Preacher (Montana Bounty Hunters: Dead Horse, MT Book 2) Page 11

  “Not anyone,” Lacey said. “Just someone who doesn’t stop when the first door shuts on a lead. Great work.”

  Preacher’s phone rang. “Call’s from the sheriff,” he said. “Wonder if he’s already arrested them.” He swiped the screen and put the call on speaker. “Preacher here.”

  “Preacher, it’s Sheriff Brown. Just wanted to let you know Laura’s store is on fire. Fire department’s already on the way.”

  Preacher sucked in a swift breath.

  “My shop’s on fire?” Laura’s voice cut through the stunned silence.

  Preacher jumped up and walked to where she stood, one hand braced against the doorframe. Her face was white. “Let me help you to a chair.”

  Dagger leaned toward the phone. “Do you know where Bob Updike and Edna Posick are right now?”

  “I was working on search warrants with the judge. Didn’t want to tip them off that we’re looking at them as suspects into Laura’s attacks. I sent units to Bob’s and Edna’s places, as well as the hardware store, but they’re in the wind.”

  “How bad’s the fire?” Laura asked, her voice wobbly and her eyes filling with tears.

  A sigh sounded, and then the sheriff cleared his throat. “It’s fully engulfed, Laura. I’m sorry. The fire department is having a time trying to confine it. The empty building beside it is almost gone, but they’re hoping to save the salon next to your store.”

  Laura closed her eyes and bowed her head.

  Lacey glanced at Dagger. “We only need one of us here.”

  Dagger pushed away from the table. “I’m heading down there. Another set of eyes. I’ll keep a lookout for the two of them.” He bent to kiss Lacey’s cheek then departed.

  “Who all knows that we suspect them?” Preacher said into the phone.

  “Just the deputies I sent to bring them in. I wanted to talk to Bob and Edna before I made our investigation public and give them a chance to explain themselves.”

  Lacey rolled her eyes.

  Preacher glanced at Laura who hadn’t moved. Her hands were clutched together in her lap, and her shoulders were slumped. “We’ll keep watch over Laura. Bob might be jonesing for her store, but I think Edna’s out for Laura.”

  “I agree. I’ll have deputies swing by every hour until we find these two.”

  “Thank you.” He rang off and then reached for Laura’s clutched hands. He gave them a squeeze. “It’s going to be okay.”

  “I’ve lost everything.”

  “Do you have adequate insurance?”

  “I think so,” she said, lifting her face. Worry wrinkled her forehead.

  “Then it will be okay. You don’t have to face this alone.”

  “If we hadn’t met…I don’t know what I’d do.”

  He gave her a crooked smile. “Well, maybe it was meant to be.” He let out a deep breath. “You should eat.”

  Her mouth tightened.

  “You’re already up. Let me feed you, then I’ll help you back to bed.”

  She nodded, and he went to the stove, taking down a dish from the cabinet and only halfway filling the bowl. Getting her to eat more than a couple of bites would be a victory. He needed her to remain strong.

  While she ate, he and Lacey met at the refrigerator.

  “I’ll take a look around outside,” Lacey said quietly. “Edna doesn’t know she’s caught. She might go after Laura.”

  “I’ll do it. If anything happens to you, Dagger would kill me,” he said, giving her a crooked smile.

  She patted her hip. “Now, don’t you be sexist or an altitudinist.”

  “Altitudinist?” he asked.

  “Yeah, just ’cause you’re taller, with your head at a higher altitude, does not mean I can’t do my job. I’ve got my Remington,” she said, patting her hip.

  Preacher chuckled. “Is that even a word?”

  “It is. I used it on the show. I expect Merriam Webster to add it to the dictionary any day now.”

  He laughed. What a treasure she was. “Just stay here, please. Help Laura back to bed when she’s finished. I’m heading outside.”

  Lacey lifted her chin. “Altitudinist!”

  Outside, Preacher searched the grounds nearest the house, checking windows and doors, making sure they were all locked and that there were no signs of damage. Then he moved to the vehicles, looking beneath them. He walked along the sidewalk several houses either way, looking for anything that seemed off. He took photos of the license plates of any cars not parked in driveways. Then he returned to the house.

