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Dusty just laughed and said, “I told you he’s going to make you behave.”
“I am perfectly behaved.” That caused both Dusty and Spence to burst out laughing. “I’m telling you two to knock it off. There will be no male bonding and then ganging up on me.”
Harper unfolded Spence’s arms from around her and went back into the kitchen. Dusty joined her so he could grab dinner dishes and utensils. He started to set the table.
“Anything I can do to be of help?” asked Spence.
“No, I’m good. It’s almost ready.”
“Sure smells good, doesn’t it, Spence?” said Dusty.
“Almost as good as the lady herself,” he said, earning himself another exaggerated eye roll.
He walked over to her and put his arms around her once more and then guided her to the table to start their meal.
CHAPTER9
During the next few days, they settled into a routine of sorts. Spence made it clear to anyone who needed to know that he was staying with Harper and Dusty in order to keep them safe until the investigation was over. As Alice had predicted, his bosses weren’t enamored of the idea. Spence was quick to tell them it was non-negotiable and that he’d leave his job rather than worry that Harper would be safe.
Each day he met with his team, and they went over what they had learned. Harper was chafing at the bit to find Dulcie’s killer, or at the very least, the reason for her murder. Spence relented and let them stay out at the ranch while he was in town with the proviso that they wouldn’t leave the house and barns. He was anxious to see if and when the laptop might be located. If it didn’t show up, it might be that the killer had what he wanted and would just try to fade away. If not, then until the laptop was found, Harper was in danger as she was the most logical choice for Dulcie to have sent it to.
His team was working on other leads but without that laptop and what was on it, they were finding their headway impeded. Spence would join Harper and Dusty with morning chores, shooing Harper back up to the house to leave him and Dusty to muck out the stalls and tidy up the barn while she went back to the house and fixed breakfast. Dusty was right. Spence had eaten at some of the finest restaurants in the world, and none of them held a candle to Harper’s cooking. She could take the simplest of ingredients and make them into something delicious.
After breakfast, Spence took Harper’s pickup into town to work with his team. In the afternoon when he returned, he and Harper would talk about Dulcie, and he’d bring her up to speed on where they were in the investigation. The crime scene had been scoured and was scheduled to be reopened to those visiting Yellowstone. Spence was convinced the answer to Dulcie’s death lay in her work routine and whatever was on the missing laptop. Dulcie’s apartment and occasionally-used office had been torn apart, but no laptop had been found. Since Dulcie was responsible for her own routine and records, without a schedule of where she had been and what she had been doing, it seemed like the investigation was coming to a halt.
Often the two of them would take a trail ride and then head back to the barn where Spence would help Dusty with the evening chores while Harper cooked. Harper and Spence spent most evenings snuggled either out on the front porch swing or on the couch watching a movie or television or just talking. There was an ease and a peace about being with Harper that he’d never known before.
One morning while Spence and Dusty were still down at the barn, an SUV pulled into the barnyard. Given the location of the ranch, an unknown vehicle was a rarity—most everyone knew everyone else and what they drove. Both men approached the SUV cautiously. Spencer made sure there was a gun within easy reach.
“Morning!” said the driver as he got out. “I have a special delivery for Harper Logan.”
Harper came out the back door as Spence surreptitiously put his body between hers and the stranger’s.
“What company are you from? I don’t recognize your vehicle. Who sends out special deliveries in an SUV?” he asked.
“You Harper Logan? If not, I’m not sure I should be answering your questions.”
“I’m Special Agent in Charge Colton Spencer with the Parks Department here on a special investigation. You can answer my questions here or in town at the sheriff’s office.”
That made the man think twice. “I don’t think that’ll be necessary. I’m the owner of a delivery service that misplaced a package. When I realized how late it was, I wanted to come out myself. I’m Mike Bradley, of Special Deliveries on Your Schedule out of Jackson Hole. Our niche is providing specialized services that the big companies can’t because they’re, well, too big. We make a promise to get packages delivered any day of the week to any place within our delivery area. This package was supposed to have been delivered to Harper Logan last Monday no later than four P.M.”
Harper stepped forward and went to move past Spence, who put his arm out and prevented her from moving in front of him. He took the package from Bradley, who started to protest and thought better of it when Spence glared at him. He opened the package carefully and withdrew a small laptop with a distinctive carrying case—what looked to be a cross-stitched racing scene.
“That’s Dulcie’s,” gasped Harper. “I made that case for her—well I did the cross-stitch and then had the seamstress in town make the actual case.”
“I guess that explains why we couldn’t find it. Bradley, this laptop is part of an ongoing case, and it could prove to be a vital piece of evidence in a murder investigation. I’m going to need all the paperwork and electronic data attached to it. I can get a subpoena to get it.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“Good man. After we have what we need, I’ll let you know, and you should erase any record of it in your files—for your own safety and for the sake of the investigation.”
“Uh, sure, Agent Spencer.” Bradley pulled out his phone and tapped it a few times. “There, now. As far as my system is concerned, the minute you give me the word, that package will cease to exist. Good luck with your investigation.”
Mike Bradley got back in his vehicle and drove off as Spence called his team requesting a background check on Bradley and his company. He ended the call and turned to Harper. “We need to take the computer to my team. Do you think it’s password protected?”
“Most likely. Dulcie kept everything on there. Want me to see if I can get into her laptop? I mean I don’t know her actual password.”
“But you knew her better than anyone and your guesses would be better than anyone else.”
