Page 58 of Montana Heat

I rubbed my eyes. “Fuck.”

“Yeah,” Liam continued. “Owned by an older couple who live just outside of Denver. Their son works at the same office as Kenzie and borrows it from time to time.”

“Any chance he’s the stalker?”

“No, solid alibis for the dates and times of almost all of the bad stuff that has happened to Kenzie.”

“Damn it. I just want a lead. A direction. Any fucking clue.”

Lucas crossed his arms over his chest and stepped toward me. I knew that look. Whatever he was about to say, I wasn’t going to like.

“We might have one. But we need to talk to her about her ex-boyfriend.”

“One in particular?” I stiffened slightly, something like jealousy surging through my veins. Her comment this morning about never being treated to breakfast in bed had made me wonder about her history. She either didn’t have a lot or all the men she’d been with lacked manners.

“His name’s Alan Ard,” Lucas said. “He was arrested and is doing time for assault and battery.”

My blood turned to ice.Assault and fucking battery? “He attacked Kenzie?”

“Evidently. He’s been in prison for thirteen months. He’ll be getting out soon.” Lucas shoved his hands into his pockets.

“If he’s still in, it couldn’t have been him stalking her.” Not that I didn’t want ten minutes alone with that bastard, regardless. The thought of someone attacking Kenzie…

“No, but he might somehow be attached to what’s going on. Ard has been in contact with someone at that hotel Jude found. Multiple phone calls, but they were to a different extension every time, so we haven’t been able to track who he’s talking to.”

Liam crossed his arms, looking even more serious. “We’re looking into it further, but we really need to talk to Kenzie about this.”

I nodded. Enough waiting. Regardless of how she might be feeling about last night, I knew she needed to be hearing this.

“I’ll call her.” I did, not liking the instant sinking sensation in my stomach when she didn’t answer once again.

“Voice mail?” Liam guessed.

“Yeah. Again.”

Lucas frowned and lowered his arms. “What do you mean, again?”

I shrugged. “I tried calling her a few minutes ago, and she didn’t answer then either. There’s a chance she might not want to speak to me.”

“You piss her off or something?” Liam guessed.

“No.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “She…spent the night with me last night. It was good. Fine. Really great.” Fuck, I didn’t want to have this talk with them. My intimacy with Kenzie was our business and no one else’s. “But maybe she’s… I don’t know. The morning after kind of thing.”

“Can you use the location tracker on her phone?” Lucas asked.

I took out my phone that she’d linked to her burner. “Shows her at her place.” I pulled up the other app that linked to the new tracker on her car. “Car is still there too.”

We all three shared a look then moved toward the door together. Morning-after blues or not, we were going to check on her.

A few minutes later, we were in front of her apartment door. I knocked, but there was no answer. Lucas pulled out the extra key she’d given Charlie for security purposes.

I opened the door, and all three of us headed inside. All was still, but dark.

“No power?” Lucas guessed. “That’s weird. Lights were on in the lobby.”

It didn’t look like there had been any struggle, but Kenzie’s phone and purse were sitting right on the kitchen table. She wouldn’t have left without them.

Lucas checked the bedroom and proclaimed it clear. Liam tried the bathroom door.

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