Cooper pulled her against him and just held her. He closed his eyes, picturing everything in his head.
“They knocked her unconscious,” Marlee’s voice cut through the silence. “Once they had the baby, they sliced her throat. Her phone was just out of reach. It looked as if she’d tried to get to it, but she bled out before she could. They left her to die on the street.”
The sound of Marlee’s voice shaking caused fury to erupt within Cooper. While he might have known her sister was murdered, he hadn’t known these details. The kinds of things that sent a person reeling. The kind of stuff that changed the course of a person’s life.
The kinds of details that destroyed people.
But not Marlee. It had put her on a new path, one that helped so many others who were in the same position that she and her parents had been in. Cooper rubbed his hands up and down her back. She held on to him tightly, her fingers digging into the material of his jacket at his back. He doubted that she had told very many people what she’d shared with him tonight, and he felt honored that she had opened up to him.
Marlee sniffed and pulled out of his arms. She looked into his eyes. “I had to tell my parents. I couldn’t let anyone else do it. My father had a stroke that night. I know it was caused by what happened. I took a leave of absence to take care of my parents and to handle the funeral. Then I began looking for the assholes who did that to Macey. Except I was met with dead end after dead end after dead end. When the FBI was brought in, I thought maybe something might actually happen with the case, but it soon stalled out there, as well. That’s when I decided that if I didn’t want Macey to end up a cold case, I had to do something. I quit the force and became a private investigator.”
“How long until you had your first case?”
“A week.” She shrugged and huddled into her jacket as a defense against the cold. “I’ve been working ever since. It has its rewards, but more times than not, I deliver no news to the family. Or worse, bad news.”
“News is news, whatever kind it is, I’d think. Everyone needs some kind of closure.”
She nodded. “That’s true.”
“Come on,” he said. “How about some coffee to warm us up?”
“Sounds perfect.”
They got into the truck and were pulling out when his phone rang through his Bluetooth. He recognized his neighbor’s number and answered. “Hey, Ted.”
“Evenin’, Coop. I’m hoping you’re near the house because I was alerted that Big Tom is out again. Dumbass nephew can’t seem to learn to close the damn gate. We’re in Fort Worth for the weekend and can’t get back in time.”
Cooper smiled as he glanced at Marlee. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of it.”
“Thanks, Cooper. I owe you.”
He disconnected the call as Marlee said, “Big Tom?”
“It’s Ted’s bull. He’s quite the ladies’ man, and if he can get into another pasture with more cows, he’s going to do it. Mind if we make a stop?”
“Not at all. I’m curious to meet Big Tom.”
Cooper laughed and turned the truck around.
Chapter 17
Whatever Marlee might have thought she’d see when they arrived, it was not the massive bull standing beside the road, munching on grass as if he didn’t have a care in the world. When the truck’s headlights touched the animal, she saw the deep burgundy color of his coat. He swung his head in their direction, then went back to eating, uncaring that someone was there.
“Is he dangerous?” Marlee asked, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up.
“Any animal can be dangerous, especially ones that size. However, Big Tom is pretty much a gentle giant until you get him around ladies in need.”
Marlee busted out laughing.
Cooper chuckled and shrugged. “It’s true. I’ve seen him plow through a fence before.”
That sobered her quickly. She looked out the truck’s windows into the inky night. There wasn’t a single light anywhere to show them what was out there, other than the sliver of the moon and the truck’s headlights. “Are you sure about this?”
“I’ve been around cattle and horses my entire life. I was riding a horse before I could even walk. I know what I’m doing,” Cooper assured her. “Especially with Big Tom. This isn’t the first time I’ve had to put him back in his pasture.”
Marlee eyed the huge animal. “If you’re sure.”
“There’s no need for you to get out. Stay right here. You’ll be fine. I’ll be back before you know it.”
She saw his grin in the dim lights of the dashboard. She smiled back, unable to stop herself. Something about Cooper made her feel safe. As if nothing could harm her. It was the first time she’d ever felt anything like it, and she wasn’t really sure how to handle such an emotion.
Part of her wanted to run straight for him as if she was sure he’d catch her—figuratively, of course. But the rational part of her, the bit that had seen untold cruelty and savagery as a cop and a private investigator, warned her.
Cooper paused in getting out. “It’ll be fine. I promise. Big Tom won’t hurt me.”
“It’ll be easier with two people, won’t it?”
He shrugged, his lips twisting. “It would, but I’ve done it on my own before.”
“I’ll help,” she stated. “Though this is the first time I’ve been around cows of any kind.”
A slow smile spread over Cooper’s face. “Then Big Tom is a great introduction. Come on.”
Now that she’d said it, Marlee couldn’t back out. After all the perps she’d chased—both on foot and by car—and brought down, she shouldn’t be afraid of an animal. Then again, she had never been so close to a bull before. He could toss her fifty feet with a swing of his massive head. Any sane person would be more than a little cautious.
“Come on,” she whispered to herself after Cooper was out of the truck. “You can do this.”
Marlee quietly got out. She didn’t slam the truck door as Cooper had. Instead, she softly pushed it, not latching it completely. Her gaze moved to Cooper to find him talking softly to the bull as he walked up. Marlee pressed her lips together when she heard Cooper talking about how it wasn’t Big Tom’s fault that he got out, and that Cooper would’ve done the same thing in his position.
She gradually made her way around the front of the truck. The bull lifted his head and looked right at her. Marlee froze, wondering if she could get on top of the truck in time. Yet Big Tom ignored her and turned to move a few steps to Cooper. To her shock, the bull halted before Cooper and bowed his head. That’s when Cooper rubbed the bull, scratching behind his ears. All the while, Big Tom made deep grunting noises as if he thoroughly enjoyed the attention.
In fact, Marlee was sure she’d make similar noises if Cooper’s hands were on her.
At that moment, Cooper looked at her, a big smile on his face. “I can’t say this for all bulls, but Big Tom really is gentle. Want to pet him?”
“Sure.”
Cooper held out his free hand to her. Marlee didn’t hesitate to walk to him and take it, though her gaze did dart to Big Tom to see how he’d react. Her body cut in front of the headlights, blocking out the light for a fraction of a second. The moment her hand connected with Cooper’s, warmth spread through her.