Page 46 of Lone Star Protector

He made a sound of agreement. “You could, but the facial recognition program is engaged, and it’s checking, too.”

Caroline didn’t exactly relax after hearing that. Relaxing wasn’t going to happen until Bodie was found. But at least it didn’t feel as if spotting him was solely on Nash’s and her shoulders. Plenty of cops were looking for him. Leland and Jordana would be, too. But the traffic feed and facial recognition could cover a lot of ground.

Nash’s phone vibrated, and he muttered something about needing to turn the ringer back on. He did. Then, he frowned when he looked at the caller ID.

“It’s from the county sheriff’s office,” he relayed to her, and he answered the call on speaker.

“Mr. McKenna, I’m Drew Gomez, a dispatcher for the county, and someone is trying to call you. Eddie Mulcrone. He says it’s important. Should I put the call through?”

“Yes,” Nash insisted while he typed in something on his keyboard. “He might know where Bodie is,” he added to Caroline.

Seconds later, Eddie’s frantic voice poured through the house. “McKenna, it’s me, Eddie. I just heard that Bodie tried to fake his death. That’s he alive.”

“Where did you hear that?” Nash asked.

Eddie wasn’t so fast with a response that time. “Jordana. She called me, and it’s a big-assed understatement to say she’s upset. Bodie’s not answering her calls, and she thinks he might have found out about that picture of the two of us kissing.” He whispered that last part.

“And you think Bodie will now come after you and kill you,” Nash commented.

“Hell, yeah, that’s what I think,” Eddie snapped. “And he will. Your brother can be very possessive.”

A burst of air left Caroline’s mouth. A laugh but not from humor. Definitely not humor. But she knew plenty about Bodie’s possessive streak.

“Where’s Jordana?” Nash asked, obviously shifting the conversation a little.

“I have no idea. That’s the truth,” Eddie insisted when Nash huffed. “She’s not going to tell me something like that. She doesn’t trust me. She thinks I’d throw her under a bus with Bodie by trying to save my own skin.”

“And you would,” Nash said. It wasn’t a question.

“Hey, you’re trying to save Caroline’s fine ass so I’m not going to apologize for wanting to save mine.” He paused a heartbeat. “I just don’t want you ratting me out to Bodie. That kiss with Jordana meant nothing, and I don’t want to die because of it.”

Eddie ended the call, and Nash quickly checked something on his laptop screen. He dropped some f-bombs under his breath. “Eddie was using a burner. No immediate trace available on his location.”

She hadn’t even known he’d tried to do a trace, and she was sorry it’d failed. Eddie had made it seem as if he was scared, but that could have all been an act. Caroline couldn’t understand why

Though, since there was no way Nash or she would trust the man enough to give him any useful info. They sure as heck weren’t going to cover for him.

Before Nash had even set his phone aside, it rang, and she saw him visibly tense. His shoulders went back, and his jaw tightened. She had a similar reaction when he showed her what was on the screen.

Unknown Caller.

She suddenly didn’t have the breath to urge him to answer it. But she knew in her gut who this was.

And she was right.

Nash took the call on speaker but didn’t issue a greeting. He just waited for the caller to speak.

“Hey, darlin’,” Bodie said. “Surprised to hear from me? I mean, since you thought I was dead and all.”

Caroline took a moment. Regained her breath and glanced at Nash to let him know that she was going to respond. Hard to do, but Nash was trying to trace the call, and this time, they might get lucky.

“Yes, I did think you were dead,” she was finally able to say. Thank heaven her voice hadn’t cracked, and she sounded a hell of a lot stronger than she felt. “Why did you fake your death?”

“Oh, to buy me some time.” His dismissive tone set her teeth on edge. “Cops don’t look for dead men.”

“No, but they will now,” she was quick to assure him. “They know you murdered someone else and plastered a mask of yourself on him. So, no attempted charges this time around. It’ll be a full-blown first-degree murder conviction. Maybe you’ll even get a needle in the arm to end your worthless life.”

Bodie laughed. “Oh, boo fuckin’ hoo. Don’t feel sorry for the dead guy. He was a first-class dick. Barney Coltrain.”

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