“What do we do?” Bella asked under her breath.
“What we do best.” He winked at her. “Stick together.” He strode right into the conversation, greeting both Micheline and Leigh with his best smile as he propped a hip on the railing that framed the outdoor seating area. His sister followed suit and soon the five of them were conversing.
“Jarvis Colton.” Leigh sighed. “I haven’t seen you around town lately,” she said. A blush flowed over her cheeks at the admission and Jarvis heard his sister snort. Leigh and Bella had competed in the Ms. Mustang Valley pageant recently while Bella was researching a story on pageant culture. Leigh, as the winner, still seemed to shine with the victory.
“I’ve been busy on the Triple R,” he explained. “The cowboy life works better for me.”
She fanned herself. “It does work. You look great.”
Jarvis inched closer to Bella, using her as a conversational shield. On his other side, Spencer angled himself to block Micheline from the chatter, though Jarvis could still hear them clearly enough.
“I’ve made some calls, Micheline. You probably won’t be surprised that the US Marshals Service doesn’t have any record of you or Luella Smith as protected witnesses,” Spencer said.
Jarvis struggled not to react to that while he kept up the conversation with Leigh and Bella. During his investigation, Spencer had learned that the person “Micheline Anderson” had only begun to exist at the same time that Luella Smith, the woman who switched her baby for the real Ace Colton, disappeared.
“Well, of course they wouldn’t tell you anything,” Micheline said after the waitress picked up the bill and her credit card. “That would defeat the purpose. Not that any of it pertains to me, though I appreciate your thorough concern.”
Jarvis caught Spencer’s scowl and knew Micheline had struck a nerve. He continued to di
stract Leigh, with Bella’s help, even as he listened to his brother. “I’d like it if you would make time to speak with me.”
“For private coaching, just call Leigh and set up an appointment,” Micheline said, her tone warm and smooth as honey as she handed him a business card. “We’ll be happy to help you find your most productive mind-set.”
Spencer accepted the card, responding in kind. “A few minutes at the station would put my mind at ease about recent events that intersect with you and the AAG.”
“This is bordering on harassment, Sergeant Colton,” she added with more bite than barbed wire. She signed the receipt and shoved her copy into her purse. “If you’ll excuse us.” Micheline stood and urged Leigh to do the same. “We must be going.”
“Where to?” Spencer asked.
Leigh hefted a full tote over her shoulder. “Micheline is delivering our popular Be Your Best Self seminar to the local chapter of the Arizona Insurance Council,” Leigh gushed. “Those events are life and career changing.”
Jarvis could only marvel at the pride rolling off the young assistant. Her cow-eyed devotion was a bit unnerving.
“It was a pleasure to see you, Jarvis.” Leigh fluttered her fingers and scampered away.
Behind him, he heard Bella snickering. “Stop,” he muttered under his breath.
“Hey, Micheline!” Spencer called out. Both women turned. “Is AAG a cult?”
Jarvis whistled softly. His brother was clearly frustrated with Micheline’s convenient answers for everything. The investigation must be taking some worrisome turns to push him to such an aggressive tactic.
Leigh gasped and pressed her fingers to her mouth. Micheline smiled, the expression brittle and cold. “Of course not, Sergeant. Good day.” She turned on her heel and marched down the block, Leigh trailing after her.
“You okay?” Bella asked.
“I don’t know,” Spencer said, his gaze still locked on the two women. “I’m missing something.”
“You’ll figure it out,” Jarvis assured him. “You always do.”
* * *
All day long Mia had ridden the high of that kiss, reliving the feel and taste of Jarvis’s mouth. Her dreams had been delightful, if a bit unsatisfying. It was a shock how one intense embrace could give her this renewed sense of self as a woman apart from motherhood.
She’d gone out to offer him breakfast and found the truck empty. But the text message that came through informing her he’d picked up her car reassured her that he hadn’t walked all the way back to the ranch.
The second text message he’d sent was no comfort at all.
Custody hearing was a trap. Your car has been towed due to a flat tire. More later.