Rugged Defender

Chloe followed, stepping up onto the snow-covered bridge and starting across the frozen river. “You were dating his brother, Justin, five years ago. If anyone knows what was going on with Drew and his brother it would be you.”

Nici stopped so abruptly, Chloe almost collided with her. It took her a moment to get her balance on the slippery snow.

“What is it you’re after?” Nici demanded.

“The truth.”

The woman scoffed and began walking again, stopping in the middle of the bridge to look down. “It’s over. Best leave it alone.”

“That’s what the caller said, but is it over? Is it over for Justin?”

Leaning on the metal railing, Nici looked at her, her eyes narrowing. “I know about you and Justin.”

“There isn’t much to know,” Chloe said. “But I’d like to see him vindicated.”

“So it’s like that,” the woman said, studying her. “You know he’s back in town.” She chuckled when she saw Chloe’s surprised expression. “So you didn’t know. He said he’s come back to make amends. That tell you anything?”

“I don’t believe he killed his brother.”

Nici shrugged. “You could be right. But you also could be wrong. Drew was one mean bastard to Justin from the time they were kids.”

“Justin can’t be the only person who had reason to hate Drew. What about you?”

“Me?” Nici shook her head and laughed.

“Drew had scratches on him that the coroner believed were from a woman’s fingernails.”

Nici looked down at her gloved hands. When she looked up she smiled. “Sounds like he got what he deserved.”

“Let’s assume you didn’t kill him, then how about one of his friends or associates?” Chloe asked wriggling her toes in her boots to keep her feet warm. Nici didn’t seem to be the least bit cold even though she was wearing a much less insulated coat and thinner gloves.

“Friends? I’m not sure Drew had any. But associates...”

“Yes?”

Nici met her gaze. “You do realize that there are some people in town who won’t like what you’re doing.”

“I’m not worried about them.”

“Maybe you should be.”

“Tell me about his associates,” Chloe said.

Nici took her sweet time, but finally said, “There were a group of guys he played poker with. I heard he got caught cheating.” She shrugged. “The man who caught him was one who’d lost the most money to Drew, a man named Monte Decker. He works at the bank.”

Chloe didn’t know him. “Anyone else?” She waited, cold, her cheeks and nose feeling icy and her skin stinging. The air along the frozen creek felt as if it was at least ten degrees colder than in town.

“Al Duncan. He bought a horse from Drew and later found out that it was lame. The day he bought it, the horse was so full of drugs, he couldn’t tell. Drew refused to give him back his money. Al was drunk one night down at the Mint threatening to kill Drew.” She shrugged again. “I’m sure there are more. Like Pete Ferris. Rumor was that Drew was sleeping with his wife. They almost got a divorce over it. Still might even all these years later.”

“Thanks,” Chloe said as Nici pushed off the bridge railing making it clear that she was done. “I’ll walk you back.”

“Don’t bother. I know the way.” Nici brushed past her but turned before exiting the bridge. “Seriously, why stick your neck out like this? Why stir this all back up? I can tell you right now Bert Calhoun isn’t going to like it—not to mention Justin. So I’m not sure who you think you’re going to make points with—”

“Hasn’t there been a time when you did something just because it felt like the right thing to do?” Chloe asked her.

“Whatever,” Nici said with a shake of her head before turning and leaving.

Chloe stood for a few moments longer on the bridge, looking down at the frozen river. Fall leaves had gotten stuck in the ice making strange dark patterns. She thought of what Nici had told her. She heard her grandmother’s voice in her ear.

Best be ready for the consequences when you go poking a porcupine with a stick, missy. Someone’s bound to get hurt and it won’t be the porcupine.

* * *

JUSTIN’S CELL PHONE rang as he was headed into town from the Rogers Ranch. He’d spent part of the morning having breakfast and visiting with Dawson’s mother, Wilhelmina. Willie was a tall, wiry ranch woman with a true heart of gold. She’d taken him in and fed him more times than he could remember.

He’d always had the feeling that she would have loved to have given his father a piece of her mind. But had hesitated because she feared that Bert would take it out on him.

He saw it was Nici calling and picked up. “Hey,” he said.

“I thought I should give you a heads-up,” she said. “Chloe Clementine.”

Justin felt his chest tighten. “What about her?”

“You know she’s an investigative reporter, right? Well, guess what she’s investigating?” She didn’t give him time to guess, even if he had been about to. “Drew’s death.”

Justin swore under his breath. “How do you know this?”

“I just went for a walk with her. She wanted to know who hated Drew enough to want him dead.”

He could see the outskirts of town ahead. “What did you tell her?”

“I thought about not giving her anything,” Nici said. “But then I thought, it’s her funeral. So I gave her some names.”

He swore again. “Who?”

“Monte Decker, Al Duncan and Pete Ferris.”

“Why is Chloe doing this?” He hadn’t realized he’d asked the question aloud until Nici answered.

“She says all she’s after is the truth and that it’s the right thing to do. Some BS like that. But I can tell she’s doing it for you.”

He swore. That was the last thing he wanted.

“I thought the sheriff ruled Drew’s death an accident?” Nici said.

“She did.”

“So why is Chloe—She said that someone threatened her if she kept looking into Drew’s death.”