“I think you have your hands full with the case you went there to work.”
Ben scowled. “I’m just asking you to check. That’s all.”
“Fine. You said her name is Charlotte. What’s her last name?”
Ben froze as he realized he didn’t know. No one mentioned Charlotte’s last name to him, and it never occurred to him to ask. “I don’t know. I never found out. I just know her first name and that she works at the Skyline Motel in Ivy Springs. Oh, and she rents a garage apartment from a woman named Birdie Miller.”
“You know her landlady’s name but not hers? Something’s wrong with this picture. Got a description of her?”
Ben easily conjured an image of Charlotte in his mind. “Blond, short hair. Petite. Cute. Big smile. Blue eyes, but they’re not a typical blue. They have gray in them, so they change colors sometimes. Stronger than she looks.”
“Let me guess. She’s hot.”
Ben instantly remembered her pert breasts and delectable ass. “Yeah, she’s hot, but that’s not why I’m asking for a favor.”
“Right.” Sarcasm dripped from the one word, and Ben knew there would be no convincing Luke that his request had nothing to do with any attraction he felt for Charlotte.
Which was Ben’s cue to end the call. “Look, I need to go. I got to get some shut eye before my alarm goes off.”
“Take care of yourself, brother. Don’t work too hard, and try not to lose your shit over this girl. This case takes priority over a pretty face.”
Ben frowned. “I know that. That’s not what this is. I’ll get to the bottom of this case, but if I can help out someone else in the process, I want to do that too.”
Even as the protest passed his lips, he didn’t believe it. He did want to help Charlotte if she needed it, but his concern wasn’t just an innate do-gooder instinct. His desire to know more about her played a small part in his request.
“That hero complex of yours is going to get you hurt one of these days. Just make sure the rest of us are around if that happens. We’ve got your six, brother.”
Ben appreciated Luke’s concern for his well-being. “I know. Thanks, man. Talk to you tomorrow.”
Ending the call, Ben forced himself to move his laptop to a table to charge. He brushed his teeth, used the facilities, and made sure his alarm was set. Switching off the lights, he climbed under the thin sheet and heavy duvet. Laying on his back, he folded one arm and rested his head on his hand as he stared at the ceiling.
When his eyes finally closed in sleep, he dreamed of a beautiful blond who looked like an angel and kissed like a vixen.
Chapter Ten
Ben slammed his hammer down on the framing nail, venting his frustration. The day had been a bust, and he still had a few hours to go before his shift ended. He worked alongside Hanson again, and the man was more disagreeable than usual. He snapped at Ben at every turn, and Hartcourt had to step in once when Hanson’s verbal assault grew loud enough to be heard over the construction site.
Any attempt on Ben’s part to smooth things over or find out what bug Hanson had up his ass proved futile. By twelve-thirty, Hanson had gone to see Hartcourt, and within minutes, he drove away from the construction site without saying a word to anyone else. Hartcourt just ordered Ben to continue with the work Hanson left unfinished without any sort of explanation as to why Hanson left.
Ben considered that something might be wrong with Caleb, but there was little he could do to check into it, just short of walking off the site and risking his cover. He wanted to call Luke for an update, but Hartcourt was strict about the use of cell phones when they weren’t on break. Distractions led to accidents, so it was a rule he wouldn’t break as much as he wanted to.
Ben was left with no one to take his frustration out on except for the nails on the business end of his hammer. After a bit, he realized he was less angry at Hanson’s unreasonable treatment and more irritated at himself for losing his cool. He was conditioned not to rise to others’ taunts or bullying, but today Hanson had pushed him too hard. That, along with Ben’s fitful night of sleep, had been enough to rankle his temper.
When the time came to clock out, Ben waved off invitations from the others to grab a beer somewhere. With his curiosity burning, he drove to Hanson’s home and found a spot on the street to park and watch his suspect’s house without being noticed. Well, unless he sat on the street for too long. There was a risk that a concerned neighbor would call the cops and report him for suspicious activity. If that happened, he’d have some fast explaining to do.
He only observed for a couple of minutes before realizing no one was at the Hanson home. Hanson’s car wasn’t visible, no lights were on inside, and no one was visible through the windows. From what Ben knew of the man, this was enough of a break in the family’s routine to make Ben suspicious.
After a moment, he started his truck and moved down the street, turning on the next block to drive up behind the Hanson home. If he drove slowly enough, he could see Hanson’s backyard through the line of houses on this street. All was still and quiet, which gave him an idea.
Taking another turn, he drove the truck into the dirt parking lot of a small church tucked away in the quiet neighborhood. The brick sign announced the location as Guiding Light Church with services held on Sunday mornings, Sunday evenings, andWednesday nights. The church remained quiet on the other days of the week, such as this one, so Ben parked behind the church out of sight of passersby.
He set out on foot, careful not to attract attention, until he was able to approach Hanson’s house undetected. He peered in the windows but noted nothing that he hadn’t seen before — a house in complete disarray. On a hunch, he pulled a glove from his pocket, slipped it on his hand, and tested the knob on the back door. He was shocked when it turned in his hand without resistance. The lack of security could be the byproduct of living in the small town, but knowing how private Hanson was, the notion didn’t seem likely.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside and quickly closed the door behind him. Careful not to leave evidence of his presence, he moved through the home, not sure what he was looking for but searching all the same. He took a few deep breaths to clear his mind and push away the frustration of his day to focus.
Other than clutter, dust, and a faint odor he couldn’t name, he found nothing of consequence as he moved from room to room. He cleared the kitchen and living room. There was another door that was locked, and he decided not to break his way inside. He had the skills to easily pick the lock if he wanted, but he had no idea how much time he had before Hanson and Caleb returned home. For now, he would stick with what was in plain sight.
He moved to the bedrooms, looking through Hanson’s first before walking through Caleb’s. He searched the pantry closet before stepping into the hallway bathroom. Nothing appearedout of the ordinary, and he was ready to exit when his gaze fell on a box in the garbage can. His brow furrowed as he reached for the box of hair dye. The smiling face on the outside had dark hair that was more of the shade of Caleb’s than his father’s. Placing the box back in the garbage, he searched through the cabinet under the sink and found two unopened boxes of the same hair dye.
