Page 18 of Vanishing Point (Bent County Protectors #1)

Thomas headed home from the station. He was running a little late, but he didn’t mind showing up at these kinds of Carson and Delaney chaos get-togethers a little late. He was surprised to find Vi pulling up to his house about the same time as him. He hoped that meant her meeting went well.

“You sure look pretty,” he said in greeting.

“Is it okay?” she asked, doing a little twirl.

“Of course.”

“No, I mean, will it fit in?”

“Sure.”

“Ugh. Men.” She rolled her eyes. “Mags is asleep. I can just sit with her in the car if you want to go get ready and grab the present.”

“Sure, but how’d the meeting with the inspector go?”

She scrunched up her nose. “I don’t know that I really had any answers that helped, but she said she’s questioning Eric Monday. She seems to think it’s all leading to his arrest.”

“You don’t seem relieved by that?”

“I want to be, but I guess I’ve seen him get out of too many things to fully believe it until he’s behind bars.”

“That’s fair.”

“She wants to meet me at your house at nine on Tuesday to ask me a few more questions, but she seems to think she’ll have a warrant by then.”

Thomas scowled at that. “I’ve got court again.” And it was incredibly important this time. Allen Scott’s initial assault and battery trial, which could lead to reopening his wife’s “suicide” case.

“That’s okay. I can handle it.” And she sounded like she could. Like she wanted to. Every day she seemed more…determined to see everything through. To live in spite of it. Really live, not just hide out at the ranch, or even in his house.

It would have never lasted. She wanted too much for her daughter. So he knew her growth there didn’t have anything to do with him. He didn’t need it to, as long as she understood that it was really something that she’d managed.

“I’m proud of you, Vi. I hope you know that.”

Her mouth curved. “Well, that’s sweet, but talking to some postal inspector is hardly much of anything.”

“It’s everything.” He pulled her close, kissed her temple. “I’ll be right back.” He went to change and grab the present. If Mags woke up, she’d be fussy in the car and want out of her car seat, so he tried to hurry.

In under fifteen minutes, he was driving them out to Cam and Hilly’s house. Thomas tried to prepare Vi for the onslaught of people—some she’d know of, some she might even recognize from high school, but mostly it was a whole horde of people who all knew who she was, and she didn’t really know.

Cam Delaney had built a house just outside of town, and the driveway and road in front of it were filled with cars. Balloons and streamers decorated the outside of the house, and a big arrow sign directed people into the huge backyard, enclosed on all sides by pine trees and then mountains.

Thomas looked in the back seat at Magnolia, who was blinking her eyes open and yawning.

“We’re here, sweets. At the party.”

“Party,” she repeated, smiling and kicking her legs a little.

Thomas got out of the car and moved to get Mags out of her car seat before Vi could.

He unbuckled her, then pulled her out and settled her on his hip.

She dropped her sleepy head to his shoulder, warm and somewhat sweaty, but it was weird how when it was a little kid, who somehow held your entire heart in her tiny, pudgy hands, that feeling was nice instead of vaguely gross.

He could hear the commotion of the party from here, so he wound his free arm around Vi’s waist and led her into the back and the fray .

Thomas dropped off the present with Hilly, introduced her and Cam to Vi and Magnolia. He saw Laurel and Grady and their crew with Zach and Lucy and theirs, and started making his way over. They had to stop, make multiple introductions along the way.

Including to Ty and Jen Carson. Which wouldn’t have been weird, because he’d literally gone on maybe a handful of dates with Jen almost ten years ago. But, as they walked away, he felt Vi studying him.

“Jen and Laurel look a lot alike,” Vi said once Jen was out of earshot.

He gave her a sideways glance. “I guess.”

She laughed and shook her head. “I bet you were so transparent.”

“Hey, she went on the dates,” he replied, leading Vi over to Laurel.

It was kind of funny, because he was just always with the same people all the time, so he forgot things that had once been surprising.

Like Daisy Delaney walking among them not using her stage name here.

Like the Carson and Delaney feud that used to be the talk of Bent, like how mismatched Laurel and Grady appeared , even though he knew they were perfect for each other.

He introduced Vi to Grady, tried not to laugh when she kept surreptitiously looking at Grady’s sleeve of tattoos, and then Laurel’s sunny ponytail and trim and tidy outfit, as if trying to figure out a complex math equation.

Mags was awake and alert now and demanded to be put down. She watched another group of kids from between Thomas’s legs with avid eyes.