  Inside, Lacey was seated on the couch. “She’s back in bed. She’s pretty shook up.”

  Preacher sat beside her then nodded at the laptop on the coffee table. “Can I get you to look up some license plates?”

  They checked each photo. On the last one, Lacey paused before exiting the screen. “The owner is Dead Horse Limited.”

  Preacher’s heart thudded. “She’s here.”

  Chapter 13

  Laura woke and stared up at the ceiling. Tears she’d fought in front of the hunters stung her eyes. Her shop was gone. She had weeks of rebuilding ahead of her, and she needed to make sure she reserved enough money from whatever amount the insurance company gave her to pay Katie’s wages. What a mess.

  And for what? Because someone else coveted her location? It was crazy.

  Her head throbbed, but she didn’t want to call out for anyone else to help her. She was tired of being helpless. So, she angled herself up and stood, careful to keep a hand on the bed until the dizziness dissipated. She had this.

  With slow careful steps, she made her way to the bathroom. Inside, she filled a cup with water and twisted off the top of her painkillers. She took two, and then placed her hands on the counter and looked into the mirror above the sink. Good Lord, she needed a bath and to wash her hair. Damn, Preacher would have her ass if he found out she’d taken one by herself. Then she thought maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to have him find her in the tub. Maybe he’d offer to wash her back…

  Smiling now, she decided to go into her room and find another of the fuzzy pajama sets Lacey had so generously given her. That she’d known what size to get her made her a little embarrassed. She doubted Lacey spent much time looking through plus-sized clothing.

  She opened the bathroom door and stepped into the dark room. Something tapped her window then glass shattered. She shrank back just as something gleaming and bright hurtled inside, landing on her bed. Fire spread like water across the mattress. Black smoke rose, filling the air.

  She swayed, a rush of dizziness nearly overcoming her.

  Footsteps stomped in the hallway. Her bedroom door swung open with such force it bounced against the wall.

  Preacher stepped inside and ran toward the bed. His expression of horror cut her to the bone.

  “Laura!” he cried out, raising an arm to protect his face as he approached the burning bed.

  Lacey came in behind him and tried to pull him away. Crackling flames spilled down the sides of her comforter to the floor. Lacey grabbed his forearm. “Preacher, don’t!”

  Laura drew as deep a breath as she could and moved forward, touching his shoulder. “Preacher!” she said, her voice hoarse. “I’m okay.”

  Preacher glanced to his side and saw her. He turned fully toward her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and carried her into the hallway.

  Laura clung to his shoulders as he moved her down the hallway. Lacey sped ahead of them, pulling a handgun from her holster as she approached the front door. “I’ll cover you. Get her to your truck.”

  Preacher set Laura on her feet, tossed his keys to Lacey, then swept Laura quickly up into his arms. He moved quickly through the door and into the darkness outside.

  Lacey moved ahead of them, lifting her free hand to click the key fob, and unlocking the Suburban’s doors. Her gaze moved left to right, and she reached behind her to open the passenger door, keeping guard as Preacher bent and sat Laura inside the car.

&nbs
p; After slamming the door, he ran around the front of the vehicle and climbed inside.

  “I’m calling 9-1-1,” Lacey shouted, lifting her phone.

  Preacher hit the button and lowered Laura’s window. “Get inside.”

  “I’m going after her,” Lacey said.

  “No! We’ll get her. I’m not leaving you behind.”

  Lacey blew out at breath that filled her cheeks then opened the door behind Laura and jumped into the back seat.

  As they pulled away, sirens could be heard in the distance.

  Laura gazed through her living room window as flames brightened the room. She’d been lucky. If she’d been in that bed…

  She shook herself. This wasn’t the time for her to freak out or to grieve for all she’d lost. White hot anger burned through her.

  As Preacher sped through town, she reached out and placed her hand on his thigh. “Where are we going?”

  “Our office—unless you want me to take you to the station house.”

