Colton's Secret Bodyguard

Rylan took his time counting out the cash to pay her. “If you’ve lived here for some time, you must have seen a lot of changes in the area.”

“Tell me about it. Not so long ago, the makeup of this place was very different.” Although her gesture took in the small courtyard, she looked upward at the redbrick facade of the gallery and beyond to the rooftops of the other units within the Diamond.

“This was a warehouse, right?” Rylan asked.

“Most of these buildings were originally used for that purpose,” Judith said. “There was an iron foundry and feed and grain mill nearby, so these warehouses were needed to store their products. The foundry closed first, but the area retained its industrial identity. This building housed a construction company.”

“You talk like someone who knows a lot about it.”

She looked self-conscious. “You got me started on my favorite subject. Local history, especially the Second Street area, is a real hobby of mine.”

“It’s fascinating.” It was true, possibly because she was so enthusiastic about it. “What happened?”

Judith shrugged. “The recession hit. Businesses closed one by one. These buildings started to fall into disrepair and there was talk of pulling them down. A foundation was set up to try and save them from demolition and preserve their identity. Some people were very passionate, talking about how it felt to have their future ripped away, but they just couldn’t raise the funds. Then a development company bought them up and renovated the buildings. With support from the city council, they sold them on with business incentives for the new owners. The Diamond is the result. Tourists come for the skiing, and this is an additional attraction.”

“Was there any bad feeling about the change in the area?” Rylan asked.

Judith pursed her lips. “Not that I’m aware. I run an online local history forum. The comments there were all positive. The developer bought these buildings about five years ago and, at that time, they were a real scar on the Roaring Springs landscape. I don’t think anyone would view the way they look now as a bad thing. The Diamond has breathed new life into this area.”

She took the money for his meal, together with the tip Rylan gave her, and went back inside. Judith’s brief history had given him a new perspective on the Diamond, but he wasn’t sure it helped him in any way. It sounded as if the area had been dead, and the new businesses had revived it. Was there a grudge buried in there somewhere? If so, it wasn’t immediately obvious.

Although Judith had firmly banished Papadum from the interior of Arty Sans, Rylan was able to view the setup from his position outside. There were three members of staff, including Judith, all of them female. Two worked behind the serving counter while their colleague manned the cash desk. Every now and then, one person would step out from behind the counter to clear tables.

None of the three women looked like crazy stalkers. But that was the problem. Crazy stalkers didn’t usually advertise the fact.

Judith had admitted her devotion to local history. Was her positive attitude to the changes sincere, or did she wish the area’s true past had been preserved? Even if she hadn’t been truthful with him, was it a motive for harassment? And why target Bree? If this was about the Diamond, surely the other businesses would also come under attack? Maybe they had...

He sent a quick text message to Trey, asking him to check. It occurred to Rylan that the sheriff might not like taking orders from the hired help. He shrugged. Tough. They were in this together, and he would do whatever it took to protect Bree. If that included ruffling a few Colton feathers, he’d live with the consequences.

He finished his coffee. “Where next?” he asked. Papadum snorted. “Craft shop? Good idea. Maybe we should get you a beret. It would give you a creative air. And let people know where your head is.”

Chapter 8

Everything had been gearing up to this day. The gallery show would take place later that evening, and Bree was working with Kasey to make sure the final arrangements were in place. The excitement was like a buzz of electricity in the air and, even though her own paintings weren’t on display, she knew this would be one of the best shows Wise Gal had put on.