Laurel’s oldest raced over, her cousin-shadow Fern not far behind.

“What’s her name?” Avery demanded of Thomas, pointing at Mags. Then making a funny face at her and making Mags giggle.

“Magnolia.”

“She can come play with us,” she said to Thomas, then looked at Vi with assessing eyes. “I’m the best with babies,” Avery said with all the confidence of an oldest girl. “And Fern is second best.”

Thomas looked at Vi. She was studying the makeshift playground the kids were playing on. Most of the little ones were being herded by older ones.

Vi offered Avery a smile. “Well, as long as I’ve got the first and second best to watch after her, I guess it’s okay.”

Avery held out her hand, and Magnolia took it without much shyness. Then Fern offered her hand and Mags took it with her free one. Then they walked her over to the other kids.

“She’s very into the whole babysitting thing right now,” Laurel told Vi. “Which she’s discovered is basically a way she can boss everyone around.”

“Which is not something Avery ever tires of. I don’t know where she gets it,” Grady drawled, earning him a sharp look from Laurel. But it softened, because little baby Cary was tucked into his arm.

They chatted for a bit, mostly about the kids.

Thomas got Vi a plate of food, then maneuvered it so Hilly started talking about nursing school to Vi.

He kept an eye on the girls watching Mags and the other kids.

The older girls would do a good job, but still he found himself looking over at her just as much if not more than Vi during her conversation with Hilly.

Thomas helped himself to some food, and once he’d gotten his plate full, he saw Laurel approaching him.

“Hide me so I can eat in peace,” she said, standing behind him. She grabbed a plate and started to fill it. “Sunny is in a mama-only phase, and it’s going to end me.”

“That’s what you said when Ward was doing the same thing and you survived. And then went on to have two more.”

“Some friend you are,” she said, taking a big bite of her hot dog.

But Thomas dutifully hid her. He glanced at Mags who was happily watching Fern with big, admiring eyes. Then he glanced at Vi, deep in conversation with Hilly, sunlight dappling her hair burnished copper.

He just couldn’t take his eyes off her. Couldn’t concentrate on anything else except how much he wanted this. This right here. Every day. Forever.

“Hey, what day do you have free after work this week?” he said to Laurel.

“Why?” she asked, through a mouthful of potato salad.

“I need some help.”

“With what?”

“Buying a ring.”

She made a noise perilously close to a squeal that had Grady looking over at her, but she waved him off and grabbed Thomas’s arm. Shook it.

“Chill out,” he muttered.

“Chill out? You’re going to ask her to marry you.”

“Firstly, shh . Secondly, maybe. It’s too soon. I know it’s too soon. I just… But if I had a ring, then… Well, I could be ready. Whenever. Soon. Not soon. I don’t know.”

“Monday Grady’s helping out at the saloon so I’ve got the kids once I’m off work. But Tuesday I could manage it.”

“Okay. Tuesday it is.”

V I CONSIDERED THE whole baby shower thing a success, if only because Thomas had been in a great mood ever since. And okay, it had been a success because Mags had gotten to play with other kids. Vi had gotten to talk to Hilly about nursing and…

And maybe there was a future there. In her old plans. No, she didn’t want to be a doctor anymore, but there were a million other healthcare options, and she could hardly spend the rest of her life cowering in other people’s houses, hoping cooking and cleaning offered enough to offset her existence.

Maybe thirty-three was a little old to be starting completely over, but she already had . What was one more thing?

Monday afternoon, the postal inspector had called her and confirmed their meeting the following morning.

She’d been unwilling or unable to give any updates over the phone, and it left Vi with a mix of dread and anxiety.

She tried not to let any of that show, but Thomas seemed to see right through her.

He was dressed in a suit for his day in court, and studied her with concern in his eyes. “Maybe I should be here.”

Vi straightened his tie for him. “Don’t be ridiculous. You weren’t here last time, and I handled it. Besides, if you don’t go to court, doesn’t that hurt the case?”

He didn’t say anything to that, and she knew how important this case was to him.

He hadn’t given her a lot of specifics, but she knew it was the woman who’d been assaulted the night Eric had last texted her.

She knew Thomas thought this was an important step toward proving the man also killed his wife.

“I’ll text you right when we’re done with all the details. Franny’s going to take Mags out for breakfast, then maybe to the park if the weather cooperates. I’ll meet them there after the meeting with the inspector. I might head out to the ranch, but I’ll let you know if I do.”

