this is what I think it is, you’ve just done her a huge favor.”
“Okay…thanks. I feel better leaving this in your hands,” Rachel said, and disconnected.
“What’s going on?” Hope asked as Duke handed back her phone.
“Someone from Vegas is in town looking for Cathy.”
Hope gasped. “Is she in danger?”
“I don’t know yet, but I’m going to call her,” Duke said. He took his phone out onto the front porch and sat down in one of the white wicker chairs to make the call, dreading it even as she answered.
“Hello, my love,” Cathy said.
Duke sighed. “Hi, baby. What are you doing today?”
“I slept in, and I’m just cleaning house. Does Hope want me to bring something?” she asked.
“That’s not why I’m calling. Rachel Goodhope—the woman who runs Blessings Bed and Breakfast—just called me. She was a little concerned about their late check-in last night. He’s from Las Vegas. And this morning he was asking if she knew you.”
Cathy moaned, and dropped into the nearest chair.
“No, no, no. It was that damn Pamela St. James. She went straight back to Vegas and told everyone she saw me. I knew she would. I was just hoping Blaine would let me be. I should have known better.”
“Blaine Wagner didn’t check in. It was a man named Gage Brewer. Have you ever heard of him?”
“No.”
“Well, he told Rachel you were going to help him in some family history search at the local cemetery.”
“That’s a lie,” Cathy said. “Where is he now?”
“I don’t know, honey. Probably somewhere in town looking for you. Just stay in the house. I’m coming to get you.”
“I’m not hiding,” Cathy said. “And I’m not running. Not again.”
Duke’s heart stopped when she hung up.
“Oh dammit, you little hothead,” he muttered, and grabbed his jacket and car keys as he ran through the house. “Sorry. Gotta run into Blessings. I won’t be long. If you need anything, text me and I’ll bring it back,” he said, and then was out the door.
He jumped in the truck and took off toward town, trying to call Cathy back as he drove. It just kept going to voicemail, so he called Lon, filled him in on what was happening, and asked him to find either Cathy or Gage Brewer before they found each other.
* * *
Jack came out of the utility room as Duke went out the back door.
“Where’s he going?” he asked.
“Someone from Vegas showed up in town looking for Cathy. I think it has to do with her ex-husband,” Hope said.
Jack frowned. “That’s not good.”
“No, it’s not, and Duke’s about to put himself in the middle of it.”
Jack felt a moment of panic, and then let it go.
“Duke’s a grown man in love with a woman who needs him. Now what do you need me to do next?”
Hope grinned. “I guess finish putting the leaves in the table. That’s what Duke was doing when I interrupted him.”
“You got it,” Jack said. “Don’t worry about my big brother. He can take care of himself.”
* * *
Cathy googled Blessings Bed and Breakfast to get Rachel’s number, but Bud answered.
“Hello, Blessings Bed and Breakfast. Bud Goodhope speaking.”
“Bud, this is Cathy Terry. Is Rachel there?”
“She just left to go to the Crown,” Bud said. “Can I help you?”
“Your guest, Gage Brewer, is looking for me, and I think my ex-husband is having me followed again. What’s he driving?”
Bud blinked. Wow…Rachel’s instincts were better than he’d imagined.
“Uh…a silver Cadillac Escalade. Late model.”
“And what does he look like?” Cathy asked.
“Are you in trouble?” Bud asked.
“Not yet, but he might be. I need a description.”
“Tall, slim, sandy-brown hair. I think he left wearing a black leather jacket.”
“Thank you,” Cathy said, and hung up.
Bud frowned. It sounded as if trouble was stirring in Blessings.
Cathy got her jacket and keys, then thought about the handgun she still hadn’t recovered from the police station and decided it was just as well she didn’t have it. But she still wasn’t going empty-handed, and dug through her hiking gear for the pepper spray. She found it and then headed out the door.
Her phone was ringing like crazy, but she guessed it was Duke and just let the calls go to voicemail. He’d try to talk her out of this, but it was time to stand her ground.
She got in the car with the pepper spray in the seat beside her. Logic told her Gage Brewer was looking for her, and if he was using Pamela St. James’s info, they probably knew what she was driving. So