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  “I’ll drive to your parents.”

  He glanced at his watch. “I’m to meet Jax at one of Hal Alcott’s new houses. Why don’t you go with me? I won’t be able to relax if you’re on the road by yourself.”

  Kylie had planned on following Luke to his meeting with Hal, anyway, and sit in her car, out of sight. “Is it okay if I sit in your truck and not go in?”

  “That’ll be fine.”

  Now if she could just make sure she wasn’t spotted by Hal.

  SIX

  “I’m on my way to the house on Broughton Street. Should be there in about ten minutes.” Luke talked into the mic on his Bluetooth. “Will you be there on time?”

  Jax answered, “I’ll be there in five.”

  “Good. Did you find out anything on our guy who chased us from Megan’s house?” Luke felt better knowing Kylie was with him and not on the road by herself. The only downside was he needed to concentrate and throw all his efforts into getting this case solved. She was a distraction, albeit, a pleasant one. Once Megan’s killer was behind bars, he could spend more time with the twins. To survive as a family, the three of them desperately needed time together. Whether Kylie would continue to be a part of their lives, he didn’t know.

  “Haven’t heard back yet,” Jax said. “His driver’s license is a fake, but we’re running his picture through the database. We’ll get this guy and whoever else has been masterminding this whole deal.”

  Luke glanced at Kylie in the passenger’s seat. She stared out the window, but had to be listening. “I want Megan’s killer caught, too.” Even though his sister’s death had been months ago, saying the words out loud still made Luke’s throat tighten. Sometimes when his cell rang, his initial thought was it might be Megan calling. Then cruel reality returned, and he’d realize he was never going to hear her voice again. “I don’t know if these attacks and Megan’s murder are from the same man, but I want him behind bars.”

  “We’ll get him, Dryden. There’s been too many attempts. They’re getting sloppy. Evidence will be left behind, and after we apprehend them, we’ll have plenty of proof to make the charges stick.”

  But could he keep the twins and Kylie safe until the criminals were all caught? “I know you’re right, O’Neill. I can’t believe I’m hearing this. I’m normally trying to be the calm voice of reason to you.”

  Jax chuckled. “Everyone needs support sometime. I’m here. And to give you an update, I’ve had Dean Ferguson in the field office checking into Hal Alcott’s background, like you requested. Ferguson sent me a file of his preliminary findings.”

  Luke felt Kylie looking at him at the mention of Hal. “My gut says Alcott’s clean, but I never want to leave a rock unturned.” He picked up his cell phone and went to take it off speaker.

  Kylie touched his arm. Pleading eyes asked him not to silence the call from her.

  Luke dropped his hand, leaving the call on speaker. She was in the case too deep to keep her out, and he was just flat-out in too deep.

  Jax’s voice came across the speaker. “You probably know most of this, but Alcott was being brought up on charges for laundering drug money through several of his businesses, including his real-estate company. Lori Coffey, the wife of one of Alcott’s men, had witnessed money exchange hands and overheard Hal order the death of one of his drug runners named Baze.

  “Baze’s body was found floating in the Brazos River. With Coffey’s testimony, not only could they prove Hal paid the drug trafficker, but they could also prove murder for hire. Coffey died in an explosion along with her two kids and a Deputy US Marshal at a safe house before she could testify.” Jax sighed. “You know, the Feds and US Marshals should’ve looked into the incident.”

  “I know. We’ll keep digging.” Luke clicked off, then said to Kylie, “Hopefully, we’ll learn something today.”

  She whispered, “Yeah.”

  Luke turned onto Broughton Street, a poor area of town plagued with drugs and crime. Elderly folks who couldn’t afford to move constantly had their homes broken into or vandalized. A line of vehicles parked along the street caught Luke’s attention, and he drove that way. A large wooden sign planted in the freshly sodded yard read Homes with a Heart, and underneath, in small letters, A Hal Alcott Company.

