Darby ignored the cloudy skies and the threat of snow that had hovered since she’d woken that morning and worked her way through downtown Red Ridge, checking off her list of errands. The evening before hadn’t been far from her thoughts, but the errands kept her busy and focused on more than Finn Colton’s sky blue eyes, which reminded her of a pretty June day, or his broad shoulders, which were strong and oh, so capable.
They were a mirage. An oasis in the desert and she’d do well to remember that. Spending time with him was a job and nothing more.
The check in her hand that she was about to deposit at the Red Ridge Savings and Loan was tangible proof of that fact.
A job. That’s all you are. And since it pays well and it’s the path to get you off the suspect list and out of debt, you’d do well to remember that.
She kept up the mental pep talk as she walked into the bank, only to find a line of people gaping at a bellowing Fenwick Colton.
Red Ridge was a small town and everyone knew the owner of Colton Energy. Not only did the man employ half the town, but he was legendary for prancing through the streets like a proud peacock on display. Even his head bobbed in time to his own mental beat, Darby thought as she watched his small frame pace up and down in front of one of the desks used for conducting business.
Private business, she’d always thought.
“Half my investments in this town are sucking wind because of this damned Groom Killer!”
Darby tried not to listen, taking a place in line to wait her turn. But Fenwick’s loud rant made that impossible.
“My daughter’s supposed to get married at the end of the year. How’s that going to happen if every wedding company in a fifty-mile radius is out of business?” Fenwick’s voice echoed off the high marble walls.
“Mr. Colton.” The bank manager did his best to calm him, but even those efforts were loud enough for everyone to hear. “If you’d like to take this to my office, I’m sure we can discuss this calmly and—”
“Don’t you patronize me, Tommy Sanders. I remember when you were just a teller here.” A loud thwap as Fenwick slapped a hand on the marble counter echoed off the ceiling before the distinct rustling of newspaper added to the din. “And we can just as easily discuss things here in front of the damn town. We’re all reading the same garbage each and every day in the Red Ridge Gazette.”
“Yes, Mr. Colton, but if you’d—”
Again, Fenwick interrupted the poor, beleaguered Tommy, his voice straining as he read the headline Darby had already passed in a glass-fronted box out on the street. “Groom Killer Waiting to Make Next Kill. That’s considered news?”
“Well, it’s a big deal,” Tommy said, his voice placating.
“It’s salacious garbage and it’s ruining this town day by day!”
While she didn’t agree with his public display, Darby had to admit Fenwick had a point. The killings were awful enough and already had the entire town whispering, scared for its safety. Daily updates in the local paper, the front page screaming out all sorts of salacious innuendo, was hardly a way to keep everyone calm.
It also gave the killer what he or she wanted. If you were going to behave in such an awful way, wouldn’t you want credit for it?
She wasn’t a thrill seeker—she never had been—but she’d overheard enough conversations in the diner to know that when people did something out of the ordinary, they wanted credit for it.
Wouldn’t killing someone be the height of that?
It was enough to bring a chill back to her bones, only, unlike the wind the night before, this chill went far deeper, settling into her soul.
Was it really possible they had someone walking the streets of Red Ridge who not only had killed her ex-husband and another man, but who was waiting to kill again? Someone who cared so little for another’s life they felt it was theirs for the taking?
For the first time since learning of Bo’s death, Darby felt something other than confusion or sadness or surprise. Something small flickered to life, burning away that veneer of cold.
Something a lot like anger.
She’d been so focused on her own problems the past few weeks she hadn’t truly given thought to what was going on in her town. A remorseless killer, determined to snuff out a life as if it was no more than a fly to be swatted or an animal to be put down.
But it was more than that. People’s lives were at stake. And, with sudden clarity, she realized that while the one who’d lost a life paid the highest price, those who loved them were paying a terrible toll, as well.
“Next!”
The call from the teller pulled Darby from her musings and she headed for the window. The transaction moved quickly, the money going into her account so quickly it was nearly anticlimactic. The hours and days of worry vanished as if they’d never been, Finn Colton’s generosity now lining her bank account and her future along with it.
