Page 17 of Shadow Angel
“Kinda.” Conan’s cheeks blushed crimson. “She likes me and gives me extra time with her. We had a drink after the dance last Friday. She sat beside me, all nice like, and we talked. I was her last dance and she had some spare time.”
“What did you talk about?” Styles’ penetrating gaze was fixed on him.
“Stuff.” Conan dropped his gaze to the floor. “I don’t recall.”
“Okay.” Styles handed him a card. “If you think of anything else, or hear any mention of Cassie, call me. If I find out you’re withholding information about her disappearance, I’ll be coming for you. Understand?”
“Disappearance?” Conan’s head snapped up. “She’s missing?”
“It seems that way.” Styles waved him toward the door. “That’s all for now, Mr. Conan.”
Shutting the door behind him, Beth turned to Styles. “Oh, those two are up to their necks in this. Those scratches didn’t come from me. He’s hiding something.”
“He sure is.” Styles pushed his Stetson firmly on his head. “I don’t trust either of them.”
NINETEEN
Running Water, Montana
A blast of freezing rain swirled around Tina Simmons as she stepped from the bus. All around her people walked purposely in all directions, some climbing into vehicles, others heading for the roadhouse. She turned around in a circle, unsure of which direction to take. The warm glow from the roadhouse lights looked inviting as if beckoning her. The aroma of burgers and fries drifted on the breeze toward her each time the door opened. Her stomach rumbled as a reminder she hadn’t eaten for hours. She pulled her purse from her pocket and checked her billfold. She would need to be careful if she was going to survive on the small amount she had, but where was she going to get a job in Running Water? She made her way into the roadhouse and joined the line at the counter. After waiting for a time, she ordered a burger and fries, took a number, and went to sit at one of the tables by a noticeboard.
Her attention was drawn to a handwritten notice offering a room, meals, and a small wage for a ranch hand. Interested, she stood and plucked the notice from the board. Taking it back to her table, she pulled out her phone and called the number on the page. “Is that Bill? I’m calling about the notice regarding the ranch hand job. Is it still available?”
“Yeah, I’m Bill.”The man at the end of the line sounded pleasant. “My last ranch hand moved on and my wife just made up the room, so you’re in luck if you’re interested in taking the job. Do you have any experience working on a ranch? I hope you haven’t run away from home, like the last kid that applied? I don’t need no trouble.”
Tina sipped her coffee, searching her mind for a decent reply. “Yeah, I’ve worked with animals before. We had horses when I was a kid. I learn fast and I haven’t run away from home. I’m nineteen.”
“Okay, I’ll give you a trial for a couple of weeks to see how you go. Go along the highway heading toward town and my place is the third gate on the left.”
Stifling a yawn, Tina nodded as if the man were in the room. “Unfortunately, I don’t have a vehicle. I’m stuck at the roadhouse. That’s where I saw your notice about the job. I just got in from Helena.”
A waitress came by with her meal and she nibbled on a fry. She heard a sound as if he was covering up the mouthpiece and speaking to someone.
“That’s okay. My ranch isn’t too far away. I’ll come get you and show you the room.”Bill sounded breathless. “I’ll be about twenty minutes. What do you look like?”
Surprised he hadn’t asked her name, Tina frowned. “I’m wearing a blue puffy jacket and blue jeans. I have blonde hair and I’m wearing a yellow knitted hat with a bobble on the top. My name is Tina, by the way.”
“Okay, Tina, I’ll see you soon. I’ll be driving a white Chevrolet Express van. Come out to the parking lot when you see me drive in.”Bill disconnected.
After checking the time on her phone, Tina finished her meal and went to the restroom to freshen up. When she returned to the dining room, the white van was parked a short distance from the roadhouse, engine running and billowing white steam from the exhaust. She pulled on her backpack and hurried outside to greet it. Rain dashed against her cheeks as she ran across the gravel toward the van. The window buzzed down and the man inside stared at her. She moved closer. “Are you Bill?”
“Yeah, and you must be Tina.” He gave her a slow smile. “Jump in.”
His window buzzed back up and, with rain running down the back of her neck, she ran around the front of the van. She removed her backpack, tossed it inside, and climbed in behind it. Bill looked normal enough, handsome in a rugged way, clean, and dressed in a thick winter jacket and leather gloves. His Levis were worn at the knees and a little damp around the ankles. She stowed her backpack at her feet and fastened her seatbelt. “You mentioned a wife? Do you have kids?”
“Yeah, a whole bunch.” Bill grinned at her. “You’ll meet everyone in the morning. I’ll drop you at the cabin so you can get settled. It’s clean, warm, and private. If you stayed in the house, my kids would drive you crazy, so we put all our hands in cabins.” He held out his hand. “Give me your backpack. I’ll stow it in back.”
Reluctantly, Tina handed it over. The backpack contained all her possessions, and she winced as he tossed it into the back of the van. He took off slowly, the wipers swished through the rain, and he glanced at her as they headed onto the highway.
“So what brings you to Running Water?” He indicated to the rain. “It doesn’t rain all the time. It’s named after the river, is all.”
Shrugging, Tina turned to look at him. “I’m looking for work.”
“It’s dangerous for a young woman to travel in these parts without a place to stay.” Bill accelerated, swishing through puddles. “Where were you planning on staying tonight, if you hadn’t seen my flyer?”
“I’m not sure.” She stared out of the window. A sense of foreboding tormented her over how long they’d driven. They’d passed many roads on the left since leaving the roadhouse. He’d mentioned only three. She pushed the concern away. He seemed nice enough. “Maybe I’d take the next bus out of here. I can always sleep on the bus.”
“Did you pin the flyer back on the board?” Bill shot her a glance.
