Cowboy Cool: Book 5 (Cowboy Justice Association) (21 page)

She couldn’t keep the bitterness out of her tone. She was so tired of all this shit.

“Someone is trying to kill you. If they can’t understand why we need to ask a few questions then they’re not really your friends.”

If she couldn’t trust her friends, and she couldn’t trust Reed…who the hell could she trust?

*   *   *   *

Kaylee rapped on the front door of Brent’s apartment off of Springfield Avenue. It was one of those generic complexes where all the buildings look the same, the only difference was some overlooked the parking lot and some the pool at the center. Champaign-Urbana was a college town and this community appeared to be filled with students if the Fighting Illini banners and bumper stickers were anything to go by in addition to the piles of beer cans out by the front steps from what must have been a hell of a party last night.

“I don’t think he’s home,” she sighed in frustration. She wanted all this done and over with. “Maybe we can come back by after we talk to Walt.”

Reed knocked loudly on the door. “Sharp? Are you in there? We need to talk to you.”

His deep voice boomed in the quiet hallway and she cringed when the door across the hall opened and a young man, perhaps in his mid-twenties, stuck his head out.

“Can you keep it down out here? I’m trying to sleep. Brent’s not here, bro. He’s out of town or something.”

“Out of town?” Reed asked sharply. “I just saw him last night. When did he leave?”

The young man shrugged. “I dunno. He came home last night and then came back out with a suitcase and drove off. We were all outside but I don’t remember what time it was. Maybe midnight?”

Reed put his arm around Kaylee and urged her toward the exit. “Thanks. Sorry I disturbed you.”

She slid into the passenger seat next to Reed and rubbed her throbbing temples with her fingers. “This looks bad, doesn’t it?”

“It doesn’t look good,” he agreed. “Could be perfectly innocent, could be something to worry about. Did Brent mention a trip to you?”

“No,” she said wearily. “Nothing.”

“It doesn’t mean he’s the guy. It just means he did something suspicious.”

“I thought he was your prime suspect.” Had Reed changed his mind? Kaylee was glad she wasn’t a cop because all this mystery gave her a headache.

“He is, but as I said I don’t want to look at him to the exclusion of everyone else. That’s why we’re going to talk to Walt.”

“Ah yes, Walt. Someone I thought was my friend but says crappy things behind my back.”

She’d thought she was over caring what others thought about her work but apparently not.

“You’re a good writer, honey. You know it and I know it. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.”

It mattered if they wanted her dead over it.

Chapter Nineteen

R
eed had never seen Kaylee looking so bleak. Finding out that someone she called a friend was saying nasty things behind her back had to be devastating to a woman as sensitive as she was. Finding out your other so-called friends had been covering it up hadn’t helped either. He was starting to really dislike everyone around her. No wonder she had trust issues.

“I think you turn right here.” Kaylee was pointing to the map but Reed was looking at the road, not that there were any cars around. In a way this area reminded him of Montana in how the houses had miles between them and privacy from your neighbors.

He turned the truck onto a long dirt lane that led to an old farmhouse surrounded by a few trees. Mostly it was prairie country here. Driving, one could see for miles in any direction the land was so flat. It wasn’t something he was used to but it had a beauty all its own.

The home looked like it had seen better days with a sagging front porch and peeling paint. A couple of old cars were parked in the yard along with a rusted tractor. There was an old red barn to the back of the property along with cows, chickens, and horses.

Reed honked the horn before climbing out of the vehicle, wanting to be sure he gave ample notice to Walt. If there was one thing Reed had learned as a lawman was to never surprise a homeowner that had the potential to be well-armed.

The screen door swung open and Walt stepped out on the wooden porch but didn’t appear to have anything in his hands.

Reed hopped out of the truck and held out his hand in friendship hoping it would indicate that he wasn’t a threat. If Walt was Kaylee’s stalker they could be walking into a dangerous situation.

So far no one today had noticed his shoulder holster under his leather jacket. He was completely legal and had a permit but Kaylee didn’t look like the gun type so he hadn’t made a big deal about it.

The man squinted at him and loped down the steps to shake Reed’s hand.

“I wondered when you’d come here. You want to ask me some questions, don’t you?”

“I do. Can we come in? It’s pretty cold out here.”

Walt jerked his head toward the door and Reed pressed the button on the key fob unlocking the truck. Kaylee climbed down from the vehicle and joined them as they walked back into the house. They all settled into chairs at Walt’s kitchen table—Kaylee and Reed across from each other and Walt at the end.

The inside of the home was also shabby and run down except for a large desk in the corner of what was probably the dining room. A laptop computer with a large flat-screen monitor sat on the desk along with stacks of paper and books. There were several photos on the wall, some black and white along with knickknacks from various tourist locations. Reed could see a miniature St. Louis Arch and the side of something that looked like Mt. Rushmore.

He turned his attention back to Walt who didn’t look half bad after drinking so much the night before. There was no alcohol on his breath nor did Reed see any in the cabinets or open shelves. Like the other times he’d seen Walt, the man was well groomed wearing blue jeans and a green sweater. His brown wavy hair was combed neatly and his face had been shaved recently.

