Montana D-Force (Brotherhood Protectors Book 3) (6 page)

Her naked body?

Mia closed the journal and stood, putting as much distance between her and Bear as possible in the small room.

He walked around the room, looked out the window and checked under the bed.

“What are you looking for?” Mia asked.

“I don’t know. I feel like there’s a missing piece to this puzzle.”

Mia rubbed her arms, a chill raising gooseflesh across her skin, now that Bear wasn’t standing over her. “Why did she stop writing in the middle of a sentence, and why did she then get so depressed she’d take her own life?”

“Do you think maybe she got a call from someone?”

“We thought of that.” Mrs. Severs stood in the doorway, a cup of tea in her hand. “We checked her cell phone records. The calls she’d made that night after she got home were to her bridesmaids. We asked them what the calls were about, and they all said Allyson had called to tell them about her and Phillip’s choice for a honeymoon location. They said she sounded happy. They couldn’t understand what could have made her so sad.”

Mia hugged Mrs. Severs once more, careful not to spill her tea. “Thank you for indulging me. I can’t begin to tell you how sorry I am that Allyson is gone.”

“Thank you for caring,” Mrs. Severs said. She glanced at her watch, and her eyes widened. “My husband will be home in ten minutes.”

“We’re leaving.” Mia hooked Bear’s arm and followed Mrs. Severs out of Allyson’s room and through the front door.

Once they’d reached the porch, Mrs. Severs seemed to relax. “It was nice seeing you, Mia. How long will you be in town?”

“I’m not certain. At least until I complete a project I’m working on.”

“Congratulations on your success in the movie industry. Everyone in Eagle Rock is excited by our local celebrities.”

“Thank you,” she said with a small smile. “I do my best.”

“I find it ironic that Allyson never wanted to leave Eagle Rock. If she’d left when you and Sadie did after high school, she might be alive today. I sometimes wonder if I made the right choice, encouraging her to live here. Or if my husband and I had stayed home that weekend we went to the cabin, maybe we could have prevented whatever happened to make Allyson so sad.”

Mia touched the woman’s hand. “Don’t blame yourself.”

She gave a sad smile. “I know. Nothing I wish I could have done will bring her back. But still…” She shrugged.

As soon as Bear drove out of the Severs’s driveway, he turned to Mia. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but I think you need to talk to the sheriff about what happened to you, Mia. He might have other unsolved cases that could be related. He also will have access to the state’s crime database. If other women in neighboring counties have been assaulted, we might have a serial rapist on our hands.”

Mia had been thinking along the same lines. Everything about Allyson’s abrupt change in personality and outlook screamed trauma. And what trauma would make her pull back from everyone she loved? The situation felt eerily familiar. “You’re right. I need to talk to the sheriff. But I only want to talk to Sheriff Wilson. Not any of his deputies. The sheriff is an old friend of the family; he’ll be discreet.”

“When?” Bear persisted.

“I’ll set up an appointment with him for the morning.”

“Why not now?”

Irritated, she shot a narrow-eyed glance in Bear’s direction. “Anyone ever tell you that you’re pushy?”

He grinned, the expression transforming his face. “All the time.”

Mia sat frozen in time, the smile on Bear’s face lighting up the interior of the truck cab. “You really should smile more often.”

His grin broadened. “The same goes for you.”

Mia couldn’t help the infectious grin catching her and making her lips twitch at the corners. The man had her charmed, and he was smart. But that didn’t make him right for her.

She had too much baggage. No man wanted to navigate the minefield of her sexuality. He’d step on one of her booby-traps and boom! That would be the end before it really began.

With a sigh, she focused on the road ahead.

Bear’s smile faded and he too trained his attention on the highway. “Where to?”

“Home. We only have a couple hours left of daylight to get that door back in place and install the knobs Hank will be bringing. I won’t sleep comfortably until I know the doors will hold up next time someone decides to kick them in.”

B
ear used
the new lumber to replace the broken and splintered portions of the doorframe, drilled the holes for the deadbolt and covered all of the doorframe with a fresh coat of white paint. By the time he was finished, his stomach rumbled, and he remembered he hadn’t eaten lunch.

