Cowboy Cool: Book 5 (Cowboy Justice Association) (9 page)

“Let’s continue,” Kaylee cut in. “Does anyone else have any comments for Brent?”

The group seemed to have lost its enthusiasm for discussing his work so they moved on. They were wrapping up at the end when Cheryl raised her hand.

“Kaylee, when is your new book coming out? I want to make sure I download it right away.”

Kaylee’s entire face lit up and she looked so damn beautiful it was like a punch to Reed’s solar plexus, robbing him temporarily of oxygen. “On Tuesday. I’m so excited about this one. It’s the last in the series so I’m sad to leave the world behind but looking forward to starting something new. It’s actually out on pre-order.”

The group moved slowly toward the door as if they didn’t want to leave, but eventually one by one they got in their cars and left. Linda and Cheryl were the last, hanging around to help clean up the food. Cheryl pressed a slip of paper into the palm of his hand when it was time for her to go.

“Call me if you need help with your work in progress. Or if you need…anything.”

There was promise in her words but Reed wasn’t interested. She was the type of woman who wanted to possess him for no other reason than his looks. She didn’t care if he was a good person or kicked puppies. It was all about the exterior packaging. That was something he’d never been able to understand. Eventually you had to get out of bed and talk to someone.

When the door was finally shut for the last time Kaylee leaned against it and heaved a big sigh.

“That was different.”

“Different how?” Reed crossed his arms over his chest and grinned at her discomfiture. “Better or worse?”

“I have no idea,” she declared, straightening up and heading for the kitchen where leftover cookies were piled on the island. “I’m not used to people coming into my home and propositioning my houseguest. Are you going to take Cheryl up on it?”

“No, Cheryl’s not my type. Too obvious. I prefer to be the aggressor.” Reed snatched up one of the snickerdoodles Kaylee had made this morning.

“I’m sure she’d let you if you were so inclined,” she said but she wasn’t looking him in the eye. “What you do is your own business. What should we have for dinner?”

She was gazing into the refrigerator as if it had the secrets to the universe. They both knew damn well that something was simmering between them but Reed didn’t think it was a good idea to muck things up with emotions. Protecting her had to be his number one priority.

“We just had a huge lunch. Come talk to me. I need some information to help with my investigation.”

She swung the door closed and sat on a stool while he took the one opposite. “Did you find out where the emails are coming from?”

“Not yet but I’m working on it. Whoever is doing this knows enough to cover their tracks. Right now I’ve traced the first email to a server in the Ukraine.”

“I don’t think I’ve sold any books there.”

“That’s not where the emails are coming from. That’s just a stop along the way. I’ll have the real origin by dinnertime. Now, let’s talk about the people you come into contact with. The ones in the writing group, for example. In fact, let’s make a list of everyone you see or talk to regularly.”

Kaylee’s mouth fell open in shock. “Are you kidding? Everyone? They’re all suspects? My friends would never send me nasty letters and threaten me, Reed.”

“Good, then it won’t take long to clear them,” he replied. He wasn’t backing down an inch about this. “And yes, I am serious. I know you think this is a stranger but the statistics don’t bear that out. Sixty-six percent of female stalking victims know their stalker. That means we need to look at everyone who might have access to you.”

At first she looked like she wanted to argue but then the fight went out of her and she nodded. “Fine. If I don’t cooperate you’ll just call Logan who will tell Ava and then she’ll call me, so let’s get this over with.” Kaylee stood and grabbed a spiral notebook and pen from next to the phone. Reed had noticed she had them all over the house, probably keeping them close in case she had ideas for a story. “Where do you want to start?”

“Let’s start with Brent and your other writer friends since they’re fresh in our minds,” Reed said. “And I wouldn’t have called Logan and Ava. You’re a smart woman and you know deep down this needs to be done. Otherwise I’ll be living in your guest room forever.”

He tried to joke to lighten the tense atmosphere and a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “You’re actually nice to have around. I really do feel safe now that you’re here.”

That’s exactly how he intended to keep Kaylee. Safe and sound. Even from himself.

Chapter Eight

“A
ny help you can give me would be appreciated,” Reed said to Jared Monroe, one of his best friends and also a fellow small town sheriff in Montana. Reed was back in Kaylee’s office pounding away at her laptop. He was close to finding the origin of those two emails.

“I’ll do what I can,” Jared agreed. “Hell of a thing, having to deal with this on your vacation. Although you’re probably just as happy. You don’t relax well.”

Reed laughed at his friend’s understatement. It was well known that Reed was a workaholic.

“My buddy in Florida isn’t too happy but this is alright. Kaylee’s a good cook and we get along fine.”

In fact, he enjoyed her company more than any woman he could remember. He’d never really been friends with a woman before, at least as an adult.

“I didn’t really ask about her but I see where your mind is going. Is she cute?”

“Doesn’t matter if she is or isn’t. If I step out of line Logan will kick my ass.”

Jared chuckled, clearly happy with the image Reed painted. “I think it would be a draw. Both of you are ornery as rattlesnakes and fight just as dirty. I wouldn’t know which of you to put my money on, personally.”

“I’ll email the list over to you.” Reed changed the subject, not wanting to continue discussing Kaylee or her attractiveness. He hadn’t liked how jealous he’d felt earlier when she’d been talking to Brent. It was an alien emotion and it had taken him a few hours to even figure out what it was. He’d never felt it before and he didn’t like it one bit. “Anything else going on there?”

