Page 48 of Deadly Target (Rocky Mountain Courage 2)

Nathan hesitated. “I don’t want to leave you.”

“I’m here with the other cops. Just don’t pull your stitches, okay?”

But Nathan had already taken off, and she wasn’t sure he’d even heard her cautionary words.

Lord, please protect him! And help us get answers.

Erin wished Nathan had left her the keys to the rental car now. She leaned against it, then spotted a small slip of paper tucked under the windshield wiper. Erin didn’t reach for it. Not yet. She remained in place next to the car.

A van pulled up to the curb in front of Newt’s house—the GPD evidence team, she assumed. Either they’d gotten a warrant or Nathan had power of attorney and had given permission. She and Nathan certainly hadn’t expected things to unfold this way. Still, maybe walking in on an intruder had been a good thing, because now the local police would be examining the house too. And from the sounds of it, they hadn’t searched the house—at least not extensively—before this moment. This could have lit the required fires to get answers.

However, the way Nathan had explained things, his father had been nervous about others, including his own fellow officers, knowing what he was up to. Erin watched the house and law enforcement faces involved. A figure drew her attention from the house—Nathan strode down the sidewalk toward her, gasping for breath like he’d been on the chase of his life.

He stopped in front of her. He leaned over, hands on his thighs.

Erin waited for him to catch his breath, then finally said, “I take it you didn’t catch him.”

“He just ... disappeared.” He pushed off his thighs and rose to full height.

His brown eyes—usually warm and inviting—had grown dark.

“I’m going to give you permission now. Next time, please leave me. Or I’ll give chase with you.” She glanced across the street at the activity. “Looks like they’re taking the break-in to the next level.”

He dipped his chin, his eyes on the house across the street. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Wait, don’t you want to hang around? Or even watch them to see what they find?”

“I think we have all we need at the moment. Besides, they’re not going to let me any closer.”

He started toward the door, then paused as he noticed the slip of paper stuck in the wiper.

She stared at the note too. “I saw that but was waiting for you to open it. I wonder if it’s from our friend, the one you chased.”

“Let’s find out.”

He glanced around, making sure no one was watching, before he snatched the paper free of the wiper as he clicked the key fob. Erin got in on the passenger side while Nathan slid into the driver’s seat. He turned on the vehicle, along with the air conditioner—the day had grown warm.

“Are you going to read it?” She was surprised he hadn’t opened it the instant he took hold of it.

“Yes.” He unfolded the paper and held it so that she could read the scribbled words along with him.

8:00 P.M. Cooper Hill Burying Ground.

“A cemetery?” She crinkled her nose. “Why a cemetery?”

“I don’t know. But my guess is the guy I chased left the note.”

“When I first spotted him, he was moving away from our vehicle, so that’s my assumption too. And if that’s the case, he obviously didn’t want to talk to you out here in the open and in broad daylight. But I’d prefer meeting him at a diner or something. Not a burying ground. You can’t get creepier than that, especially in the dark.”

“It won’t be dark at eight. Maybe he wanted to meet before dark, but when the cemetery will likely be completely empty.”

Nathan folded the paper and handed it to her. She pulled out a small Ziploc baggie and stuck it inside.

At Nathan’s surprised look, she shrugged and said, “In case we need to get prints later.”

Steering the rental from the curb, Nathan drove slowly down the street and left the police contingent at his father’s house behind. “Let’s go check in to our hotel and grab something to eat.”

“I’d like to look at the pictures I took of the crime board before we go meet this guy.”

“You’re not going. It’s too dangerous. I don’t know what I’m walking into.”

“Exactly why you need me along. You asked for my help, so let me do it.” She had three hours to make him see reason.