Which meant she had a choice. She could take what he offered and rebuild her life. Or she could fight back against the nameless, faceless injustice and help him catch a killer.
As Darby walked back out onto the street a few moments later, several large flakes dropped from the sky, coating her hair and coat immediately.
Instead of feeling the cold, all she felt was a fire in her belly that emanated outward, setting her entire being into motion.
* * *
Finn ran Lotte through a familiar series of drills at the training center, pleased for the chance to get outside and move a bit. Although he spent a fair amount of time away from his desk, his work taking him into town more often than not, the threat of snow had indicated a day that was likely to keep him in more than out. When the thought of sitting inside the precinct all day had left him with a stifling sense of claustrophobia, he’d opted for a trip to the training center.
The cold did a lot to clear his head as Lotte did a series of agility drills before they switched gears and worked on tracking some new scents. He’d read up recently on a dog who’d actually discovered electronics data and he was anxious to see what Lotte could do with scents that weren’t innately natural in origin. So far she hadn’t been nearly as successful as one of their other K-9 members—a large, lumbering basset hound named Goose—but he remained hopeful she’d get the hang of things.
In the meantime, they’d practice and he’d keep his focus on helping her learn.
By the time they’d finished an hour later, Lotte’s tongue was lolling a bit and even Finn’s warm blood had finally worn thin in the cold air. He took them both inside to warm up and came face-to-face with Hayley Patton.
“Chief.” She had a puppy on a leash and was gently pulling him down the hallway toward the kennels.
“Miss Patton.” Finn nodded, curious to watch her retreat down the hall. The quiet moment gave him a chance to consider her and he was surprised to see how gentle and patient Hayley was with the puppy after the fireworks she’d put on at Darby’s.
It had been more than obvious Penny didn’t like the woman and Finn had always trusted a dog’s sense about people as an important barometer. While not foolproof, there had been several occasions when Lotte had detected someone who was just “off.” It was never the people who were afraid of dogs, but the ones who had a disdain that went beyond basic dislike or legitimate fear.
So what was up with Hayley Patton?
Was she the grieving bride-to-be she’d been playing around town? The raging shrew who expected everyone to bow and scrape now that she was practically widowed? Or was she really a gentle, misguided woman who channeled her energy and affection into dogs instead of the world around her? More questions without answers.
“Chief!”
He tucked away thoughts of Hayley and focused on the voice squawking through the portable radio clipped to his shirt. Answering the summons, he moved into a small conference room off the main hallway. “What’s up, Lorelei?”
“Trouble brewing at the bank.”
He’d known Lorelei long enough to take her statement as more gossip than danger, but held back the sigh at the unhelpful level of detail. “What kind of trouble?”
“Your uncle Fenwick was in there making a ruckus about the Groom Killer.”
“What was he on about now?”
Lorelei clearly warmed to her story, her voice echoing from his radio with all the authority of a newscaster. He’d already gotten the gist of Fenwick’s antics within in a few statements but let Lorelei keep on as he poured himself a cup of coffee from the steady supply kept on the conference room’s banquette.
“He’s claiming his daughter Layla’s wedding is in jeopardy because of the Groom Killer, the headlines the paper keeps running and your ineptitude to find a killer.”
Finn put his cup down, a streak of annoyance lighting up his limbs.
He tolerated his uncle on most days, but when the man insinuated he wasn’t able to do his job, they had a problem. “I’ll go see him now.”
“Figured you’d want to know.”
“You figured right.”
As he disconnected with Lorelei, Finn drained the last of his coffee, fortifying himself for the conversation to come. Fenwick Colton saw himself as the king of Red Ridge and, normally, Finn was willing to let him have the crown.
But when the king started talking trash about Finn’s hard work and the hard work of his department, he wasn’t above taking action. It was mighty comfortable sitting on a throne, watching the world go by.
It was another matter entirely to take up a sword and battle the real monsters that lived in it.
* * *
Finn put little stock in legends and stories, especially when they gave people an excuse for bad behavior. The century-long feud between the Coltons and the Gages was one of those stories and he’d spent his life fighting the expectation that somehow his birth and his last name predisposed him to a set of choices.
