Colton Family Bodyguard, page 15
The man looked at Callum and both of their steps slowed.
Callum knew this man. He approached and when he saw his jawline and nose in more detail he recognized Ace.
“Ace?” Callum checked out his brother. Ace would normally be seen in very expensive suits. About the only thing cowboy about him normally was his slightly unruly light brown hair.
“Yes. Callum.” He leaned in for a quick manly hug. “Good to see you. I didn’t know you had a new girlfriend.” Ace looked at Hazel.
“This is Hazel Hart,” Callum said.
She smiled and shook his hand. “Hello.”
“From what I can see, Callum is the lucky one.”
“Thanks for the compliment,” Hazel said.
And Callum had to agree. He was the lucky one. Or not, if things fell apart.
“What are you doing here?” Callum asked.
Ace sighed his frustration. “I can’t believe this is happening to me. I didn’t shoot Dad.”
Although Callum didn’t believe his brother would kill anyone, he often wondered if it was possible Ace had fallen into a rage and acted impulsively. A lot of murderers went to prison that way. They seemed like normal, everyday, rational people but something happened to make them lose control momentarily and in seconds the deed was done. They killed and instantly wished they could undo the act.
“Dad had a long list of enemies,” Callum said. “I wouldn’t even know where to start to look for suspects.” That’s why he was a bodyguard and not a detective.
“I can’t risk coming out of hiding. There is too much publicity.” Ace glanced around as he must do all the time. “I’m going out of my room to get food. Other than that, I stay hidden. I’m a little worried you recognized me.”
“I’m family. Anyone who doesn’t know you well wouldn’t.”
“There are rumors all over Rattlesnake Ridge Ranch and my condo, so I’m staying at the Dales Inn until all the nonsense dies down. I’m half tempted to leave town, even though the cops told me not to. I cannot be arrested.”
“You should be fine if you lay low,” Callum said.
Ace didn’t look convinced. “I miss it,” Ace said. “Running Colton Oil. It’s in my blood.” He stopped as though catching himself. “Even if Colton blood isn’t running through me, I am a Colton.”
Having been raised by Coltons and then entering into the world of Colton Oil, Ace’s entire life revolved around the family name. Callum felt for him, that he faced losing so much.
“No argument from me,” Callum said. “You’re my brother no matter what.” Even if his instinct said Ace didn’t shoot Payne and he ended up being wrong, Ace would always be his brother.
“I appreciate the support, brother.” Then he glanced at Hazel. “What are you doing here?”
“Someone is after Hazel. She and her daughter witnessed a murder.” He went through a brief explanation, Ace listening.
“You’re working,” Ace said when he finished.
“In a way, yes.”
“I saw you holding hands,” Ace said. “So, it must be more than work.”
“In a way,” Hazel said, mimicking Callum’s response.
Ace laughed, low and brief. “Love at first sight?”
Callum didn’t have a comeback for that. Hazel must not have, either, because she also had nothing to say.
“It’s about time you had a long-term relationship,” Ace said. “It’s been, what, almost five years now since Annabel?”
Callum nodded.
“I always wondered about that. She must have done a number on you. Weren’t you the one who broke up with her?”
“It was mutual.”
Callum half saw Hazel glance sharply at him. He shouldn’t lie to his brother. Or his family. Not anymore.
“Actually, I lied about that, Ace.”
Ace’s expression sobered. “Why?”
“We didn’t break up. She died in a car accident. I was protecting a witness testifying in the trial of someone who worked for a drug cartel. They found out I was dating Annabel and had her killed to intimidate me. Annabel was also pregnant.”
Ace gaped at Callum in stunned silence.
“I’m sorry. I...couldn’t talk about her.” He looked at Hazel. “Not until I met Hazel.”
Her eyes turned soft with deep gratitude and respect. He felt himself falling in love with her.
“Wow, Cal. I had no idea. You should have told someone.”
He nodded. “Probably. But I just couldn’t. It devastated me.” Hell, it had changed him. He was not the same man as he was before that. He was a lot more cautious now. And better at his job. The one good thing that had come out of the experience.
“He blamed himself for her death,” Hazel said to Ace. “She was murdered after the trial, when Callum was no longer watching over her.”
“Then clearly it was not your fault.”
“I should have checked out the suspect more. I should have known what kind of monster he worked for.”
“You can’t blame yourself for that. You aren’t a cop. You’re a bodyguard, and a damn good one.” Ace did another check of the lobby and his eyes stopped short toward the entrance.
“Sorry to cut this short,” Ace said. “I have to go now.”
Callum followed his eyes and saw two police officers enter the lobby.
“You go back up to your suite. We’ll bring food to you.” Callum nudged his brother with a hand on his shoulder. “Hazel is a personal chef.”
“I miss good food. The food here is good, but I mean my favorite restaurants.”
Callum chuckled and gave his brother a pat on the back, letting him walk to the elevators. He wouldn’t risk anyone exposing Ace.
