Slay Bells - Hildie McQueen Page 0,28
more than just looks and sex. I think you’ve fallen for Mr. hot cowboy. That’s horrible. Scandalous.” Mila loved to put the word “scandalous” in a sentence for emphasis.
“It does suck. I can’t possibly live here and there’s no way he would survive in San Diego. He’s planning to retire here on the ranch and maybe even run the Winter Festival.”
Mila blinked.
Gabriela sighed.
“You are aware,” Mila said after swallowing her ice cream. “That you can work from anywhere.”
“He hasn’t asked me and he’s aware I’m about to leave. Besides, why should I be the one to move?”
“Maybe cause you live in a clinical apartment without one thing on the walls. Or maybe because every time we talk, you gush about how beautiful Montana is. Oh, and also because every conversation starts and ends with a mention of Jeremy Hawkins.”
“I do not,” Gabriela explained. “I can’t possibly leave all my friends and my family is there.”
Mila leaned closed to the screen and whispered. “Honey, you only have one friend.”
Gabriela blew out a breath.
Mila blinked.
“I better get ready for bed. I have this sandwich to eat.” Gabriela held up her meal.
“It’s two o’clock in the morning here. I probably should crash myself,” Mila replied pulling the mask off. “Brandon is snoring, I can hear him from here, so I better take a pill,” she said referring to her boyfriend.
Gabriela laughed. “He needs a breathing machine or something.”
“Nah,” Mila replied. “He’s tired. We played cops and robbers for a couple hours.”
“Who was the robber this time?”
A grin split her friend’s face. “He was.”
After they ended the call, Gabriela looked around the cozy space. She’d grown to really like it. What Mila had said was right, her apartment in San Diego was devoid of any personality. She’d needed something sterile and without memories at the time she moved in. It was a perfect place to start a new life. Upon returning, she’d decorate and make it more like a home.
“Good morning.” Gabriela walked into the Hawkins’s kitchen the next morning.
Jeremy stood and neared. The man was drop dead gorgeous even that early in the morning. Gabriela wasn’t sure she was mentally prepared for that much sex appeal so early.
“Now that you’ve had more time, can we return to cabin number six? I need you to try to remember again what you saw.”
“Um okay. But first I need a cup of coffee…. or two.”
One cup of coffee later, Gabriela climbed into the passenger seat of Jeremy’s truck and they headed toward the cabins.
Gabriela looked to Jeremy, his brows were lowered and lips in a thin line. “Did something happen? Someone have more questions?”
He nodded. “Mark Rutledge’s been arrested. There still a few things don’t make sense. We can’t get straight answers from him.”
Unsure she’d remember anything new, Gabriela tried her best to mentally return to the day she’d stumbled on the horrible scene.
“I hope they will resolve things so we can remove the police tape soon. If you look close enough, you can spot the crime scene from the main area,” Jeremy said.
Gabriela nodded. “The bright yellow does stand out.”
Jeremy grunted. “I know it sounds insensitive since it’s there because someone died.”
“I totally get it. It’s also an awful reminder of bad things when people will be coming to enjoy themselves and forget the real world and any worries.”
He frowned at her. “Thanks for trying to save me, but those thoughts hadn’t even crossed my mind.”
When they arrived at the cabins, Williams was already there.
“Where does he live? In the woods here? He always arrives so quickly,” Gabriela asked.
“He likes to patrol out here, it’s part of our route,” Jeremy replied. “Plus he’s always hoping Mom will invite him over for a meal. His wife, Patty, is always pregnant and moody.”
They had Gabriela retrace her route and point out where she’d spotted what she thought had been a wild animal.
Gabriela looked through the trees. “You know now that I think about it. Whatever it was had either a white fur hat or was blond.”
Are there blond whitish animals around here?
At her questions, the men looked at each other looking as if they tried to keep from laughing.
“No ma’am,” Glen finally replied. “Not that I can think of.”
Finally, they stopped asking her questions and she hurried to the warmth of the truck while the men walked slowly from the cabin, through the trees, scanning the area.
Meanwhile Gabriela sat in the truck and checked her messages on her cell.
An hour later, the forensics team was back, more