Independence: #4 Hayley (33 page)

“Where are you?” Rafe prodded, feeling the relief roll off the men with him.

“On the highway home. We found some great stuff…got pedicures and had lunch,” Hayley listed their morning and afternoon. “It was nice just being a girl for a while…sorry if I took your girl from you.”

“I had things to do, Hayley. Eden warned me to make myself scarce,” he told his cousin with a chuckle. “I’ll meet you at the house.”

“We’re almost there,” Hayley replied before ending the call.

“She’s okay,” he said quietly, looking from one to the other and then at the approaching Jeep. “The police?”

“You know her. Lieutenant Templeton,” Jack said, his fingers closing around the phone he still held. “Come inside. I’ll make some coffee.”

“I’ll let the lieutenant know we found her,” Dane exhaled. Finally. They had their suspicions about the shooter, but from what he knew of the Lieutenant, she already had found the connection. He wasn’t so sure Hayley would be as easy to convince.

He walked to the Jeep as it slowed near the truck, his hand on the door handle to open it for her as she released her seatbelt.

“We found Hayley. She went shopping with Eden,” Dane said when he met the instantly alert gaze. “She’s alright.”

Natalie stepped from the Jeep, nodding slowly. “I have an APB out for Tessa and a warrant for a search of her office and apartment is due anytime.”

Dane gestured to the house. “Jack’s got coffee going.”

“Definitely a necessity at the moment,” she said simply, striding ahead of him and into the house. “Rafe…Jack…that smells amazing.”

“Judging from the voice I heard through the phone this morning, you need it,” Jack remarked, sliding a tall mug of the dark brew over the counter.

“It’s been a long night. They called it in about three this morning…the patrol found the body inside his garage,” she lifted the cup to her lips and took a tentative sip. “The dog had been barking and howling for hours, according to the neighbor. He was scratching at the door and trying to dig on the concrete. Determined little thing…”

“But you have an idea who’s responsible?” Rafe asked just as the door burst open.

Two smiling, laughing women entered, each carrying several bags stuffed with bags and their purchases. Hayley quickly took the ones in Eden’s hands and diverted toward the hall and the room beneath the stairs. She closed the door firmly behind her when she came out.

“No peeking,” she ordered before going to Dane and kissing his cheek and then repeating the performance with Jack. “Coffee…we are so sugared up at the moment…”

“Frosties and smoothies,” Eden explained as she stepped into the open arm Rafe held out to her.

“You couldn’t possibly get any sweeter,” he teased with a light kiss. “Did you get some shopping in, too?”

“I did and the same thing applies…no peeking. Besides, you have Ruby outside waiting for you,” Eden reminded him.

“We had a wonderful time,” Hayley breathed excitedly. But the excitement died in her throat when she looked, seriously looked, at Jack and Dane and then noticed the Lieutenant leaning on one of the brunch stools. “Lieutenant…what happened? Why are you here? Did you catch the person who shot at me?”

Jack held her phone out to her. “We’ve been trying to reach you. It must have fallen from your jacket this morning when you left.”

“I never noticed it was gone,” her hand went to the pocket she kept it and then reached for it. “What’s wrong?” She asked again, much slower this time.

“Police found the man named Derrick early this morning, Hayley. He’s not the one who shot at you,” Natalie said before the question could be asked. “And yes, we’re certain. He was shot three times with the same weapon that shot at you.”

“I…he’s dead…” Hayley whispered, her voice shaking. She swallowed hard and braced her feet in place. “Alright.” She looked around the silent circle. “Tessa?”

“We can’t locate her.”

“I…” round eyes went around at the faces. They weren’t happy faces. “She was at her house. We went to talk to her…she was supposed to stay with her parents. I’ve tried calling, but she’s not answering.”

“She wasn’t happy to see you, Hayley,” Dane said simply.

“It’s the stress,” she answered. “She’s…we’ve been friends for over five years now.” She set her jaw. “I’m not naïve or stupid. Tessa is not a killer.”