He’d bet Mia hadn’t eaten either. With the intention of finding her and insisting they get some food, he started to go into the house, but stopped when he heard the sound of a vehicle’s engine and the crunch of gravel on the drive.

Hank’s truck pulled up to the house. He and Sadie climbed down. Sadie carried a bag.

“Did you think we’d never get back with the hardware?” Hank asked.

“Blame it on me,” Sadie grinned. “I never knew there would be so many doorknobs and locks to choose from. I had a hard time deciding which ones to purchase.”

“I finally had to make the choice.” Hank took the bag from Sadie and handed it to Bear.

Footsteps behind him alerted Bear to Mia’s presence. Warmth spread through him. He’d steered clear of her all afternoon, afraid the closer he got, the more he’d want to reach out and touch her.

She smiled and took the bag from Bear, riffling through the contents. “Thank you so much for going all the way to Bozeman to get these. We probably would have been fine with what Bartlett’s Hardware had in stock. I didn’t need fancy, just strong. These look like they’ll fit the bill.”

“We got enough to replace the front and back doors, and had them keyed to match the new locks,” Sadie said.

Hank climbed the porch steps and held out his hand. “Let me have one of those. I can switch out the front doorknob while Bear installs the back.”

Within fifteen minutes, the new knobs and deadbolt locks had been installed.

Sadie and Mia sat on the steps of the back porch talking about renovations while the men worked.

Bear found the sound of their soft voices to be oddly soothing as he worked fitting the knobs and lock mechanisms into place. It made him wonder what it would be like to live in one place and have a home to go to.

His mother had moved him from place to place, always living in cheap apartments, unable to afford a house with a yard. Bear had played in the streets or at whatever basketball court he could find. He’d never known his father, so he’d never missed him.

Looking around at the old house, he knew it needed a lot of work, but at one time, it had been a home Mia had loved. And it could be again, if she chose to stay in Montana instead of going back to live in L.A.

Hank came back through the house, holding up a key. “Mine works. Are you about done here?”

Bear tightened the last screw and straightened. “Done.”

Hank handed the key to Mia and descended the stairs to join his wife on the steps. “You should sleep a little easier tonight.”

“I hope so. Last night wasn’t much fun.” Mia’s stomach gurgled. She pressed a hand to her belly. “I can’t believe we missed lunch.” She frowned and stared across at Bear. “You should have said something. I imagine you’re starving.”

“I’m okay, but getting a little hungry.”

“We were about to head into town for a bite of dinner at the diner,” Sadie said.

“We were?” Hank asked.

Sadie elbowed him in the gut. “We
are
. You two want to join us?”

Mia glanced at Bear. “I don’t have much in the refrigerator. I’m game, if you are.”

“Give me a minute to wash up. I’m covered in sawdust.”

“Go on,” Hank said. “But hurry it up. These women are starving.”

Bear grabbed his duffel bag from his truck and hurried into the house. Ten minutes later, he emerged with a clean body, wet hair and clean clothes.

They piled into Hank’s extended-cab truck and headed for the diner in Eagle Rock.

“The diner is the only restaurant in town,” Hank said. “At this time of day, it’s usually pretty full.”

“The food’s good, and it beats cooking dinner,” Sadie added.

Fortunately, they were able to find an empty booth. A waitress hurried by, slapped menus on the table, and continued walking, calling over her shoulder, “I’ll be back in just a minute to take your orders.”

The waitress, looking frazzled, stopped at a table with only one guest, the deputy who’d been at Mia’s house earlier that day, Larry Maynard, still in uniform.

“It smells good in here,” Bear said, his stomach knotting, he was so hungry. He lifted the menu and stared down.

A loud crash made him glance up.

The waitress bent to collect broken shards of a water glass from the floor. “I’ll get you another,” she said and hurried away from the deputy.

“Don’t bother. I’m heading home. I’ll see you there.”

Maynard rose from his chair, stretched and glanced around the room. When he spotted Bear and Mia, he frowned and headed their way. “I hear you’ve been asking around about the Severs girl.”

Bear frowned. How had Maynard heard about their visit?

