Page 89 of Cougar Point

“Do you live here, ma’am?”

She shook her head. “Just visiting.”

“Do you know Duke Scanlon?”

She shook her head again.

Lucas didn’t get the feeling he was going to get much out of her, but that was okay, he knew where to find her now.

“Are we done yet?” Thundercloud said from behind him.

Lucas took his time again before answering.

“Thanks for your cooperation.”

He got back into the car and pulled away from the curb. Thundercloud stood in the driveway, still in that gunslinger pose—legs apart, arms suspended a little out from his sides—and watched him the whole way. His female companion still hadn’t gotten out of the car.

Lucas took a right at the next corner, drove two blocks, and pulled into the forecourt of a gas station, leaving the engine running. He took the folded invoice from his pocket and flattened it out.

It was a lease agreement for a storage unit not far from the Semiahmoo Resort. Why would Thundercloud need a storage unit?

Lucas pulled up the map on his phone. The storage unit was part of a cluster of business premises. A part-worn tire place, a couple of garages. It was a little way out of the nearest town, probably deserted this late in the day.

He pulled out onto the road again and drove south.

FIFTY-SIX

We leave a mesmerized Tommy Tittle behind. “I should get a forensic sketch artist to do a composite drawing of your chest.”

Ronnie blushes. “He forgot to give us the fictitious traffic ticket.”

“Do you want to go back and talk to him?”

I’m not really jealous she gets all the attention. I’ve tried to keep a low profile my entire life. Attracting men has been the last thing I needed. Not that I can’t charm some guy. I can. But that usually leads to questions about their life, my life, their past, my past. I have to lie. I’ve only had two, what you would call boyfriends in my entire life. One is Caleb Hunter whom I left behind a long time ago, before I became Megan Carpenter. The other is Dan Anderson whom I met during a couple of homicide investigations. He was one of the neighbors I interviewed and something just clicked. I tried to deny I had an interest in him, although he’s big and muscular and handsome and not clingy and polite and a pleaser. None of that crossed my mind when he asked me out the first time.

Dan and I have been through some rough things together. Scary things. Things that either make you grow closer or tear you apart. He learned some of my secrets when we were beingtortured by a crazy woman, but luckily she had drugged him so his memories are hazy. He forgave me for getting him into that mess. I don’t know why. Yes, I do. He loves me. He’s never said it but I can tell. At least I think I can tell. No one has ever been in love with me before. Not even Caleb. Dan has never grilled me about any of my past, or pursued learning about my family. He knows Hayden is my brother and to my knowledge has never asked Hayden about our past. Actually he’s been extra kind and understanding and that scares the hell out of me. I’d rather face a maniac with a gun than feel the pain of real love. Love is foreign. Love is demanding. Love is weakness. Love is limiting. Love is beautiful and I feel guilty about holding it at arm’s length. Holding Dan at arm’s length. But I’m working on it.

I slow down and pull off onto the dirt shoulder. “Let’s go get the ticket from your new boyfriend.” I need to tease her now and then. It helps me keep my shit together.

“Stop it, Megan.”

I drive off again, and she says, “But he was kind of cute. A little weird.”

“A lot weird,” I say. Gag me with a spoon weird. But then, she thinks Marley Yang is cute. I think Marley’s disgusting and desperate. But useful. “You’d better not let Marley hear you say things like that.” Marley was married when I introduced him to Ronnie. I knew he was married but I didn’t count on those two hitting it off. And I didn’t know he was separated from his wife. Or that he has children. But in my defense, I didn’t really care. That’s the kind of person I was.

But no longer. I care about people. Well, some people, anyway. And I hope Marley gets his shit together and doesn’t hurt Ronnie. She’s not as strong as I am. She’s not as bitchy as I am. But one thing I can say for her. She never gives up.

I continue on Interstate 5, no traffic, no problem. “I’m sorry for teasing you, Ronnie. If I didn’t like you, I wouldn’ttorture you,” and that makes her smile. I’m beginning to think I could say “shoehorn” and she’d laugh. Nothing ventured… “Shoehorn.”

“What?”

“Never mind. Tittle said he recognized Duke.”

Ronnie reminds me, “He said he recognized Thundercloud too. He might still have some intel for us. He said he’d call.”

Yeah. He’ll be the one breathing hard into the phone.

It’s not hard to find the motel Rebecca rented but I drive past it. “Let’s see if we can spot anyone around the Mom & Pop store.” It’s a longshot, but sometimes I get lucky.

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