“Your ribs — ”
“Are fine.” After throwing a log on the fire and filling a glass half full of whiskey, he sat on the couch next to her. Taking one of her frozen hands in his, he placed the glass in it. “Elizabeth? What’s wrong?”
She shuddered, but didn’t speak. Staring into the fire as if mesmerized, she finally said, “I’m sorry.”
“Why are you sorry?” Cooper asked. “For coming here?”
She nodded slowly.
“Drink.”
As if in slow motion, she did as he said then coughed. After she regained her breath she said, “An intruder broke into my home tonight.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.” Her terror-filled gaze met his as she explained about the windows. The words came slowly, as if she didn’t want to believe them.
“Is that what scared you so much?”
Elizabeth took another taste of soothing drink. When she finally looked at him her eyes were haunted. “Yes, partly.”
“What else?”
“I called the police and spoke with a deputy. He didn’t seem too concerned. I was too afraid to wait. So I left.”
At her explanation, Cooper’s blood pressure began to rise. “God damn.”
“I got more and more frightened while I waited. I had myself so scared I jumped at every shadow, every noise. That house is old and the squeaks are unimaginable. I kept thinking they were going to come back to get me.”
“They? Who?” Cooper was puzzled. “The men who broke in?”
“Yes.” She buried her face in her hands, unable to continue.
Folding her in his arm, Cooper couldn’t find the words he needed. This woman rendered him speechless. When her sobs subsided a bit, he held her away from him and said, “You’re staying here. I’ll help you find your mom. We’ll start searching in the morning.”
“You don’t want to.” She hiccupped.
“What I don’t want is you going home alone tonight.” He looked into her damp amber eyes. Resisting the sudden urge to kiss her tears away, he got up. “I’ll make you a bed in here. On the couch. I have to go back outside and watch my cows.”
“I’m going with you.” She grabbed his hand.
Her apparent terror struck him. “Hey, it’s okay. You’re safe here.”
“No.” She shook her head wildly. “Please don’t leave me alone.”
“It’s freezing out there,” Cooper protested. “There’s no heat.”
“I don’t care. I don’t want to be by myself.” Her voice trembled.
“Okay. Calm down. I won’t leave you alone.” Cooper took her hand. “Are you ready? Let’s go then.”
Chapter 9
Elizabeth woke to pitch black morning. With a groan, she realized she’d fallen asleep in Cooper’s bedroll. The loft was empty. Not even Mischief was in sight. Dragging herself out of the tangled sleeping bag, she wondered where Cooper had gone. Where had he slept? Not with her. She’d been alone all night. A shiver of disappointment coursed through her. A loud banging below drew her attention. Someone was in the barn. After struggling to pull on her stiff boots, she climbed downstairs.
Splash looked up from his feeder, mouth full of hay. The other horses were standing in the alley, waiting as Cooper dragged a heavy-looking harness from the tack room. He glanced at her. “I thought you were still sleeping.”
“No. Wouldn’t it be easier to feed the cows with my car?” she asked. “We could hook your wagon to it and save the horses from having to do it.”
“It’d probably work,” he said, “but there’s no need.”
“Why not?”
He shrugged. “Don’t want to put you out.”
Elizabeth’s mouth fell open. She’d shown up on his doorstep twice and he’d taken her in and helped her through a rough time and he didn’t want to put her out? Oh, brother. How stubborn could a man get? She put her hands on her hips. “What are you talking about? It’ll take half the time. Besides, I want to help.”
He stopped and glared at her. “Helping me has gotten you in a tub of hot water.”
“I don’t care.” She matched his glower. “I’m doing what I want to do.”
He put his palms up in a gesture of surrender. “Fine. Go get your vehicle. I’ll let the horses go.”
As she left the barn, the bitter cold took her breath away. The sun hadn’t shown his face yet, and a few stars still lingered in the early morning sky. The clouds had evaporated, leaving behind icy, nearly-brittle air. “Dang, it’s cold.”
Together, Elizabeth and Cooper made short work of feeding the cows with her SUV. After which they went inside his house, where he made breakfast.
As she took a bite of blueberry pancake, Cooper said, “I think you better get the locks on your place replaced.”
“I wonder if anyone from the sheriff’s office came out to check on me last night?”
