Renegade (Tin Star K9 Series Book 1) by Jodi Burnett (literature books to read .txt) 📗

the cabin alone without Renegade. But she wasn’t about to admit that to Colt, and besides, she’d have to face the damage sometime. Caitlyn reclined against the car seat and sipped her coffee. Breathing in the fresh mountain air, she wondered if last night’s intruder had anything to do with the murder investigation. Her mind rolled across the evidence as she gazed out the window.

“Stop!”

Colt slammed on the brakes. Coffee splashed down the front of his shirt. “What the—?” he grumbled as he wiped at the wet fabric.

Caitlyn grimaced. “Sorry about that.” She pointed to what had caused her to shout. “Pull over.”

“What’s the matter?” Colt asked as he parked his Jeep on the side of the street.

Caitlyn flung her door open and jumped out. Colt was quick to follow.

“What’s going on, Catie?”

“This car.” She ran to the front of an older model Toyota parked at the curb. “Look here. The corner of this vehicle is smashed—the turn light is broken.”

Colt came up behind her and peered over her shoulder. “So? What about it?”

Caitlyn crouched down and studied the dent in the car. “Silver paint.” She took out her phone and snapped several pictures.

Colt stepped back and crossed his arms over his chest. “What are you talking about? Whose car is this?”

“This is the car that hit me. See the silver paint? That’s from my truck!”

“Hit you? When?”

Caitlyn thought back to the near miss she’d had the evening she left her parents’ house after dinner. Then she gasped. “That was the same night as Wendy’s murder!” Caitlyn stood, covering her mouth with her hand as she mentally sifted through the course of events. She stared up at Colt. “The same night someone almost drove me off the road into the river, after I left my parents’ house.”

“Someone hit you?” Colt was obviously having trouble making sense of her story.

“Yes. I had just turned onto the forest highway, when out of nowhere headlights were coming at me broadside. I slammed on my brakes, and the car swerved, but it still clipped my front end. I thought I was going to slip over the edge. My tires skidded terribly close, but fortunately they caught hold at the last minute.”

Shock registered on Colt’s face. “Why didn’t you call the sheriff’s office?”

“Because, I didn’t have a description of the car. All I could see were the taillights. The only thing I knew was it was a compact. I figured it was just some kids who’d been up the forest access road drinking and hooking up.”

“You still should’ve called it in. That’s a hit-and-run accident. Plus, they damaged your truck. Your insurance might not pay for it without an incident report.”

Caitlyn looked up at the house the car sat in front of. “I know you’re right, but I had other things on my mind. I had just had a big fight with Dylan, and all I wanted was to get home.” She jutted her chin toward the residence. “Isn’t this where Eleanor Smooter lives?”

Colt followed her gaze. “I think so. Why?”

“Because, someone parked this car in front of her house. But it’s not her car, I don’t think. Let’s go ask.” Caitlyn marched up the walk and climbed the porch steps to the front door.

“Wait, for me.” Colt rushed after her.

Caitlyn pushed the doorbell twice. She waited half a breath before she knocked angrily on the thick wood. It took a minute or so before they heard footsteps and the heavy door swung open.

“Caitlyn. Deputy Branson, how nice to see the two of you.” Eleanor Smooter pulled her cardigan together at her neck and glowered at them, blinking through her cat eye glasses and pasting a plastic smile on her face.

Irritation flared between Caitlyn’s temples, causing her bruised brain to throb. “Whose—”

Colt put his hand on Caitlyn’s shoulder to calm her. “Good morning, Ms. Smooter. How are you today?” Colt offered her his extra engaging grin. One that had caused Caitlyn to swoon more than once in her life.

The woman, somewhat mollified by his manners, returned his smile with a slight softening of her own. “Well, it’s a little early to receive visitors.”

“We apologize for that, ma’am. But we’re wondering if you might be able to help us?”

Eleanor patted her black coif before answering Colt. “I can’t imagine how?”

Caitlyn swallowed her desire to shake the woman and force her to answer. Fortunately, Colt handled the situation.

He gestured to the curb. “Do you happen to know who the owner of that vehicle parked in front of your house, is?”

“Why do you ask, Deputy?”

“Please, Ms. Smooter, do you know who parked that car there?”

Eleanor chewed on her answer before she gave it. “That car belongs to my houseguest.”

Caitlyn looked past Eleanor into her house, but saw no one else there. “Do you mean the woman who was with you when I saw you at the Mercantile last week? Maribel Martin, I think her name was?”

“Yes, that’s her.”

Caitlyn couldn’t reconcile why a pregnant woman would come careening out of a mountain access road at eleven o’clock at night. “How long has she been in town?”

Eleanor crossed her arms, and with one hand fingered the loose skin drooping from her turkey-like neck. “Why do you ask? Is there a problem?”

Colt leaned in with his charm. “No problem at all, Ms. Smooter. We just noticed her front indicator is broken. I’d hate for her to get a ticket if she were driving through town with her turn light in that state.” He gave her a crooked grin that made him look like an adorable, but mischievous boy. It occurred to Caitlyn that she’d have to be on the lookout for that deceptive charm herself. “Do you know if anyone else has driven her car while she’s been here?”

Eleanor frowned and narrowed her eyes. “I don’t believe so. I’ll tell her about the light. Thank you for stopping by.” She edged the door shut.

Colt lifted a hand in farewell. “Have a nice day.” He took Caitlyn’s arm and turned her from