“Hayley, I have a warrant and it came through on my drive up here. I have a team at her office and her home. I’m going to her home to help with the search. I want you to stay with the guys until I get in touch with you, alright?” The Lieutenant straightened and tilted the cup back, draining the coffee. “Thanks for the coffee. I already spoke to your brother about tightening security around the ranch.”

“People change, cousin,” Rafe said when the Lieutenant left the house. “You aren’t naïve or stupid.”

“It proves Dell’s point, though, doesn’t it?” She said bitterly, smacking her hand on the countertop angrily.

“You aren’t responsible for how life changes people,” Eden said loudly. “I know what it’s like to be friends with people who use you. She hasn’t used you and she didn’t change until that guy got into her life. Not you. The guy. And that all happened because of her choices, not because of you. You don’t have that kind of power over people. Believe me…I learned those lessons the hard way.”

“I’m sorry. I had fun shopping today,” Hayley said after a shaky breath.

Chapter Thirty-Four

“Thank you, Eden,” Jack winked at her. “Sometimes Hayley needs to remember that she can’t control the actions of others. Friends or not. She had paths to choose from, babe. And if…we don’t know for certain…but if she chose this one, she did it on her own. Not because of you.”

“She was always so happy…so…upbeat…then he got to her…and I don’t even know how,” Hayley slumped into one of the bar chairs, her arms crossed on the counter and head bounced off them. “That was a little egotistical…”

“Just a little…” Dane agreed. “We’ll be here for the night and we have off until Monday. I take it we’ll see you at the Christmas brunch with the family?” He asked, his gaze on Rafe, who nodded.

“My first…all that family and no one dislikes me,” Eden breathed excitedly as she did a little impromptu dance and laughing when Hayley stared at her, trying to hold her giggles inside and failing. “See…it’s not so bad. Let the cops handle things. We are going to have a wild party for the next few days.”

Hayley looked at her cousin, the love in his eyes shining through the lopsided grin he wore. “You got it bad, cuz…” she laughed, sliding to the floor and hugging him tightly. “I’m so happy for you. She makes you laugh.”

“That…she does,” Rafe agreed with a chuckle, his arms around Hayley. “So you should let them to do the same thing for you…don’cha think? It’s not such a bad feeling to get used to.”

“You know it’s a bit more complex than that,” she murmured, not looking at either of the men involved when she pushed out of Rafe’s hug. “It’ll work out. We’re friends and for now…I like that and Dell can take a hike.”

“I’m not sure I’d go taking out an ad in the paper,” Eden remarked with a casual shrug. “But I sure would make my family see that I’m happy and loved. Especially a pigheaded brother. You need me, girlfriend, just let me know. I know stuff that…” her eyes widened above the hand that came around her from behind and covered her mouth.

“We won’t go into things she knows and doesn’t know. We will keep it low key and friendly,” Rafe stated firmly, frowning at the laughter from Dane and Jack. “Yeah…laugh it up…it’s not so funny when cops come around asking questions. I’ve listened to some of her adventures from Crystal and Tasha…”

“Those slimy little rats…” Eden pulled his fingers free.

“They felt forewarned was a good thing…” Rafe told her. “Let’s go, trouble. I’ll take Ruby back and meet you at the house. Take it easy, guys…Hayley…don’t let Dell get to you. He’ll come around. I guess the cousins accepted you growing up easier than he did.”

“And don’t worry about that…just let the cops deal with things,” Eden told her firmly, hugging her one last time. “I had a great time today. I love Paddington’s…”

“Then we’ll have to do it once a month. I think I might need that kind of afternoon more than I thought,” Hayley admitted, returning the hug before stepping back. “Thanks, Rafe…Eden…it means a lot that…well, that you don’t think I’m…that I’m…”

“A wild woman in the sack?” Eden teased, laughing and ducking out the door at a run when Rafe tried grabbing at her. “We’re all wild women in the sack…with the right partner. Tell the rest of the world to fuck off…this is your life…not theirs,” she shouted to the cold snowflakes bring thrown around in the winds.

Hayley slumped onto the stool, her hands sliding her jacket down her arms and draping it over another chair. She watched Jack check the lock and set the bolt and smiled.

