Page 16 of Fatal Vision
Chapter Three
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JUST LIKE OLDtimes. Reverend Jack Claiborne’s face was a mess of unadulterated hatred and bone-deep fear. The last thing the poor man expected to see was his daughter kissing the honyock he’d begged her not to marry.
To tell the truth, Colton was pretty damned surprised about it too. Shelby had thrown him out eighteen months ago and he’d never dreamed he’d hear her ask him to take her home again.
He certainly never expected her to kiss him. Of course, that was a bribe. The lady wanted out of this place, and when Shelby Bedford Claiborne, former Miss Oklahoma with a Masters degree in behavioral sciences and a handy-dandy FBI badge in her proverbial pocket, wanted something, she knew how to get it.
But hell, he’d take that kind of bribery any time.
“Daddy, I thought you left,” Shelby said.
Her father glared at Colton, screwing up his face as if he smelled something rancid. “I received a call about this…”—he waggled a hand in Colton’s direction—“malefactor trespassing and causing trouble.”
Malefactor. Jack had called him a lot of things in his life, but that was a new one.
Shelby started to respond, but her dad closed the distance and scooped her up out of Colton’s lap, depositing her back into her wheelchair. “What are you doing here?” he demanded of Colton. “And keep your hands off my daughter.”
Salisbury, still on the bed, leaped over to Shelby’s lap as if guarding her. Agent Ingram leaned on the doorframe, smiling like the Cheshire Cat, and keeping one eye on the pooch. Another man stood in the hallway talking softly to Shelby’s mom. All Colton could make out of him was blond hair and a tidy blue button-down.
Colton took his time rising to his feet. “Good to see you again, Jack.”
“Bullshit, Bells. You’re not wanted here. Get out.”
For a minister, Jack sure knew how to curse. Colton stood his ground. “I’m not going anywhere until Shelby tells me to.”
“Jack, don’t be rude.” Martha Claiborne peered over Ingram’s shoulder. The Fed popped off the doorframe, nodded at her, and moved out of the way so she could enter. “Oh,” she said, her gaze landing on her former son-in-law, “Colton. You are here.”
The overwhelmingly happy greetings really warmed his heart. “Hey, Martha.”
She obviously wasn’t going to fess up to calling him, so Colton played it her way. He was used to being the fall guy.
The guy in the blue shirt edged in and waved at Shelby. “Hey, Shelby. Good to see you.”
She didn’t seem all that happy to see him, but she nodded and gave her dutiful daughter smile. Colton had seen that one a million times. “Hey, Daniel.”
Nudging Salisbury off her lap, she stood, using her wheelchair to get her balance. Colton stepped closer in case she took a tumble. Jack did, too, glaring at him in challenge.
“Colton is helping me figure out who shot me, Daddy. He’s really the best chance I’ve got at catching the guy. Can’t you see that?”
Ingram made an argumentative noise.
Jack reached for the room phone. “I’m calling security.”
“You are not.” Martha grabbed his arm. “Shelby’s right. Between Theo and Colton, they can track down the shooter and bring him to justice. None of us is going to get any sleep until that happens.”
Behind his glasses, Ingram’s eyes widened at the suggestion he and Colton were now working together.
Colton gave him ahowdy partnergrin, followed by afuck youwink.
Because of course, there was no way on God’s green earth he was working with Mr. FBI Asshole.
“I can figure this out with Shelby’s help,” Ingram insisted. “I don’t know what Mr. Bells could possibly add to the investigation.”
Colton started to flip him off, then reined in his finger since Martha was in attendance. He couldn’t keep from shaking his head though.
