.”
• • •
Javier had found her.
And if Javier had found her, her life was in danger. Naomi’s too.
“Who would have sent you such a thing?” Garret asked, his voice sounding strained as he forced out a normalcy he didn’t feel.
“My mom. She made it obvious from the get-go that she didn’t want me to come. I won’t worry. She just thinks threats will scare me.”
“Why didn’t she want you to come?”
“I dunno. Maybe because she was afraid I’d find out what a bitch she’s been with her brother. She was mad when he left me all his money. Almost terrified when I told her my plans to come here. Now she’s avoiding my phone calls.”
Garret made a mental note to check on the mother. Maybe she knew something about Reagan’s boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend, whatever he was. Maybe she knew something about the Mass family.
“There was also a package with socks. Fuzzy, sparkly socks addressed to Ray with no return address.”
“Ray used to get odd gifts all the time from his clients,” Chayton chimed in. “People who bought houses from him sent him the oddest things sometimes. He lived in a cold climate. They probably thought he needed warm socks.”
“With sparkles?” Reagan asked.
“Yeah. He loved glittery things. You’ve seen the vase on his table?” Chayton asked. Reagan nodded. “Reminded him of snow.”
“If it was a gift, why not take credit?” Reagan asked.
Chayton shrugged, his eyes clouding over.
Garret’s chest burned, aching with a feral need to release the tension within. Riding the slopes was the best way to release that tension.
He didn’t believe Reagan needed investigating. She needed protection. From the Mass brothers, and possibly her mother.
Too much. It was too much, but he couldn’t ask Buchanan to send anyone else. Not yet. Not until he knew more. First of all, because he didn’t want Reagan to know the truth. Next of all, because he didn’t want another person
Reagan broke the silence. “Doing what?”
“Ray was a businessman, buying and selling real estate. Made a lot of money flipping houses. Chris was his partner.”
“And this Chris guy just disappeared? Nobody knows where he is?”
Chayton popped a piece of shrimp in his mouth and chewed, gloom shrouding him as he focused his attention everywhere but on her.
“Was Ray’s death an accident?” she asked. She no longer cared if she ruined dinner.
“It was ruled an accident,” Garret stated. She noticed Chayton swallow his shrimp, his throat tense and jaw tight.
She turned her attention to Garret. “But was it?”
In stilted movements, Garret grabbed his napkin from his lap and wiped his mouth before placing the napkin on the table. “We think so.”
“He died while ice climbing by himself,” Chayton barked. “Yeah, it was a stupid accident. And a stupid move on his part.”
The food arrived, but Reagan could only pick at her plate. The steak tasted like ash and roosted like coal in her belly.
She sat down her fork. “My mom didn’t like Ray. She said he probably spent the last few years in prison.”
Chayton coughed, bringing his napkin to his mouth. “What?” he exclaimed, anger denting his forehead.
Reagan shrugged. “I’m just telling you what my mom thinks.”
“How would she know anything? She hasn’t seen him in over twenty years. Wouldn’t allow him to visit.”
“I know, I know.” She didn’t want Chayton to be angry with her, and everything he said was true. “It’s just that, I think she knows something she’s not telling me. And Ray’s death, along with his friend Chris. She sent me, or someone sent me, a letter. I checked Ray’s mail today, and she’s the only one who would know to send me mail here.”
“What letter?” Garret asked, his voice crisp and rugged.
She hadn’t meant to tell them. Mentioning it indicated it bothered her, and she didn’t want anyone to know it did.
“Some warning that I should leave before death finds me.”
• • •
Javier had found her.
And if Javier had found her, her life was in danger. Naomi’s too.
“Who would have sent you such a thing?” Garret asked, his voice sounding strained as he forced out a normalcy he didn’t feel.
“My mom. She made it obvious from the get-go that she didn’t want me to come. I won’t worry. She just thinks threats will scare me.”
“Why didn’t she want you to come?”
“I dunno. Maybe because she was afraid I’d find out what a bitch she’s been with her brother. She was mad when he left me all his money. Almost terrified when I told her my plans to come here. Now she’s avoiding my phone calls.”
Garret made a mental note to check on the mother. Maybe she knew something about Reagan’s boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend, whatever he was. Maybe she knew something about the Mass family.
“There was also a package with socks. Fuzzy, sparkly socks addressed to Ray with no return address.”
“Ray used to get odd gifts all the time from his clients,” Chayton chimed in. “People who bought houses from him sent him the oddest things sometimes. He lived in a cold climate. They probably thought he needed warm socks.”
“With sparkles?” Reagan asked.
“Yeah. He loved glittery things. You’ve seen the vase on his table?” Chayton asked. Reagan nodded. “Reminded him of snow.”
“If it was a gift, why not take credit?” Reagan asked.
Chayton shrugged, his eyes clouding over.
Garret’s chest burned, aching with a feral need to release the tension within. Riding the slopes was the best way to release that tension.
He didn’t believe Reagan needed investigating. She needed protection. From the Mass brothers, and possibly her mother.
Too much. It was too much, but he couldn’t ask Buchanan to send anyone else. Not yet. Not until he knew more. First of all, because he didn’t want Reagan to know the truth. Next of all, because he didn’t want another person
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