Page 14 of Vanishing Point (Bent County Protectors #1)

“Well, that was a waste of time,” Laurel grumbled as they stepped out of the courthouse together.

So often trips to court were. It seemed more often than not the defendant wasn’t too keen on showing up to their own trial. Or their lawyer got things stalled out for another month.

He’d pulled his phone out of his pocket the minute they were released. He had a text from Vi.

She just left. Run-of-the mill questions. Hope court went well.

“Everything good?” Laurel asked, sliding into the passenger seat since he’d driven them over.

“Vi said the questions were pretty run-of-the-mill.”

“You’re going to have to surrender those envelopes and pictures today.”

“I know.” He blew out a long breath. “Want to take a long, long lunch?”

“It won’t change anything.”

“No, it won’t,” Thomas muttered. They hadn’t gotten any prints off the envelope. Nothing that could give them proof on who’d sent it. Still, it grated. He didn’t want to surrender evidence that had been sent to him to some federal agency.

“So, what’s your theory? Coincidence, or this Eric guy is up to more bad than just terrorizing his ex-wife?”

He knew what Laurel was doing. She was posing it as a question, but she was reminding him there was more to this case then just those pictures. Because of course it wasn’t coincidence. The postal inspector’s case was bigger than whatever Vi’s ex was up to.

Even if to him , and to Vi, the biggest thing was Eric causing her harm.

“I bet that postal inspector would let you in on more of her case if you took her out to dinner.”

He eyed Laurel out of the corner of his eye as he drove. “And if you were to take out a male postal inspector to get more details on a case, how would Grady react?”

Laurel laughed. And then she laughed harder. “Touché.” They reached the parking lot of the station and got out.

“You bringing her to Cam and Hilly’s baby shower this weekend?” Laurel asked as they grabbed their bags out of the back.

“Trying to convince her. She acted a little squirrelly about it.”

“Guess she’s got a reason.”

Thomas frowned, because he didn’t know what that reason would be.

Laurel nudged him as they walked through the parking lot. “Now who’s acting squirrelly?”

“Not squirrelly. I just don’t…get it. But I haven’t had time to think about it. I have to know they’re safe before I can worry about little dumb stuff.” Dumb stuff like why she didn’t want to be in his life outside of the small worlds they’d created.

So maybe that was the answer. Laurel’s guess she’s got a reason .

Vi still didn’t trust those worlds outside the ones she’d built. And could he really blame her after what she’d endured?

“You know, I hope this one sticks,” Laurel said as he gestured her to go inside ahead of him.

“Yeah, me too. Why?”

“You deserve a nice family, Hart.”

He liked to think so, but he also knew… For the past fifteen years, maybe nothing romantic had worked out, but that didn’t mean he’d been alone. “Got one, don’t I?”

She smiled at him. “Yeah, you do. But more doesn’t hurt.”

When they walked into their office, the postal inspector was already there. She was sitting in a chair and looking at her phone and took her time addressing them.

“Got a few minutes for me, Detective Hart?”

“Sure thing.”

She paused, as if waiting for Laurel to give them privacy. Laurel, bless her, pretended like she didn’t notice and went over to their desk and settled herself into the chair, then busied herself with the computer.

Thomas had to fight back a smile.

“I talked to Eric Carter this morning. He says he doesn’t know anything about any envelopes or Texas.”

“Naturally.”

“I also spoke with a few of the people he works with, including his captain. No one knew of any connections he might have to Texas. He hasn’t missed a scheduled day of work in months and hasn’t taken any time off.”

“Are you going to investigate that further? Someone can get from Richmond to Texas on a weekend off.”

She lifted a shoulder. “Look, I can’t rule him out, but I can’t concentrate on him without more of a lead. There’s no evidence he’s left Virginia, and the postal stamp is from Texas. It’s feeling a little bit more like a dead end than a lead.”

“So how do you explain the fact he’s the only one who would have had those photos?”

The inspector sighed. “I don’t know, Detective Hart. I’d like to. Part of that will be continuing my investigation by focusing on the evidence we do have. I’d like the envelopes and their contents.” She smiled, but there was no confusing that smile for anything but politeness over a demand. “Now.”

Laurel stood. “Why don’t I go get them for you?” she offered.

