Chapter 10
Laura sat at the table with the women, eating a bowl of Elaine’s homemade chicken soup. Preacher watched as she ate slowly, occasionally smiling at something one of the women said, but looking as though her energy was quickly flagging. He’d pull the plug in just a few minutes, but he did want her to get some food in her stomach before she went back to bed.
“So, she doesn’t remember any of it,” Hardman said, standing beside Preacher with Cage on his other side.
“No, she thought she fell and hit her head.”
Cage nodded. “Fig’s still going through feeds, looking to see if anyone wearing that hoodie was in the shop at any time that day after she installed the system. Lacey and Dagger are running down leads. They don’t have much to go on. They’ve looked into Bob Updike’s background, but it appears that at the time she was attacked, he was at his place of business, locking the doors—per the sheriff, who verified it himself. Lacey’s going to hit up Ethan Palmer at Dead Horse Realty. Ethan will know if someone else was looking to buy her store. If this has to do with intimidating her, trying to force her to close, then he might be able to give us someone else to follow up on.”
Preacher sighed. “The community, her customers, seem to like her. She’s built a popular business.”
“Someone has a bone to chew,” Cage said. “Has she ever mentioned anyone she’s dated, someone who might have a grudge or want to get closer to offer help?”
Preacher frowned. “She told me she hasn’t dated a lot. The only man I saw who seemed disappointed seeing me with her was Bob. But I seriously don’t think he has it in him to do this. He seemed pretty decent both times I spoke with him.”
“Well, Sheriff Brown’s already scratched him off his list.”
“It’s a small town. Everyone knows everyone. Somebody has to have an idea who’s responsible.”
Cage’s mouth tightened. “I’m going to have Lacey speak with Nadine at the diner. She’s gotten friendlier since we first arrived. That woman’s got her ear to the ground. She might have some ideas of who we should pursue. In the meantime…”
“I really appreciate the fact everyone’s pitching in,” Preacher said.
“We’ll keep her safe. You stick close, but be sure you get some rest, too. You won’t do her any good if you don’t. If she allows it, we’ll keep a hunter in the house who’ll stay awake at night and do periodic rounds of the yard.”
“You really think that’s necessary? All the attacks have occurred at Deadly Delights.”
“Fletch and I have talked. He’d rather we cover all bases than risk her safety. The sheriff is having his deputies drive frequently by her shop to make sure there’s no more mischief there.”
“She’ll appreciate that. I’m going to have my hands full keeping her home as it is, once she’s back on her feet.”
Another knock sounded at the door, and Preacher glanced over at Laura who gave a little eyeroll. His mouth twitched as he strode back down the hall to answer the door.
As soon as he opened the door, Lacey Jones stepped through the entrance. “Which way?”
He pointed toward the hall and the light gleaming from the kitchen.
Dagger walked in behind her with bags hanging off his arms sporting the local grocer’s logo.
“More food?” Preacher asked, eyebrows rising.
“And a couple of fluffy pajama sets. Lacey’s idea.”
Preacher waved an arm to indicate Dagger should head to the kitchen, and then glanced out the door to make sure no one else was coming before he locked the door.
As he neared the kitchen, he heard the women speaking more animatedly, which worried him. Laura was already tired, and the doctor had said her brain needed to rest just as much as her body. He had to get her out of there, no matter if she felt she should be there with so many guests inside her house.
Thankfully, he saw that Elaine was standing and leaning over Laura, looking as though she was getting ready to leave.
Cage clapped his shoulder. “I’d stick around, but—”
“You have your own woman to look after,” Preacher said. “Thanks again for everything. We’ll both sleep better tonight.”
After Cage and Elaine left, Preacher walked around the table to stand beside Laura’s chair. He touched her shoulder. “Time for bed.”
When she glanced up at him, her head visibly swayed. “Okay.”
Everyone fell silent while Preacher pulled back her chair then bent and lifted her into his arms.
Lacey swept up one of the bags Dagger had brought in, and then walked ahead of him, opening the bedroom door and striding toward the bed.
Once he sat Laura on the edge of the mattress, Lacey waved him away. “I’ve got this, big guy.”
Preacher glanced at Laura who gave him a nod.
He guessed she felt more comfortable having Lacey help her prepare for bed. She likely needed to use the bathroom, too. “Thank you, Lacey.” To Laura, he said, “I’ll check on you in a little while.”
She nodded, and he quickly left, not wanting to delay Laura getting rest.
Back in the kitchen, Dagger and Hardman were helping themselves to a bowl of Elaine’s soup. Marti was already seated with her head over a large bowl of soup, crackers broken and swimming on the surface.
“Elaine said she’d bring more soup tomorrow. There’s plenty,” Dagger said, pointing toward a stack of bowls on the counter next to the stove.
Realizing he was starving, Preacher helped himself, grabbed a sleeve of crackers, then took a seat with the rest of his teammates.
Hardman glanced at Preacher. “I’m ‘it’ tonight.”
“You draw the short straw?”
“No, Marti decided since I’m the noob, I get to keep watch.”
“If you let me get a few hours of sleep, I’ll spell you.”
Hardman shook his head. “Marti said she’d be here in the early morning to make sure I get some shuteye.”
“Yeah,” Marti said, “he’s mine to train. Can’t have him slacking off because he needs his beauty rest.”
Hardman grinned. “Ah, Marti, so you admit I’m handsome?”
Marti paused mid-bite and gave him a glare. “That’s okay. Be a smartass. First time someone needs to crawl through mud to catch a skip, it’s going to be you. Won’t be so pretty then.”
Preacher laughed. No one would accuse Hardman of being “pretty.” The man was ripped and tall, and his face was rugged—thanks to an angular jaw and prominent cheekbones. His nose was slightly slanted like it had been stomped on a time or two. Not pretty in the least. Marti’s comments were…interesting.
He’d heard all about her park ranger boyfriend who’d rescued her from a charging bison, but he supposed maintaining a relationship where you only shared booty calls once a month didn’t really amount to much of one. And the fact it was Marti, a prickly pear of a woman, who valued her privacy and had worked as a bounty hunter without a partner for several years, told him that she wasn’t the hearts and flowers kind of girl. Likely didn’t spend hours on the phone with her “boyfriend” solidifying their connection. The fact she’d noticed how “pretty” Hardman was would sure make things interesting around the office for a while.