He set his coffee cup on the table. “Elizabeth, you’ve chosen the wrong way to throw your rope. If you tangle your loop with mine, no one will uncoil it but yourself.”
“Are you innocent of killing Lyle Pritchett?” Her mouth grew dry waiting for his answer. The metaphor wasn’t lost on her. They weren’t talking about the murder. More like a crime of the heart.
“Yes.” He didn’t elaborate or explain any further.
“Then I think my rope is where I want it to be,” she said, looking deep into his eyes.
Cooper rose and filled his cup. “I’ve got to figure out the connection between my cows and Lyle’s death.”
“What do you think brought him to my barn?”
“I think he may have planned to bed down out there,” Cooper said. “He didn’t really have a home. He’d work a day or two and get enough money to crash at Servi Watson’s boarding house. Sometimes he’d sleep in a barn if he couldn’t pay.”
“I wish to God I’d let him work for me.” A shaft of regret shot through Elizabeth. She’d let her mother down, too.
“Don’t beat yourself up. Lyle’s own brother didn’t take good care of him.” Cooper took a sip of coffee. “It’s not your fault.”
“I’m not so sure about that.” She stared into her coffee cup. “I was his family, too.”
“We’re not talking about Lyle here, are we?” he asked softly.
Elizabeth stood up, banging her knee on the table. “I’ll do the dishes. Then I’d better get going.”
“Leave them,” he commanded. “I’ll go with you and check out your house, if you wouldn’t mind giving me a lift to town. I have a rental truck there.”
“Sure.” Relief washed through her. She wouldn’t have to go home alone.
• • •
In the midmorning light her house looked perfectly normal. The snow around it marked only by her own tracks. With Cooper by her side, Elizabeth let herself inside. Dropping Fancy in the middle of the living room, she checked the house. Nothing had been disturbed. In broad daylight, her bedroom seemed normal. Just to be sure, she checked the windows. Locked. Just as she’d left them. “Will you wait while I take a quick shower?” She turned away. “I’ll hurry.”
He nodded. “I’ll take a look around outside.”
Elizabeth didn’t linger. She showered, then chose a heavy, copper-colored angora sweater that cost a small fortune at Macy’s, and a pair of matching velvet jeans. After drying her hair, she applied a bit of makeup, telling herself it was not meant to impress the cowboy downstairs.
Cooper stood in the rear of the house by the door. He turned to face her and she was rewarded by the look of admiration on his face– just for a moment before he carefully schooled his features. It didn’t matter. She’d gotten to him. She was glad now for taking the extra minute to dab on a touch of her favorite perfume.
Cooper motioned to the door. “This is where your guy came in.”
She peered at the doorknob. “It seems fine to me.”
“Look closer.”
She did, bending so that she could get a clear look. Her elbow brushed Cooper’s hip and he jumped. Hiding a smile, she sobered instantly when she saw what he pointed at. In the lock opening was a small piece of paper. Placed there to keep the door from fastening tightly.
“There weren’t any tracks in the snow when I came home,” she said in a tiny voice as icy fingers of fear skimmed across her neck.
“Probably because the guy came in, only took time to open your windows and ran. The storm covered his tracks. You better call a locksmith and get him out here today.”
Elizabeth nodded. “I’ll do it right now.”
“The door’s bolted well enough for now,” Cooper said. “But better to not take any chances.”
Her gaze roamed her roomy, ugly kitchen. It looked so welcoming, so peaceful. The idea a stranger had intruded here shook her. Had her mother thought this house safe? “I think I’ll rent a room.”
“Don’t do it,” Cooper warned. “Don’t give them the satisfaction. Stand and fight.”
“What would you know about it?” she cried angrily. “I don’t want to be here alone if they come back.”
“I know more about standing your ground than you know, but I can’t help you,” he said. “I’ve got my own battles. If I leave my own place to come here, my cows’ll get stolen in a heartbeat.”
Stung, Elizabeth couldn’t speak. What had she expected? Some declaration of feelings from him? She’d been warned. “I’ll be fine on my own from now on.”
“The general store on Second and Bitterberry will do it for you. Ask for Stu. He’s trustworthy.” He hesitated for a minute. “I better get moving.”
They didn’t speak again until he asked her to drop him off in front of Western States Insurance. “I’ll rent a truck after I finish here.”
She nodded. “Are you going home?”
