Page 34 of Smokescreen

“The situation could have been much worse,” Reid said.

“If a driver had hit one . . .”

Reid’s jaw tightened. “Believe me, I know.”

They pulled onto Main Street in downtown Vulture Gulch.

Main Street looked like the quintessential Western town Olive had seen in movies. Wooden storefronts stretched down both sides of the street, while snow-capped mountains stood guard beyond the town limits.

Olive could easily imagine stagecoaches and standoffs and brothels once filling this area.

Reid found a parking space in front of a white building with the words “Barrington and Associates” stretching above it.

He grabbed his briefcase and then glanced at her. “This is where my lawyer’s office is. My dad utilized the services of Wayne Barrington Sr., who passed away at the age of ninety-four about a year before my father. He practiced law right up until a month before he died.”

“Impressive.”

“Let’s go see if we can find out some answers.”

Wayne Barrington Jr. appeared to be in his early sixties, and he had a head full of thick white hair. His skin was smooth and relatively free of wrinkles. He wore a blue bow tie with his gray suit.

On the shelf behind him, along with his framed law degrees, he had pictures of himself in a safari hat and khaki shirt. He’d been photographed alongside some of his kills, most likely in Africa.

Olive could see this man as being the rich professor type who liked to take exotic vacations.

The man seemed fond of Reid as he gave him a hearty handshake.

“Wayne, this is my girlfriend, Olive.” Reid stepped back and introduced her.

A grin lit the man’s face, and he shook her hand also, though more gently than he had Reid’s. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Olive. It’s truly an honor when Reid actually brings someone home. You should feel special.”

She stole a glance at Reid and flashed him a smile. Part of her felt bad that they weren’t telling the truth to someone who clearly counted Reid as a friend. But hopefully Reid could explain the situation to him later and Wayne would understand.

“Have a seat.” Wayne pointed to the chairs in front of his desk. “Can I get you some coffee?”

“I’m allergic,” Olive said.

His eyes widened. “Well, if that isn’t the saddest thing I’ve ever heard in my life. Allergic to coffee?”

She couldn’t help but laugh at his animated tone. “Caffeine, actually. It makes me break out in hives.”

He shook his head and looked at her with exaggerated pity. “I’ll add you to my prayer list for that one.”

“No need,” she said with a grin. “I’ll be fine. But Iwilltake some water.”

He reached to the shelf beside him and grabbed a bottle, handing it to her. Then he glanced at Reid. “You?”

“I’m fine, but thank you.”

“Okay then.” Wayne rested his arms on the desk as he stared at both of them. “Did Reid tell you that our families go way back?”

Olive looked at Reid and shook her head. “No, he didn’t.”

“His great-grandparents and mine were some of the original settlers in this area.”

“That’s really fascinating. I can’t even begin to imagine what life might have been like back then.”

“It is interesting, right?” Wayne leaned forward and pressed his hands against his desk. “Okay, enough chitchat. Let’s see these legal documents you told me about.”