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“Was his body...?”
“No, he’s missing. That PI who’s been in town trying to find Charlotte’s husband, Dixon Malone, has become interested in Rory’s disappearance and Leann’s suicide case.”
“Why are you telling me this?” Cooper said, running a hand through his hair. He didn’t need this. He really wanted to get back to the ranch and crash for a while.
“Because you need to leave Leann’s death alone. This would only make it look worse for you if you insisted that her case be reopened.”
“I told you from her notes that I found that she was leaving town with a man she said I wouldn’t approve of,” Cooper said. “That’s why I wanted her case reopened. This only makes me more convinced I was right and that she didn’t kill herself. She wasmurdered.”
“Who had a motive, besides you?” the sheriff demanded. “Until you know that, I’d suggest you leave it alone. Otherwise, you won’t make it to the altar with your lovely bride. Let me handle this. I have to go.”
Cooper swore. His first instinct was to go to the prosecutor—the one who’d been convinced he had killed Leann. But Stu was right. Unless he knew who had motive to kill Leann and her lover and dump his body who knew where, and his pickup in a reservoir, then he’d just be putting a noose around his neck.
He lay back, staring out at the snowy road, the bare cottonwoods dark against the white. He couldn’t let this go. He knew in his heart that Leann hadn’t killed herself. How could he live with himself if he didn’t find out who had? They’d been friends. Didn’t he owe her that?
But Stu was right. Until he had a suspect, he couldn’t go to the prosecutor. First, he had to be sure that Rory Eastwood was the man she was planning to leave town with. If so, then hopefully it would lead him to the person who’d killed not only Leann but also her mystery lover.
In the meantime, he reminded himself, he was hiring contractors to build his new home with Tilly—and getting ready for a wedding where he was the groom. He called the sheriff back.
“What?” Stu demanded. “I don’t have time to argue this.”
“Just wanted to ask you if you’ll be my best man.” It had been on Tilly’s list, something else he hadn’t gotten around to doing.
“I’d be honored.” His friend actually sounded touched.
“I trust you to find Leann’s killer.” Silence. “You still there?”
“Yeah. It’s just that you were even suspicious ofmenot all that long ago.”
Cooper sighed. “You’re the sheriff and my best friend. You’ll find her killer.” He disconnected.
THESHERIFFDISCONNECTEDfeeling good, definitely better about things than he had in a long time. Cooper trusted him to find Leann’s killer—if she’d been murdered. That his friend had taken his advice was shock enough. Cooper putting his faith in him meant everything. It wasn’t that long ago that his friend was insinuating that Stuart had reason to want to cover up Leann’s death.
He actually felt a lump in his throat and that made him more determined to prove himself by finding out the truth. It wasn’t like he didn’t know where to start. A name came to mind immediately. Abigail Creed, his friendly nurse, whom he now knew was looking into Leann’s death. Wasn’t it time to find out why?
He’d run a check on Abigail but had come up with nothing criminal in her background other than a couple of speeding tickets. As for her connection with Leann, he’d found nothing.
If Abigail came here looking for answers, Stuart thought, she hadn’t found them. He’d investigated Leann’s death more than two years ago and agreed with the coroner that she’d committed suicide. Maybe Abigail had realized the same thing and was now ready to let it go.
Or not, he thought as his cell phone rang and he saw that it was her and felt a strange chill as he picked up. “Sheriff Layton.” He really hoped she wasn’t calling about dinner at her place again. He wasn’t that naive.
“I think you owe me a burger.”
“Is that right?” That she wasn’t giving up made him wonder what she planned to do this time. He was certain lovemaking wasn’t on the agenda and never had been. But what the hell did she want from him?
“I’ve heard that they make amazing burgers at a place in Baker,” Abigail was saying. “Any chance I can tempt you into taking me after work?”
Stuart questioned why she’d want to get him out of town even as he realized this might be the perfect opportunity to get her alone and away from Powder Crossing and find out exactly what she was up to and why. “I could use a burger.”
“Great.” She sounded a little too enthusiastic about the date—even for her.
“I’ll pick you up. Five?”
She was driving. Maybe even better. He wouldn’t be at a disadvantage behind the wheel in case she decided to—to what? “Sounds perfect. I’ll be ready.”
He disconnected, fighting that gnawing feeling in his gut that reminded him that this woman could be dangerous. She’d already drugged him. Who knew what she might do on a two-lane stretch of highway with little to no traffic late this afternoon?
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
