Page 9 of Montana Mystery

The day was getting late, and it would be full dark before she made it back to Missoula.

“The roads weren’t bad on the way up. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

I tucked my hands into my pockets. “Good. You have my number now if you end up having trouble.”

Her smile was still fleeting, and I couldn’t help but compare this woman in front of me with the fiery whirlwind that I’d run into in front of the stables. I didn’t like the stark contrast. Where was the person filled with unrivaled determination?

The person shrinking in front of me didn’t compute. And after seeing a glimpse of what she was capable of, I wanted to see that other side of her again.

She turned at the door to her car. “I’m sorry, by the way. For assuming you had something to do with it.”

“You followed what you found in order to protect your family. That’s not a bad thing.”

“Yeah, but I’m still sorry. It feels awkward now.”

I smiled. “Please don’t. My feelings aren’t hurt, I promise.”

Kate fiddled with her keys. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“My brother...” She hesitated. “You met him. Talked with him. Do you think this is his fault? Like he got into something he shouldn’t have?”

Choosing my words carefully, I gave her a small shrug. “I don’t think I’m in a position to say. You probably know more.”

She frowned. “It’s just that I thought he was doing better. There weren’t any signs. But I know he can hide things. He has before. I don’t know what to think.”

“I’ll find out what I can.”

Kate shrank again. “I appreciate it.”

Without more, she got into her car and pulled away. I watched her until she disappeared out of the gate.

Chapter 4

Kate

Well... that had gone well.

I pushed my head back into the headrest as I drove, focusing on the road to try to block out my racing thoughts.

Now that it was over, I could acknowledge how desperate I’d been to find answers at Resting Warrior. The fact that I hadn’t, and instead found kindness, understanding, and maybe help, made me frustrated. Irrationally angry.

I should be happy—grateful—the people who had tried to help Brandon with his PTSD weren’t part of this. But it told me nothing. Unless they were lying?

The thought was dismissed as soon as I had it. There was no doubting the sincerity of the men at Resting Warrior. You could feel it, like it was a part of their very being. They hadn’t done this to him, and they didn’t know who had.

Hopefully they would find something helpful, but I wasn’t expecting much. I knew when I was being spun. They were going to look into it to find any connections to themselves and to cover their asses. But other than that, they didn’t seem up for playing detective.

Not that I could blame them. Brandon had left the ranch in a hurry, and now I wondered why. He’d made it seem like the place was hellish. I’d always thought he was exaggerating. But now that I’d seen the place myself and talked to them, I had no idea where his description came from. Resting Warrior was beautiful, and what I’d seen of it had felt serene.

I sighed. Brandon was all I had left now. After our parents died... it had been really hard. The thought that someone would do this to him and I could lose the only family I had left? These thoughts sent me into a spiral of panic.

Spiral was the only way to describe the way my thoughts crossed and crisscrossed back over the little information I had, trying to put the pieces together in a different way that made more sense.

It wasn’t possible. I didn’t know enough. And I wouldn’t until Brandon woke.

The winter sun had long since set when I pulled back into the city. I wanted to get back to the hospital, but if Brandon wasn’t going to be awake for a while, I needed some things for me and for Brandon.

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