  Luke pulled in behind Jax’s truck and cut the engine. The new home boasted white vinyl siding with barn-red shutters, and a neat matching storage building inside a fenced backyard. New landscaping consisted of oak trees, various flowers and cedar mulch, and was a welcome sight to the run-down neighborhood. Kitty-corner from this house sat another neat home built by Alcott’s company.

  Bringing down Santa Claus would be easier.

  He turned to Kylie. “This shouldn’t take long. If you need to turn on—”

  “Could you park up the street? Maybe behind that work truck?” She pointed.

  Luke paused with his hand on the door. “What?” A white truck with a ladder rack and three toolboxes sat on the far side of the house, shielded by a large pecan tree. “You’re right. It’ll be cooler in the shade.”

  He moved his truck as close to the other vehicle as he could get. “This should be better.” What had he started to say before she interrupted? “Oh, and I was going to tell you, I’ll leave the keys in the ignition in case you need to turn on the air-conditioning.”

  She smiled. “Thank you. This is much better.”

  Jax met Luke as he stepped out of his truck and glanced at Kylie. “She not going in?”

  Luke shook his head. “Nah.”

  “Good.” They strode toward the house. “Where did you find your nanny?”

  “Nanny service.” Jax didn’t normally ask chitchat type of questions, so Luke asked him flat out, “Why?”

  “I get the feeling I’ve seen her before.” He shrugged. “Maybe not.”

  “She came highly recommended.”

  Jax nodded, indicating Alcott. “I’ll let you do most of the talking.”

  Alcott, dressed in a Ralph Lauren polo pullover and khakis, and wearing leather gloves, scooped cedar bark with a shovel from a wheelbarrow. He looked up as they approached and leaned against the shovel. “Hello.”

  Did Hal really need to assist with the yard work? Or was this for show? A kind of community relations. Luke extended his hand. “Mr. Alcott.”

  The businessman removed his gloves and accepted the gesture. “Been a long time, Dryden. What brings you by? Hopefully, not official business.”

  The man didn’t waste time but shot straight, an attribute Luke could respect. “Actually, this is not a social call.”

  Luke watched Alcott’s dark eyes for a hint of nervousness when he introduced him to Jax. The bright look. The smile. He didn’t pick up any bad vibes. Luke was considered one of the best by his coworkers for reading people and was told his carefree disposition made people relax and let down their defenses.

  He hoped his manners worked on Hal Alcott.

  Hal smiled. “Why don’t we go get a cup of coffee or a cinnamon roll over at that new place on Vermont Avenue?”

  “This shouldn’t take long.”

  “All right. Well, come on in.” The warmth of Alcott’s smile seemed genuine.

  They followed him through the wooden door. Plastic sheeting covered the laminate floors and the smell of paint lingered.

  “Excuse the mess. We’re still trying to finish up last-minute details before the unveiling tomorrow. Come on back here.” Hal led them down a narrow hallway to a bedroom.

  French doors led out to a small deck. Two water barrels stacked on each other formed a waterfall on the deck, which was accented with potted flowers and green plants. Three large windows on the other wall let in light, making the room feel spacious and clean. A small wooden desk sat in the corner, in front of the windows, with an array of large rolled-up papers, pens and business cards all with
the Alcott Real Estate logo. Luke hated to admit it, but the serene picture fit the legitimate-businessman image.

  “Have a seat.” Alcott indicated the small leather chair across from his desk. He glanced at Jax and shoved an office chair toward him. “Take mine.”

  Jax held up a hand. “That’s all right. Do you mind if I have a look around?”

  “Go right ahead. My crew has a long to-do list, so keep that in mind.”

  “No problem.” Jax’s gaze cut to Luke before he stepped from the room.

  Luke sank into the chair, glad Jax had the opportunity to visit with Hal’s workers without their boss hearing. “Do you know Tommy Doane?”

  Alcott squinted “The name sounds familiar. Should I?”

  “He’s my brother-in-law.”

  He nodded. “Ah. Your sister’s husband. I read about her death in the paper. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to pay my condolences.”

  Not that Alcott knew the family well enough to go to his sister’s funeral. Luke wasn’t even certain Alcott had ever met Megan. Luke looked for changes in the man’s demeanor, but if there were any, he kept them hidden. “Thank you.”

