The Cowboy's Claim. Carla Cassidy

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СКАЧАТЬ flowed easily between the two of them. Everything was so uncomplicated with Grant. He was the perfect gentleman and always made Courtney feel at ease, unlike Nick, who felt like an out-of-control tornado that whirled through her body and mind each time he was in sight.

      “Terrible thing about Shirley Cook,” Grant said as they lingered over coffee. “I heard she was killed the same way Candy Bailey was... In bed with her throat cut.”

      Courtney wrapped her fingers around her coffee mug, seeking warmth as she thought of the unsolved murders. “Sheriff Evans was in and out of the café all afternoon, interviewing each of us to see if we might know who Shirley was seeing, if anybody was giving her problems or anything that might point in the direction of a potential killer.”

      “Were you able to give him any information?” Grant asked, his brown eyes sympathetic. He was a nice-looking man with light brown hair and mildly handsome features.

      He didn’t make her heart beat any faster. He didn’t stir the crazy passion that Nick always had. But that was okay. What she needed most in her life right now was stable and responsible, and it was ironic that Grant was that kind of man with the kind of job that her parents would have approved of.

      “No, I couldn’t help him at all,” she replied to his question. “Shirley was a bit older than me. We didn’t run in the same crowd and didn’t socialize much at work and not at all outside of work. She was a quiet woman who minded her own business and always showed up for work on time.”

      A bubble of grief welled up inside Courtney’s throat as she thought of the woman who had died before her time, died so violently...like Candy before her.

      “Have you considered quitting your job?”

      She looked at him in surprise. “Why would I do that?”

      He shrugged. “Two women murdered and both were waitresses at the Cowboy Café. What if somebody is specifically targeting the women who work there?”

      “Sheriff Evans thinks it’s more likely that maybe Kevin Naperson killed both women.” Kevin had been Candy Bailey’s boyfriend at the time of her murder, and despite the fact that his father had given him an alibi for that night, Courtney knew he’d never dropped off the top of the suspect list for Candy’s murder.

      “Kill another woman who he has no ties with and take the heat off himself for Candy’s murder. It’s an interesting theory.” Grant picked up his coffee cup and took a sip, then carefully set the mug back on the table in the precise position it had been in originally.

      “Either that or somebody else is a killer and both women were vulnerable,” she replied.

      “And you don’t feel vulnerable?” Grant asked with a quirk of his neatly trimmed eyebrow.

      She gave him a rueful smile. “I live in a motel, Grant. There are nights I hear somebody drop their soap in their shower, or the snoring of a man who has rented the unit next door for a night. I feel perfectly safe there. I’m completely surrounded by people.”

      “You know, I could arrange for you to be in another place...a better place for you and Garrett. All you have to do is ask me.”

      “I know, but really we’re fine where we are.” She wasn’t at a place in her relationship with Grant that she wanted any favors from him. She wanted to be beholden to nobody, taking care of herself as she should have years ago. “And it’s probably time for me to go pick up Garrett. I told Sophie before we left that it wouldn’t be a late night.”

      “Then let’s go pick up the munchkin,” he agreed easily.

      Within half an hour they were at Courtney’s room at the motel. “You want to come in for one last cup of coffee?” she asked as she held a sleeping Garrett in her arms.

      “Sure, that would be great,” he readily agreed.

      It had become their routine on Friday nights after dinner for him to come into the motel room and share a cup of coffee before he headed home.

      She never worried about things getting intimate. So far their physical relationship had consisted of a couple of chaste kisses when they said good-night.

      With Garrett to consider, she’d been reluctant to date anyone, but Grant had been persistent and she’d finally agreed to go out with him with the understanding that things between them would go slow. He’d respected her wishes, and their romance, such as it was, had progressed at a snail’s pace.

      With Garrett soundly sleeping in his crib and coffee made, they sat across from each other at the tiny table under the single hanging light in the room and talked about the hot weather, the plans the town had for a summer festival in the next couple of weeks and their own plans to enjoy that day together.

      “The bank is sponsoring a stand offering free soda and bottled water, and I’m assigned to work it from nine to eleven that day. But after eleven I’ll be all yours,” Grant said in the soft voice he always used so as not to awaken the sleeping child.

      “Sounds like it’s going to be a wonderful day, although it doesn’t seem right to be looking forward to a festival with two unsolved murders in the town.” As she thought of Shirley’s murder, she fought off a shiver that threatened to waltz up her spine.

      “We just have to stay focused on the positive,” Grant replied. “Sheriff Evans is a good man and he’ll figure out these crimes eventually.”

      “I hope so,” she said fervently.

      Even though she was hoping that it was mere coincidence that both Candy and Shirley had worked at the café, there was no question the fact that two of her coworkers had been murdered unnerved her more than just a little bit.

      Grant glanced at his watch. “I’d better get out of here. I have to go into the bank early tomorrow.” He got up from the table and carried his empty cup to the sink.

      “Thank you, as always, for a lovely evening,” Courtney said as she walked him to the door.

      He kissed her on the forehead, the scent of his expensive cologne a bit overpowering. “I’ll call you tomorrow?”

      “I’d like that,” she agreed. “The only thing I have planned is maybe taking Garrett to the city park, but I’ll probably wait until early evening when it cools down a bit.”

      He frowned. “Take a friend with you. I don’t like the idea of you out and around all alone, especially if you plan on being out after dark.”

      She smiled, touched by his concern. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back here long before dark.”

      They murmured their goodbyes, and then he left and Courtney carefully locked the door behind him. She’d just carried her cup to the sink when a knock fell on her door.

      As she hurried to answer she assumed it was Grant who had either left something behind or had forgotten to tell her something.

      She unlocked the door and pulled it open to see Nick leaning casually against the doorjamb. “What on earth are you doing here?” she asked in surprise, praying that Garrett stayed asleep and quiet in his crib.

      “Is that who you’re dating now? Grant Hubert?” he asked, as if he had a right to know anything about her or who she СКАЧАТЬ