“Thank you,” she said firmly, striding to him and raising her arms to circle his neck with a strong hug. She repeated the action with a slightly puzzled Dane and walked to the hall.

“Is that for being sexy or…is there another reason?” Jack called out.

“Well, being sexy is a nice touch…” she returned with a saucy laugh. “But mostly it for stuff like making dinner and handling it when I have a slight panic attack.”

“It’s all part of the package, Hayley,” Dane told her, collecting their jackets and taking them to the closet.

“I’ll be in my office…doing stuff…no peeking…yell when it’s dinner time,” she said with a backward wave of one hand in the air.

Jack went to the kitchen and the pork chops he’d set out that morning. “She handled the arrival of the Lieutenant and her news better than I thought she would.”

“I’m not sure she’s convinced that Tessa might be the problem,” Dane pulled his keys free. “I’ll bring in the packs we brought and work on the living room while you’re cooking. If you need help…”

Jack laughed. “Yeah…you in the kitchen and it’s not breakfast? I think we accept that you have other talents for the household, bud.”

“I have a thumb, can work a can opener and know how to use a phone. I won’t let us starve,” Dane returned with a chuckle. He paused the alarm and went into the briskly blowing winds. He returned quickly, two large backpacks in one hand. “Have you heard anything about the weather?”

“Not a word…but I haven’t been looking, either,” Jack replied, carefully coating the pork chops for the oven. “Bad?”

“I’ll tune it up before I start the additions to the house…” Dane looked around and straight to the double glass doors leading to the patio. “Then I think we better make sure the wood is close and the lamps filled.”

Jack arched a brow but nodded. Dinner wouldn’t take long once it was prepped, so he did it quickly and then joined Dane on the back patio. The winds had definitely picked up and brought a frigid chill.

“Looks like a white Christmas,” Jack called out loudly above the winds. Branches scraped and scattered across the large, open yard. The tarp that had been covering the woodpile had come loose and he went there first, restocking the porch rack and then tying it securely in place. He found cans of kerosene and went around filling the lamps Hayley had just inside the small enclosed locker on the porch.

“I think we’re as ready as can be,” Dane said when they made it back inside. Locks were secured and the drapes drawn. “We don’t need peepers into our lives.”

Jack returned to the kitchen while Dane pulled a heavy step stool into place and prepared the beams over the living room. It wasn’t a plan for the evening, just a plan for the future. In case the urge hits.

He laid out the salads and slid the pork chops beneath the broiler. The wild rice was seasoned and fragrantly filling the house with the scent of the spices. The broccoli was steamed and lightly coated with butter seasoning. He went to the hall and rapped lightly on the closed door.

“Dinner’s up, Hayley. Can I peek now?” He almost jumped back when the door was pulled inward and a tall stack of packages met his stare. Behind them, a pair of brightly sparkling eyes beamed at him.

“Peek all you like,” she told him, striding forward and into the living room. She dropped lightly to her knees and began spreading the colorfully wrapped packages beneath the tree. “All set now. I’m starving and it smells delicious. Let me run get washed up!”

They watched the pert behind take the stairs two at a time and then looked at the packages beneath the tree.

“Where’d you leave the things we bought?”

“In the bag…” Dane told him, going to the large hall closet and pulling the bag free. He deftly tossed packages to Jack to stow beneath the tree, emptying the bag before putting it neatly away. “I have to admit…it was fun shopping. I didn’t think I’d get into it…”

“I think there’s something in the air in those stores,” Jack mumbled, climbing to his feet and shaking his head. “I’m sure of it. It’s infectious.”

“Are you infected?” Hayley asked with a laugh, her arms around him from behind and cheek against his back. “I don’t think it’s something terminal. Just…seasonal. I’ll try and remember not to get too crazy. You actually went shopping?”

“I shop…” Jack scowled and gripped her hands. “Go sit. Dinner’s done and we need to eat.”

“The winds have kicked up a lot,” she remarked as she sat down. “This is a wild winter so far…”