a slow, deep breath. “Oh, how Jake loved that woman. More than his own life. They fit together like they were made for one another. I was always jealous of their kind of love. Wished I could’ve found someone who loved me like that.”
Jealousy was known to be one of many good motives for murder, Lacie speculated silently. But then she looked at the unshed tears in the older woman’s eyes and thought June wouldn’t be capable of killing anyone.
A little later as they sat at the table eating, Colt asked his aunt quietly, “Would you help us make a list of people who were in my parents’ same circle? People who might know something about the murder?”
June set down her fork and gazed into the distance. “It’s been so long ago. And I was living in Boston when it happened. I’m not sure I can help.”
Lacie reached out and touched her shoulder. “Anything you can remember could help. Ellen must’ve had friends. People her same age.”
June turned to her with a sad smile. “She was fairly close to her sister. But that won’t help you, since Marla’s been dead for years, too.”
Oh, yes. Lacie remembered that Marla was the aunt who’d kidnapped Colt’s little sister after the murder and then overdosed in California.
“And I do believe Ellen and your mother were friends, dear.”
“My mother...” Lacie wasn’t sure what to say. “She can’t help us.”
June nodded. “Yes, I’ve heard. I’m very sorry.” She patted Lacie’s hand and then turned to Colt. “Your father and Austin McCord always seemed to be buddies. It was a shame Austin had to be the one to arrest Jake. I know it must’ve killed him.”
Colt’s expression turned hard. “Nope. He’s not dead. Sheriff McCord is still alive and as mean as ever, unfortunately. And still causing trouble.”
“Trouble?”
Lacie jumped in. “It’s nothing, June. My stepfather doesn’t believe we should be opening up the old case. That’s all.”
“I can understand his point.” June shrugged. “At the time of Ellen’s death rumors and innuendos flew everywhere. Each citizen in Chance took some kind of position on who could have done it. It wasn’t particularly pleasant here that year. I was glad to be needed elsewhere.”
“We needed you here.” Colt’s voice carried a tone Lacie had never heard before—somewhere between a whine and anger.
June’s face turned ghostly pale. “I...I know that now, son. I’m sorry I wasn’t thinking clearly back then. My brother had been accused of murder. And I...I...
“But I did come home when your brothers begged for help after your sister disappeared. And I stayed.” She tilted her head as though to clear it. “I don’t understand something. You were the one son who seemed to be getting along so well then. No trouble in school, no major breakdowns. You were the steady son. It surprises me to hear you sounding bitter.”
Colt stood and ran a palm down his jean-covered thigh. “I’m not bitter. Anyway, it doesn’t matter now. Didn’t matter then either. This town and most of the people in it are not worth bothering about. I wouldn’t be in Texas at all if it weren’t for being injured.”
Lacie’s heart turned over and sighed. He still hated it here—after all these years. She’d so hoped things would change.
She and June both got up from the table to join Colt. The older woman clasped her hands together, looking flustered. Lacie wasn’t sure what she should do. The atmosphere had grown tense.
“If everyone’s done eating,” Colt began, turning his back and reaching for the plates, “I’ll do the dishes.”
“There’s no need.” June held a tentative hand out toward him. “I can do them later. Just leave the mess.”
Colt sidestepped so she couldn’t touch his arm. “It’s the least I can do after ruining your good dinner.”
Gathering up the dirty dishes and utensils and dumping them in the sink, he moved like a man on an urgent mission.
Lacie went to June’s side and slid her arm around the other woman’s waist. “Let him do it. It’ll make him feel better. Why don’t you and I go into the front room and talk?”
June looked numb but agreed.
After they settled on the sofa, June said, “Do you think he’s in pain? Is that why he’s so touchy?”
“Maybe. But he’ll never say so.”
“When he was a kid, he was always the one with the questions.” June folded her hands in her lap. “But he was so good otherwise, we just seemed to ignore him. Like he wasn’t there. Maybe that’s why he says he hates it here.”
Lacie wanted to say that she never ignored Colt. To her, he was impossible to ignore—then and now. But she didn’t say anything and only nodded her head to let June talk it out.
The two of them spent the next quarter of an hour talking about who, of the many citizens of Chance, might be considered the biggest gossips in town. Both of them were much calmer by the time Colt ambled out of the kitchen, rolling down his long sleeves.
“All done. You ready to go, Lacie?”
She and June stood. Lacie found her coat on a peg behind the door.
June cleared her throat. “Thank you for cleaning the kitchen. But really, it wasn’t...”
“No problem,” he mumbled. “I didn’t mind.”
“Son,” June began as she took his arm, “you know how happy your brothers and I are that you came to us for help. We’ve never stopped hoping you’d come home for good. We love you, Colt. Your family will always be here for you.”
Colt’s cheeks turned slightly pink as he straightened his shoulders. “Yeah. I know. I love you back and I’m sorry for being an ass. But I can’t stay in Chance for good, so don’t get your hopes up.”
Lacie stood back as the two of them hugged and June wished them good luck with their investigation. “You’ll get to the truth,” she said as they walked toward Colt’s truck. “I have faith in you—both.”
After they climbed in and Colt turned the engine over, he put his foot on the brake and turned to her. “You want me to drive you home? Your car is still at my place, but it’s late and...”
“I can’t go home without my car. I have to go to work early tomorrow.”
“Okay.” Turning his gaze out the windshield, he put his foot on the gas.
They drove through the quiet town of Chance in total silence. It wasn’t that late but she knew the town. Knew that people had to be up before daybreak for work, so they retired earlier than in the city. Did that bother Colt? Would he rather have the hustle and bustle of a bigger place?
He turned on the radio to fill the silence and she was surprised to hear country tunes. Listening to country radio didn’t seem very “big city” to her. It seemed more like the Colt Chance she remembered from high school.
As she hummed along and kept her gaze on his profile, she went over what had happened at June’s house. He said he still hated it here. Did that include her?
An ache developed in the vicinity of her heart and she absently rubbed at the pain. What was wrong with her? Why was she doing this to herself?
She’d always believed they were meant to be together. But that was ridiculous. Just because he’d been her first love did not mean he was somehow destined to be the only love of her life.
She was only twenty-eight. There would be other men.
But as she thought that, her stomach clenched. No other man could ever take his place in her life. That was as sure as tomorrow’s rising sun.