Quinn finished setting up the containers and unpacked the paper plates and plastic silverware.
All set, Chief, she told her cousin. Theres grilled lamb and rice, salad and butternut squash linguine with fried sage. Quinn tossed West a saucy, knowing look. For those who prefer froufrou food.
Damn if it took every inch of his control not to laugh. Not to toss aside his plate of grilled lamb and stride over to her, pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless. Letting everyone know she was his and they belonged to each other. He didnt need healthy food for fortification. He needed only Quinn, and her vivacious spirit and wholesome smile.
Cal drifted over and thanked her. The ATF agent jerked a thumb at West.
Dont mind Grumpy, Miss Colton. West doesnt like healthy food, Cal jested. Hes a red meat man.
Takes all types, Quinns brother Brayden remarked.
Ignoring them, West took his plate and a bottle of water to his car and sat on the hood of his truck to eat. He watched Quinn talk with Brayden at the table where most of the others ate. West noted that Finn Colton and Brayden worked closely with the Gages on the squad, despite the famous feud between the Colton and Gage families.
Did Quinn know where her sister was? What if she was hiding Demi? When hed asked her about how close theyd been, Quinn had only shrugged and said she loved her sister, but they werent close and barely knew each other. Demi concentrated on her job as a bounty hunter and Quinn was invested in establishing Good Eats and trying to make a good rep for herself in town.
His radar went on full alert as a sleek, expensive car pulled up to the perimeter. Out from the drivers seat climbed Devlin Harrington. West looked down at the excellent meal Quinn had prepared. It turned to cardboard in his stomach.
Harrington was a wealthy, entitled lawyer who worked in his fathers energy firm. The man oozed money. Probably used one-hundred-dollar bills as kindling in his fireplace each winter.
His father, billionaire Hamlin Harrington, was equally money hungry. He offered to save Colton Energy from bankruptcy, but only if Layla Colton, a bigwig at Colton Energy and the owners daughter, married him. Laylas father, Fenwick, desperately needed the cash.
And the Red Ridge Police Department needed Fenwick to continue funding the large K-9 unit and training center. But Hamlin had called off the wedding to Layla until the Groom Killer was caught. Fenwick, who doubled as mayor of Red Ridge, was beside himself and breathed down the chiefs neck on a daily basis to solve the case. It didnt matter that Fenwick was related to Chief Finn Colton. Fenwick needed money.
West understood Hamlin being nervous, canceling the wedding and calling off the engagement to Layla Colton. With a killer out to slay grooms, who would dare host a public wedding in town?
What he didnt get was marrying for money, not love. He didnt understand it. His own mother and father had been happily married for more than twenty-four years before a killer snuffed out their lives. He and Quinn wanted to marry because they loved each other, crazy as it seemed after barely meeting a month ago. But he knew Quinn was the right woman for him. She was intelligent and witty and caring, and hed do anything for her.
Layla, Quinns cousin, seemed like a smart, kind woman, concerned about her family and savvy about business when hed interviewed her about Demi Colton. Was she that dedicated to her family and saving her fathers company that shed sacrifice her own personal happiness?
Life was short. Hed learned that at seventeen when his world blew apart. And marriage lasted a long time, or at least, it should.
Wests scarred hand felt tight today, as it did each time he worked a crime scene, reminding him of the night his family died in the bomb blast. He flexed it as he watched Harrington approach Chief Colton, wondering what the man wanted.
Wealthy lawyers usually didnt visit crime scenes. Not unless they were ambulance chasers. Hed bet a case of hundred-year-old brandy that Devlin Harrington had never chased an ambulance in his life. Not with that cash cow of a rich daddy, who probably paid him a salary that made Wests modest income look laughable.
Wearing an expensive gray silk business suit, with a red power tie and starched shirt, and expensive leather footwear, Harrington looked out of place with the cops in their bunny suits, tactical vests and grubby, scuffed shoes.
The lawyer stood by the table where Finn Colton ate. He scrutinized the scene, shook his head. Chief, this is most upsetting. Now we have a bomber in Red Ridge? Im sure this is related to the groom killings. If there is anything I can do, any help I can offer, please let me know. I want to help. If you need assistance, Im here.
