Page 58 of Home Changes
“She was,” Ken said flatly. “He was just being a snake.”
“That’s what I told her, too.” There was silence again, both men chewing on what that meant.
“She gave permission for the town to be notified. Quietly. I’ve got a name and a vehicle.”
“Go,” Ken said.
“Eric Danvers. Twenty-eight. From Spearfish. Six-foot-one, stocky, blond buzz cut, scar on his chin, burn scar on his left hand. Drives a navy-blue Chevy Silverado, extended cab. The passenger side’s dented bad from a drunk driving incident she witnessed.”
“Plates?”
“South Dakota. No number. Always parked backed in. Hiding it.”
“Figures. I can find out with this information.”
“I told her we’d protect her,” Seth said, voice low. “And I meant it.”
“So do I,” Ken said. “Listen, I’ll call in my deputy. He can start spreading the word to folks we trust. Old guard, ranch hands, business owners. People who’ll keep their mouths shut and their eyes open.”
“Start with Edna,” Seth said. “She sees everything, and nobody questions her when she talks.”
Ken snorted. “You think I wasn’t already headed there?”
Seth didn’t smile.
“He shows his face here, we shut it down fast,” Ken said, voice hardening. “This town doesn’t have a lot of rules, but we don’t take kindly to men like that thinking they can pick up where they left off.”
“He threatened to kill her, and she has no doubt he’ll do it.”
Ken exhaled slowly, tightly. “Then he doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt.”
“She's terrified he'll go after her aunt in North Dakota. If he knows she's not with her, that might be the only thing keeping her aunt safe.”
“I contacted North Dakota law enforcement. They’ve got eyes up there. Discreet.”
“Good.”
“I want that watch,” Ken added. “Just in case we can pull anything from it.”
“I’ll bring it to you. I have to get Dad anyway.”
“Hey, Seth?”
“Yeah?”
“Be ready. Make sure Allison knows what to do,” Ken said. “He might already be close.”
Seth ended the call without another word. Gomer stood near the back step, muscles tight, ears perked, watching the shadows at the far end of the alley.
Seth looked out the picture window in Allison’s apartment. There was nothing but a few parked trucks, closed shop windows, and the slow flicker of a porchlight turning on in the distance. The fucker might be close, which would put Allison in danger. He held onto Allison as he made another call.
“Hello?”
“Sarah, I need your help.”
“What do you need? Is Dad okay?”
“He’s the same. We have a situation here, and I need to be free to handle it.”
