Page 17 of Vanishing Point (Bent County Protectors #1)

“It’s okay.”

Vi said that before Thomas had even managed to get his arms around her. But he hugged her close anyway. Tight, just to assure himself she was here, good, in one piece.

Laurel’s voicemail had explained the situation and assured him everything was fine, but that didn’t mean he’d been fully able to believe it.

“I don’t like the timing, Vi,” he muttered into her hair. Finally able to breathe again. Maybe because he’d spent his night talking to a woman who’d been beaten so badly, he just…wasn’t okay.

“No, I don’t either,” she said, patting his back. “But it’s not like he could have set up you getting called away. I think it’s just a coincidence.”

Thomas nodded. He finally released her, at least a little. Looked back at Laurel. “Thanks for coming.”

“No thanks needed. You know that. I’ve got the text. I’ll add it to our file, write the report. I was thinking we should pass it along to the postal inspector too, just in case it might connect to something.”

Thomas nodded. “Yeah, good idea.”

“I’m going to head into the station, do all that. You get some rest. We’ll talk more later.”

Thomas nodded. He couldn’t bear to let Vi go, and he knew Laurel would give him a hard time if he said thanks again. “I’ll be back in around noon. Copeland and I have a meeting with the prosecutor.”

“Get some sleep in the meantime, huh?” Laurel said, then let herself out.

Thomas hugged Vi close again. He wasn’t sure he’d taken a full breath from the time he listened to Laurel’s voicemail until now. “I want to see the message.”

He felt Vi stiffen. “Okay, but…”

He pulled back so he could read her expression. And too easily he could see those pictures. See the woman in the hospital bed as her instead of his current victim. “But what?”

She studied his face. “I just don’t want you to… Well, I guess it’s stupid to say I don’t want you to worry.”

“Maybe not stupid, but pointless.”

She sighed, then nodded. She pulled her phone out, hit a few buttons and handed it to him. He read the screen.

Count your days.

He didn’t lose it. God, he wanted to, but there was a sleeping baby and victimized woman in his house. “That’s far more of a concrete threat than the others have been.”

Vi nodded. “I know.”

Before he could think of anything else to say, he heard Mags start to make noises from his room. Vi moved first, but Thomas stopped her.

“I got her.”

“You’ve been up all night.”

“So have you.”

“Yes, but just sitting around. You’ve been working. Is everything…okay?”

Thomas almost nodded, but it wasn’t really okay .

“A woman came in, badly beaten. She ID’d the guy who did it to her, as a man Copeland and I investigated a few months ago for murder.

We couldn’t find enough evidence, and the death was ruled a suicide.

So, this has two parts to it. We’ve got him on the assault, now we want to try to get him on that murder. ”

“Who did he kill?” she asked, like she knew.

Thomas didn’t have to tell her. He could lie. He could do a lot of things, but he held her gaze. “His wife.”

Vi nodded once, sharply. “Well, then I’m glad he’s in jail.”

“We’re going to do everything we can to make sure it stays that way.” He stepped into the room where Mags was fussing. She’d pulled herself up on the rail of the crib. But when she saw him, she stopped whimpering and grinned.

It eased so much of what had felt like barbed wire wrapped around his lungs. This sweet little baby, who loved him easily and without reservation, just because he’d shown up in her life.

All because Vi had been strong enough to escape an impossible situation, and she’d had enough family to help see her through. It wasn’t lost on him how lucky they all were, even in the midst of what felt like a decided lack of luck.

He picked up Mags, who sleepily snuggled into his shoulder. She’d be running around like a screeching banshee in about fifteen minutes, but the first time when she woke up, she was sweet and sleepy and cuddly.

Thomas let that soothe him. Or he tried to.

Eric Carter was going to come after Vi. He had no doubts about that. And with the text message, Thomas knew that was coming sooner rather than later.

So, he’d have to do everything to protect her and Mags. But not just physically. After tonight at the hospital, he needed Vi to understand. Not just because he was here, but because he said the words.

“I need you to know, I see this a lot. Before you came. I’m sure I’ll see it more.

And I may not be in that victim’s seat, but I know just how much strength and courage it takes to stand up against someone who could do that to you.

I know that everyone thinks it’s easy because you’re hurt and angry.

