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“Yeah,” she continued. “They would be here now, but they had to go back and check on their place. Like you said, can’t be too careful—oh, God, that reminds me.” She lowered her voice, turning completely serious. “Did you hear about what happened to that guy from the USGS? Nowthatis crazy, right?”
He nodded. “Hard to believe someone would try to hurt a guy like that. He’s lucky they got him to the hospital.”
Janessa looked back at me and Becca, then nibbled at her lip for a moment before she continued. “Um, except… he wasn’t so lucky. He passed away this morning.”
“What?” Logan’s eyes went wide as he sucked in a sharp breath. “I-I had no idea. My God, that’s… that’s…” He paused and took another deep breath, then closed his eyes for a few more seconds before he spoke again. “That’s unfortunate. And terribly sad.” He slowly walked over to his medical bag and picked it up off the floor. He was moving like he was in a daze. “I should probably go now. It was… was good talking to you again, Janessa. Just, ah… just let me know if you ever need anything.”
We barely had time to say goodbye before he had disappeared out the stable door. “That was weird,” Becca said. “He’s… yeah. Weird.”
Janessa nodded. “I didn’t know how he’d react to the news that I’m dating Cade and Boone. I hated telling him like that, but… what was I supposed to do?”
“I think you handled it perfectly,” I said. “I mean, it’s not like you have any control over his reactions. And it’s better that he found out from you than…”
“Oh, God.” She grimaced. “I hate to think of how the conversation would have gone if Cade and Boone had been here. Those three don’t get along very well at all.”
I just nodded. Even without the whole Cade and Boone thing, Logan Hensley was… well, like Becca had said,weird.
At least he was gone, though. Now all I wanted was for my guys to come back.
Chapter 19
Daisy Lynn
We didn’t say much on the way back to Prescott’s house. The guys were as attentive and sweet as always, but I could tell there was something bothering them, something just under the surface.
But if I was being totally honest, I didn’t mind the quiet ride. It had been such a crazy, stressful,weirdday that a little peace and quiet seemed to do us all some good.
Only once we were back safe and sound, comfy in Prescott’s big bed, did I want to bring up anything else that had happened that day.
“I hope the wreck on the highway wasn’t too bad,” I said, nuzzling into Cole’s shoulder as I took Prescott’s hand and draped it across my stomach. God, I lived for moments like this. Quiet. Sweet.Loving. “You guys were gone longer than I thought you would be.”
“Sorry about that, baby,” Prescott said, pressing a kiss against my cheek as his big hand moved from my belly to just under my breast. I fought back a smile, knowing where his mind and his hand were probably heading. “We probably should have called, but I didn’t want to worry you if it turned out to be nothing.”
“If what turned out to be nothing?” I asked, all thoughts of hands and breasts and other fun things suddenly forgotten. “Is everything okay?”
“You’ll have to forgive him, beautiful,” Cole said, sighing as he brushed a strand of hair back from my forehead and looked down into my eyes. “Prescott has been single for so long that he’s forgotten telling someone not to worry is like blasting a damn alarm.”
Prescott groaned. “Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that we got another call while we were out. There was some vandalism out at the Winslow ranch.” I gasped, but he hurried to continue. “Nobody was hurt this time, thank God. They didn’t even go near the animals. There were some broken windows, slashed tires, that sort of thing. But…”
He paused and looked over at Cole. Even without being able to fully see both of them due to where I was lying between them, I knew they were doingThat Thingwith their eyes. One of these days, they were going to have to give me a crash course on all their little looks.
“But what?” I prompted as the silent communication dragged on for a few seconds. “Broken windows, slashed tires… what else?”
“That was it, really,” Cole said, picking up where Prescott had left off. “But there was something about it. Usually with that kind of vandalism, they’ll let the air out of the tires or maybe poke a hole with a knife. These were long, deep slashes that went nearly all the way around each tire. And… I don’t really know how to explain it, but it feels like these things that are happening around town are being driven by someone’s emotions. This isn’t someone who is cold and calculating. This is someone who’s pissed off. Looking to send a message. Looking…”
“For revenge,” Prescott finished.
I felt a chill go through my entire body at that word.Revenge. Revenge could make people do crazy things. Bad things. Deadly things.
That was almost scarier to me than if they’d said the personhadbeen cold and calculating. At least that meant there was a plan somewhere.
But anger? Revenge? Those were unpredictable.
And the more I thought about it, the more it started to make sense. The crimes themselves—poisoning, arson, assault, vandalism,morepoisoning—had been unpredictable with no rhyme or reason that we’d been able to pick up on.
Was it all just happening on a whim? Someone who was simply acting out in dangerous ways every time they got pissed off?
That thought sent another chill up my spine.