He liked who he wanted to like. Disliked for the same reasons. And refused to believe that someone was bad simply because they’d been born into a family who lived across town.
Fortunately, his generation seemed to be the first in a hundred years that might truly trample the battleground that perpetually stretched between the Colton family homes on one end of town and the Gage family homes on the opposite end.
Carson and Serena had certainly trampled up everything in their path, finding each other despite the specter of a family feud. He’d also caught wind of another romance brewing between the youngest member of each family, his sister Valeria and the youngest Gage, Vincent. Word around town was that the smitten lovers had been caught kissing more than once and their parents were both determined to break them up. A position that had only grown stronger since fear had spread over the antilove-based motives of the Groom Killer.
He’d purposely stayed out of the teen love drama, even though his stepmother, Joanelle, had been haranguing him for a month to do something about the pair. Since he figured the kids had a right to their feelings, he’d left them alone, but had instructed his team to keep a watch on them. Fools might rush in but a well-trained police force should be able to keep an eye on two swoony teens.
No matter how easygoing Finn wanted to be about the teens, he had been forced to manage the Colton-Gage situation a bit tighter with his cousin Demi. Nothing could change the fact that one of the lead suspects in the investigation into Bo Gage’s death was a Colton. And that hadn’t sat well with any member of the Gage family.
He and Carson had questioned his cousin, insisting she stay in Red Ridge until the whole situation quieted down, but she’d up and run at the first opportunity. Finn still wasn’t sure if he’d want to throttle her or to hug her when they finally found her, but in the meantime Demi wasn’t doing herself any favors in the “raising suspicions” department.
Which made Darby’s assessment the day before that much more interesting. If Darby was the killer, wouldn’t she grasp at any opportunity to deflect interest her way? And if she wasn’t—and her assessment of Demi was right on—then maybe they were all looking in the wrong place.
It’s just that she’s so cool and confident. Demi Colton is not the sort of woman who murders a guy who can’t appreciate her. Especially if that guy was dumb enough to dump her for Hayley.
With his thoughts racing through all the implications, Finn pulled off Bay Boulevard and into his uncle Fenwick’s driveway. The large house sat on the very edge of Red Ridge, not far from one of the mountain passes that led up into the Black Hills. Fenwick’s land was the farthest you could get from a Gage and still say you lived in Red Ridge, and Fenwick paid dearly to keep the mansion in pristine condition.
He also reveled in living on the edge of town along with the town’s ritziest citizens, including the Larson twins. Evan and Noel had made quite a name for themselves in the past few years, their various investments including quite a few in tech, putting them on several lists of South Dakota’s mavens under thirty.
Finn glanced down the street at the large, garish mansion the twins called home as he jumped out and rounded his SUV, not entirely convinced all their money was on the up-and-up. He’d put considerable focus on them before the Groom Killer situation had blown up but had very little to show for it.
Yet every time he saw either of the twins, something set off his radar. They were attractive and charming and played the “bright, shining citizen” roll to the hilt. Only, none of it could hide the fact that something mean seemed to live behind their eyes.
Finn sighed, again aware that the assessments he made of people didn’t mean they were guilty of anything more than breathing air. The role of chief weighed heavy on his shoulders, but it didn’t do to go looking for trouble where there wasn’t any.
Even so, the Larsons bothered him.
Shrugging off the disdain, Finn climbed the steps to Fenwick’s mansion, bracing himself for battle. He wasn’t disappointed when his uncle greeted him with a sharp grunt a few minutes later after the butler led him to Fenwick’s home office. The grunt was quickly followed up with Fenwick’s play for the conversational upper hand. “Heard you had dinner last night with that Gage woman.”
“Word travels fast.”
“It does when my nephew is parading around town with a murder suspect.”
“What would you know of my suspects?”
“I keep my ear to the ground.”
The words carried quite a bit less bluster and Finn used the moment of quiet to press his advantage. “You messing around in my investigation?”
“Don’t sass me, boy.”
“Are you?”
Fenwick held Finn’s stare, his lifelong success in business ensuring he wasn’t going to back down. But the bluster didn’t return to his tone, either, when he finally spoke. “I’m an interested citizen. Nothing more.”
