Page 1 of Vanishing Point
Chapter One
Detective Thomas Hart was exhausted, and the last thing he wanted to do was go to a child’s birthday party.
But he’d promised. And maybe the fun and innocence of a birthday party could wash the gross feeling of the case he’d worked today off him. He wassureAllen Scott had killed his wife, but so far the evidence was minimal. If he didn’t drum up something soon, they were going to rule the death a suicide.
Thomas shook it off, or tried, as he pulled to a stop in front of the Delaney-Carson house out by the Delaney Ranch outside of the Bent city limits. The party was clearly already in full swing.
Years ago when his dad had gotten transferred to Arizona, his parents had wanted him to move with them. There were police jobs in Arizona, and he’d been young and unencumbered. Why not try something new, somewhere where the population didn’t skew old and rancher?
But he’d liked working at Bent County. He just hadn’t been able to fathom leaving. Sometimes home was just home, no matter who was around.
So, when his parents had left, he’d stayed. In the early days, he’d been a little lonely. For a variety of reasons. But these days, he had more friends that were basically family clamoring at him than he knew what to do with. He felt like he wasalwayson the hook for a party. Birthdays, christenings, holidays. A never-ending onslaught.
Some he could weasel his way out of, but not this one.
Sunny Delaney-Carson was his goddaughter.
He grabbed the gift bag out of his back seat and then got out and walked up the drive. He was greeted at the door by a very skeptical seven-year-old in a sparkly blue dress, and it was somehow his life that he knew which Disney princess it correlated with.
“What is it?” she demanded, pointing at the gift bag.
Thomas held it up a little higher, because knowing Avery, she’d just shove her hand in there and yank it out. “I think the birthday girl is supposed to open it and find out.”
Avery gave him a look, the kind of look he’d seen often enough from her mother. Disparaging disapproval. “She’stwo.”
“And when you weretwo, you loved pulling all the paper out of the bag.”
A dark-haired girl, Fern Carson-Delaney, Avery’s cousin who was only a few months older than Avery herself, skittered over. She whispered in Avery’s ear, then the two disappeared. No doubt to do some mischief, though Thomas never understood how Vanessa Carson and Dylan Delaney had created a child so shy.
But the world was a strange place, especially in Bent, Wyoming.
After weaving through more kids, exchanging greetings with more Delaney-Carsons and Carson-Delaneys, he finally made his way to the girl of the hour.
Sunny had Laurel’s blond hair, an ability to exude as much mischief as her father, and unflagging energy at just about all times. Thomas still couldn’t imagine what had possessed Laurel to have another one.
On sight, Sunny flung herself at him, so he lifted her and gave her the twirl he knew she was hoping for. She gave a squeal of delight.
“Here you go, Sunny bunny. Happy birthday.”
She settled down with the gift bag, and just like her sister had a few years back, got more enjoyment out of playing with the tissue paper than finding out what was at the bottom.
“If it’s a musical instrument, or anything that makes noise, I’m kicking you out,” Laurel said in greeting.
“I take it that’s been a theme?”
She scowled around the room. “Traitors. All of them.” Then she looked at him, the scowl turning into more of a worried frown. “You look tired.”
He knew she was weaseling for work information, not actually commenting on his appearance. But he pretended like he didn’t know that. “I won’t comment on how you look then.”
She rolled her eyes. “Tough case?”
“You’re on maternity leave. No police talk, remember?”
The scowl returned. “Come on. I’m getting you some food.” She led him around kids and toys and all sorts of things strewn about the packed house. In the kitchen was a spread of sandwiches and chips and salads. He loaded up a plate, because Laurel would fuss otherwise, then sat down at the kitchen table and chatted casually with Laurel and her husband, Grady, who was holding their sleeping newest addition, Cary.
Thomas put in a good hour before he started to think about making his excuse to leave. A few couples with younger kids had already made their escape. But Laurel gave him the perfect out.
“You know, Thomas, I have this friend. She lives over in Fairmont. She’s just so funny and—”