And I know they’re wrong, because anyone who would physically hurt someone is taking something away from them.

Nothing about surviving this is easy, and even if I’ve never experienced that, I do understand it. ”

She kept very still. Her expression was almost startled. Before she blew out a breath.

“Then I need you to know that I called Laurel because I knew it was what you wanted. And no matter what happens because of Eric, I don’t want to hurt you, Thomas.”

He held out his arm, and she stepped into him. One arm holding Mags against him, one arm curled around Vi’s shoulder. A trio.

A family.

He kissed her hair. “I love you, Vi.”

“I love you too. And I’ll…go to the baby shower.”

He tried to follow her. For a moment, he didn’t even know what baby shower she meant. “Oh. Well, we don’t have to talk about that right now, sweetheart. I just…”

“No, I want to go. I want you to know that I want to go.” She swallowed, tears swimming in her blue eyes. She swallowed audibly. “I want to be part of your life, Thomas.”

T HOMAS HAD TO go into the station for a few hours the morning of the baby shower, so Vi drove with Mags out to the ranch to catch up with everyone, and to see if Audra had any clothes suitable for a baby shower she could borrow.

Thomas had been a little…overprotective the past few days. Rightfully so, she knew. And maybe it could be frustrating not to be able to go do what she wanted, whenever she wanted. But she also didn’t want to do anything that would put her or Mags in danger.

So every day was carefully planned. Monitored. When she reached the ranch, she texted Thomas that she’d arrived. Then she tried to put the worry aside and focus on an outfit for a baby shower.

Audra took her through her closet since she was the closest in size to Vi, and it was a blessed slice of normal. To try on outfits, have a trio of women weigh in on which one was the best.

In the end, she picked a cute floral skirt and her own plain T-shirt, with some of Franny’s jewelry. She felt cute and casual and…well, nervous .

She didn’t regret saying she’d go. She couldn’t. It was a symbol. It was giving Thomas something when he’d already given her so much . It was important, and she supposed that was why she was so nervous.

This wasn’t just a baby shower. It was a gesture, and she desperately wanted it to go well. She was studying herself in the mirror, Mags playing with Franny and Rosalie on Franny’s bedroom floor when her phone rang.

She grabbed it, looked at the caller and tried not to blanch.

Franny must have seen it, because she got to her feet. “Vi—”

“It’s the postal inspector’s number.” Vi tried to smile, because hey, it wasn’t Eric . But it was probably about him. She answered the phone, stepped out of the room, knowing everyone would look after Mags.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Ms. Reynolds. This is Postal Inspector Kay. How are you?”

“I’m…fine.”

“And no doubt stressed that I called you,” she replied, good-naturedly. “But I have good news. I’m really close to being able to put out a warrant for Eric Carter’s arrest. But I have a few follow-up questions I’d like to ask you. Are you home?”

Vi thought her knees might have dissolved. She had to lean against the wall to stay upright. “Arrest?”

“Yes. Tampering with mail is a federal offense, hence my involvement with all this. As long as my case is airtight, he’s going to do some time. So, are you home?”

“Uh, no,” Vi said, her mind whirling. Federal offense.

Arrest. Eric. Was this real ? “Well, yes.” Because the inspector didn’t know she actually lived with Thomas.

“Not where we talked initially. I’m at my cousin’s ranch out by Sunrise.

It’s a ways from Bent,” she tacked on, remembering the inspector wasn’t from around here.

“I’m not too far from there. There’s a coffee place just off the highway, isn’t there?”

“Yes. Coffee Klatsch.”

“Okay, can I meet you there in fifteen minutes or so? I just have a few questions. Won’t take more than a half hour.”

Vi thought about the timing. She still had two hours before the baby shower. She could do this, get it over with, and maybe know more about the actual potential of Eric being arrested. “Okay, I can do that.”

“Great. See you soon.”

They hung up and Vi returned to the room. Everyone looked up at her with questions in their eyes. Vi wasn’t sure she had any answers. Her brain couldn’t really function beyond arrest .

But the inspector needed some answers first. “Can you guys watch Mags while I run an errand?”

“What kind of errand?” Rosalie demanded.

“I just have to meet with the postal inspector. Answer a few more questions. Real quick at Coffee Klatsch.”

“Let me come with you,” Rosalie said, getting to her feet. “I have some questions for her .”

