Diamonds and Spurs [The Callens 9] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (12 page)

Her shoulders sagged. “Were your parents at the party? I would have liked to have met them.”

He shook his head. “Mom and Dad are touring Europe for the month. When they return, I promise I’ll introduce you.”

“Thanks. So what exactly do you do for a living?”

She needed to see how much Vince was like Craig. At first she thought the slick Cam would be like him, but that turned out far from the truth.

“I got my degree in finance from the University of Wyoming. I had a knack for investing, so I worked a few years as a broker in Cheyenne. My father suggested I invest his money. I put it in the market but soon realized it wouldn’t give my dad the long-term stability he needed. Then a pastor approached me and asked if I’d be willing to act as a mortgage broker and lend him money. I agreed and found the consistent rate of return I’d been looking for. Word got out and I began lending money to more churches around the state. Now that’s all I do.”

“I never heard of anything like that.”

“Me neither, but I made enough that both my uncles invest with me.”

“Does anyone else invest with you?”

Vince wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her stool closer. “Don’t worry. I’m not running a Ponzi scheme.”

She let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “Good to know.”

“Now eat.”

Once they finished, Vince kissed her cheek. “Gotta do some work in town. Cam will stay here with you.”

She hated to be a bother, but having one of the men with her at least until tomorrow helped keep her from freaking out. “Okay.”

As soon as Vince left she went into the living room and flipped on the television. After searching through the channels, nothing appealed to her. She muted the sound and leaned her head back on the sofa. She wanted to recreate the few minutes at the Callen party. Something might have caught her eye that she hadn’t realized at the time was important. While a ton of people were in attendance, she would have noticed Craig. The possibility he’d located her was slim, but her ex-husband was a resourceful man. Money bought a lot of information.

For the right amount, he could have hired someone to shoot her. Or had he meant to just scare her into returning? A silencer implied a professional. A professional wouldn’t have missed, though. Then there was Sharon. She’d shown up, but women in general didn’t use a gun to harm someone, or so she’d read. Poison was often the MO. However, Sharon, too, could have hired someone.

“Crap.”

Footsteps sounded. “You say something, angel?”

“That was me being frustrated.”

Cam sat next to her. “You want to talk about it?”

No
. She faced him. However, she needed to broach another topic. “As much as I appreciate you wanting to protect me, it won’t work.”

“What won’t work?”

“Me being here for long. I can’t stay holed up forever. Even Vince said Intrigue didn’t have a sophisticated crime lab. Your sheriff won’t find the guy who did this. If Craig is behind this, he’d have hired some local who may be long gone.”

Cam smoothed the hair away from her face. “Then you have nothing to worry about.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Craig will hire someone else until he’s successful. He hates to fail at anything.”

“You really think he wants you dead?”

She shook her head. “If he thinks I know anything about his illegal activities he might.” She sucked at picking men.

No, you don’t
.

Cam picked up her hands. “How about a horse ride to take away your worries?”

Excitement filled her. “Really?”

“You bet. But is your leg good enough?”

The pain had subsided. The bullet had grazed the right side of her right leg, which wasn’t the side against the horse. “Yes.”

“Great. Let me log out of my computer and we’ll go.”

She smiled for the first time since the shooting.

* * * *

As much as Vince appreciated Sheriff Will Sutton and trusted him to find the culprit, sometimes knowing the right person was the key. And Vince Callen knew a lot of the right people.

It wasn’t quite 2:00 p.m., so he was able to park in front of the Raging Bull Bar with ease. The fact a large portion of the potential clientele were at the Callen Ranch either donating or participating in one of the events helped.

He pushed open the swinging door and took a second to let his eyes adjust to the darkness. As always, the place smelled of peanuts, beer, and a bit of mold. He inhaled and smiled.

Jenny’s husband owned the place and was tending bar. Vince slid onto a stool. “Jackson.”

“Vince. What can I get you?”

“A Bud.”

“Jenny called and told me what happened.” Jackson drew a beer and placed the glass in front of him.

“Damnedest thing. We’ve never had an incident at my aunt and uncle’s house for as long as I can recall.” He sipped the cold brew. It hit the spot. “I was wondering if you’d heard any scuttlebutt about someone wanting a gun for hire.”

His brow rose. “Can’t say I have, but ask Tara. She seems to attract the talkers.”

Vince tossed a five on the counter, and with beer in hand, headed over to the server who was wiping down the empty tables. Only two others were in the bar. It was some couple he didn’t recognize. From the brochures in front of them, they were probably tourists.

“Tara, you got a minute?”

She glanced at her boss, who nodded. “Sure. What do you need?”

“Information.”

She motioned to the booth. “How can I help?”

He wasn’t quite sure the best way to word his request. “Did you hear about the shooting today?”

Her face filed with concern. “Jackson told me. I’m glad the woman’s okay.”

“I have a few suspects, but I’m betting neither one personally pulled the trigger. Has anyone come in bragging about coming into a lot of cash lately?”

She shook her head. “Not that I recall.”

“I was thinking maybe someone was hired to take a potshot at Mandy.”
Damn
. “Can you think of someone desperately in need of cash, someone you might not think is even capable of harming anyone, but who would under the circumstances?”

She glanced to the side for a moment. “The only one who comes to mind is Darby Atkins.”

“I know Darby. What about him?”

“His son needs a new kidney. Kid’s on dialysis and it’s draining their funds. If they don’t find a kidney soon, they might not be able to afford the treatment.”