  She gave him a tight smile. “I’ve always wanted to see where you work.”

  “It’s a fucking trailer, but we’ve got lots of firepower there. And, honestly, I don’t know where else to go.”

  “I hear you,” Laura said then groaned. “My insurance is going to go through the roof.”

  Lacey cleared her throat behind them. “I think you’ll be able to afford it. You’re going to own a hardware store by the time we’re done with ol’ Bob and Edna.”

  Laura laughed. She couldn’t help it. Maybe she was becoming hysterical. Bob and Edna would have to sell everything they owned, well, she owned, to pay for their defense, but she liked Lacey’s attitude. “I’m just glad we all got out safely.”

  A phone chirped behind her. “That’s mine,” Lacey said.

  “What the hell, Lace?” Dagger’s voice boomed over the speaker. “Fire department’s having to call in another county’s truck to handle the fire downtown while they haul ass to Laura’s. You guys okay?”

  “We’re fine. Edna tossed a Molotov cocktail.”

  “Edna’s in deep shit. I was with the sheriff when Bob and Edna pulled into his driveway, both their asses smiling until the cops surrounded them. They’re both in custody now.”

  Laura drew a deep breath. It was over.

  “Cage, Marti, and Hardman are nearly back from Pine Creek.”

  “They catch Frank Ludlow?” Preacher asked.

  “Nope, but he was there. The place is trashed.”

  “Well, hell,” Lacey said.

  “So, where you guys heading?” Dagger asked.

  “We were planning to go to Montana Bounty Hunters,” Preacher said. He gave her a sideways glance.

  She knew he was asking her whether she was up for it. She nodded.

  “Yeah, we’ll go there first then figure out what’s next.”

  Just outside of town, they turned onto a gravel road that led to a construction site. The brick building was taking shape. It had walls and a roof, but there were tarps over missing windows and doors. They continued past the building and parked in front of a modular building in the back, like a single-wide trailer with two sets of stairs leading to doors.

  When he cut the engine, Preacher said, “Stay in your seat.”

  She didn’t argue. He could carry her. She was pretty sure if she tried to stand, her legs would quiver anyway.

  Headlights converged from three vehicles that pulled up in a line beside them. The right-side door to the trailer opened. Fig stood in the opening. She waved everyone inside.

  Preacher entered first and set Laura in a chair at a large banquet table. The smell of coffee was in the air. Fig set a hot cup in front of her, along with a small carton of vanilla creamer and a spoon.

  Laura poured creamer until her coffee was pale then took a deep drink. “That’s heaven,” she said, wrapping both hands around the hot mug to warm them.

  “I ordered pizza when I heard everyone was heading here. And I have Oreos…” She pressed a hand on Laura’s shoulder then moved to take a seat.

  Soon, the table was full. Laura was pleased she already had names to apply to faces. Cage, Marti, Hardman, and Fig sat on the opposite side. On her side, she had Preacher, Lacey, and Dagger.

  Cage’s gaze landed on her. “Sheriff knows you’re here. He’ll be here shortly to take all your statements about what happened at your house.”

  “We didn’t see either of them toss the Molotov cocktail, but we can place them in Laura’s neighborhood,” Preacher said. He held up his phone and showed them a picture of a vehicle parked along her street. “Plates can be tracked to their shell company.”

  “Don’t think you’ll have to worry about proving who’s to blame. They found gas, bottles, and rags in Bob’s trunk. It’s likely they used the same type of device to destroy the shop.”

  Everyone’s gaze settled on Laura.

  “How you holding up?” Cage asked.

  Laura shrugged. “I think, pretty good.” The backs of her eyes pricked. “Yes, I lost my business, and probably my home, but…” She glanced around the table. “I’m glad I didn’t have to face all that alone.”

  Cage’s smile was slow, but well worth the wait. Laura could understand why Elaine was so crazy about her man. “You won’t have to do any of this alone. You have a crew,” he said, his finger circling the room. “I know insurance is going to help with rebuilding, but you’re going to need all kinds of extra labor. You can count on us.”

