heard Dana promise to make pies with the kids today.
“That sounds wonderful,” Dana said. “But I’m afraid it will have to wait.” Mary and Hank came running into the room, as if on cue.
“We’re making pies with Mommy today,” Mary announced.
Dee smiled, but did her best to look disappointed. “As fun as that sounds, Dana, would you mind if I borrowed your truck and went into Bozeman? You probably could use some time alone, and I need to do some shopping.”
“Of course. The keys are in the truck. Please help yourself. And when you come back, there will be pie!” Dana laughed as the kids began to cheer noisily.
Dee couldn’t wait to leave. “I might take the whole day, then,” she said, as she hurried upstairs to get her purse.
* * *
C OLT CALLED THE shop the next morning right after Hilde opened. “How are you doing?”
She glanced across the street to the deli, half expecting to see him sitting in his usual place. She was disappointed to see that the table was empty. “I’m okay.”
“Did you get some sleep?”
“Yes. The wine and you stopping by helped,” she admitted.
“Good, I’m glad to hear that. I wanted you to know that I have to go up to West Yellowstone today on a burglary case.”
She could hear the smile in his voice and laughed. “And you thought you’d better remind me that I’m not to go near Dee?”
“Yeah,” he said. “Too subtle?”
“I appreciate you thinking of me.”
He was silent for a moment before he said, “I’ve been thinking of you for a long while.”
She didn’t know what to say, especially since a lump had formed in her throat.
“I wish that kiss hadn’t gotten interrupted.”
“Me, too.”
“How did things go with Dana, or shouldn’t I ask?”
“Not well. I know I should have kept my mouth shut, but Colt, I had to warn her. If I put even a little doubt in her mind...”
“You did what you had to. Listen, I probably shouldn’t be telling you this. Hell, I know I shouldn’t. I meant to tell you last night. When we searched Rick, we found three different forms of identification in three different names. We sent his fingerprints to the crime lab in Missoula and we’re waiting to see if we get a hit. Right now, we don’t know who the guy is.”
Hilde felt her heart take off at a gallop. “So there is more to the story. Just like there has got to be with Dee.”
“It sure looks that way.”
“We have to get her fingerprints.”
“Hilde, promise me you won’t do anything while I’m in West. You know how dangerous she is. Also...”
She heard him hesitate. “What?”
“She’s gone into Bozeman today to do some shopping. She stopped by the office to ask Hud where there was a good place to have lunch. When she heard he’s going to be testifying in a trial down there this afternoon, she talked him into having lunch with her.”
Hilde never swore so she was as shocked as anyone when a cuss word escaped her mouth. “Even after I told Hud she was after him?”
“You had to be there,” Colt said. “She’s playing Rick’s death to the hilt. She said she needs someone to talk to and has questions that only Hud can answer.... You get the idea.”
Unfortunately she did. “We have to get her fingerprints soon.”
“I promise you we will. Just be patient. I’ll be back tonight. I was wondering if we could have dinner?”
Was he asking her on a date? Or was he just worried about her? “I’d like that.”
He sounded relieved. “Good. I could pick you up by seven. I thought we’d go up to Mountain Village, get away for a while.”
She felt a shiver of excitement race through her. “I look forward to it.” She hung up feeling like a schoolgirl. It was all she could do not to dance around the shop.
Hilde might have let herself go and danced, but the bell over the door jangled and she turned to see Dana’s cousin step inside. As Dee entered, she flipped the sign from Open to Closed and locked the door before turning
“That sounds wonderful,” Dana said. “But I’m afraid it will have to wait.” Mary and Hank came running into the room, as if on cue.
“We’re making pies with Mommy today,” Mary announced.
Dee smiled, but did her best to look disappointed. “As fun as that sounds, Dana, would you mind if I borrowed your truck and went into Bozeman? You probably could use some time alone, and I need to do some shopping.”
“Of course. The keys are in the truck. Please help yourself. And when you come back, there will be pie!” Dana laughed as the kids began to cheer noisily.
Dee couldn’t wait to leave. “I might take the whole day, then,” she said, as she hurried upstairs to get her purse.
* * *
C OLT CALLED THE shop the next morning right after Hilde opened. “How are you doing?”
She glanced across the street to the deli, half expecting to see him sitting in his usual place. She was disappointed to see that the table was empty. “I’m okay.”
“Did you get some sleep?”
“Yes. The wine and you stopping by helped,” she admitted.
“Good, I’m glad to hear that. I wanted you to know that I have to go up to West Yellowstone today on a burglary case.”
She could hear the smile in his voice and laughed. “And you thought you’d better remind me that I’m not to go near Dee?”
“Yeah,” he said. “Too subtle?”
“I appreciate you thinking of me.”
He was silent for a moment before he said, “I’ve been thinking of you for a long while.”
She didn’t know what to say, especially since a lump had formed in her throat.
“I wish that kiss hadn’t gotten interrupted.”
“Me, too.”
“How did things go with Dana, or shouldn’t I ask?”
“Not well. I know I should have kept my mouth shut, but Colt, I had to warn her. If I put even a little doubt in her mind...”
“You did what you had to. Listen, I probably shouldn’t be telling you this. Hell, I know I shouldn’t. I meant to tell you last night. When we searched Rick, we found three different forms of identification in three different names. We sent his fingerprints to the crime lab in Missoula and we’re waiting to see if we get a hit. Right now, we don’t know who the guy is.”
Hilde felt her heart take off at a gallop. “So there is more to the story. Just like there has got to be with Dee.”
“It sure looks that way.”
“We have to get her fingerprints.”
“Hilde, promise me you won’t do anything while I’m in West. You know how dangerous she is. Also...”
She heard him hesitate. “What?”
“She’s gone into Bozeman today to do some shopping. She stopped by the office to ask Hud where there was a good place to have lunch. When she heard he’s going to be testifying in a trial down there this afternoon, she talked him into having lunch with her.”
Hilde never swore so she was as shocked as anyone when a cuss word escaped her mouth. “Even after I told Hud she was after him?”
“You had to be there,” Colt said. “She’s playing Rick’s death to the hilt. She said she needs someone to talk to and has questions that only Hud can answer.... You get the idea.”
Unfortunately she did. “We have to get her fingerprints soon.”
“I promise you we will. Just be patient. I’ll be back tonight. I was wondering if we could have dinner?”
Was he asking her on a date? Or was he just worried about her? “I’d like that.”
He sounded relieved. “Good. I could pick you up by seven. I thought we’d go up to Mountain Village, get away for a while.”
She felt a shiver of excitement race through her. “I look forward to it.” She hung up feeling like a schoolgirl. It was all she could do not to dance around the shop.
Hilde might have let herself go and danced, but the bell over the door jangled and she turned to see Dana’s cousin step inside. As Dee entered, she flipped the sign from Open to Closed and locked the door before turning
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