Page 470 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

Somewhere inside the house, a door opened, and a man shouted hello. Heather gracefully rose to her feet. “Excuse me a moment; that’s Ian. He went on a business trip last week and couldn’t make it home because of the storm.”

She left the room with a swish of her skirt. Claire massaged her temple. She’d had a brewing headache for hours that was threatening to turn into a full-on migraine.

Gavin ran his fingers down the crease of his cowboy hat. “Xavier’s name keeps coming up in this investigation. Everyone we speak to seems to think Stephanie had good reason to be afraid of him.”

“I know, but I keep thinking about Faye.” She pitched her voice low so their conversation wouldn’t carry. “She wouldn’t have gotten out of her car for Xavier. Or met with him at the bakery alone.”

“I agree. But what about Maribelle?”

Claire’s mouth dropped open. “You think Maribelle may have killed Faye?”

“No, I don’t think she pulled the trigger. But she and Xavier could be working together. Maribelle could’ve met with Faye at the bakery, learned what she knew, and then slashed the tire on her way out. Maribelle and Xavier follow Faye after she leaves the bakery. When their truck pulls up on the side of the road, Faye may have believed it was Maribelle driving. That’s why she got out.”

Claire had to admit the scenario was a good one. Before they could speak more about it, the sound of approaching footsteps reached her ears. She rose just as Heather came back into the room with her husband, Ian. They made a striking couple. Ian’s features were straight out of a modeling magazine. Athletic and outgoing, he was well-liked. Claire had met him several timesduring charity events. The Scott family owned a chain of grocery stores, and Ian was the CFO. But, like his father, he had political ambitions.

“Sheriff.” Ian stepped forward to shake Claire’s hand. “Good to see you again, although I’m sorry about the circumstances. My father told me about Faye’s murder. I can’t imagine why anyone would want to hurt her. She was a wonderful person.”

“Yes, she was.” Claire introduced Gavin, and the two men shook hands.

Ian stepped back and placed an arm around his wife. Circles shadowed the area under his eyes. “You’ll have to forgive me for not inviting you to dinner, but I’ve spent the last few days wrestling with contractors over building a new grocery store. I’m exhausted.”

“Of course. We were finished speaking with Heather, anyway. Thank you for your time.”

“I’ll walk you out.” Heather escorted them to the massive front door and opened it. “If you have any other questions, Sheriff, please let me know.”

“I will.” Claire tossed the other woman a smile as she crossed the threshold. Movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She turned slightly and noticed Ian in the entryway, watching the exchange. The line of his mouth was flattened and a muscle in his jaw worked. His gaze was fixed on his wife.

Heather closed the door. Claire stood on the stoop for a moment. It was unusual to see Ian upset. Maybe the couple had an argument on the phone before he arrived home?

“Everything okay?” Gavin asked from the walkway. The porch lights picked up the concern creasing his brow. A five o’clock shadow darkened his jaw. As impossible as it seemed, the scruff made him even more handsome. Rougher. Masculine.

She was so tired. And her head was pounding. Claire was tempted to walk straight toward Gavin and lay her forehead onhis broad chest. Just for a moment, long enough to find the strength to drive home.

The turn of her thoughts rattled her. A romantic relationship was the last thing she needed at the moment. But asking for Gavin’s help wasn’t a bad idea. Claire held out her keys. “Would you mind driving? I have a headache.”

“Not at all.”

He took the keys from her hand. Their fingers brushed and warmth spread through Claire at the simple touch. She ignored it. Instead, she focused on how strange it was to be in the passenger seat of her patrol truck. Anything to distract her from the handsome Texas Ranger sitting next to her.

She tilted the seat back and closed her eyes. Gavin fired up the engine. The soothing motion of the car eased the pain in her temples. She gently massaged her forehead. “Have you had any updates from Ryker?”

“Yes. Xavier refused to speak to him. No surprise there. The boathouse was swept for forensic evidence, but all the fingerprints collected were from known individuals, like your dad. Ryker picked up the notebook Stephanie used for work from Mary Ellen. He took it and the postcard to the handwriting analyst. We should hear something soon.”

Progress. It was slow, but every inch forward brought them closer to the truth. Claire continued to rub her forehead. “What about the private detective Faye hired?”

“Still missing. Every law enforcement officer in the state is looking for him…”

Claire peeled her eyes open. Gavin’s hands were tight on the steering wheel and his gaze darted between the rearview mirror and the side-view one.

She sat up. “What is it?”

“Someone is following us.”

CHAPTER NINE

Gavin’s heart rate jumped as the vehicle tailing them sped up. The roar of the engine cut through the night air. He glanced behind him in the rearview mirror. Visibility was poor. There weren’t any streetlights on the country road and the moon hid behind a wall of clouds. “Dark blue or black truck. No headlights.”

Claire turned around to peer out the back window even as her hand fumbled for the radio to call dispatch. “How long has he been following us?”

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