Thomas nodded, even though he hated it. He wasn’t getting around a federal agency on this. Besides, he had copies. It wasn’t a total loss. Laurel gave his arm a reassuring squeeze before she left the office.

Once Laurel was gone, the inspector spoke again. “Can I ask why I questioned someone at a house that you own, Detective Hart?”

Whatever accusations Inspector Kay was offering were veiled under a smile and a friendly enough delivery. Thomas tried to match it instead of getting defensive. He hadn’t expected her to check on the owner of the house.

“Like I said yesterday, she’s a friend.” Thomas kept himself as relaxed as possible. “She lives with family and she didn’t want them worried, so I let her use my place. Is that a problem?”

“No, I just want to make sure I know all the details of the case.”

“It’s a small town, ma’am. We watch out for each other around here. You’ve got all the details.”

“I’m heading back to Denver this afternoon, but it’s possible I’ll be back.” She stood up from the chair. Just a shade too close. But he pretended not to notice.

“You’ve got my number. Feel free to call me if something changes.”

He smiled thinly. “I will. I hope you’ll do the courtesy of letting me know when you wrap up this case.”

“Of course.”

She stayed there a beat, and then Laurel came in. She slid a sealed evidence envelope between what little space Inspector Kay had left between her and him.

“Here you go,” she said cheerfully.

The inspector took them. “I’m not your enemy, guys. I hope you realize that.” Then she scooted past him, against him, and out the door.

“She’s right,” Thomas muttered in frustration, irritation.

He might not like her on a personal level, but it wasn’t like they were on opposite sides.

They were both looking for the truth. He just had a vested personal connection.

“We’re all on the same side. I’ve got to stop acting like I’m the only one who can protect Vi. ”

Laurel patted him on the back. “You’re doing all right, Hart. We’ll get there.”

He wished he believed it.

V I THOUGHT HER therapy session went well enough. She talked about the postal inspector’s questions, and the comment about letting Eric happen.

She worked through her feelings on that, why she might be touchy about word choice, and how some people projected their own issues onto others. Whatever the inspector thought didn’t have anything to do with Vi.

So she had to let it go.

Easier said than done, but at least she had an action plan. When Thomas got home, Mags in tow, her heart filled.

Who else’s opinion could matter when she had these two?

But that joy quickly petered out when they sat down to dinner, and Thomas started talking about socializing .

“The baby shower is Saturday at noon. Kids welcome. It’s basically just a barbecue and we’re all bringing baby gifts. You know, Hilly is a nurse. Just started last year. She could give you information if you were still looking in that direction.”

“Thomas, I don’t know that Mags and I should go.”

He didn’t say anything at first. There was a kind of heavy silence that might have reminded her of her past if it wasn’t Thomas sitting there.

“Okay.” He took the last bite of food from his plate, put it in his mouth, then got up and moved to the sink. Without anything else.

Vi looked helplessly at Mags, who’d made a mess of herself as usual. And like he often did, Thomas came over with a washcloth and wiped her up.

But he didn’t say anything, and he didn’t smile. And it made her feel…small. Like her stomach was tied in a million knots. She couldn’t finish her meal.

“Thomas. Talk to me.”

“About what?” He went over to the sink, dropped the washcloth in it. Turned on the sink.

She got up, frustration and some other emotion she didn’t quite understand brewing deep inside her. “You can’t be afraid to tell me what you want just because I have this…trauma sitting there. This won’t work if you treat me with kid gloves.”

“I did tell you what I wanted. You said no, and I said okay.”

“And now you’re mad.”

He shook his head, and to his credit, he didn’t actually seem mad . He turned off the sink, turned to her. “I’m not mad. I’m…confused and disappointed.”

“But you said okay.”

“What am I supposed to say?”

“That you’re confused and disappointed.”

“I’m not going to manipulate you into going to this with me. If you don’t want to, that’s your choice. And I’ll live with it. The end.”

“It’s not the end, because it’s not… manipulating to explain to me how you feel about something I’ve done.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. There was some anger, but it was carefully guarded. “What about your feelings? What about your decision? You want me to unload, but you won’t even tell me why you won’t go.”

“I just…” Maybe it was because she’d had her therapy session this afternoon that she found the courage to say it. “I hate the idea anyone I meet has to eventually know the truth about me. They’ll know what happened to me and it colors who I am.”

