Page 49 of Texas-Sized Secrets

“Cattle rustling, connections with whoever owns the truck. Something, anything.” She stared around the other houses in the neighborhood. Most were boarded up or run-down with broken windows staring like ghosts at the once-lively street. “I can’t just park here if we’re going to look around.”

“So now you’re going to spy on Dusty?” Reed shook his head. “No way.”

She pressed her foot to the gas pedal and sent the truck shooting forward and around to the next block. A small overgrown field afforded a wide area to pull off the road. She shoved the truck into park and climbed down. Without waiting for Reed to follow, she tramped across weed-infested yards back over to Third Street and Dusty Gaither’s house.

“I really wish you’d reconsider,” Reed said, running to catch up to her. “You’re in no condition to be playing detective.”

“If Dustyisinvolved, I need enough evidence to get the police to take me seriously.”

“Then let me do this.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her up against him. “Please, Mona, go back to the truck and wait.”

Pressed hard against Reed’s chest, Mona couldn’t breathe, not because he held her too tightly, but because she couldn’t breathe when she was this close to the man. “Reed, you don’t understand. I can’t go back. These are my people, my home, my ranch being threatened. If this was your family, would you turn your back on them?”

Reed stiffened and he drew away from her. “You’re right. I don’t understand.”

“We may not have much time. If we want to look through his things, we need to do it and get out before he comes home. Are you with me, or not?” She stared at him for a long time. She was asking him to break the law, something he used to be a part of. Was that fair? “Never mind. I’m already in trouble with the law, just stand guard and warn me if someone drives up.” With that she turned on her booted heels and strode across the street.

Before she’d gone two yards, Reed caught up with her again and moved ahead. “If anyone is going to break the law, it’ll be me.”

Mona admired the way his muscles rippled beneath the tight jersey knit of his black T-shirt. Hatless, his blond hair shone with red and gold highlights glinting across the short waves. In the daylight, she could finally see some of what her fingers had explored the night before and her body heated all the way to her core.

With a forcible shake, she pulled her head out of the desire threatening to derail her efforts and hurried to keep up with the man knocking on Dusty’s front door.

* * *

AFTER THE FOURTH KNOCK, Reed concluded Dusty Gaither wasn’t home. With a quick glance around at the deserted neighborhood, he hurried around the back of the building, Mona close on his heels. He wished she’d gone back to the truck. He didn’t like the idea of her getting caught breaking the law. She’d be back in jail in a flash and her lawyer and connections could do nothing to bail her out again.

The backyard was even junkier than the front, with an old engine dangling by a chain from a tree, a rusty washing machine on its side in a stand of weeds hip high. The trash can by the back door overflowed with pizza boxes and beer bottles. Reed went straight for the can. A man’s garbage told a lot about the man. He tossed the pizza boxes to the ground, followed quickly by newspapers and beer bottles.

Without questioning, Mona dug into the mess, pulling out hamburger wrappers and papers.

“It can’t be good for your baby to be going through trash.”

“You’re more worried than a mother hen about this baby.” She didn’t stop what she was doing, all but turning upside down to get to the bottom stack of old bills and soda cans. “I promise to wash my hands when we’re done.” When she straightened, she frowned at the papers she’d found. “Looks like a credit-card bill and a bank statement.”

“Let me see.” Reed leaned over her shoulder and stared down at the food-smeared documents. “He likes to spend money, doesn’t he?”

“Yeah, more than what he made at Rancho Linda.”

“Looks like more than what he made at both the ranch and what your uncle paid him.” He pointed at a charge for a thirty-six-inch plasma television set at the electronics store down in Amarillo.

“Whew, look at the balance.” Mona’s eyes widened. “Over fifteen thousand dollars.”

“Our man Dusty is in way over his head.”

“Look at this.” Mona held up a past-due notice from the local utilities company and another from a financial institution listing a loan for a new truck.

“Looks like he likes to spend money he doesn’t have.” Reed dug around in the last of the trash and started putting it all back into the can. “It’s a motive, but it’s not enough.”

“We need to get inside.” Mona reached for the rusty handle to the back screen door.

“Not we.” Reed removed her hand from the handle and stared down at her. “Stay outside and warn me if he drives up.” He tipped her chin upward and stared down into her liquid brown eyes. “Please.”

Her teeth bit into her bottom lip, making Reed want to kiss it. Finally she let it go and nodded. “Okay. But hurry, will you?”

He bent and acted on his urge, pressing a kiss to her lips. “I will.” Expecting to have to pry the lock, he was amazed when the wood-paneled door opened and swung inward just by turning the knob, making breaking and entering much easier.

Reed moved through the kitchen, noting the ancient sink and cabinets that must have been there since the early fifties. Rust stains ringed the sink drain and the vinyl floors peeled up around the edges.

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