“Then why are you making things worse by carrying on at the Red Ridge Savings and Loan?”
Small and skinny, Fenwick Colton had spent his life with a chip on his shoulder. He’d used it to make something of himself, which Finn gave him considerable credit for, even if his methods were unorthodox and often annoying. The man ran his mouth, pushing his ornery attitude on anyone who would listen. He wasn’t above engaging in a verbal battle of wills and he’d often reminded Finn of a Chihuahua.
Which was likely an insult to Chihuahuas.
But he’d be damned if he wanted his uncle mucking around in a murder investigation.
“Like I said, I’m an interested citizen.”
“You’re deliberately causing trouble and making a spectacle of yourself in front of the town.”
The accusation was enough to have Fenwick dropping into his chair. “I’m trying to make a point, only no one’s listening.”
“What point would that be?”
“This killer out on the loose is ruining the town. Business is dropping. Half the couples getting married have ended their engagements. I’m a month away from Layla marrying Hamlin Harrington and the old coward’s threatening to call it all off on account of this Groom Killer on the loose.”
Finn feigned compassion, but was pleased he’d finally gotten to the bottom of Fenwick’s real problem. Although he avoided family drama as much as possible, his avoidance didn’t fully shield him from the goings-on of the Coltons. Just like his stepmother’s insistence he interfere in Valeria’s life, he was well aware of the sacrifices his cousin Layla was about to make on the altar of business by marrying the considerably older Harrington. Finn kept himself out of the gossip, but it wasn’t a stretch to realize that the marriage of his cousin, a top VP at Colton Energy, to Hamlin Harrington, the long-time CEO of green energy company, Harrington Inc., was a front for a business merger.
Hamlin and Fenwick had a long-standing rivalry that would come to a lucrative end if the two entities united. A marriage of convenience between the Colton heir apparent and the old man would obviously see that through and create the largest combined energy company in the entire northwest.
Finn mentally shook his head and held in a sigh, unwilling to show even a moment’s weakness in front of his uncle. But he couldn’t deny this was the reason he liked dogs. They were far less complicated. And they sure as hell didn’t marry their daughters off to smarmy old men to garner a big payday.
“I’ve told you before, the department is working as fast as it can to find out who’s responsible.”
“Well, work faster. Maybe if you quit roaming around town on dates, you’d make a bit more progress.”
His patience at an end, Finn moved up to the edge of Fenwick’s desk, more than willing to use his size to his advantage. “I suggest you focus on your own problems and off me.”
“And what if I don’t? I can’t lose this deal, Finn.”
“What does Layla say about all this?”
“She knows her role.”
Finn had never been close with his cousin, but even he had a hard time seeing how she would want to bind her life to Hamlin Harrington.
Since he wasn’t going to get an answer to that question any more than he was going to get his uncle to stand down and quit bullying everyone in town, Finn opted for retreat. But not before he got in his closing salvo.
“I’d suggest you understand your role, too. And stop making trouble in my town.”
* * *
Pins clanged, the scent of beer permeated the air and a steady hum of conversation filled the bowling alley as the Tuesday night competition got under way. As Finn had promised, eight teams had showed up for the night’s matchups, dominating the four lanes at the far end of the twenty-lane alley.
Finn’s team—Large and In Charge—was up against Bad Teachers, and Darby was mentally reviewing everyone’s name as she bent to tie her genuinely ugly green-and-gold bowling shoes.
“Be careful. They might see you in Montana,” Finn teased her as he eased into the seat next to her.
“I was thinking eastern Washington, so Montana is a definite improvement.” Darby lifted a foot, tilting right then left as she admired the truly heinous shoe.
Finn patted a hand on her thigh before pointing to his cousin two lanes over. “At least they’re better than Blake’s. We can only be thankful these shoes have no support and get no traction on the ground outside. He’s threatened to wear those out in public.”
Darby tried to ignore the warm outline of his palm that still imprinted her thigh as she looked down the lanes. True to Finn’s word, the purple-and-orange monstrosities on Blake’s feet were a sight to behold.
“Where did he get those?”
