CHAPTER SIXTEEN

 

 

Nathan stood beside his car at the rest stop in the little mountain village of Georgetown, a mid-way point between Denver and Frisco. Wasn’t much of a town, really, more like a visitor center and gift shop supported by tourists getting gas on their way up to the real mountain destinations. A blip along the side of I-70.

Nathan blew into his hands to warm them as Alec’s car pulled into the rest stop and parked a few spots down from his. A litter of small children all tumbled from the side of a minivan across the lot, and Alec eyed them from inside his car. Wouldn’t get out.

Nathan gave a pointed sigh and beckoned his brother to leave his damn car. The minivan crew didn’t even look in their direction.

Alec waited until all the kids and their parents had gone inside the visitor center, then joined Nathan. “You should be more careful.”

“And you worry too much,” Nathan said, slugging his brother in the shoulder. “It’s just some church group or whatever in a minivan.”

“It’s so like you to be careless.”

Nathan rolled his eyes. “Fine. You’re right, Alec. You’re always right. Now, what couldn’t you tell me over the phone?”

“Were you busy?”

“Uh, yeah, obviously I’m busy. You should be, too. Z and that asshole cop from Denver are like two rabid dogs, and I’m doing everything I can to keep them from tearing each other’s heads off. Managing people is not my strong suit.”

“It will be over soon.”

“I know, Alec. And I’m trying to return to making that happen, so why did you get me out here?”

Alec sighed. “Daisy’s upstairs neighbor, a guy named Micah Reed, went to the police yesterday.”

“So?”

“He mentioned your name and said he wanted to report a crime. He didn’t get into details, but it was enough to raise some eyebrows. It’s contained in Boulder, but has obvious ripple implications.”

Nathan braced his abs and dug his fingernails into his palms. “How does this guy know my name?”

“It’s not hard to imagine how, living in the same damn building as her. She must have reached out to him.”

“Okay, that’s fine. She barely knows anything, and believe me, I put the fear of God into her before I left town. Tell me why we should care.”

Alec opened his mouth to speak but paused when two of the children raced out of the visitor center, dancing and singing around the parking lot. Alec pointed at a spot in the ditch nearby, away from the minivan. Nathan waved his hands in surrender and let Alec lead him away. Although, it had to look more suspicious for two men to be conversing in a ditch next to the highway rather than in a parking lot. Cars rushing by, ankle-deep snow.

“You were saying?” Nathan said.

“Daisy may be clueless, but Reed is not. He works for a bounty hunter ex-cop. Maybe we could have played it off before, but our contact at Boulder Police accidentally mentioned her when he was asking Reed some questions.”

Nathan tilted his head back and let a cone of steam out from his lips into the crisp air. “That fat idiot. I can’t come back to Denver right now, so can you handle this?”

“Of course. Anything specific you want me to do?”

“Just keep an eye on him. If it looks like he knows anything or he’s going to make trouble, then deal with it. We’re so close to this being over. I’d rather not leave a mess behind in Denver if you can help it. But if this guy wants to insert himself, then that’s on him. Be clean about it, and don’t leave anything traceable behind.”

“Understood,” Alec said. “And Daisy? What do I do about her?”

Nathan paused. “I really don’t want to kill Daisy unless we have to. Can you just… keep her busy? Find a way to distract her or something?”

Alec nodded. “I got it. I know exactly what to do about Daisy.”