“Not really.” Mia glanced up at the deputy. “We ran into Phillip at the hardware store. I had no idea about Allyson.”

Maynard shook his head. “That was a sad situation. I was the first deputy on scene. I couldn’t believe she’d done it until I saw her there.”

Bear felt Mia stiffen beside him. He reached beneath the table, found her hand and squeezed it.

“Did you conduct the investigation?” Mia asked. “Any idea what happened to her that she would want to take her own life?”

“She didn’t leave a note. I can only guess,” Maynard said. “Such a shame, losing her so young. Well, like I said, I conducted the investigation. If you have questions, ask me. I may or may not be able to answer. In the meantime, I’m off duty and headed home. It’s been a long day.” Maynard left the diner.

“He knew Allyson,” Mia whispered. “How could he be so casual about her death?”

“Maybe it’s his way of dealing with the loss,” Bear reasoned, though he felt the same. If Maynard knew the woman, he should feel something. But the man had responded like it was just another day at the office.

“Sorry I took so long. What can I get you?” The waitress pushed a lank strand of dirty-blond hair out of her gaunt face and finally made eye-contact with them. Her gaze snagged on the woman sitting beside Bear. “Mia?”

Mia’s eyes narrowed as she stared up at the woman. “Yes?”

The waitress’s mouth twisted, and she touched her hair again. “It’s me. Kylie.”

Mia’s brows dipped, and she leaned closer, studying the waitress. Then her eyes widened, and she smiled. “Oh, my God, Kylie.”

Bear slid out of his seat to let Mia stand.

Mia hugged the woman, stood back and held her hands. “I haven’t seen you in a decade.”

“Wow, that makes it sound like forever,” Kylie tugged at the food-stained apron around her waist. “You look amazing,” she said, a wistful tone in her voice. “You did it, didn’t you? You got out of Eagle Rock and made something of yourself.”

“I did.” Mia smiled kindly at the woman. “What about you? Married? Children?”

Kylie nodded and held up her hand, displaying a small diamond ring and a thin gold band. “Married. No children.”

Bear noted bruises on the woman’s arm, and frowned.

“Who did you marry?” Mia asked. “Tom Gruehot? You two were a thing for a while.”

Kylie shook her head. “That was back in tenth grade. Besides, Tom joined the army right out of high school. I believe he’s somewhere in Texas now. No, I married Larry Maynard. He was just here.” She turned toward the exit, as if she expected him to be there.

“Larry did mentioned he married a cheerleader.”

Kylie smiled. “But enough about me. What would you like to drink?”

Mia took her seat, they placed their orders and Kylie hurried to the kitchen.

“I barely recognized her,” Sadie said, her gaze following Kylie. “She looks worse than the last time I saw her. And that’s only been a couple of weeks.”

Mia nodded. “She used to be the best dressed, most put-together girl in our school. She let me follow her around. I was the ugly friend.” Mia’s brows dipped. “Did you see the bruises on her arm?”

“I did. Do you suppose she got them from carrying those big trays?” Bear asked.

“Maybe,” Mia said, not sounding convinced.

When Kylie returned with their drinks, Bear studied the woman’s arms. The bruises were oval shaped and on the inside and the outside of her arms, almost as if someone had grabbed her hard, leaving fingerprints.

The meal passed with discussion of people Hank, Mia and Sadie knew from their school days.

“Sorry, Bear, this must all be boring,” Hank said. “Not having grown up in Eagle Rock, you wouldn’t know any of these people.

“No worries. I always wished I’d lived in one place all my life. I don’t remember anyone from my childhood.”

“If the Delta Force is anything like the SEALs,” Hank said, “your teammates became your family.”

“They were.” And he missed them. What he’d done in the army was so far removed from that diner in Eagle Rock, Montana, he could have been on another planet.

“Let me know if any of your teammates are getting out of the army anytime soon. I could use more good men like you.”

Bear raised his brows. “Will you have enough work to hire more agents?”

Hank nodded. “Word is getting out. Sadie knows a lot of folks in the movie industry who’ve purchased ranches or ski chalets in and around Montana. I have inquiries coming in every day. I could use more men today.”

“Good to hear,” Bear said. “I’ll put out some feelers. I know a couple guys who are qualified and looking for work.”