* * *
“I hope I didn’t sign you up for more work than you can handle,” Callum said as they entered the suite.
Hazel walked in ahead of him, feeling him check out her butt. “It’s a slow week. I have some pork chops to make today and that’s pretty much it. I’d like some more to do.”
“I’ll pay you, of course. Can you come up with a week’s menu?”
“What kind of food does Ace like?” she asked, turning in the living room to face him.
She saw him take in her face and chest. “He isn’t picky. Seafood pasta, burgers, Mexican. Anything but Indian food.”
“Easy enough. I’ll write up a menu. I know a good weeklong plan.”
Hazel used the same meals for certain types of people. In minutes she had a list and handed it to him.
“You’re going to increase my revenue this month,” she said. “There are perks to this relationship.” She winked at him, making him want to take her into his arms and show her the other perks.
Hazel made a quick call to Evie, which she did each day. She went into the kitchen, hearing him phone Patsy. Once again she marveled over how quickly he could make things happen. He had people at his service with just a call. Money gave him that. As he talked to Patsy she admired his profile, from his sloping nose to his moving lips, and on down to his strong shoulders and chest, flat stomach...nice ass...and long, manly legs. He’d called Patsy for her. She had almost refused to let him pay her but she needed the money. And she also felt pampered and liked that.
Reminded of Ed, she cut short her too-trusting reaction. Treat it like a business deal. He wasn’t asking her to prepare meals for his brother because he wanted her sexually. He’d asked for her business.
She started to prepare a pork chops recipe. Chops never turned out well if all you did was cook them in the oven. In culinary school she’d learned that the secret was to brine the pork first. Hazel had already done so and now got a pan out to sear the meat.
As she began to do that, Callum joined her in the kitchen. She retrieved the chops from the refrigerator, where they had been soaking in water and salt for three hours. Removing them from the solution, she placed them on a paper towel, flipping them to dry the other side.
Next, she brushed them with olive oil and then sprinkled them with garlic.
Callum joined in with the onion salt and she said, “Good,” when he’d done enough on each chop.
She followed up with pepper, glancing up at him. His playful eyes caught hers. He enjoyed being close to her. The seasoning was just an excuse.
“If I stick with you I could learn how to cook,” he said.
If he stuck with her? As in being girlfriend-boyfriend? She decided not to rein in her temptation to play along. This was too fun.
“I hope you’re a fast learner, then.” She let him interpret that any way he chose. She meant she hoped he’d learn to forgive himself for the deaths of his girlfriend and child and open himself up to new love. And quickly. Before Nate Blurge’s murderer was caught.
“I fear you’re the kind of woman who could make me one,” he said.
He had interpreted what she had said exactly as she meant it. Tickled on the inside, she seared one side of the chops and then the other, feeling as hot as the pan right now.
After placing the chops on a pan, Callum put it into the oven. Then he straightened and faced her, the movement bringing him right before her.
She put her hands up against his chest, a reflexive reaction.
He didn’t step away and she found herself melting into his eyes. The seconds ticked on but she was only aware of him and the heat rising.
“What’s next?” he murmured.
“I...” Dazed by the fire coursing through her, she at first thought he referred to their close proximity.
“With the pork chops,” he said.
“Oh.” She breathed a laugh. “Three minutes on each side and then they’re done. Then I need to make the vegetable. I already have the potatoes and gravy in the freezer.”
Their room phone rang.
Hazel went to answer it. “Hello?”
“Hello,” a man’s voice said. “This is the front desk. We have a delivery here for Ms. Hart.”
“Oh. A delivery?” She glanced at Callum, whose lighthearted expression turned to concern.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Okay. I’ll be right down.” She hung up and turned the stove off before going for the door. “There’s something at the front desk for me.”
Callum headed for the door ahead of her. “I’ll go with you.”
They took the elevator down.
In the lobby she walked with him to the front desk, where she already saw a vase full of flowers and a box of what had to be chocolates next to it.
“I take it you didn’t send me those,” she said, needing to keep the moment light.
“No, but maybe I should.”
At the desk, she told the clerk her name. He slid the vase and box toward her.
Callum took the box and opened it. Inside were what appeared to be ordinary chocolates. She removed the card from the flowers.
Reading aloud, she said, “Thank you for preparing me all the wonderful meals. It’s signed Abigail.” She looked up at Callum. “That’s my client who lives in the house where that man almost ran me and Evie over.”
He took the box of chocolates. “We have to tell Kerry.”
“Kerry...why?” Did he think Abigail sending these was significant? That had been her first thought, as well, but would the killer be this subtle? He had already tried to run her down and shoot her. He must know Evie wasn’t with her now. If the chocolates were poisoned, he would only take out Hazel, not the star witness.
“It may be nothing but we have to be sure. If they turn out to be all right, I’ll replace the box of chocolates.”
She glanced at the flowers. Was there a way to poison those?
“I think we’d all be dropping dead already if those were casting off any toxins,” Callum said, having read her thoughts.