To his credit, Finn didnt take the bait. Its too early in the investigation to tell anything. Were doing all we can. Every man on this force is dedicated to catching the killer.
But you must admit this is terribly suspicious timing. Harrington swept a hand over the crime scene tape. If the killer is graduating to bombings, she must be caught. I wanted to let you know Im offering a $100,000 reward for the capture of Demi Colton.
West nearly choked on his forkful of rice.
Finn didnt even blink. Oh?
She must be found and brought in for questioning. If shes innocent, shes innocent. But if shes guilty... Again with the hand gesture. Then the killings, and this kind of violence will end.
Was the guy running for office? West snorted as a newspaper photographer snapped Harringtons photo. He could envision the headline now: Billionaire Lawyer Offers Six Figures of Own Money for Capture of Suspect Demi Colton.
He hated it when civilians messed with an official investigation. Offering that much money for Demis capture would send everyone eager for the reward out searching, giving the department more headaches and more false leads to chase.
And make a desperate Demi harder to catch. Hell, half the town would be searching for her now, eager to claim even a share of the reward.
West knew he had to question Quinn further on her sister. If Quinn even had a remote inkling of where Demi was, he had to know immediately.
Id like to see the official ad youre running in the newspaper, Finn told him, giving him a level look. For the record.
Im very busy this afternoon. Harrington took out his cell phone, texted something. But Ill send an Uber to drop off the notice at the station.
Sending an Uber to deliver a damn paper? Typical Harrington. You cant take five minutes to stop by on your way? No, thats too much trouble.
West knew some attorneys back East, hardworking, congenial men and women who dedicated themselves to the law and society. Harrington was not one. He did it for the money.
Harrington flashed those pearly whites at everyone and glad-handed the officers sitting at the table.
Thank you for all you are doing to catch the Groom Killer. If you need anything, anything at all, my office is at your disposal. We all want Demi Colton caught so life can return to normal. My father will be most grateful when Demi is found and arrested and weddings can resume in Red Ridge. Hes most eager to marry Layla.
He spotted West sitting by his lonesome, walked over and stuck out a palm. Agent Brand, so glad to see the FBI is working with our fine force. We certainly can use your services.
Giving him a cool glance, West nodded and ignored the hand. He picked up his fork and continued eating. Harringtons smile only got wider.
Have a good day, the lawyer told him.
He strode off toward his car. West caught Quinns worried gaze. If she was concerned about her sister before, she must be worried sick now. West made a small gesture at Harringtons car speeding off, then did an eye roll. She flashed a brief smile.
West ate quickly, tossed away the plate and plastic silverware, and then returned to the crime scene. The sooner he finished, the faster they could find who did this, and clues to where the bomber would strike next.
Whether or not it was Demi Colton.
* * *
Two hours later, Quinn unloaded all the catering dishes and brought them inside to her store, placing them on the counter near the sink. With a rueful smile, she noticed her hands were trembling.
West did that to her. Even being within one hundred feet of him set off her female parts. They tingled with anticipation, and her nerves jumped as if the annual Fourth of July fireworks exploded inside her.
Her smile fled as she recalled the extensive damage to the building, and the sneers of her father as he swigged back a bottle of beer and watched the cops work the scene.
Rusty had a habit of making the worst things worse. He liked his beer and criticizing other people and bragged about both.
Like her brothers and Demi, Quinn worked hard to overcome the reputation of being offspring of the towns notorious bar owner and womanizer. It was why she elected to serve wholesome food at Good Eats, to differentiate from the greasy bar food her father dished out.
She picked up the mail the carrier had dropped through the slot in her front door. As she walked to the counter, Quinn sorted through the stack. Bills. More bills. And a white card-size envelope that resembled an invitation. The envelope had a cute red heart stamped on it.
A wedding invitation?
Maybe an engagement announcement? Who would be crazy enough for that?
Taking the mail into the kitchen, she found a knife and went to open it. Hesitated. It looked innocent. Pretty stationery. What if it wasnt?
There was no return address. Quinn felt the envelope. She had never been the suspicious type, but dating West turned on all her precaution sensors. No return address could mean something dangerous inside, intended to harm.
