Page 22 of Cold Case Murder Mystery

“I wasn’t stalking. I was...” He took a step closer, reached out, but Viola, at Brooke’s side, began to growl low in her throat. Royal stopped in his tracks and flicked a glance down at the dog. “Guard dog, huh?”

“Royal.” She couldn’t be distracted. She had to know. “Why have you been following me?”

Royal glanced at Zeke, still holding that ridiculous gun pointed at her brother. Royal leaned in close, eyes on the dog, waiting for her to growl again.

“Something isn’t right,” he said, quiet enough Zeke wouldn’t be able to hear. “I don’t know what it is, but I have a bad feeling it’s got to do with Dad.” His expression was hard, detached, but she didn’t think he was lying. And the mention of their father had a cold ball of dread settling in her gut. “And I was worried enough it had to do with you to come looking.”

“You could have told me. You could have...” But no use going down the road of all the things he could have done. She could have done. Sometimes you could only deal with whatwas, not what could have been.

With Zeke and Royal suddenly back in her life, she was really going to have to learn that lesson.

He shook his head. “Best if you don’t get mixed up with me, Chick. Unless it’s too late.” He sighed. “I’m starting to think it’s too late.”

The only thing that kept Zeke from rushing closer, from grabbing Brooke and getting her the hell out of there, was the memory of the way she’d cried over the brother she’d thought she’d failed.

He knew too much about the complicated feelings sibling relationships brought out. The way love didn’t dim over mistakes and disagreements. Maybe even when it should.

So Zeke watched, his finger still on the trigger of the gun, ready for anything. He wasn’t about to trust the guy just because Brooke shared genetics with him.

Brooke and Royal exchanged a few quiet words Zeke couldn’t make out, and then she turned and walked toward him. Zeke searched Brooke’s face for a second or two before he reminded himself it was her brother he needed to be paying attention to. That her brother might be a threat.

He wouldn’t say she looked happy, but she seemedawedto see her brother there. Definitely surprised.

Royal stood by his silver sedan, arms still crossed over his chest, belligerent look still on his face. But he watched Brooke go. There was definitely no awe on his face, butsomethinghad Zeke carefully lowering his gun.

One of the things all the veterans of North Star had impressed upon him when he’d been young and eager, and they’d had years of missions under their belts, was to trustallyour instincts. Not just the cynical ones. The ones that wanted to see the bad, the evil in everyone just because some existed in the world.

If you didn’t allow for the good and hopeful instincts, you weren’t that far removed from the bad you were trying to stop in the world.

When Brooke approached, she tried to smile at him, but it faltered. “He, um, didn’t want to see me, but he wanted to make sure I was okay.”

Zeke knew he should keep his feelings on that to himself, but... “That doesn’t make any sense.”

She shook her head. “No. Maybe not. But I gave him the keys to my rental. He can stay there tonight, and I’ll stay with you and then maybe I’ll... Well, I’ll have time to think this over, decide how to move forward. But I’m not being stalked, so there is that.”

“Youarebeing stalked, Brooke. Just because it’s your brother doesn’t mean it’s not...” His words fell off because she’d closed her eyes as if in pain.

Because no doubt she didn’t needhimto tell her that her brother might be dangerous. So, best to just... get her out of here. Maybe back at the ranch they could really take stock of the situation, and if they knew where Royal was and he wasn’t following Brooke, all the better.

“Okay. Let’s head home, huh?”

She hesitated a moment and then nodded. He helped her into the truck and she let him, which was a worry in itself. But Viola wiggled her way into the truck, laying her big head on Brooke’s shoulder.

Neither Brooke nor Zeke said a word to one another as he drove them back to his ranch. It was dark now. A bright quarter moon hung in the sky over his house when he pulled up. He thrust the gear into Park, shut off the engine, and got out.

Viola jumped out after him, but Brooke didn’t immediately follow. Zeke didn’t move forward onto the porch and instead waited for Brooke while Viola ran off into the dark.

Eventually Brooke opened the door and carefully climbed out of the truck, moving like she was injured and afraid to jostle whatever was hurting.

He had to fight the urge to move back to the truck and help her down. Touch her in some reassuring way. She’d had a shock, was still confused, and no doubt hurting, but that had nothing to do with him.

She needed to deal with this on her own.

So, he walked up onto the porch. Viola bounded up from whatever she’d been off doing. Stiffly, Brooke followed. She didn’t even lean down to pet Viola when the dog pressed against her.

He unlocked the door, trying not to stare at her to try to read every little emotion in her eyes. “I’ve got a frozen pizza I can heat up for us.” He pushed the door open and ushered her inside.

She moved in, still acting like a stray breeze might blow her to pieces. “I think I’ll just go to sleep.”

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