Vi considered it. She knew Rosalie was running her own investigation. She also knew Rosalie didn’t always know when to be…polite.

“I think it’s best if I do this alone. She said it’ll only take a half hour at most. Guys, she said she’s this close to putting out an arrest warrant for Eric.”

Rosalie and Franny exchanged a look.

“I don’t want to get my hopes up, but this is huge. It’s just a few questions, then I’ll be back by noon to pick up Mags and head out to the baby shower. And I’ll text Thomas where I’m going too.”

She went over to Mags, kissed her head. “I’ll be back before you guys know it.” Then she hurried out before Rosalie could decide she needed to come anywhere. On her way to her car, she wrote out the text to Thomas.

Meeting the postal inspector at Coffee Klatsch to answer some questions.

Thought she’d headed back to Denver.

Apparently not.

Take Rosalie with you.

I’d like to stay in the inspector’s good graces. It’s just a short drive there and back to the ranch. I’ll keep updating.

Okay. Love you.

She texted back her own Love you, then drove out to the coffee house. The postal inspector was already there, leaning against the trunk of her rental car.

Vi pulled into the parking space right next to her, then steeled herself to face the intimidating postal inspector.

Who thought Eric had committed a federal offense . That was enough to get Vi out of the car.

“Don’t you look pretty.” Inspector Kay said in greeting. She shaded her eyes against the sun.

Vi managed a smile, doing the same. “Oh, well, thanks. I’m going to a baby shower.”

She frowned for a split second, but then smiled kindly. “Why didn’t you say so? These questions can wait. I don’t want to make you late.”

“No, you said it’d be quick. Let’s just get it over with.”

The inspector seemed to think this over. “All right. Well, let’s skip coffee then,” she said, waving at the building. “When you received the envelope, the address was your cousin’s ranch.”

Which wasn’t a new question at all . “Yes.”

“I talked to the mail carrier, and he said he didn’t think he’d seen an envelope that fit the description that day. Thought he would have remembered that since he’s been delivering mail to the Young Ranch for years.”

“Well, it was in the mailbox with the rest of the mail. Thomas asked Audra about it, and that’s what she said.”

“Yes, that’s all in the report. It’s just strange, because the mailman who delivered the envelope to the police station remembered dropping it off there and is on security footage doing so. He’s also been with the USPS for a few years, so unlikely involved.”

This all felt like the very opposite of leads that would end in Eric being arrested.

“Does your ex-husband have any connection to Bent County? And listen, I know you’ve probably already thought of that, but I just want to make sure there’s no tiny stone you’ve left unturned.”

The thought absolutely petrified her. But she tried to think through that. Tried to focus on what the inspector was asking. “I thought long and hard before I came here last year,” Vi said carefully. “If I’d thought he had even a tiny connection to Bent County, I wouldn’t have ended up here.”

“What about to the post office in some way? A friend who was a mailman? A case maybe he talked about with postal inspection?”

“There was a case where he worked with a postal inspector,” Vi said.

She only remembered because before that she hadn’t even known postal inspectors were a thing.

And Eric talked about what a joke of a job it was, and how useless he’d thought the guy working with him on the case was.

“I don’t remember details, but I know it was a long time ago. Early on in our marriage.”

The inspector nodded and typed something into her phone. “That’s good. Maybe I can get a subpoena for that information. It’s something to go on, anyway.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “Really. We’re so close. We just need one little break. One little connection, and the dominoes will start to fall. I’m sure of it.”

Vi stood there, the wind blowing around them. She was dressed for a baby shower, going to meet a bunch of her boyfriend’s friends and be folded into yet another area of his life.

And this might be over.

“I might have a few more for you once I get a chance to question him myself,” Inspector Kay said. “I’m hoping to do that Monday afternoon. Will you be around Tuesday morning? At Detective Hart’s house this time?”

It wasn’t an accusation, so Vi didn’t know why it felt like one. “Yes.”

“Great. I’ll meet you there. We’ll plan for nine, but I’ll call if it needs to change.”

“Sure.”

The inspector reached out, gave Vi’s shoulder a squeeze. “We’re getting to the end, Ms. Reynolds.”

Vi swallowed. Hope seemed too dangerous a thing, but it was there. Flapping its wings in her chest. “I hope so.”