He didn’t say anything to that, didn’t drop his arms, but that carefully guarded anger turned into something else. Something too close to pity for her liking.

“It doesn’t color who you are to me.”

“I know. But that postal inspector…”

Thomas stiffened. “What about her?”

Vi shrugged. She didn’t have the words for it.

“I don’t know. I don’t like the way she talked to me.

The questions she had to ask. I know that’s not fair, but it just…

I’m tired of having to dredge it all back up.

When I was living at the ranch, I only talked to Audra, Rosalie and Franny. I barely left. I felt…safe.”

He inhaled. “Do you feel safe here, Vi?”

She didn’t even have to think about the answer. “I do.”

“All right then.”

Mags chose that moment to throw her sippy cup halfway across the room, knocking over Vi’s half-full glass of milk. They all jumped to action to clean everything up, and then comfort Mags when she started crying.

They put Mags to bed. They didn’t make out on the couch. Maybe they’d both had a rough enough day. But when they crawled into bed, he pulled her against him and held her close and tight.

“I love you, Vi.”

“I love you too.” And she fell asleep fast enough, or must have, because the next thing she knew a trilling phone woke her up. Panic immediately slammed through her.

Eric was calling.

Eric…

“Hello,” Thomas’s deep voice said into the quiet room.

For a moment, addled by sleep, she thought he’d answered her phone. But her hand was on her phone on the nightstand. And the screen was black. No call coming through.

It had been his phone ringing.

“And it can’t wait until morning?” he said in low tones as Mags made some whimpering noises.

He grunted some kind of assent, then put his phone down on the nightstand again. “I’ve got to get down to the station,” he whispered. “A break on an old case we can’t wait on.” He pushed out of the bed. He was only a shadow in the dark. Then he cursed. “Hell, Vi. I can’t leave you here alone.”

“It’s okay,” she said, her mind whirling a bit. Still hung up on Eric. Weird threatening calls from robotic voices were usually the only phone calls that woke her up in the middle of the night.

He slid out of the room, and she could see the light come on under the crack of the door. Mags had fussed, but had quieted back down, so Vi snuck out of the room, letting in the least amount of light.

He’d brought his clothes out here and was putting them on.

“I’m sorry.” And he looked genuinely worried, genuinely conflicted as he pulled on his county polo.

“I don’t usually get called in in the middle of the night, but I should have thought this possibility through when I had you guys come stay here. ”

“We’ll be all right. You said it yourself, the postal inspector talked to Eric at work today. In Virginia. He’s just trying to scare me. Not hurt me. You can’t watch me 24/7, Thomas. It’s just not possible.”

“I’m going to see if I can get a deputy to drive by, maybe park outside for a bit.” He strode over to the closet. She usually didn’t watch him do this part, because she hated knowing there was a gun in the house.

But tonight, she did. Watched him reach up to the gun safe on the top shelf in the closet, unlock it with the key on his keychain, and then pull out the gun and shove it into the holster attached to his belt.

As their marriage had gone on, seeing Eric in his uniform, with his guns, had made her more and more nervous. Always wondering when he’d turn it on her.

But tonight, she worried about what Thomas might have to face that would force him to pull his gun. Because that was the only way she knew he’d use it.

He crossed back to her, pressed a kiss to her mouth. “All the back doors are locked. Just make sure the security is all set up once I lock the front door behind me. Okay?”

“I’ll be okay. We’ll be okay. I promise.” She managed a smile.

He definitely didn’t smile back. He was going off to do dangerous work in the middle of the night. That was his job. A job she was very familiar with, because Eric had done the same.

Of course, even in the beginning of their relationship, before he’d started hitting her, she’d never minded. It had always been nice to get a little time alone. And he usually came back from an actual emergency call in a good mood.

Work made him feel important, powerful. It was when he felt weak, small and useless that he took to using his fists to make her feel the same.

Thomas stepped out the door and closed it behind him. She heard him lock it with his key. Then she made sure the security system was on.

She didn’t think she’d be going back to sleep, so she settled herself on the couch and turned on the TV. She must have dozed off eventually, though, because she was jerked awake by the text message notification on her phone.

She looked at the screen, thinking the text would be from Thomas. But it was from an unknown number instead.

Count your days.