LUCAS DIDN’T intend to be gone long. But he also wanted to keep Owen and Mia safe, which meant driving to a Safeway far from his place. It was another twenty minutes, but he could hardly go into the local store and buy diapers and formula. The jungle drums would be so loud, you would be able to hear them in Denver.
“Lucas?”
Lucas turned at the shout and cursed to himself as he saw Jacko, Christine, and her mother, Serena.
“Is there something you’re not telling me?” Jacko said as they walked closer.
Fuck. Of course he had to be in the aisle that sold everything for babies—from food to high chairs. What the hell was he going to tell his friend? He had to think, quick. Christine elbowed Jacko, and his smile fell as they got closer. Lucas put out his hand to try and forestall any embarrassed apologies.
“Hi, guys. I didn’t expect to run into you here.” He gestured at the shelves. “I went to see Larry Jacobson this morning. His grandson might be visiting next week, and he asked me to pick up a few things for him. They’ve got everything in this store.”
“How old is he?” Christine asked brightly.
“Seven months,” Lucas replied, keeping it simple. “He’s given me quite a list, none of which he’ll probably need, but it makes him happy to spoil him.” Lucas shrugged as if it was no big deal, but silently he was congratulating himself. Christine might be finding it hard around her sisters, but babies were still Christine’s favorite subject. Within minutes, he had everything on the list Owen had given him, plus a lot more.
Since Jacko had finished as well, they all walked up to the checkout together. He had picked up what Christine had wanted for her sister’s baby shower. When they realized it wouldn’t fit in her mother-in-law’s car, Lucas offered to take it in his truck and drop the bags off at their place later. It gave him the excuse he needed to talk to Jacko alone. He just wished he’d had a chance to get Owen some clothes as well, but he couldn’t come up with a story that wouldn’t make Jacko question his sanity. He was pushing it already.
Lucas went to the register next to them and looked back after he was done to see what was holding them up. The girl working the register was telling Jacko his card had been declined, and Christine wasn’t happy, especially when hers wouldn’t go through either. Her mom stepped up before Lucas had a chance to and paid.
Jacko was shaking his head. “Banks,” he said with a long-suffering sigh. “Chris lost her card last week, and instead of cancelling just that card, they’ve gone and flagged them all.”
“I’ve never been so embarrassed in my life.” Christine pouted. “Mrs. Jones from school was in the line and undoubtedly heard everything. I’m gonna give that bank manager what-for tomorrow.”
Jacko chuckled. “I need to go into town and get my Jeep from Ted’s this afternoon. I’ll stop by and take care of it.”
Lucas promised Christine he would be by later to drop the shopping off and to get Jacko “out of her hair.” Then he told Jacko to give him a call if he needed a ride and proceeded to load his shopping and theirs into his truck. The F250 had been a huge expense, but it was also exactly what he had needed the winter before last, when half the crew was struggling to get to the station because of the snow.
And it wasn’t as if he had anything else to spend his money on. He looked down at the bags in the truck. Maybe he had gone overboard a little. In fact, he would feel pretty stupid if he got home and found out Owen and Mia had gone.
He waved at a guy he knew from the station, then slammed on the brakes as a dog raced across the road in front of him. He heard a squeal of tires, but luckily, the Chevy Tahoe behind him was a good distance away or it might have hit him. He put up a hand in an apologetic acknowledgment, hoping the driver could see him. After another mile or two, his thoughts returned to Owen.
He slowed for a light and glanced in his rearview mirror. The Tahoe was still behind him, but that wasn’t surprising on the main road out of Greeley. He glanced at his phone while at a stoplight, wondering what Owen was doing, and realized that not only had he not asked if Owen had a phone, but he hadn’t given him his number in case there was a problem. Shit. He sped up a little when the lights changed, and in a half mile, he turned off for Summerton. He glanced in his mirror and noticed the Tahoe had turned with him.
Bit of a coincidence.
Without being conscious of the decision, he signaled again and turned left, away from the park and his cottage. Sure enough, the Tahoe turned as well. He signaled, slowed, and stopped on Main Street. The Tahoe pulled up three cars down. He sat for a few seconds and then opened the door and calmly but deliberately walked toward the truck. The road was busy, and he was sure the driver could see him. Just as he saw who was driving, the window lowered, and he huffed.
