“I hope it isn’t, but I’m not taking any chances.”
He kissed her one last time, then climbed back into the car, and Emma drove off toward the Grandview.
Jenny thought of Cain and how close he had come to being killed. As she crossed the saloon to where Troy stood behind the bar, she said a silent prayer for Cain’s safety.
* * *
The first call Cain made went to Nick Faraday. He told Faraday about the attack at the ranch and that the shooter had escaped on a mountain bike.
“You sure there was only one of them?” Nick asked.
“That’s the only one Denver spotted. Doesn’t mean they didn’t split up and scatter, but the shots all seemed to come from the same direction. One rifle, I’d say. I think I hit the bastard, but he still managed to get away.”
“I’ll check the hospitals in the area, see if there were any reported gunshot wounds. You talk to the sheriff?”
Cain leaned back in the chair behind the desk in his study. “Denver called him, gave him a report. I haven’t talked to him yet. Just got out of the hospital.” And his shoulder hurt like a bitch. “I figure he’ll show up in Jerome sooner or later. But I don’t have much faith in the guy.”
“Maybe he’ll surprise you.”
“Maybe,” Cain said. “I need to hire a bodyguard.”
“Good idea.”
“Not for me—for Jenny. I’m not completely up to speed, and I don’t want to leave her unprotected. You know anyone local?”
“I work with a guy named Will Price. He’s a vet, stays in shape. He’s done this kind of work before. Will lives in Scottsdale. I’ll call him, see if he’s available.”
“If he is, send him up. He can stay at the hotel when I don’t need him.”
“I’ll text to let you know.”
“Making any progress on Sun King?” Cain asked.
“I’ve narrowed down your list. Your old buddy Tank Rosen was busted two weeks ago in California for armed robbery. He’s cooling his jets in the San José County jail.”
“So he can’t be our shooter.”
“No. Turns out he’s been living in California for the past five years. Has a girlfriend, a life of sorts. I talked to the girl. Said they needed money, so he robbed a Fast Trip convenience store. Cutting the balls off your horse wouldn’t have solved the problem.”
“Which means he’s likely not our horse thief, either.”
“Doesn’t sound like it. But after the shooting, Ryder Vance has moved up the list. Could have been Vance who shot you. Might not have had anything to do with stealing your horse and everything to do with your woman.”
Cain thought of Ryder’s attack on Jenny. The guy was exactly the sort who would want revenge. “I wouldn’t put it past him, but a dirt bike isn’t a Harley.”
“A bike’s a bike. He moves up the list.”
Cain scrubbed a hand over his face, felt the roughness on his unshaven face. “So, aside from Rosen, we’re right back where we started.”
“I’m going to try to locate Harwell and dig deeper into Ray Aldridge. In the meantime, keep your head down and an eye on Jenny.”
“Believe me, I intend to.” He ended the call, went into the bathroom, and popped a couple of Advils. The doctor had given him some meds, but he didn’t like the groggy feeling they gave him, and if he ran into more trouble, he needed to be alert.
He rode his private elevator down to the main floor. He wanted to check on things at the hotel, but he needed to get back to Jenny. His shoulder was aching, throbbing like a thousand drumbeats, but the Advil would soon kick in.
The elevator door slid open, and he walked out into the hallway off the lobby. The Grandview was now open to the public. Tomorrow night was Halloween. The whole town would be masked up, people’s identities hidden. The perfect night to cause trouble.
Cain planned to spend the evening at the Copper Star.