He shook his head. “I’m going to drive down to Delta and see if any of my heifers turn up at the sale barn there.”
Was this goodbye, then? She opened her mouth to speak, the words sticking in her throat. Inside, a million fears swirled around.
“Be careful.” He slammed the car door and went inside the building.
“Good luck,” she whispered to his fading form, ignoring the pain in her chest. Watching until he disappeared, she pulled onto the street. Knowing it was probably a wasted trip, she drove to the sheriff’s office and went in search of Marlowe. He sat in his office, head buried in paperwork.
Elizabeth entered. “I have a problem.”
He sighed, capping his pen. “So, what else is new?”
Frowning, she perched on the edge of an old leather chair. “My house was broken into last night.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.” She explained about the windows and said, “It’ll be on your transcripts that I called.”
The sheriff bellowed, “Leah, get me last night’s logbook.”
In a moment, a short, dark-haired woman came back carrying a large book. She set it on the desk in front of the sheriff and exited. Without comment, Marlowe began skimming the pages. “Nothing here, Miss Adams.”
“What do you mean?” She stood up and walked around the desk, peering over his shoulder as he ran his finger down the list of phone calls from the previous evening. As he’d said, there was no entry containing her number.
“This is ridiculous,” she sputtered. “I spoke to a deputy around eight
P.M.
He said he’d send someone right out.”
“My man wouldn’t lie,” the sheriff said coldly. “What are you up to?”
“I’m not the one playing games,” Elizabeth said just as frostily. “I called this station after my house was broken into last night. A deputy assured me someone would be right out. I waited for some time. Then I left.”
“All I can do is make a report now,” Marlowe said.
“Fine,” Elizabeth said through gritted teeth, “you do that.”
As she walked down the hall a few minutes later, Elizabeth bumped into Tom. She suppressed a groan. The last thing she wanted to hear was another lecture from him about Cooper. She nodded and tried to step around him. But he blocked her path with his body. “Not too friendly this morning, huh, Liz?”
“In a hurry,” she muttered.
“To do what?”
“Look for my mother,” she said. “I’m already behind schedule. You’d know something about that, wouldn’t you? I mean, you’re way behind on trying to find her.”
“I have feelers out.” He patted her arm. “We’re family. We should take time to visit.”
“What do we have to discuss other than the progress on my mom’s whereabouts?”
“Lots of stuff.” He bared his teeth in a smile that made her skin crawl. “For instance, the weather. Sure was cold last night wasn’t it? Did your old house stay warm enough? Those old windows never do stay shut.”
“What do you mean?” A shiver ripped down her spine. Was there a message behind his seemingly innocent words?
“Just a comment,” he replied. “I wouldn’t want my cousin to freeze out there, all alone.” He patted her arm again, and without another word, went on.
Elizabeth stared after him, mouth dry. Had Tom broken into her house and opened the windows? He would’ve had time to jimmy that back door lock two nights ago. Desperately, she tried to remember if he had been near the door. Then it occurred to her, he’d been in the kitchen with Cooper for some time. She needed to ask Cooper if Tom had left him alone to mess with the lock.
• • •
Standing on Main Street, Elizabeth looked up and down it. Salt Lick was a tiny burg, out in the middle of nowhere. Surely a stranger would stick out, especially someone like Lillian Adams. Although over fifty, she had the figure and, thanks to several surgeons, the face of a much younger woman. Her vibrant red hair was an eye-catcher in any crowd. If her face and body weren’t enough to attract attention, Lillian had the attitude to match. She looked young, felt young, and acted young.
Elizabeth took a deep breath. If she had to interview every single person in this town, she’d do it. The closest shop was Roses by Rose. Dorky name. Maybe her mom had felt the need to see what rose prices in Salt Lick were, or maybe buy a dozen to cheer up Henry’s old place. Often, on trips they had taken together, they would drop in on competitors to see what they were up to.
Ducking her head to avoid a low-hanging plant, Elizabeth entered the store. She glanced up to see how she’d nearly knocked herself silly. A ball of mistletoe tied with a red velvet ribbon hung directly overhead. Smiling a little, she thought of how she’d utilize that particular plant if Cooper came around.
Cooper.
There had to be a way to keep the man off her mind. There were more important things to concentrate on than kissing the cowboy.