“Marshals,” Lucas acknowledged, looking at O’Connor and DuPree. “Did you forget to ask me something?”
DuPree chuckled and O’Connor shrugged. “Believe it or not, we were just passing Safeway and saw you loading your truck. It seemed like you bought a lot of stuff.”
“Especially since you live alone,” O’Connor added pointedly.
Lucas made a show of rolling his eyes. “Did you also notice Jackson Keefer, who you interviewed yesterday, and his wife and his mother-in-law? Or the fact they were driving his mother-in-law’s compact because Jacko’s Jeep is being repaired at Ted Cartwright’s garage, half a mile farther up the road?” He continued before either marshal could speak. “Christine—Jacko’s wife—has both her sisters and their children visiting from Vegas, and they weren’t going to be able to fit everything in her mom’s compact.” He spoke confidently, knowing technically everything he was saying was the truth, but until he had the chance to speak to Jacko privately, he wasn’t telling the marshals anything.
DuPree sighed. “We had to check.”
Lucas nodded. “You still think he’s in the area?”
“We have no idea, to be honest,” O’Connor replied. “There are absolutely no surveillance cameras in this town. No hotels have seen him. We even tried a shelter, and the father who ran it told us bluntly that if someone had been seeking shelter there, he wouldn’t tell us. Having said that, he promised to keep a lookout for the little girl, but I wouldn’t want to rely on that,” he added in frustration.
“There isn’t anyone around here that wouldn’t want to help,” Lucas confirmed.
“Yes, but their idea of help and our idea might not be the same thing,” O’Connor said. “Nothing good will come of civilians getting involved in this.” It was a warning. A friendly one, but a warning all the same.
“Doesn’t John have any family?” It would seem odd if he didn’t seem curious. But trying to remember Owen’s alias was a little tricky, now that he knew his proper name.
“Yes, he has parents who are worried sick.”
Lucas tried not to let his shock show and spoke in an attempt at mild surprise. “Well, if they’re local, maybe he’s headed there?”
DuPree shook her head. “Apparently they haven’t had contact with him in more than four years. He left home for the bright lights of Denver and never looked back. They didn’t even know he had a daughter.” DuPree chewed her lip, and O’Connor frowned at her.
Lucas was sympathetic. He had a feeling DuPree was being far more maternal than O’Connor would have liked.
“Well, I don’t like the idea of him wandering around the country and putting a little girl’s life in danger.” Lucas just stopped himself wincing at how holier than thou he sounded, but it had the desired effect. Both marshals nodded sympathetically.
“What was the name of that garage?” O’Connor asked.
“Everyone calls it Ted’s. It’s about half a mile up there on the right.”
DuPree grinned, shared amusement reflected in her eyes, but Lucas knew they would go check. He had to remember they were doing their jobs. He decided to stop in at Patty’s to pick up an apple pie. It would give the marshals a chance to get on their way. The pie wouldn’t hurt either.
LUCAS PULLED up at home and glanced at the clock on the dashboard. With the drive into Greeley, he’d been gone more than two hours, and he was hungry. He looked at the still quiet street. His neighbors Jenny and Mick both worked in Greeley, and Polly would be asleep. He ought to call in at Larry Jacobson’s place too. He’d grabbed at the excuse of helping his neighbor to explain his presence to Jacko and Christine, but he usually tried to visit the old man at least three times a week and walked his dog at least that much. He’d just take the shopping in and talk to Owen—make sure everything was okay—then he’d go to see him. Maybe take him some pie.
He hopped out of the truck, grabbed all six bags, then walked to the door of the cottage. He didn’t want to question his feeling of eagerness. He should want Owen gone, but for some reason he wasn’t going to try and sort out in his head, he hoped Owen hadn’t left. The cottage was quiet, still, and Lucas’s heart sank. He walked into the kitchen and dumped the bags on the table, then decided to check the living room.