“Abigail is a new client. If these are from her, it’s good to know I won’t be losing her.”
“This doesn’t seem like the killer’s MO,” Callum said. “It’s more like what an ex-boss would do for revenge.”
“Carolyn?” She still could not imagine her capable of murder. Why would she try to kill Hazel for leaving the restaurant? Even if she blamed her for her ruin, would she really resort to murder?
* * *
A few days later, Kerry called with the results of toxicological testing done on the chocolates and they came back negative. She’d also confirmed that Abigail sent them.
Callum asked Patsy to bring a replacement box to the front desk of the inn without Hazel knowing and was waiting for her call.
Hazel stood behind the kitchen counter, where she had worked for hours on a new order. The flowers, now in a vase, were still fresh on the dining table.
“Callum?” Hazel asked.
Judging by her tone he sensed a serious question was on the way.
“Yes?”
“Can I ask you something about Annabel?”
Yup, here they went. Mentally preparing himself, he said, “Yes.”
She set down the knife she’d been using in the kitchen. “Do you still keep in touch with any of the friends you had together?”
What made her ask that? “We didn’t really have any friends in common, only mine and hers.”
“Why haven’t you spoken with her parents in all these years?”
“They don’t want to hear from me.”
“You indicated that before, but I have my doubts. If anything, they’d be more upset that you didn’t keep in touch. You were the last person to be close to her. You were going to have a baby together. Don’t you think they’d like to talk to you? You could tell them things about her in the days before she died. Was she happy? Maybe some special moment you two had. They probably needed that and you abandoned them.”
“I didn’t abandon them. I got their daughter killed. Seeing me would only remind them of that.”
“Now, see, there’s where I think you’re wrong. You said they invited you to the one-year memorial and you didn’t go.”
“I couldn’t go.”
“Right. You were out of the country, but you could have called and told them that.”
He looked over at her, unable to refute her point. “Okay then, I couldn’t have gone even if I was available.”
“Now that I believe,” she said. “You’ve been running all this time. You buried her and your emotions. You didn’t even tell your own family about her death.”
“I couldn’t.” Didn’t she get it?
“But I bet you can now,” she said quietly, gently.
It had been long enough now that he should be able to face Annabel’s family. And funny how the thought of that wasn’t as painful as it had been in the months after Annabel’s death. He felt more open to the idea.
“It would help you move on, Callum,” Hazel said. “And now that I have a vested interest in you, I encourage you to reach out to them.”
She had a vested interest in him? He grinned over her choice in words.
“And I’m hoping you feel the same about me and will work on getting over Annabel’s death.”
She hoped he had a vested interest in her. Did he? He enjoyed her company. He felt an intense attraction to her. But he still couldn’t think about any kind of long-term future with her.
His cell chimed and he was relieved for the interruption. He read a text from Patsy. The returned chocolates were downstairs.
“There’s something for you at the desk again,” he said to her.
“Again?”
“Maybe it’s another admirer. Come on. Let’s run down there.”
She rinsed her hands and dried them and then adjusted one of the burners to low. Then she rode the elevator with him. In the lobby they were headed for the desk when he spotted a woman who looked vaguely familiar. She wore a baseball cap and sunglasses, but her hair was a blond bob. Carolyn. She wasn’t dressed as smartly as when he’d first seen her. She wore jeans and a T-shirt today. Was she trying to disguise her appearance?
She turned her head and saw them. Callum pretended not to notice her and went to the desk with Hazel. The clerk gave her the new box of chocolates.
“Those are from me,” Callum said. His voice sounded lower than normal and he had to attribute that to liking giving her something romantic.
Her mouth parted in surprise and she took them. “I didn’t think you’d actually do this. Thank you.”
He’d have to get her flowers, too, when the others wilted.
Carrying the box, she opened it a crack to retrieve one, popping it into her mouth as she walked away from the counter.
Callum looked toward Carolyn. She watched them. Was she trying to monitor their movements? If so, she was doing a terrible job. He looked through the front windows to the parking area and saw a dark SUV.
Taking Hazel’s hand, he steered her toward Carolyn. Might as well confront her. Maybe it would dissuade her from any future attempts to do whatever she might intend against Hazel.
“That’s Carolyn over there,” he said to Hazel.
She searched the room until her gaze came back to the woman in the cap. “She never dresses like that.”
“I didn’t think so.”
Carolyn stood as they approached, awkwardly removing her sunglasses as though feeling caught. “Well, fancy meeting you here again.”
“Carolyn,” Hazel said. “Why are you here?”
“I’m waiting to meet the manager about an upcoming catering event.”
“Who are you catering for?” Callum asked.
“It’s a local business,” she said, sounding blasé. “An all-day meeting.”
He doubted she had to meet in person to discuss what needed to be done in preparation for a business meeting.
“Why are you still here?” Carolyn asked. “Is that man not captured yet?”
“No, unfortunately.”
“Where is Evie?” Carolyn asked. “I never see you without her.”
