Page 81 of Colton Family Bodyguard (Coltons of Mustang Valley)

Kerry finished writing on her notepad. “That makes it more difficult.”

“But it’s a name.”

“More than we have so far,” Marlowe said.

“Marlowe has some news, as well,” Hazel said, joining in the conversation.

Marlowe explained about the pin. Rafe and Ainsley agreed there was a good chance it might have been accidentally left by their father’s would-be killer.

“But aren’t there Arizona State Sun Devils fans who work here?” Kerry asked, adding her detective insight.

“Yes,” Marlowe said. “There are.”

“Any one of them could have gone into Payne’s office and lost their pin. We will run prints,” Kerry said.

“True, but not very many workers other than janitors would have a reason to go in there,” Marlowe said.

Not very good janitors, if they’d missed the pin.

“I agree. Finding a connection between the pin and the shooter isn’t going to be easy,” Callum said. “But it’s something to go on.”

“Definitely something that needs to be checked out,” Kerry said. “Well, thank you for your help, Callum.” Kerry nodded to Marlowe. In times like this, Callum was glad to have his family around him.

* * *

Back at the inn, Hazel noticed Callum was in a better mood after that meeting. Progress had been made on his father’s case but they were still no closer to capturing the killer that Evie had witnessed bashing Nate Blurge over the head. She sensed Callum would be eager to work finding the threat to her and Evie, especially after she’d forced him to face his fear of loving another woman—especially one with a child.

Right now, she just wanted to enjoy a peaceful evening. She missed her daughter terribly. She had already prepared a delicious dinner. Cooking always relaxed her.

She found an action movie that was funny and not too violent and Callum sat beside her. Their talk over dinner had been about what he and his sister had uncovered about their father’s shooting. He had also called the hospital to check on Payne. Still no change. Hazel had deliberately avoided any talk about his fears.

Toward the end of the movie, when the hero and heroine acknowledged their mutual attraction, Callum put his arm up and around her.

“Come here,” he said.

Warmed that he must be enjoying this quiet evening with just the two of them, she moved closer and rested her head on his muscular chest, in the crook of his arm.

Because she was in her nightgown, only a soft, thin layer separated her bare breasts from his torso. Long, sleeveless and dark green, it covered her well enough and wasn’t sexy by any stretch, but she still felt intimate this close to Callum.

Her phone rang. She had been waiting for Evie to call. Her brother had said they had plans to go to an amusement park for kids.

She sat forward and picked up her phone from the coffee table. “Hi, honey, how was your day?”

“Hi, Mommy,” Evie said in a loud, excited voice. “I’m having a blast here. I like Uncle Owen and Aunt Jessica.”

“That’s great.”

“We went to a park today. It had rides. I rode in a teacup with Jessica and a train and a roller coaster!”

“Wow, you did a lot. My brave girl.” Hazel knew the roller coaster was a miniature version of those that adults rode.

“And we’re having pizza!”

Her brother was going to have corrupted her daughter by the time she went to go get her. “That sounds good.”

“I still like your food, Mommy. You’re the best cook ever.”

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