He stopped on the threshold and felt his lips curving involuntarily. Owen hadn’t gone. He was curled up on the couch, bending his knees to fit, and Mia was cuddled up next to him. He wasn’t surprised Owen was asleep. He’d looked as exhausted this morning as he had last night, and Lucas wasn’t sure how much sleep the poor guy had actually gotten. His eyes roamed over Owen’s pale face, noticing the dark shadows under each closed eye and the slight scar at the corner of his mouth that he hadn’t seen before. Owen’s light brown hair wasn’t as long as it had been in the picture, and it was a lot darker. As he watched, Mia blinked her eyes open and focused on him. She wriggled immediately, and before Lucas even thought about it, he lifted her up, shushing her. He wasn’t sure who was the most surprised—Mia, that she had been told to be quiet, or Lucas, that he had voluntarily picked up a baby.
He’d always dutifully admired Jacko’s newest niece or nephew, but he had kept his distance. He wasn’t sure he could do anything more and still cling to his sanity. But holding Mia seemed the easiest thing in the world. He patted her rear gently, and she grabbed his shirt front. Maybe he found being around her easier because she was younger than Stevie had been the last time he’d seen him, or maybe saving her life had eased the huge weight of guilt dragging his every step. “Come on, let’s you and I go see what I got you in the kitchen and let your daddy sleep some more, huh?”
Thankfully, Mia agreed silently, and he went back to the kitchen, closing all the doors behind him. With one hand, he managed to rip open the packaging on the pop-out play area. It was the sort people used for yards and the beach, but it was perfect to put Mia in while he unpacked everything else. Within minutes she was happily investigating the toys he had bought and managing to hold her own sippy cup with some water. He put the coffee maker on and unpacked everything else. He made a plate of sandwiches and munched on one while he was waiting for the coffee. A knock at the door interrupted him, and automatically he reached for Mia and picked her up. He didn’t have a peephole, but he glanced through the window. When he saw Helena, one of Larry Jacobson’s home nurses, standing there, he opened it quickly.
She smiled sadly, and Lucas immediately knew what had happened.
“Hi, Lucas. I’m sorry to bring you bad news, but Mr. Jacobson passed away in his sleep last night.”
Lucas sighed. “Is his daughter here?” Personally, he was glad Helena had found Larry and not Cherry Jacobson. The woman was a rattlesnake.
Helena grimaced. “No. She’s not coming. She’s sending Drake’s here to collect him.”
It was cold of Cherry not to come herself, but it made sense that she was sending Drake’s. Drake’s was the local funeral home, and Larry’s death was expected. “Doc Sergeant has just been in to confirm death.”
Lucas tilted his head. “What about Bailey?” Bailey was Larry’s black lab. He would be lost without the old man.
She hesitated. “That’s the thing. Miss Jacobson is insisting she wants Bailey sent to the shelter. Someone’s already on their way to pick him up.”
“What?” Lucas blurted incredulously. Bailey was eight. He wasn’t a young dog.
“And I talked to Mr. Jacobson last week. He said when something happened, I was to ask you to take Bailey.”
“Absolutely. He can come here.” Larry had asked him the same thing just after the cancer had come back. Actually, what he had said was that there was a provision in his will to care for the dog. He was petrified Bailey would go to a kill shelter, but he understood with Lucas’s shifts that he couldn’t take him himself. Lucas had promised Larry he would make sure Bailey was looked after. Hell, if it came to it, his crew could adopt him. He was pretty sure he could persuade Cassidy to let the dog come to work with him. He glanced down at Mia, who seemed very content to be held. Stevie would have squirmed to get down at her age, and he swallowed around his tight throat.
Helena smiled. “I can see you have your hands full.” She paused, and Lucas knew he had to say something. She knew he lived alone.
“Family visiting,” he said.
Helena smiled again. “I’ll go get him, if that’s okay? I’ll inform Miss Jacobson.”
Lucas nodded and closed the door. He looked down at Mia, who was still gazing at him, completely fascinated. “So I guess we’re going to have company, huh?”
“What company?”
Lucas turned at Owen’s alarmed words and passed Mia into his outstretched arms. “The elderly man in the other end cottage died in his sleep last night. He has an old black lab I said I would rehome for him.”
Owen’s worried face devolved into sadness. “Oh, that’s awful. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Lucas forced himself to say the rest. “Jeanie, his wife—they’d been married over forty years—died after a stroke last year. He told me he was just counting the days till he could join her. Coffee?” Lucas turned and gripped the coffeepot. Startled, he felt a hand on his arm.
“You bought more than milk and diapers.”