  “I didn’t know...what did you say his name was? Tommy?”

  “That’s right. Tommy worked for Alcott Real Estate. Your company.”

  Hal shook his head. “I don’t recall the man. I have a lot of employees. Many come and go before I can get acquainted with them.”

  “Tommy disappeared a couple of months before Megan’s death.”

  “Do you suspect her husband may have killed her? If so, I have no idea where he might be.”

  Alcott’s calm voice impressed Luke. If he was nervous or hiding something, he didn’t show it. “We’re not ruling out anyone at this point. We’re not even certain Tommy is still alive.” Time to move in. “What about Lori Coffey? Did you know her?”

  Alcott didn’t flinch, but his gaze hardened. Okay, Luke hit a nerve.

  With a sigh, Hal sat back in his chair. “I went over this with the authorities years ago. I was completely exonerated. Is there something in particular you’re looking into? I honestly don’t know how I can help you.”

  “How well did you know Mrs. Coffey’s husband, Brandon?”

  “I didn’t.”

  Luke nodded as he gauged Alcott’s demeanor. He had to give him credit—the man appeared cool and his gaze never broke eye contact. “Where were you the morning Lori and her two children were killed?”

  “At my ranch, getting ready for my trial.” His jaw twitched subtly. “Like I told the authorities, my home-security system shows my activities of that morning. I provided them a copy of the tape. I didn’t leave until after nine o’clock, well past the time of the accident that killed that family and that US Marshal. Now if there’s nothing more you care to discuss, I have a tight schedule.”

  The man’s friendliness had evaporated. Luke didn’t blame him, even if he was innocent. Time to move back to his brother-in-law. “Can I have a copy of the projects Tommy was working on?”

  Alcott heaved another sigh. “Listen, Dryden, I know you’re trying to solve your sister’s murder and, of course, I don’t mind if you get a copy of anything you think might help. You know me. I’ve known your dad for years. I grew up in this community before moving to the suburbs of Dallas and want only good for its residents. I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. I’ll make some calls. I’ll put up ten thousand dollars or whatever you need for information that leads to the arrest of Megan’s killer.”

  It always came back to money. They needed to dig deeper into Alcott’s financials. “I appreciate that, Hal.” Luke stood and held out his hand.

  Alcott shook it. “Good to see you again. I hope you find who did this. I’ll instruct Susan, my secretary, to gather Tommy’s files and send them over.”

  “My email address.” Luke handed him a business card. As he stood, movement outside the window caught his eye. Someone watched them from between the wooden slats of the fence. A splash of red.

  Kylie.

  She was supposed to stay in the truck. He directed his attention back to Alcott as to not give her away. “Thank you for your cooperation.”

  They walked out of the house together and down the sidewalk. He gave a quick glance, but didn’t see Kylie lurking about. Where did she go?

  * * *

  Kylie climbed back into Luke’s truck, her heart still racing from fear of being spotted. The large tree may have protected her from Hal or one of his men from spying her, but it also blocked her view of everyone’s movements. When she’d realized her position wasn’t beneficial to surveillance, she had sacrificed the protection of her car to look through the fence.

  Total waste of time. She hadn’t seen anything.

  Even now, the work truck blocked her view from most of the front yard. She spied Jax leaning against his truck, hands in his pockets, looking bored. Maybe he had learned something beneficial from the construction crew.

  What was taking Luke so long? No more had the thought crossed her mind than the Ranger stepped from the sidewalk onto the grass.

  Another man walked with Luke. The purposeful stride. Perfect hair. Could-be-a-model clothes.

  Hal Alcott.

  Kylie sunk down in the seat. Even though she was parked thirty yards away and wore sunglasses, her insides quivered. A cold-blooded killer. She’d stared at Hal’s face in pictures on the internet many times and followed his activities, but she hadn’t dared place herself in his vicinity since the explosion.