“Right. Well, that would be good. Going to the ranch, I mean.” He smiled, but there was something odd about it. “I might be a little late tonight.”

She stared at him, something strange and foreign in her gut. At least foreign when it came to Thomas.

She was pretty sure he was lying.

But why would he lie to her about being late? Something with the case? Maybe he just was keeping details of it away from her since it was a domestic assault.

“I have to go. Make sure it’s Franny and the postal inspector at the door before you open it, okay?”

Vi nodded. He leaned in, gave her the usual kiss goodbye. Then scooped up Mags until she squealed in delight.

Usual. Because this was usual and their life and she needed to stop being paranoid. Thomas didn’t lie . Not to her.

He put Magnolia back down, grabbed his bag, and then was off, reminding her to lock the door behind him.

Franny arrived on time as promised. Mags was babbling a mile a minute as they left. Then Vi was left in Thomas’s house alone. Everything was quiet.

Too quiet. Too much space for her thoughts to whirl. Worry that Eric wriggled out of whatever he almost had pinned on him. Worry that Thomas was lying about something weird.

So, she threw herself into deep-cleaning the kitchen until her alarm went off, giving her a five-minute warning before the inspector was to arrive. She cleaned herself up a little bit, and the doorbell rang, two minutes before nine.

Vi dutifully checked her phone—where Thomas had added the security app so she could see the door camera as well. Standing on the stoop was the postal inspector, just as she was supposed to be.

Vi opened the door, greeted the inspector and managed a smile as she invited her in. But as Inspector Kay passed, Vi couldn’t help but stare.

The inspector had a black eye. Oh, it was covered up with makeup, but Vi knew the telltale signs.

Inspector Kay smiled ruefully, gestured at her eye. “Occupational hazard.”

Which means it had happened at work, and she had said she was questioning Eric. To Vi, the only logical leap was: “Did Eric do that?”

For a moment, the inspector stood totally still, looking at her with wide eyes. “What?” she said, sounding strange…guilty.

Well, the inspector had said that thing about letting Eric hit her. Maybe this was her first time suffering from a physical assault. Maybe she had the same shame coursing through her that Vi had once had.

“When you questioned him?” Vi offered, trying to sound soft and kind and understanding. All the things she wished she’d been brave enough to ask for. “Did he hit you?”

“Oh.” Dianne lifted a hand to her eye, let out a weird, breathy laugh. “No. He tried to, though. In the scuffle, I got an accidental elbow to the eye from someone trying to restrain him.” She shrugged it away. “It happens. But you’ll be happy to know, Mr. Carter is under arrest.”

“Arrest.” The breath simply whooshed out of her and she thought her knees might buckle.

The inspector nodded, heading for the table where they’d had their first meeting. Vi trailed after her, trying to absorb those words.

Arrested. Arrested. “In Virginia?”

The inspector put a bag on the table. “I just have a few questions for you, Ms. Reynolds, and then you maybe never have to see me again.” She smiled brightly at Vi, but Vi couldn’t quite take her gaze off the puffiness around the woman’s eye.

“But what did you arrest him for?” Vi asked, walking over to the table, but unable to get herself to sit. “How long will he be in jail? Will there be a trial? I have so many questions.”

“Of course you do.” The inspector gestured at the chair across from her.

Finally, Vi forced herself to sit. Breathe. Even if she didn’t have all the details, it was good. It was… “Are you certain? That he’s been arrested? That he’s in jail?”

Inspector Kay studied her intently. “Let’s focus on the questions I need answered first. Does the name Elgie Doyle mean anything to you?”

Vi didn’t know how she was supposed to focus when the inspector wouldn’t answer a very basic question, but she searched the recesses of her brain for any way that name sounded familiar. She came up empty. “No. Should it?”

The inspector tapped something on her watch, then her gaze turned to Vi. Something about it made Vi…want to run.

Don’t be ridiculous and paranoid.

“Not necessarily,” Inspector Kay said. “What about the name Burton Slade?”

Now that one… It rang some vague bells. “A friend of Eric’s, right? But he moved to…” Vi trailed off. Texas. She remembered going to the little farewell party the precinct had thrown him.

For a moment, Vi couldn’t catch her breath.

“It’s very good of you to want to be so cooperative. It’s a shame you recognize the name,” the inspector said. Kind tone and smile still in place.

“A shame?”

“Yes, because now we’ll have to do this the hard way.” Still with that kind smile in place, Inspector Kay pulled a gun out of her bag.

And pointed it right at Vi.