LITMIR.BIZ

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or Penny give my phone number to anyone?”

      A pause. “Of course not. Why?”

      “Only a few people have it. I think I had a prowler.”

      “Did you call the sheriff?”

      “I didn’t actually see anyone, and there wasn’t a crime.” Yet, she thought with a shudder. “But a bit later I got a phone call—it had to be the same guy. No specific threat, but it was creepy.”

      “I can be there in twenty minutes. Keep your doors locked.”

      “You don’t have to come. I just wanted to…um…mention it.”

      This time, the pause was much longer. “You wondered where I was tonight,” he said flatly. “Because I have your cell phone number—so I could’ve made that call.”

      She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, embarrassed. “And because one of the deputies in town doesn’t seem to like you very much.”

      “Vance? Rick?” Logan sighed heavily. “Believe me, neither one has a valid reason. But right now, I’m concerned about your safety. Do you want Penny and me to come out?”

      His calm concern rang true and despite her doubts earlier, she knew in her heart that Logan couldn’t be her stalker. What motive could he possibly have?

      She went to the windows overlooking the balcony and peered into the calm peaceful night. An owl hooted from a nearby tree. From far away came the faint, distant howl of a coyote, followed by a chorus of the higher pitched yips of its young. But here she could see nothing moving, and a sense of peace settled over her. “No…it’s not necessary. I’ll let you know if anything else comes up.”

      TWO

      Carrie stood at the open door of her classroom and watched the last child burst out into the hallway.

      Marie Colbert, the teacher across the hall, strolled over to join her, her dark curls bouncing with every step. “Why is it,” she said with a laugh, “that no matter how much fun we had in class, the kids act like they’re escaping a dungeon when they leave? And this is only the first day.”

      Carrie flicked a glance down the hall, toward the open double doors leading out into the warm Montana sunshine. “I guess lazy summer days are meant for creek stomping, not sitting in class.”

      Marie cocked her head and studied her. “You look a little tense.”

      “I’m not sure that turn-of-the-century, American Western art really rang their bells.” Carrie shrugged to mask her frustration. “So I talked about how art can be a way to express deep emotions—like that done by refugee children or during wartime, thinking I might reach the kids who are so addicted to violent video games. But no luck today. I’ve got a few students who really don’t want to be here.”

      Marie smirked. “I’ll bet the Nelson twins just love all that art.”

      She’d pinpointed two of Carrie’s more challenging students, all right. “How did you know?”

      “I had Austin and Dylan when I taught third grade. When they weren’t wrestling or lobbing spitballs, they were causing some other kind of ruckus.”

      “Sounds familiar,” Carrie said drily.

      “Yeah. It took all year and a trip to the doctor for Ritalin to calm them down.” Marie sighed. “I don’t think they’re taking it anymore, though. I hear they’re back to bouncing off the walls in class and haven’t learned much ever since.”

      “It’s a tough call for a lot of parents. I don’t know what I would do, if it was me.” But it wouldn’t ever be. After her rocky marriage, she couldn’t imagine ever risking another bad choice and that kind of heartbreak again. How could she have been so totally wrong about one of the biggest decisions in life?

      She might as well wish for the moon as to long for the happy little family she’d once dreamed of back in her naive, younger days.

      “Well, I’d go with the medications that helped them settle down and learn, but that’s just me.” Marie adjusted her wire-rim glasses. “But, hey, we’ve already got one day down, and just eight weeks to go. I’ll trade you physics for art appreciation any day. You should look at the mess in my room after our gravity experiments this morning.”

      “Are you a regular teacher here?”

      “Honey, I graduated from Granite Falls High. I went off to Montana State, came back, and I’ve taught here ever since. Ten years.”

      “You must know all of the families well, then.”

      “It’s a really close-knit community. Tourists come and go, but the locals really watch out for each other.”

      “I’m glad to hear that,” Carrie muttered under her breath. Really glad.

      “Hmm?” Marie gave her a distracted glance as she held up her hand to slow down a straggler racing for the door. “I hear you’ll be full-time in the fall. Where did you teach before?”

      A brief, painful memory of Billy’s erratic, footloose ways cut through Carrie’s thoughts. “Until now, I’ve…just been able to do some substituting, now and then. We moved around a lot.”

      Marie gave her an approving smile. “Lucky you to find a permanent position here. It isn’t easy, these days.”

      “I know. And I’m thankful for this summer job, too. I need the money.”

      Marie chuckled. “Don’t we all. Did you find a decent place to stay?”

      “I have to start looking for something long-term in the fall, so let me know if you hear of anything. I have just a summer lease out at a rafting company property.”

      “Which one?”

      “Wolf River. Logan and Penny Bradley.”

      “Really.” Marie’s eyes widened. “How did you end up there?”

      “Weeks of searching on the internet—and the first day the apartment was listed, I nabbed it sight unseen. It’s really nice,” Carrie added, feeling defensive at the hint of incredulity in the other woman’s eyes. “Despite being a little noisy with the tourists coming and going on raft trips. I moved in over the weekend, and it was crazy on Sunday.”

      “I can imagine.” Marie looked at her closely. “And what about the Bradleys? Have you had a chance to get to know them?”

      “Not really, but they both seem like nice people.”

      “Yes. Well…I’m sure they are.”

      The tone in her voice didn’t ring quite true. “Is there something I should know?”

      After casting a glance down the hall to where several teachers had emerged from their classrooms and were striking up a conversation as they headed toward the door, Marie flashed a diffident smile. “Well, I’m not one to gossip, you know. Maybe I shouldn’t say anything.”

      “Now you have me worried.”

      “Well…the Bradleys had a little…uh, trouble a year or so ago.”

      “What kind of trouble?”

      “Nothing proven,” Marie reassured her. “It all turned out okay…for them. There are people around town who still really want answers, though. Hey, I’d better get busy, or I’ll be here all afternoon.”

      Nothing proven? Uneasy, Carrie watched Marie waggle her fingertips in farewell and scuttle across the hallway to her classroom. First Deputy Munson and now Marie had hinted at trouble, though neither had given her any concrete reason to worry.

      So what on earth was going on? Tomorrow afternoon she had to go back to her brother’s ranch to pick up the last of her possessions, but when she returned, she was going to find some answers.

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