“I didn’t do it,” Walt stated flatly. “I won’t let the law railroad me for something I didn’t do.”

“I’m not the law here,” Reed said using a soothing tone he’d perfected over the years. He’d try the “let’s be friends” angle and see if he could get the man talking. “I’m only trying to protect Kaylee from someone that wants to hurt her.”

“I don’t want to hurt her,” Walt swore and shook his head. “I like her.” Walt looked at Kaylee beseechingly. “I do like you.”

“We’ve heard that you’ve said some things, Walt.” Reed held up his hands when Walt wanted to answer. “Now I know you didn’t mean them. Hell, everyone gets frustrated sometimes. You work your ass off and no one appreciates it. I know how that feels. I know what it’s like to be ignored.”

“I write every day but no one reads anything,” Walt grumbled. “Am I that bad? Am I? People say its good but no one buys it. Sometimes I wonder why I bother.”

“You are good, Walt. Very good.” Kaylee’s tone was urgent and encouraging but Walt shook his head in repudiation.

“I don’t think so. It’s easy for you. Everything is easy for you. That’s what I was complaining about to Linda and Cheryl. I suppose they’re the ones that told you? Those two busybodies should mind their own business.”

Reed didn’t intend to answer the question. Instead he turned the conversation. “Do you know anyone that would want to hurt Kaylee enough to try and hit her with a car?”

“Everyone likes Kaylee.” Walt shook his head again. “Everyone. She’ll help anyone that asks and never acts impatient.”

That sounded like his sweet woman but somebody was holding a grudge bad enough to want her dead.

“Someone wants to hurt her, Walt. I need to know who that person is.”

Walt jumped up from the table and began to pace the small kitchen. “It’s not me. I was in the house when that car tried to hit you, Kaylee. I swear on my momma’s Bible.”

“I believe you. I know you wouldn’t do anything like this.” Kaylee moved to stand but Reed shook his head silently. He needed to keep control of the questioning.

Reed’s right hand hovered under his jacket in case Walt didn’t like this next question. “One more question, Walt. When I checked you out I got some weird information. It seems you were born and then school. That’s it. No job. No credit cards. A couple of hundred bucks in the bank. It’s like you barely exist. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Walt’s face turned bright red. “I’m not sure what you mean. Obviously I exist. You must have gotten it wrong. Although I’m not sure that I like the thought of you digging into my life. What did you do it for?”

Jared Monroe was so fucking perfect he drove everyone around him crazy. There was no way he’d screwed up Walt’s background check but Reed had a few ideas about that too.

“To make sure that no one in Kaylee’s life had a violent past they were hiding.”

Walt looked affronted at the suggestion. “I’m not violent. Hell, no.”

“It’s just strange that I can’t find anything about you after high school.” Reed looked around the house that didn’t fit with this man’s personality at all. “Do you own this home or are you renting?”

“That’s a personal question.” Walt’s jaw tightened. “Do you own your own home?”

Reed nodded and sat back in his chair trying to appear as cool and relaxed as possible. “Yes, I do. It’s a fixer-upper just like this place but I’m working on it little by little. Do you have any projects going here? Are you restoring the muscle cars out front? I just finished laying tile in the second bathroom.”

Walt shook his head and averted his gaze. “I’m not very handy,” he mumbled. “I take care of the property for a friend. Is there anything else you want to ask me? I need to get back to work.”

“No, that’s about it. If you think of anything that might help us, give me a call.” Reed placed a business card on the table and held out his hand to Kaylee who hadn’t said much while they were there. Reed wanted to kiss her full on the lips. She’d obviously felt his unspoken signals to let him handle this. It wasn’t in her nature to stay silent so he needed to remember to thank her when they got out of here.

They walked back to the truck and bade a sullen Walt goodbye.

“You did good, honey. Thank you for not interfering. I know it’s rough on you thinking that a friend might be the one doing this.”

Kaylee stared out of the window as he turned onto the main road and headed back to town. “I didn’t say much because I didn’t know what to say. How do you ask someone if they want you dead?”

Good question. He had to give credit where it was due. Kaylee Blue had a spine made of solid steel. She could have been in hysterics but she’d taken all this shit like a trooper. Maybe he could try and get her mind off of things if only for an hour or two.

“I’m starving. How about we stop somewhere and eat?”

“The Courier Cafe in Urbana is good. They have a large menu and make everything fresh.”

He would have eaten a greasy burger but fresh sounded even better.

“I’ll drive. You navigate.”

As soon as he’d eaten, Reed would do some more checking on Walt. Reed’s gut was telling him the man wasn’t their guy but it was also telling him that he couldn’t leave any stone unturned when Kaylee’s life was on the line.

It was Halloween night and someone still wanted to hurt or kill her. That was scary enough but he had nothing to go on to find the stalker. Every path led him down a dead end or worse, sent him back to the beginning. How could he possibly keep her safe if he didn’t know where the threat was coming from?

Chapter Twenty