Angels Fall

else. The name of the man she was involved with. So how to play it? An old friend of Deena's trying to catch up? Chatty, friendly. A Wyoming cop trying to track down information on known associates? Tough, brisk.
    Odds were he wasn't going to find out a damn thing anyway.

    He decided it was time to take a short break and let his head clear before he tried contacting Deena's mother.
    Before he could get up, his phone rang.
    The familiar voice had him relaxing back again. The unusual but interesting request had him considering. Ten minutes later, Brody was walking out of the house, then driving out of town. He glanced at Angel Food as he passed. If this panned out, he hoped to have a resolution for Reece in a couple hours.

    EVERYTHING STARTED NOW. And now there would be no going back—no regrets, no mistakes. It was risky, and the timing would have to be perfect. But it could be done. Had to be done. The cabin was the right place for this first step. Quiet and secluded, with the cover of the woods, the marsh. No one would come there looking for them. Just as no one had ever come there looking for Deena.
    When it was done, he'd have hours to make certain it was all done properly. He'd cover all the tracks, as always. And he'd put things right again. Back attain. The way they should be.

    "ALL RIGHT, LO, I want to know where we're going."
    "That's for me to know."
    Linda-gail folded her arms and tried a narrow stare, but he didn't crack. It wasn't the way to Jackson Hole. She'd secretly hoped he was taking her to a fancy dinner somewhere especially nice. Where she could show off her new dress.
    But he hadn't gone that way. In fact—
    '"If you think for one minute I'm going to sit around some campfire in this dress, you're crazier than I ever gave you credit for."
    "We're not going camping. And that dress sure is a killer." He shot her a quick, heated look. "I hope whatever you got on under it's just as lethal."
    "You're not going to see what's under it, this keeps up."
    "Wanna bet?" He gave her a smug grin, made the next turn. She saw where he was going now, and went to silent fume. "You might as well turn this truck around and take me right back home."

    "If you still feel that way in ten minutes, I will."
    He pulled up at the cabin with all the plans and preparations circling in his head. Nerves threatened, but he steeled himself against them.
    He'd come too far to back down now.
    Since Linda-gail didn't budge, he got out, came around and opened her door. It was probably the way it should have been anyway, he decided, since she was wearing that sexy dress and he was duded up in his best suit.
    "Just come on inside, honey, don't be stubborn." He eased and cajoled her as he might a fractious mare.
    "Otherwise, I'm just going to cart you in anvwav."
    "Fine. I'm going to call Reece and ask her to come out and get me as soon as she can."
    "I don't think you're going to be calling anybody," Lo muttered, and pulled her toward the cabin. "We weren't supposed to get here this soon, but you were all fired up to leave. I wanted it to be heading toward dusk when we got here."
    "Well, it's not."
    She stalked inside, fully intending to pull out her phone and call Reece. Then she was too stunned to do anything but stare.

    FOR THE THIRD time in ten minutes, Reece checked her watch. Why didn't Linda-gail call? Why hadn't she been able to convince her not to go with Lo tonight?
    Five more minutes, she vowed. And she was calling Linda-gail. No matter how crazy it sounded. Reece was going to demand to know her whereabouts. And she'd make sure Lo understood she knew.
    "Looking at the time isn't going to make it go any faster. You're on till ten regardless."Joanie ladled up stew from the pot. "And don't even think about asking to leave early. I'm already a waitress short."
    "I'm not leaving early. It's just Linda-gail said she'd call me, and she hasn't."
    "I expect she's too busy to think about calling you. She wheedled the night off, didn't she? Saturday night, too. Her and my boy ganging up on me. Couple of lamebrains, that's what. Everything's sunshine, roses and moonbeams from where they're standing. Well, in here, it's burgers, stew and fried steak, so get that order up."
    "What? What did you say?"
    "I said get that order up."
    "Sunshine and moonbeams. I remember. Oh, oh, God! I remember. I'll be back in a minute." Arms akimbo, jaw up, Joanie planted her feet. "Girl, you're not leaving that grill until I say." 
    "Two