“Somewhere online that should be shut down for deliberately trying to blind people.”
“Colton! You’re up!” someone hollered from the direction of the ball machine.
“Which Colton?” a woman Darby recognized as Patience Colton from the K-9 training center hollered from her seat.
“Chief’s up!”
Finn stood, his little-boy grin firmly in place. “This won’t take long. I’ll be back shortly.”
“Convinced you’ll strike out? That’s not very forward thinking of you, Chief Colton.”
Finn stilled, seeming to think about it. “You’re right. Maybe a kiss for good luck will help me out.”
Before she could register his words or the movements that matched them, Finn leaned in, caging her between his arms, his mouth on an unerring course for hers. I should stop him was the last coherent thought to enter her head before those gorgeous lips landed on hers, eradicating her ability to think.
All she could do was feel.
The hum of the bowling alley faded away, replaced by nothing but the slamming, insistent beat of her heart. Just like the night before in the SUV when he’d wrapped his jacket around her, the man seemed to envelop her. He effectively shut out the world around them and she quickly caught up to the kiss, unwilling to be a passive participant.
He gently coaxed her mouth open, his tongue seeking entrance, and she welcomed him in, glorying in the way he made her feel. Light and airy, even as a heavy weight suffused her limbs. Was it need? Want?
No, a quiet voice whispered in her mind. Desire.
This was what desire felt like, pure and simple. Only it wasn’t simple at all.
And while her feelings might be pure, reality quickly diluted them with the fact that this was a game of pretend. An act. A pretense to draw out a murderer.
A piercing whistle pulled them both fully out of the moment and Finn ended the kiss, lifting his head and smiling down at her. The little-boy grin was gone, replaced with something more adult. Something that spoke of the knowledge of darkened bedrooms and heated sheets.
A smile that held promises if she was only brave enough to reach out and take them.
“You’re up, Chief.”
The smile faded and he held her gaze a moment longer before standing to his full height. “Looks like I am.”
She watched him walk to the ball machine and pick up the large green ball he’d selected earlier. Unlike some of other players, he’d claimed that he was so bad at bowling he refused to invest in one of his own. Hefting the ball, he walked up to the lane and lined up his shot.
And threw a perfect strike.
Darby let out a cheer before she could stop herself, pleased to see his initial attempt produce a significantly better outcome than a gutter ball. She was still clapping when he walked back over to take the seat next to her.
“That was pretty lucky.”
Finn shrugged. “Must have been the kiss.”
“I don’t know. I—” She broke off, awareness dawning like a sudden dousing. “You’re good at this!”
“You give me too much credit.”
She leaped up at that, whirling on him. “The whole gutter ball thing was just a big lie to get me to come. That’s why you said you’d be quick. You’re really good at this!”
“Look out, Chief.” One of the men on the other team hollered the words before adding an eyebrow wiggle for effect. “Looks like you’ve been discovered.”
“I’m not that good,” Finn said.
Darby slammed her hands on her hips, staring him down. “When was the last time you threw a gutter ball?”
“I don’t remember.” He mumbled—actually mumbled—the words.
Darby turned to his teammates. “When was his last one?” She didn’t even bother qualifying the question because she knew they’d all been listening.
“Oh, about never,” Bo’s sister, Elle, added.
Darby shot her former sister-in-law a grateful smile. “Finally. One truthful person on this team.”
One of the other players smiled before adding, “He just wanted to land a good one on ya. Come on, show him what you’re made of. It’s your turn.”
She harrumphed before marching over to the machine and picking up the lavender ball she’d selected earlier. She inserted her fingers in the holes, testing the weight before marching up to the lane.
She’d show him. Finn Colton and his hot lips and crooked grin and lying ways.
Positioning herself a few steps from the small dots lining the floor, Darby pushed herself into motion, allowing the ball to fly from the end of her hand. It made a heavy thud as it hit the lane, but to her utter surprise, ran true down the center of the glossy wood. The thick sound of tumbling pins echoed back toward her and, while it wasn’t a strike like her lying, fake date’s, she managed to knock out six pins.
They were split straight down the middle, but at least it was points on the board.