“Nice and quiet. Just how Griffin likes it. Some network offered him and Jazz a load of money to televise their wedding but they put the kibosh on that.”

As long as matrimony wasn’t contagious, Reed was happy for Griffin. He and Jazz seemed like a good match. Griffin certainly seemed happier than ever.

“Griffin should have said yes and let them pay for the wedding,” Reed joked, knowing that it wouldn’t happen in a million years. Griffin hated attention of any kind.

“I need to get back to work. I’ll keep in touch and call you right away if I find anything.”

“I’ll do the same. Take care.”

Jared hung up and Reed tossed the cell down on the desk, a grin spreading across his face.

“I’ve got you, you little bastard. You thought you could hide from me but you’re not as smart as you think you are.”

A few more keystrokes and a location lit up clearly on the screen. The map was local and so was the address.

“Yes,” Reed hissed. “You’re under my thumb, you judgmental piece of shit.”

Entering the address into the search engine, the name of the location popped up first in the results.

Son of a bitch.

The public library. A place where everyone was welcome to use the computers. His only hope was a camera or someone remembering their suspect at that particular moment. And Reed wasn’t that lucky.

No, he’d have to do this the old-fashioned way. But one thing was now clear. His gut had been right. This stalker was someone who knew Kaylee.

Maybe it was the man who delivered her paper or the person who bagged her groceries. Or perhaps the guy who changed the oil in her car. Whoever it was, Reed guessed it was someone who appeared harmless. They might even blend into their surroundings. They were good at getting people to trust them.

*   *   *   *

Kaylee fidgeted in the kitchen chair and pushed the French toast around her plate. Last night Reed had given her laptop back after disclosing that the emails she’d received had been sent from the library. His theory that the person threatening her was someone she knew appeared to be plausible. She couldn’t imagine who would want to do this and that bugged the hell out of her. Was she so trusting and gullible that she believed everyone to be good and nice?

“It may not be any of your friends.”

Reed had finished his breakfast and was rinsing the plate in the sink. They’d only been living together for two days but she’d already found out he was very tidy and low maintenance.

“You think it is.” She pushed the plate away in defeat, her appetite nonexistent. Reed sat back down and lifted her fork, cutting a small piece of toast before spearing it.

“No, I said that I thought it was someone you have contact with. You can be around people and not be friends with them. It may be someone you see every now and then but somehow in their mind they’ve twisted it into some sort of relationship.” He lifted the fork to her lips. “You need to eat or you’ll make yourself sick. You picked at dinner last night too.”

“I don’t think I need to worry about starving for a while.” Kaylee patted her generous hips but Reed didn’t laugh. Instead he scowled, his soft hazel eyes turning an icy green.

“There’s nothing wrong with how you look, woman. Now eat your breakfast,” he growled. His expression said he was completely serious and she opened her mouth and took the toast from the fork.

“Better.” He held up the utensil so it was dangling from his fingers. “Now I want you to eat at least half of it. Damn if it isn’t the best French toast I’ve ever had.”

She chewed and swallowed, barely tasting the food before taking the fork from his hand. “You’re bossy,” she stated.

“I am. You’ll learn to deal with me, I would imagine. My advice is to just do what I tell you to. It’ll make your life easier.”

Laughter bubbled up at his pronouncement. “I’m sure it would make your life easier but I’m not so sure about mine. You’re lucky I like you, Reed Mitchell. I could make your life difficult if I chose to.”

“I’m sure you could.” He pushed his chair back and stood with a stretch. “I’m going to take a shower and then head for the library. I’m hoping they have surveillance cameras. We know the exact date and time the emails were sent.”

“Won’t the police be doing the very same thing?” she asked. She couldn’t help but admire how good he looked in the morning even before his shower. His hair was slightly tousled and his chin had a dark shadow of whiskers that she yearned to rub against her palm.

“The police have dozens of cases and I only have this one so we won’t be waiting for them. If they’re anything like my town they’re underfunded and understaffed. They work hard and they do the very best they can but we can give them a hand here.”

“Then I’m going with you.” Reed opened his mouth to object but she waved away whatever he was going to say. “You won’t win this one so save your breath. I know the librarians and that might make things easier.”

“Fine.” He pointed to her plate. “Eat your breakfast and then you can go.”

“I’ll eat my breakfast but not because you told me to.” She sounded like a stubborn toddler, but he was so incredibly high-handed this morning.

Reed laughed as he mounted the stairs. “Whatever works, Kaylee. Be ready to leave in fifteen minutes.”

Arrogant, know-it-all, bossy, handsome, sweet, and incredibly sexy. Reed had her twisted around and tied up into knots.

And it had never been so much fun.

*   *   *   *

“Cameras?” the librarian asked, looking alarmed at Reed’s question. “Yes, we do have cameras placed throughout the library. Why are you asking?”

Reed reined in his impatience knowing the woman’s reticence was normal. This wasn’t his own town where he was the law. He was a guest here and he needed to act accordingly. He was used to walking into a business and automatically having credibility. But before he could launch into an explanation Kaylee did it for him.

Sort of.

She left out a few things like the picture of the heart with a knife through it but the librarian seemed to get the idea.