  She smiled and cried some happy tears. “Thanks,” she said, wiping at the sides of her eyes.

  Preacher reached for her hand. “In the meantime, I have a room at the Dead Horse Motel. It’s not the Ritz, but it’s clean and comfortable. It even has its own little kitchenette.”

  “We’ll be neighbors,” Lacey said, grinning.

  “Don’t stress,” Preacher said. “We’ve got this.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  Then he bent toward her, and she sighed. His soft kiss was the one thing she needed more than air. It wasn’t a quick peck, either. When he drew back, her head swayed.

  His arm swept around her. “You okay?”

  “I’m…wonderful,” she said breathlessly.

  As they smiled at each other, laughter filled the room.

  Chapter 14

  Two weeks later, Preacher and Laura sat at a table in the Dead Horse Walk-in Diner.

  He’d asked for a little privacy, so Nadine had ushered them to a table near the back. Not exactly fine dining, but the food was good and Laura deserved a break. She’d been working with the insurance guy and a local construction company to finalize plans for the new Deadly Delights. As Laura had predicted, Edna had unloaded all her properties in a quick sale to raise money for a good lawyer, while Bob was stuck with a public defender because his girlfriend had dumped him. Laura had been able to pick up the building next to hers for a song, and now had a much bigger building project than she’d expected. When she’d worried about being able to afford it all, Preacher had offered her the cash. She’d turned down the gift but had made him an equal partner in her business.

  Preacher let her fuss over being fair and looking out for his interests, but he had a ring burning a hole in his pocket that would end the argument. He just needed the right time and the right place, and Dead Horse’s diner wasn’t it.

  They’d just ordered their food. Preacher’s gaze had locked on Laura throughout. She wore a soft blue dress that hugged her chest then flared slightly over her hips. Lacey had helped her with choosing the dress since all of Laura’s clothing had been lost in the house fire. She’d also helped Laura with piling her pale blond hair into a messy bun that looked like one good tug would send it billowing around her shoulders—something he intended to do once they were alone again back at their motel room.

  She was the embodiment of femininity. Soft and beautiful, strong and graceful.

  Something from the corner of his eye drew his attention—a man looking a little too inte
rested in Laura for his liking. He was just about to warn the guy off when the man slipped the hood of his jacket off his head.

  A dark stripe of hair ran down the center of the man’s otherwise shaved head. Add the hooked nose, and Preacher realized he was staring at Frank Ludlow. Wrong time, wrong place.

  A toe nudged his ankle. His gaze went back to Laura.

  “What’s wrong?” she whispered.

  He placed his phone on the table beside him and texted her a quick note.

  Guy beside us. A skip. Don’t look

  Her eyes widened as she read the screen of her own phone that she’d surreptitiously slid onto the table beside her plate.

  Guy with the bad Mohawk?

  Yeah. Texting Cage

  Frank glanced at their table and caught Laura looking at him. Preacher’s heart thudded dully in his chest. Although he was wearing his piece on his hip, he had no intention of taking this guy down in the middle of the diner. He wouldn’t endanger Laura or any of the other patrons, and he needed backup. He quickly sent the text to Cage.

  Laura looked again then winked at the dude.

  “What are you doing?” Preacher whispered.

  “Stalling. Keeping him in his seat,” she whispered without moving her lips.

  Quite a trick. Still, he didn’t like her calling the felon’s attention to herself.

  A message pinged from Cage.

  I’m close. With Marti and Hardman. Sit tight

  Preacher typed “K” then sent a text to Laura.

  Keep doing what you’re doing

  He picked up his phone and pretended to be engrossed with it while Laura made eyes at Frank. From the corner of his eye, he saw Frank lift his chin toward the corridor with the restrooms.

  “What do I do now?” she whispered, again not moving her lips.

  Were you a ventriloquist in your previous life? No way in hell are you going back there… Sit…Tight

  Cage pinged. Coming in back door near restrooms

  Preacher rolled his eyes. Well, fuck. He quickly texted Laura.

  Motion him toward restroom. Signal 2 minutes