Figured. She’d lived in a small town for a short time as a kid, before she and her mom had moved on, and she remembered there weren’t any secrets. “He’s out doing something with fences,” she said. “Is there any way you can put a rush on fixing my car?”
“Nope,” Mac said again. “I had to order parts, and I’m working the land while also running the garage. I’m doing the best I can for you.” He sounded smooth and earnest.
She had the oddest feeling that he could hurry it up if he wanted. Why wouldn’t he do so and charge her double or something? “Is there any reason you can’t speed it up?” she asked.
“I just gave you reasons,” Mac said easily. “You’re safe out at the ranch house for the week, and I know Trent needs the help, so why not make a little cash before you head out?”
Yeah. No secrets. She shook her head. Maybe everything was just as it seemed. “I guess.” She could try to rent a car, but she was out of money and she couldn’t use her credit cards. They were way too easy to trace.
“Bye.” Mac ended the call.
She looked at the phone in her hand. “Well.” That was a little rude, but he had answered her questions. There was an office in the ranch house with a laptop, but it was probably password protected. Then she glanced down at the phone. Well, it had Internet. So she looked up control arms, and whether they were actually important. Then she called her mailbox—the one on the phone she used to have.
There were several hang-ups and then a terse message from her former neighbor to call.
She took a deep breath and opened the sliding door, stepping outside to her little alcove. Even the chairs were charming, and she sat, staring at the beautiful foliage that led to more fields beyond. Then she dialed.
“Hello?” Mrs. Planton said before coughing several times. The woman still smoked a pack a day, even though she was in her sixties and said she knew better.
“Hi, Mrs. P.” Hallie tried to keep her voice even. “I received your message.”
“Oh, Hallie. Hello.” Mrs. P’s voice lowered. “You said to call if anything strange happened, and that man has been back several times looking for you. Brad was his name? He finally went to each apartment to see if anybody knew where you’d gone.”
Hallie sat back and closed her eyes. “What did you tell him?”
“Just that you disappeared in the dark of night,” Mrs. P said, gleeful conspiracy in her voice. “Nobody else knew a thing, either. He doesn’t seem to be getting over you, dear.”
It wasn’t the failed romance that would get Hallie killed, unfortunately. “Thank you for covering for me.”
“Always. Are you safe? Do you need money?”
Hallie grinned. “I’m safe and I don’t need money.” Not that the elderly woman had any to spare. “Take care of yourself, okay?”
“Of course. If you need backup, you call me.” Mrs. P hacked away several seconds. “Bye.”
“Bye,” Hallie murmured, disengaging the call. Then she carefully tore the cell phone apart and crushed every piece of it beneath her shoe before throwing it all away in the garbage.
She had dinner to make.
* * *
Trent cut off a section of barbed wire, bent over as the wind smashed into him. The clouds opened and rain started to fall. Just great. He looked up as Zeke headed his way, several fence posts secured over one shoulder. “Show-off,” he muttered, grinning.
Zeke let them drop near the battered pickup, his eyes twinkling beneath the brim of his hat. “There’s nobody here to show off for, brother.” He looked around and then lifted one of the posts. “How’s the city girl?” This time, he spoke in his native language.
Trent answered in Russian as well. “She’s spooked but kisses like a dream. I need to help her out so she can get going.”
Austin looked up from down the line and spoke in his native language. “Maybe you should keep her. I can tell you seem more relaxed than before—maybe she’s your key to happiness.”
Trent easily switched to the Scottish Gaelic to answer. “She deserves better. The darkness has been coming in, and the nightmares have almost killed me. She stopped all of that with just being here. But she’s a nice girl, a smart one, and I have no idea how to live a normal life. None of us do anymore.”