Quinn studied the postmark. Red Ridge. From here in town. What if the Groom Killer had decided to reach out to new targets?
What if it was Demi, and she was sending a secret message?
Thoughts tumbled through her head. The possibilities were endless. So was the worry. She set the envelope down. Maybe it was better to wait for West. He had experience, perhaps there was some fancy instrument in his bag of tools he could use to scan the contents.
West had been working too hard lately on this Groom Killer case. Late nights, early mornings. A couple of days off in the mountains sounded perfect.
She went into the tiny cubicle kept as an office and opened the desk drawer to find the key Tia had given her. As a favor for delivering her meals on time every day, Tia Linwicki gave her the code to unlock the front gate and a key to one of the cabins in Pine Paradise, a property she owned. As long as no one rented the cabin, it was Quinns to use.
Shed told West about her privileges with the cabin and how Tia entrusted her with the key. It would make a terrific weekend retreat with West. Quinn hunted for the key, but couldnt find it. Maybe shed left it upstairs in her apartment. With all the confusion lately, the scrambling to find clients, she felt slightly scatterbrained.
She left the office and went into the stores front just as her brother Shane entered.
Smiling, she gestured to the counter. Need an afternoon pick-me-up?
His nose wrinkled. Kale shakes and fruit smoothies? No thanks.
I can make you a late lunch. Quinns smile widened. Something that will put hair on your chest. Make you attractive to the ladies.
He laughed. As if he needed that. With his sandy-blond hair, blue eyes and tall, muscular body, Shane was drop-dead gorgeous. For a while Quinn had envied him. Surely he didnt get those good looks from their father.
No, Shane had inherited their fathers tough streak, though.
And besides, Shane was hot and heavy with someone, a dog trainer at the K-9 center. It was easy to forget because Shane, like everyone in town, kept their relationships on the down-low.
Came to see how you are. And maybe if you baked some of those blueberry muffins.
Food costs had soared, but for her brother, shed bake another dozen. Go outside and sit. Ill get everything ready.
Humming as she buzzed around the kitchen, Quinn realized how much she enjoyed her job. Working for someone else might pay the bills, but she loved being her own boss. Books rested on a shelf above the stainless steel table where she did food prep. One was only a notebook with her handwriting. Those recipes shed invented on her own, adding this and mixing that.
Shed hate to have to follow orders from an employer. Red Ridge was a good place to live...well, until lately.
Good place to raise a family. Quinn ground to a halt before reaching for a bottle of water for Shane. She and West had briefly skirted the topic of children.
He didnt want kids.
She wanted two.
Impasse, for now. Quinn kept reasoning with herself that they could compromise. Maybe hed change his mind.
She brought a tray with the treats outside and joined her brother. Shane munched on a blueberry muffin made from coconut flour, while she drank her strawberry smoothie. Sunshine still peeked through the puffy white clouds, but indigo dotted the horizon, indicating a summer storm approached. Quinn didnt mind the rain on hot days like this, except the rain drove away the customers who made impulse purchases of organic snacks and shakes.
That explosion. Shane shook his head and took a swig of bottled water. Damn scary.
Do they have any clues? Despite being on the crime scene and serving lunch, Quinn couldnt discern any information. But Shane worked as a private investigator and informant for the RRPD, and he was savvy at picking up information on the street.
Not yet. Everyones speculating.
Maybe it was some local kids, fooling around.
I doubt it. Shanes gaze looked troubled. Theres buzz it might be a test run of something bigger to come.
Terrific. I hate this. She toyed with the straw, glanced up and down the street. Some days it feels like were living in a war zone, not knowing what will happen next, whos doing all this. My business is going from bad to worse. Summers nearly over and what am I going to do when winter comes? This is my busy season.
Quinn leaned back, trying not to fret. The rent was overdue and she didnt know how to make her budget. Maybe I should move to Sioux Falls.
Shanes eyes widened. You? The girl who vowed to stay in Red Ridge, no matter what?
Wests home was near Sioux Falls. It might be a good place to settle after they married. Or get married there, far away from the dangers of the Groom Killer. Maybe West would change his mind about children if they lived away from Red Ridge.
Everyone changes. Im getting older, I could find a good job with another catering company.
You cant. Where would I get my blueberry muffins?