Lucas nodded, still not trusting himself to speak. He heard the murmur of Helena’s voice and opened the door before she knocked. She was carrying a plastic sack with a few things in it for the dog. Bailey stood at her side.
“Hey, buddy.” Lucas bent down and caught the dog’s head, gently lifting it up. Soulful brown eyes stared back at him. He scratched behind Bailey’s ears gently, and Bailey leaned into his touch.
Helena handed over the bag. “The doc thinks he died shortly after we left yesterday. When we came in this morning, somehow Bailey had climbed on the bed—he’s not that agile, and we’ve never seen him do that before—but he looked like he’d lain there all night.”
“B-bee,” Mia babbled and wriggled to get down.
Helena smiled. “She’s adorable.”
Lucas thanked Helena and closed the door after she left. He would call Drake’s later and see when the funeral was. He turned around and saw Owen looking at Mia with an amused expression.
“What is it?”
“I’ve been trying to get her to say Daddy for what seems like forever, and nothing. She hears a dog’s name once….”
Lucas stiffened. Daddy. It crucified him every time he heard the word. When he looked up, Owen was watching him carefully.
“Look,” Owen said, hoisting Mia higher. She was leaning down, trying her best to get close to the dog. “I can see we’ve outstayed our welcome—”
“Why don’t you go to your parents’ house?”
Owen blanched and took a step back. Lucas immediately understood how that sounded. “Sorry, I was waylaid by the marshals on my way home. They were listing the places they’d searched for you. I didn’t tell them where you were.” He quickly told Owen about the supermarket and seeing Jacko’s family.
Owen relaxed. “And that’s why it’s a bad idea for me to hang around.” He made a tutting noise as Mia redoubled her efforts to get near Bailey. The dog immediately lay down where they stood, and Lucas glanced down.
“Bailey won’t hurt her. When Jeanie was alive, she and Larry used to run the movie screenings on Saturday mornings for the under-fives.” He’d seen that dog walking with a toddler hanging from each ear.
“Okay, then,” Owen said and sat Mia on the floor next to the dog.
“B-bee,” she babbled, and the dog raised his head and looked at her. She shuffled on her bottom to get a little closer to Bailey, and Owen seemed to be steeling himself not to grab her back up. Mia’s little leg came very close to Bailey’s head, and then with a sigh, the lab moved and laid his head on her lap. He didn’t even react to her earsplitting squeal of delight.
“He’s deaf, right?” Owen asked dryly.
Lucas shook his head and tried to clear his throat. Maybe he was coming down with something? “Are you hungry?” That hadn’t been what he was going to say. He tried again when Owen didn’t answer. “Let me visit Jacko later. At least stay until we can find something out.”
Owen met his gaze. “You keep asking me to stay, but I can tell we’re annoying you. I can see it on your face. It’s a big favor to ask, letting a random guy and a baby stay with you.” He paused. “I’m not a victim. I can take care of both of us, and I have money. I just need to get to a bank.”
All his accounts.
Lucas scrubbed a hand over his face. He knew he was sending mixed messages.
Owen bent down to lift Mia.
“Sit down,” Lucas said. “Have coffee with me, and then if you want to go, I’ll see if I can get you a ride or I’ll take you myself.”
Owen still looked suspicious and glanced at Mia, who was murmuring to the dog and playing with his ear. Every time her little hand stilled, Bailey nudged her for more. “I don’t think you like kids, and I understand. I really do—”
“No,” Lucas interrupted, slamming the coffeepot down and making everyone jump. “I like kids fine. I’m just struggling with what she reminds me of.”
“What does she remind you of?” Owen asked, his voice gentler.
Lucas reached into his jeans pocket and yanked out his wallet. In the very back, he pulled out a dog-eared photo and handed it over.
Owen took it and studied the picture of the smiling little boy. “Who is this?”
“My son. Stephen. He was two when that was taken.”
Owen glanced around the empty kitchen, which was obviously devoid of any other pictures.
“My dead son,” Lucas added, forcing the words out. “There was a gas explosion in the hotel he was in with his mom, and it started a fire. It was supposed to look like a fault, but it was arson. We think it was some sort of insurance scam, but since the owner died as well, nothing could be proven.” Lucas looked at Owen, desperate for him to understand. “It’s just that every time I see another child, I’m reminded that I couldn’t save my son.”