  Luke and Hal appeared to be visiting. Hal laughed and slapped Luke on the back like they were old buddies. The scene made her sick. She let out a frustrated breath. She trusted Luke, she really did, but seeing him be friendly with Hal, whom he seemed to admire, worried her. What if Luke fell for Hal’s charisma?

  She hated to admit Homes with a Heart built by Alcott Real Estate were cute. Two more had already sold on this street. His company was in the process of building another housing development a few blocks from here. Nice, expensive homes. A small lake stocked with fish and an eighteen-hole golf course gave it preference over other developments. To encourage sells in the upper-class development, Hal bought the worst houses in this nearby neighborhood, tore them down and rebuilt cottage-like homes aimed at middle-class families.

  To Hal’s credit, building economy houses instead of buying the dilapidated houses and raising the rents to run low-income families out of town made him more popular—almost heroic. Even crumbling houses’ values had risen by twenty percent, encouraging owners to sell. A drawing for a total home makeover for anyone in an eight-block radius was the cherry on top. No doubt, his profits would be greater in the upscale development once this neighborhood was cleaned up, even after the giveaway. A win-win for Hal and the people of Rocky Creek.

  Could Hal be brought down? Was he untouchable? Did anyone want him to pay for his crimes, or were they willing to overlook crooked dealings? Even murder.

  David against Goliath. Since she’d gone to work for Luke, Kylie had thought she had an ally for the first time in years, in trying to take down the Coffey family’s killer. Luke just didn’t know they were in this together.

  A young man wearing jeans and a Rocky Creek Bulldogs baseball cap approached Hal and Luke while they talked. Kylie squinted. Something about him seemed familiar. Using her phone, she zoomed in and clicked several photos of the man. Then she took more of Hal, his team of workers and the house, so she could look at them when she got back to Luke’s parents’ place.

  She scrolled through the pictures to make certain they were clear shots because she didn’t plan on returning to spy on Hal again. All of the photos turned out fine. She tossed her phone into her purse.

  A knock on her window caused her to jump.

  Luke stared down at her.

  She let down the glass. “What are you doing?”

/>   “Don’t you think that’s what I should be asking you?” Luke cocked his head.

  If Luke had seen her, Hal may have, too. She glanced back to the front yard.

  “He’s gone.”

  “What?” Her head snapped back around.

  “Hal left a minute ago.” Luke leaned back and folded his arms across his chest. “Why were you peeking through the fence?”

  “I wanted to see what was going on.” Being honest couldn’t hurt.

  He climbed into the truck and shut the door. He turned his gaze on her, his eyebrows drawing together. “Next time, either come in or stay in the truck. I can’t protect you if you go gallivanting around. Jax and I both thought you were in my truck. Now, let’s go get something to eat.”

  As annoying as it was to hear she needed protecting, she understood Luke’s position. When she was a Deputy US Marshal, she constantly explained to witnesses the seriousness of following instructions. Being protected wouldn’t be so bad as long as she remembered not to get used to it.

  * * *

  Luke and Kylie traveled the short distance to the diner in silence.

  He pulled around the back of the local hamburger joint and opened the door for Kylie at the same time Jax climbed out of his vehicle. His coworker shot him a look. “Chivalry’s not dead.”

  Jax quirked an eyebrow that said, yeah, right.

  Okay, Luke didn’t need his coworker thinking that his and Kylie’s relationship was anything other than professional. Besides, it was his fault she was in danger. He was doing for her what he’d do for anyone else. Not that he ever had brought along anyone to his and Jax’s meeting before.

  They followed Kylie to the corner booth at the back of the diner, where they had a good view of the room. Luke took a seat on the same side as Kylie, with Jax across from them. Again, his buddy gave him a curious glance, but he ignored him.

  It’d been two years since Luke had dated anyone, and even though he’d been fond of Abby, it didn’t take long for her to become impatient with the odd hours required when working a case. She had claimed to prolong ending their relationship because she didn’t know how to break the news to him. Why was it so hard to simply tell the truth? He believed Abby was more in love with the idea of dating a Texas Ranger than she actually liked him. That was one thing he appreciated about Kylie. His nanny was honest and seemed to understand the demand of being in law enforcement.