She managed to get two more on her second roll before taking her seat once more. Finn, having obviously decided he was better off making himself scarce, was at the counter a few lanes down, ordering food.
“I’m glad you came out with us tonight.” Elle took the seat next to her. Although they’d been friendly when she and Bo were married, Darby had lost regular touch with her former sister-in-law since the divorce.
“I’m glad I came, too.”
“He’s smitten.”
“Excuse me?”
“The chief. The man doesn’t bring dates to bowling. Heck, he doesn’t bring dates anywhere.”
Darby wanted to correct Elle but fought back the words. This wasn’t a date. Nor was it the start of a major relationship for either of them. It was playacting, plain and simple. No one was smitten and her scrambled brain would do well to remember that.
Even as that thought struck a chord of sadness, Darby realized there was a silver lining. She’d conceded to herself that working with Finn was a chance to help keep Red Ridge safe. It was also a chance to do whatever she could to avenge Bo’s death as well as Michael Hayden’s. If she was doing a good enough job to fool a cop, then she had to take some solace in that.
Deftly ignoring Elle’s words about Finn’s dating history, she focused on the noisy alley. “I haven’t been bowling in years.”
“What have you been waiting for?”
Darby grinned. “I’m not sure.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re here.” Elle jumped up to take her turn and Darby watched her go. Bo’s sister was three years younger than her and there was a time when that had felt like an eternity. Now it just seemed like she’d missed the chance to make—and keep—a true friend.
How odd to realize now that she’d lost so many years by not keeping up with the other relationships in her life.
“Still mad at me?”
Finn took the seat next to her once more, his voice low as he leaned in to bump his shoulder against hers.
“I still think you’re a liar, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“You can’t blame a man for trying.”
“For trying what?”
“To kiss you.”
The comment was so unexpected—and so at odds with their fake situation—that Darby’s mouth dropped open. “I don’t need to be lied to in order to kiss a man.”
Was that really her voice?
When had she turned into her mother? The prim-and-prissy attitude had been a staple of her mother’s personality. Darby had believed herself free of the curse. Had she been operating under a delusion? Or had she simply grown old before her time?
“Then maybe I should try the honest way.”
Once more, Finn Colton had the advantage as his hands tightened over her shoulders, pulling her close. His mouth clamped onto hers and, where the first kiss had been playful and exploratory, this one was all hot, lusty need. His lips traveled a familiar if more urgent path over hers and she opened as his tongue slipped inside.
The move was bold—the kiss even more so—and she lifted her hands to cling to his forearms as she kissed him back. A small moan caught in the back of her throat and she could only be glad the noise of the alley hid that verbal evidence of her need.
What she couldn’t hide quite so easily was the warmth that filled her face or the sheer enjoyment she’d taken from the simple joining of their lips.
As Darby watched Finn get up to take his next roll—a second strike—she was forced to admit something to herself. Their situation might be fake, but that kiss had been 100 percent real.
* * *
The watcher had intended to enjoy an evening out at the bowling alley, nursing a few drinks at the bar while taking in the supreme moves of her most favorite cop. She looked forward to Tuesday nights and had been pleased when the long wait for bowling season to start up again after the holiday break had finally ended.
A month was too long to go without her Tuesday night watch party.
Only he’d brought her.
She had no idea who the woman was, but she’d been readily accepted by the other bowlers even though she played horribly. The first game had been unbearable to sit through. By the second, when the woman had kissed her cop yet again, the watcher had paid her bill and fled into the night.
Even now she sat in her car at the edge of the parking lot. Out of sight and far away from the powerful overhead lights, she watched the various league members head to their cars.
How oblivious they all were. Going about their days unaware of how boring and dull and routine their lives really were. It made her smile, a small giggle bubbling in her throat. They were all so boring and uninteresting and they didn’t even know it.
Only Finn was different.
Only Finn understood her and would understand what life could be like between them.
Only Finn would take away this desperate clawing and craving that filled her chest, desperate to get out.
So she sat there in her car, waiting for Finn Colton to come out. As people filed out of the bowling alley, alone or in pairs, she knew none of them saw the woman watching them.