“Send them my way. I’ll interview them for the jobs.”

Bear hesitated. “What about women?”

Hank smiled. “If they can shoot straight and can throw me in hand-to-hand combat, I’m willing to consider them.”

With a nod, Bear thought about the men and women he’d met in his career. Some were already out of the military and others were up for re-enlistment soon and had made noises about getting out.

Mia tapped his arm. “Excuse me. I need to go to the ladies’ room.”

Bear scooted out of the booth and stood back as Mia passed. When he started to fall in step behind her, she pressed a hand to his chest and smiled. “I can do this on my own.”

For a moment, Bear frowned. “I don’t mind walking with you.”

“I mind having a shadow when I’m only going to the restroom.” She squeezed his hand. “I’ll be all right.”

Bear wasn’t so sure. He settled in his seat, his gaze following her all the way across the diner floor to the short, dark hallway leading to the restrooms. He counted the minutes.

“Worried?” Sadie asked. “Do you want me to go check on her?”

Bear let go of the breath he’d been holding. “Would you?”

About the time Sadie stood, Kylie, the waitress emerged from the hallway, her eyes red and puffy. A moment later, Mia stepped out of the darkness, her lips thin, her gaze following Kylie.

Bear guessed they’d had a discussion about the bruises on the waitress’s arm.

“Thank goodness. Here comes Mia.” Sadie sank back into the seat beside Hank.

Bear scooted over on the bench seat and let Mia take the outside. Bear leaned close. “Are you all right?”

“Just dandy,” she replied.

“Ready to go?”

“After I finish my drink.” Mia tossed back the soda she’d ordered to go with her dinner and set the glass on the table. She obviously didn’t want to talk about her encounter in the bathroom, and the strained expression on her face didn’t encourage Bear to press.

When they’d finished and paid for their meals, the foursome rose from their booth and headed for the door.

The trip back to Mia’s house didn’t take long. When they arrived, Bear said, “I’d rather you two ladies stayed in the truck until we have a look around.”

Mia nodded. She and Sadie remained in their seats.

Hank and Bear made a cursory pass around the exterior of the house, checked the doors and entered from opposite sides. When confident there weren’t any bad guys hiding behind the bushes or under a bed, Bear returned to Hank’s truck to collect Mia.

As he and Mia entered the house, Hank and Sadie drove away.

“
A
ll of this
checking and double-checking seems like a lot of trouble for one person.” Mia laid her purse on the counter in the kitchen.

Bear’s lips pressed together. “I prefer to be thorough. No surprises.”

She turned to watch him as he twisted the lock in the door handle and turned the deadbolt. “I’m sure you had more than your share of surprises in the Army. How long were you in?”

“Fourteen years.” Bear faced her.

“I take it that you would have stayed longer, if they’d let you.”

He nodded, his jaw tightening.

His blue eyes darkened, the intensity making her long to reach out and touch his cheek. Apparently the Army had been more to him than just a job. Her chest tightening, Mia turned and walked a few steps away.

Alone with Bear in the confines of her house, Mia had the sensation of the walls closing in, making the kitchen seem more intimate. The silence lengthened, stretching her nerves with each passing second.

What was she afraid of? Bear was a man of honor. He wouldn’t attack her in her own home or outside of it.

What Mia didn’t want to admit to herself was that the closer she was to the man, the more heat built inside her body. His broad shoulders and thickly muscled frame made her want to reach out and touch, to feel, to run her hands over the hard planes of his chest and torso. And that would be completely inappropriate between a boss and her bodyguard.

Afraid to face him in case he saw her growing desire, she kept her back to Bear. “Would you like a cup of coffee or tea?”

“No, thank you.”

At a loss for something to say, she said the only thing she could think of. “Is there anything I can do to make your stay here more comfortable?”

“Where do you want me to put my things? I left my duffel in the upstairs bathroom earlier.”

“You can have the first bedroom on the right. I’m in the one on the left, across the hallway.” She didn’t have the heart to move into the master bedroom, where her parents had slept up until the day they’d died. Then she remembered. “Oh, wait, I haven’t cleaned that room, yet.”