“Jesse’s innocent and you know it,” I say. “Besides, we have no intention of breaking and entering anywhere.”
“What the hell do you think you’re doing right now?”
“Why, you invited us in,” I say, giving him my best wide-eyed innocent look. “Didn’t he, Callie?”
“He sure did. I’m an eyewitness.”
Pat scoffs and shakes his head. “You two bitches are something else.”
I smile then. My most sickeningly sweet smile I can come up with. “Oh, Pat, my darling. You have no idea.”
He drops his gaze to my chest. “You’re still hot.”
Then he looks at Callie. “And you’re still an ugly duckling.”
“Shut the fuck up,” I say.
Callie says nothing.
Good. He’s not worth the response.
“I should’ve fucked you that night,” Pat says. “That night in the van.”
“You really think I would have let that happen?”
“I don’t think you would’ve had a choice.”
“So you want to add rapist to the rest of your criminal monikers,” Callie says. “Nice.”
“What did you mickey me with?” Pat asks.
“Nothing.”
“Then why did I wake up somewhere else?”
“Don’t know.” I shrug. “You couldn’t get a freaking boner either.”
It’s a low blow, and it’s probably not true. We didn’t get that far, and I didn’t go near his crotch.
“Right,” he says.
“It’s a shame you don’t remember, Pat. You had performance anxiety.”
Callie chuckles next to me.
I can’t help myself. This guy’s an asshole. The asshole of assholes.
“You might want to watch what you say to me, Rory,” Pat says. “I can still make your life pretty miserable.”
“Not as miserable as I can make yours.” I walk toward the kitchen. “Let’s split up, Callie. Check each room. Anything a little out of the ordinary? Take a photo.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Brock
As soon as Dale and Donny drop me off at my place, I call Rory.
“Hello.”
“Hey, Rory. It’s Brock.”
Her throat clears. “Hey.”
“Listen, I’m sorry I haven’t called.”
“I got your email. About renting out the cinema.”
“Oh, good. So are you excited? About putting together a program?”
“I’m…kind of in the middle of something right now.”
“Are you free tonight?”
A pause.
Then, “Seriously? You’re calling me at the last minute to go out with you tonight?”
This time I pause. How do I respond to that? I tried to give her space, to help her to think that I wasn’t just after one thing. Of course I am after that thing tonight. After the fucking day I had.
“It’s been a busy week at work. I apologize. I should’ve called you sooner.”
“I think I might be busy.”
“You think?”
“I just told you. I’m kind of in the middle of something.”
“What are you in the middle of? Maybe I can help.” I look down at my watch. It’s nearly five o’clock already.
“I’m…investigating.”
“Then I definitely want to help.”
“Forget about it. We’re done.”
“We?”
“Callie and me.”
“Where are you?”
“We’re at Doc Sheraton’s house.”
“The veterinarian? What are you doing there?”
“I told you. Investigating.”
“Investigating…what?”
“Just investigating. But we’re done. And about tonight…”
“Yeah?” My heart jumps as I wait for her reply.
“Yeah. I’d love to go out with you tonight.”
Thank God. “Great. Where do you want me to pick you up? You want me to come to town and pick you up there?”
“No. I’ll drive back home with Callie. Pick me up at our ranch house in about an hour and a half. Six thirty.”
“Perfect. It’s done. And Rory?”
“What?”
“I can’t wait to see you.”
Before she can respond, I end the call.
But I can’t help but wonder—what is she doing at Doc Sheraton’s house?
Then I call her back quickly.
“Yeah?” she says into the phone, her voice breathless.
“Hey, I need you to ask Doc Sheraton something for me.”
“He’s not here.”
I wrinkle my forehead. He’s not there? But Rory is? No, she so did not…
“Before you freak out on me,” she says, “Pat is here. Pat Lamone.”
“What the hell is he doing there?”
“He’s Brittany’s boyfriend. He’s house-sitting. Doc and Brittany are in Wyoming.”
“And he just let you in? To…investigate?”
“Yeah. He didn’t have a lot of choice.”
“Rory, what’s going on?”
“You wouldn’t believe it if I told you.”
“Try me.”
“We’ll see how things go tonight,” she says. “Bye now.”
This time she ends the call without waiting for my response.
So much for talking to Doc Sheraton. He would know all about guard dog registration. In fact…
Oh my God.
Doc Sheraton trains guard dogs.
I knew that. He’s a small-town vet. He takes care of horses, cattle, and house pets, but Snow Creek is a small town. He needed a side hustle.
He trains guard dogs.
In Wyoming.
Oh. My. God.
Why didn’t I think of this? He’ll know all about guard dogs. He may have trained the guard dogs that those degenerates are using.
But he’s out of town. In Wyoming. Probably working at his guard-dog kennel.
I make a quick note on my phone. I don’t have his cell number, only his office number in town. But he’ll be back. He probably has appointments this week. I’ll go talk to him. Maybe take Rory with me.
Or…not.
Just because Dale and Donny brought their significant others in on this—one who happens to be Rory’s sister—doesn’t mean I should bring in Rory. Rory is hardly my significant other. She’s a woman I’ve been on one date with. A woman I’m wildly attracted to.