“That’s terrible.” His family had a fund to help those in need. He’d speak to Uncle Josh about lending a hand.

The door swung open, and the boisterous laughter caused Vince to turn. “What do you know? It’s Darby himself.” Vince didn’t believe in coincidences.

Tara slid out of the booth. “I’ll wait on him and let you know if I find out anything.”

“Appreciate it.”

Vince slid into a booth and nursed his beer. He tried not to watch the possible suspect.

The man shared a joke with Tara. Something got him in a good mood. She stood there smiling and laughing before placing the order at the bar. After retrieving and delivering the drinks to Darby and his friend, she sidled over to Vince, ostensibly to see if he needed a refill.

“Did Darby tell you why he’s in such a good mood?”

She shrugged. “Apparently, the insurance company issued him a policy.”

Could be because he paid them. “Let me ask you this. Has Sharon Lipman been in here recently?”

She cocked a brow. “Sharon, as in your ex-fiancée?”

“That would be the one.”

“Once, maybe three days ago. I wouldn’t have noticed except all the whistles drew my attention.”

That didn’t surprise him. “Was Darby here at the time?”

“Sorry, it was so busy, I couldn’t keep track.”

“That’s okay. Thanks.” Vince left half the glass on the table, and handed her a large tip. “Keep your eyes and ears open. Call me if you see them together.”

She smiled. “You can be sure of it.”

Next step was to investigate Craig Clairbourne and the Indulgent Spa. If Mandy’s ex thought he had long arms, he hadn’t met the Callens.

Before he headed back to his office, though, he stopped by the sheriff’s office to pass his theory by Will. The sheriff ushered him into his office and Vince took a seat.

“I don’t have anything concrete for you, Vince. To be honest, I’m not sure we’ll ever be able to match the bullet to a particular gun.”

“I figured. I have a theory.” He told him about the two people who benefitted from driving Mandy out of Intrigue. He didn’t want to think about that person wanting her dead.

“You know Sharon as well as anyone. You think she’d do something like this? She has a lot to lose if she’s caught.”

“The operative word being
caught
. Sharon wants what she wants without regard to the consequences.”

“What about Mandy’s ex-husband?”

He told him about the Ponzi scheme and what he had to lose if Mandy testified against him.

“Sounds like either one could be involved.”

“In two days, we’re heading into the wilderness. All I ask is for you keep an eye and an ear out for anyone who has come into money or who asks too many questions.”

“Will do.”

They shook hands and Vince left, determined to get to the bottom of the issue.

Mandy was going crazy sitting in Vince and Cam’s home for the last couple of days and not working. Both men seemed to find reasons to avoid her like she was the criminal instead of the victim, even though neither was rude. In fact, they went out of their way to make sure she had her privacy, but not once did Cam invite her into his bed. Vince had ample opportunity to put the moves on her, but he didn’t.

As for Cam, it was almost as if he was waiting to find the shooter before he pursued her. She considered confronting him, but her head wasn’t in the right spot to start a new relationship.

Right now, she looked forward to going on the two-day outing and being out of their house. Trinity would serve as the lead. Mandy was there to observe, and Vince came to protect. According to Sam there never had been an incident that required the man to defend them, but Mandy was glad Vince would be there just in case.

The seven women in the group were amateur photographers and the eighth was their teacher. Apparently, they’d completed a three-day photo seminar to learn about their cameras and this was their reward at the end of the class. The only camera she’d ever used was her iPhone. Now that phone was a distant memory stuck in her former home’s flowerpot. Her burn phone had no such capabilities.

Vince came into the kitchen. “Ready to test your outdoor skills?”

“I’ve been ready for days. My calf is good and I’m really looking forward to camping.” She tapped her daypack. The horses would carry the heavy equipment.

“Let’s go.”

When Vince wrapped an arm around her waist, her worries disappeared. She had high hopes for this adventure on many levels. Trinity had prepped her for how she ran the excursions, and Mandy was confident all would go well. Because Trinity was the lead, she would be the one to discuss leaving no trace, how to go to the bathroom in the woods, fire safety, purifying the water, and the safe way to light a camp stove.

All of them gathered around the horses. Trinity spent close to thirty minutes going through her explanation.

“Vince, Mandy, and I will help you set up your tents the first night. Then you’re on your own for night two. Any questions?”

The women shook their heads. One of the ladies kept staring at Mandy, making her a bit uncomfortable and she failed to push down the strange feeling. The three of them made sure the ladies were well situated before mounting their horses.

In the beginning of the trip, the wide plains afforded them to ride side by side.

An hour into the trip, the curious lady pulled up next to her. “This may sound odd, but I swear I know you. Have you ever been to Denver?”

Mandy’s heart sank. She could lie. Taking a good look at this woman, she recognized her. She’d attended one of the investor’s parties. Sooner or later Ellen would remember the event, too. “Yes.” Mandy waved a finger. “You’re Ellen Flowers, aren’t you?”

“Why, yes. Where have we met?”

“At a party at the Indulgent Spa.”

She sucked in a breath. “That’s it. When Trinity said your name was Mandy, I kept wracking my brain, wondering where I’d met you.”

“That’s me.”

“Whatever are you doing here?”

If she told a short version of the truth, perhaps she could convince the woman not to let the information leak back to Craig. “Craig and I divorced.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

Mandy imagined not many did. “I’d appreciate it if he didn’t know I live here now.”

Ellen did a zipper motion with her lips. “Count on me. Mum’s the word.”