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“I guess I’m used to it now.”
She tripped and Jim caught her around the waist.
“You’re used to it, huh? Tell you what, you earned more of my services by calling my buddy and contacting that attorney, Lewiston. I’ll work on setting up some lights out here, too.”
She’d like to earn more of his services than getting a few lights installed.
She cleared her throat. “Do you think there’s going to be any more trouble? I was kind of hoping someone targeted Rusty specifically.”
“I think he was the target, but I have a funny feeling about that knife. Why my knife and my fingerprints?”
“Where’d they find it?” She opened her front door and left it open for Jim to follow her inside.
“On the road between our two places, a runner found it. It’s probably the same location where the killer dumped Rusty.”
“I think I’ll have that wine now.” She tossed her purse onto a chair and made a beeline for the kitchen. She uncorked the bottle she’d left on the counter and poured a healthy amount into the glass she’d used earlier.
She raised her glass. “Are you sure you don’t want some? I have beer in the fridge, too.”
“I’m good.” He perched on the arm of the sofa. “I saw someone else from the old life today.”
“Who?”
“His name’s Charles Swanson. We called him Chewy.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I told the deputies about him.”
“Do you think he might’ve had something to do with Rusty’s murder?” She took a gulp of wine and welcomed the warm feeling spreading to her chest.
“Seems suspicious that he’s in town at the same time as Rusty and then Rusty turns up dead.”
“If the Lords of Chaos want to knock each other off, they can have at it—as long as they do it far away from me.” She covered her mouth. “Present company excluded, of course.”
His dark brows collided over his nose. “I’m not one of them.”
“I know. I didn’t mean...”
“Were you here when Gary Binder was killed in that hit-and-run?” He pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut.
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Were you?”
“I was here. The cops never made an arrest, and it just about destroyed his mother. She stuck with him through all the ups and downs—the drug use, the arrests—and then just when he started getting his life together, it’s snuffed out by a hit-and-run driver.”
“Binder was cooperating with the police on the Timberline Trio case, wasn’t he?”
“Was he? I don’t know that I’d call it cooperating. I don’t think he had much to offer.”
Jim jumped up from the sofa, one hand clutching his hair. “He was on the fringes of the drug trade here in Timberline.”
“The drug trade? Is that what Agent Harper was looking into when he was out here investigating the Timberline Trio case?”
“Harper was the FBI agent assigned to the cold case?” Jim stroked the bristle on his chin.
“Yeah. He was going to interview Gary but never got the chance.”
“That’s convenient. I wonder if Rusty or Chewy was in town then.” He took a few steps and then braced one hand against the mantel. “Can I have some water, please?”
Walking into the kitchen, she glanced over her shoulder at his flushed face. “Are you okay?”
“I’m...I’m...” His head fell forward and he sucked in a breath.
“Jim?” Scarlett’s heart pounded as she stuck a glass beneath the tap and filled it with water.
He let out a groan and then crashed to the floor.
Chapter Seven
“Jim!” She dropped the water glass in the sink where it shattered and she stumbled into the living room.
She crouched beside Jim, on his side, his knees drawn to his chest. Pressing her hand against his clammy brow, she asked, “Jim, can you hear me?”
His eyeballs rolled behind closed lids, and she brushed his hair back from his face. If he didn’t open his eyes in two seconds and talk to her, she’d run outside to call 911. But she didn’t want to leave him.
