Page 30 of Out of Time (Undaunted Courage #3)

Cara scooted up in bed, pressed talk, and put the cell to her ear. “Morning. Hold for a minute.” After putting on her hearing gear, she picked up the conversation. “Sorry. I had to get my ears in place. All set.”

“Did I wake you up?”

“Is it Saturday before ten?”

“I’ll take that as a yes. Sorry. I’m en route to a fire scene and this may be the only opportunity I have all day to squeeze in a call to my favorite sister. You want me to hang up?”

“No. I’m awake now. Sort of.” Cara yawned. “What’s going on?”

“Same old, same old.”

“Ha. Says the new bride. How’s married life?”

A contented sigh came over the line. “Bliss. Any prospects on your end?”

An image of Brad materialized in her mind, and Cara’s lips curved up.

But it was too soon to say anything to her siblings. What if the first date fizzled?

“No news to report.”

“Bummer. But hang in there. Once you’re back in civilization, the pool of possibilities will expand.”

“I’ll hold that thought.”

“You hear anything from Jack?”

“Not much. A couple of quick texts. What about you?”

“Same here. I think he’s directing the bulk of his communication to Lindsey.”

“Fiancées get first priority.”

“Remember that when your time comes.”

“ If it comes.”

“It will. I have great confidence. What’s new on your end? Is all quiet on the southwestern front—or, as Jack would say, in the hinterland?”

Hardly.

In addition to all the other strange happenings, there was now a stamp-stealing ex-housekeeper in the mix. Lydia may not have confessed to Natalie, but according to the older woman at dinner last night, she’d had guilt written all over her during their hallway talk yesterday.

The question was how much to tell her siblings.

Other than Micah, none of the incidents that had occurred during her tenure were newsworthy. His death, however, could cross their radar, and if they connected the dots, they’d be upset she hadn’t said anything.

It might be best to give Bri a topline in case they got wind of that situation.

“Quiet for the most part, but there was a sad event on the property.” She kept her voice as neutral as possible. “Natalie’s groundskeeper died.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. What happened?”

“It appears he fell out of his boat on the lake, hit his head, and drowned.”

“That is sad. Did he have a family?”

“No.”

“I suppose that’s a blessing. Losing someone in such a tragic manner would be hard for the people left behind.”

“Natalie’s upset, though. She’s counted on him for years.”

“I can imagine. No chance there was any funny business about his death, is there?”

Leave it to Bri to ask questions about a death rather than accept the news at face value.

Kind of like Brad, come to think of it.

“I don’t think so. The sheriff is looking into it, but as far as I know, the investigation is more a formality than anything else.” Unless he’d found some basis for the suspicions he’d hinted at during dinner the night of Micah’s service, when he’d said he planned to keep his ear to the ground.

“Watch your step just the same. I don’t like you in the vicinity of odd deaths. And let me know if anything else unusual happens on the property.”

“Why? This is way out of your jurisdiction.”

“I have connections. I could always ask someone to have a chat with the sheriff, since my sister is peripherally connected to the event. Not all small-town types are as diligent as they could be.”

“This one is.”

“How do you know?”

Whoops.

“I’ve, uh, met him. He came by to see Natalie twice, and I also ran into him in town.” She wadded the sheet in her fist and braced. “As a matter of fact, I’m also the one who found the groundskeeper’s body during one of my daily walks.”

“Cara! You waited until now to tell me that?”

“I would have gotten around to it.” Maybe. But at least that piece of information ought to distract Bri from asking any more questions about her younger sister’s interactions with the sheriff.

“Are you okay with that?”

“It didn’t give me nightmares or anything, if that’s what you mean.”

“Listen ... you want me to run down there a night next week? If there’s a Thai restaurant in the area, we could indulge in that spicy food you like.”

Pressure built behind her eyes at her sister’s kindhearted gesture. It was classic Bri. “I appreciate the offer, but it’s too long of a drive after a full day of work. Especially since you’re not a fan of Thai cuisine.”

“I could suffer through it for the sake of my little sister.”

“You’re barely a year older than me.”

“Once a little sister, always a little sister. The offer’s on the table if you change your mind.” In the background, a siren sounded. “Gotta run. I’m at the scene. Let me know if you need me. Otherwise, we’ll talk next Saturday. And I promise I won’t call this early.”

“No worries. I should get up anyway. I have to run to my office on campus, and I don’t want to be late for my ballet class.”

“Enjoy.”

“Always.”

They rang off, and Cara swung her legs to the floor. Stood. Stretched.

Dinner with Bri next week would have been fun if the drive wasn’t so long.

But she did have dinner with Brad on her calendar.

And much as she loved her sister, a date with the handsome sheriff would be even better than a chatty meal with Bri.

Because not only was she eager to enjoy his company in an unofficial capacity, she was curious to find out if keeping his ear to the ground in the Micah case had produced any new leads.

A long shot, no doubt. Brad himself had admitted as much.

Yet Natalie seemed unconvinced the man’s death had been an accident.

In all honesty, she didn’t have positive vibes about that herself.

Furrowing her brow, Cara pulled her dance clothes from the closet.

Trouble was, if natural causes or an accident hadn’t ended his life, that meant someone had killed him.

Someone who was still out there.

A shiver rippled through her.

Not the cheeriest thought on this Saturday morning.

So she’d try to put it aside. Leave all crime-related matters in Brad’s capable hands. If there was anything to worry about, he’d tell her.

Nevertheless, it wouldn’t hurt to watch her back from now on.

Just in case someone much more menacing than gentle-natured Micah was lurking about the premises for purposes they alone were privy to, waiting to wreak more havoc.