Page 98 of Present Danger (Rocky Mountain Courage 1)

FORTY-FIVE

Tension corded her neck. Terra needed to rein in her focus if she was going to get caught up before her early dinner with Alex and Erin so they could head out to the memorial together.

After leaving Jack at the diner, Terra had stopped by the museum, but it was closed on Mondays. She’d then driven into the district office and spent the rest of the day catching up on paperwork on her various investigations.

Case Haymaker approached and leaned against the edge of her desk. “Terra, how’s it going? Haven’t seen you in too many days.”

“Hey.” She glanced away from the computer to smile at him and saw the deep concern in his eyes.

“What?”

“I’m glad you made it out of the Maverick fire alive,” he said. “That had to have been terrifying.”

So that’s what they’d named it. She exhaled slowly. “It was, at that. I’m relieved they contained it before it reached Stone Wolf Mountain.” Though so much forest had been lost. “Listen, it’s good to see you, but I have a lot to get on top of here.” She couldn’t afford to fall behind.

“I understand, so I’ll leave you to it.” Case made to leave, then hesitated, turning back to her. “Watch your back, Terra. It seems like you’re caught in the crosshairs a lot lately.”

Case disappeared through the door and left her to think on his words. Wait. What had he heard? How much did he know?

Case ... Case was about six feet tall, wasn’t he? Terra rubbed her temples. Every six-foot-tall man couldn’t be a suspect. She was grasping at proverbial straws. Anything to keep the investigation from turning toward Leif, and by default, her brother.

She stared at the cell on her desk and itched to call Jack to find out if he’d learned anything more. Also, to hear his voice. She hadn’t meant to rush out of the diner—especially after that breakfast he’d ordered for her—leaving him in the wake of her frustration.

And she was still distressed, struggling to focus on her other cases while this investigation looked to potentially expand around the globe. She was waiting to hear from Jeremy about the Middle Eastern piece. He’d offered to try to identify it. No sense in notifying other agencies—like the FBI Art Crime Division or Homeland Security—until she had solid information to share.

Terra made a list of more people to talk to. She wanted to speak with Jim’s daughter, Abbie, again, and Neva’s family as well. She tucked the list away for later before heading to Gramps’s to quickly change and then to the restaurant to meet her longtime friends.

Heart pounding, Terra rushed into Fazzori’s Italian Restaurant, where the hostess greeted her. The aroma of garlic and basil and cheese made her mouth water. “I’m here to meet—” Erin waved at her from across the crowded restaurant. “Oh, there they are.”

Terra left the hostess and weaved through the tables, finally plopping down next to Alex and across from Erin, who smiled. With silver hoops dangling from her ears and her long blonde hair stacked on top of her head, her friend looked elegant as always. And Alex flashed his roguish grin. Terra had always thought Alex could model for GQ, and that hadn’t changed. He wore a crisp white button-down shirt, and his thick brown hair was neatly trimmed and his gray eyes serious.

“I’m glad you could make it,” Erin said.

“I’m sorry I’m late.”

“I was afraid you got caught up in something work-related. No such pressure on me.” Erin angled her head at Alex.

Alex quirked a grin but said nothing as he picked up his menu and seemed to bury his head in it.

Terra took a calming breath and a sip of water from the glass placed before her. “It feels good to finally be here. We don’t get to do this that often anymore, since you guys have both moved away.” And even if they lived closer, would their busy lives prevent them from getting together?

Erin laughed. “You’re one to talk.”

Her friend referred to Terra’s time living in Colorado.

“Well, I’m back now.” Terra grabbed a menu and stared at it.

Would they share their secrets like they used to, or hide behind menus and Italian food?

“And since I’m back, I’ll say that I hope you both will move back too,” she added. “That would make things so much easier to keep in touch.” They’d been her lifeline for so long, after all.

Well, shoot. She shouldn’t put pressure on them like this.

“I admit that I miss living here,” Erin said. “I would be closer to Mom. But I’m not sure I could find a job with the locals as a criminal psychologist. Nor would I want to, considering Nathan’s a detective here. I don’t think I could work with him.”

Erin gave Terra a look over her menu. Terra knew exactly where Erin’s mind had gone—straight to Terra and Jack’s current joint investigation. “That stinks, Erin. I’m sorry.”

“Instead, I’ve been trying to get Mom to move out to Seattle to live with me.” Erin closed her menu and placed it next to her plate.