Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense March 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Dana Mentink (novels to improve english txt) 📗

by light pollution was most vivid in winter and spring, earning Death Valley the designation as the largest Dark Sky National Park in the country.

Herm shrugged. “Only have so many vacation days, I guess,” he said. “Maybe she couldn’t wait for clearer skies.”

The best photography outfit around happened to be run by his cousin Willow Duke. If Rita Brown had really been on a photography tour, he’d find out soon enough from Willow. If Rita was caught in a lie, well, perhaps then maybe she’d had something to do with the rock tossed at Laney.

Either way, he was going to find out exactly who was responsible.

* * *

Laney laid the facts out for Jude in as thorough a manner as she could in between Beckett’s interjections. Now Admiral was back in her lap, snoring away. Her ankle did not hurt much. Knowing someone had thrown a rock at her head disturbed her far more.

Was Beckett correct and this Kenny Sanderson really was after her? Or had it just been mischievous kids with nothing to do but stir up trouble? There were two teen boys staying at the hotel, plus dozens of bored young adults in the town of Furnace Falls. Small desert town, not much in the way of entertainment. They’d had minor problems before with vandalism and trespassers sneaking into the hot springs.

“I’ll talk to the kids on the property,” Jude said.

“It’s not teens.” Beckett folded his arms.

“I already know what your theory is.” Jude frowned. “I’ve got a call in to Kenny’s parole officer to confirm his whereabouts. He’s staying at his uncle’s trailer. Right now Kenny’s not at home, but it’s still well within his parole curfew hours and his schedule is cleared with his PO so he can work at the gas station until ten p.m. I also have a cop staged outside the uncle’s trailer to see when exactly he does show up and ask him a few questions.”

“Can you call his cell phone?” Beckett asked.

“His parole officer did at my request. Kenny’s not answering, but that’s to be expected. Boss at the gas station forbids them from having a phone on them during work hours.”

Beckett did not look mollified, but at least he didn’t antagonize Jude further. “And the guest? The one who’s out late?”

“Rita Brown,” Laney said.

Jude raised an eyebrow. “How is she a part of this?”

Beckett frowned. “I don’t know, but there’s just something odd about her.”

“That sounds about right for someone in Furnace Falls. Odd doesn’t give me grounds to interrogate her.”

“Then I will.”

He frowned. “No, you won’t.”

They were nose to nose, both big framed and square chinned, as were most of the Duke men. Stubborn was another trait they shared equally. Laney stood up, drawing their attention. “I’m with Jude on this one, Beckett. Rita is not the norm, but we can’t afford to alienate visitors with a nearly empty hotel on our hands. We need every guest we can get at this point.”

“I wasn’t able to trace the call to the hotel you told me about,” Jude said.

She nodded and rolled her ankle to test the bandage.

“Do you need me to…?” Beckett started.

“I am perfectly fine to walk to my room and tuck myself in.”

“At least let me carry the dog.”

Before she could argue, Beckett had taken the solid lump from her. Though she wouldn’t admit it, it was easier not to tote his dead weight along. Beckett followed her down the hallway and across the sprawling courtyard to their cabin. She opened the door and turned to take Admiral from him, but he was already moving past her. After setting the dog down, he began checking the windows and the door, which opened onto a minuscule porch area that housed her collection of desert plants. Aghast, she watched him take a quick glance into the closet and under the bed.

He fixed her with a scowl. “You need to keep everything locked.”

She stared at him, refusing to be bossed. “Thank you for the advice. I’ve learned how to take care of myself.”

His mouth tightened. “I mean it.”

“Beckett, what happened might have just been teens out for excitement. Let’s not blow this all out of proportion.”

“It’s not teens.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Laney,” he said, eyes ablaze with emotion that kicked up her nerves. “I did not kill Pauline Sanderson.”

It was not what she had expected him to say. “I know.”

He exhaled, long and slow. “I’m glad you still believe me about that, anyway.”

She looked down. “I never doubted it. I told you as much, even at the jail before you stopped letting me visit.”

He blinked hard, and she saw his Adam’s apple move. It took a few minutes for him to be able to speak. “Pauline’s murderer was never caught.”

Never caught.

His expression went distant, as if he were peering at something a thousand miles away. “I’ve had a lot of time to think it over. They set me up from the beginning, leaving a note for me to meet Pauline, putting her sweater in my truck. It was premeditated.”

A prickle of gooseflesh erupted across her shoulders. She didn’t want to think about that terrible night, but she could not walk away from the conversation.

He continued. “There was no apparent motive for the crime. She still had money in her pocket. There was another reason someone wanted her dead.”

Laney felt the thud of her heart whacking against her ribs. In spite of her fear, she made herself ask. “What are you saying?”

“Even if you don’t believe Kenny is a threat, there’s still a killer at large.”

“That would be foolish in a small town like this. I’m sure they’re long gone by now, someone traveling through, a stranger.”

“Maybe or maybe not. There’s a possibility it’s someone who stayed right here, someone we know and trust, who needed to silence Pauline for some reason.”

Someone we know and trust. “I’ll keep the door locked, I promise.”

“And don’t go anywhere alone.”

“I’ll do what I can, but I’ve got a hotel to run.”

“We have a hotel to