But there was a hint of sharp ice, and he wasn’tquitemeeting her gaze anymore.There were a lot of things she could say to that, but she took a page out of Nate’s book and only raised an eyebrow.
Jake was too much of a cop to wilt, but Samthoughtshe sawsomekind of discomfort under that stoic mask of his.Even if he didn’t speak.
She tapped the table and stood back up to her full height.“I’ll let you know if I have any more questions about your dad, or if I think you can help.See you around, Jake.”
He didn’t say anything to that, and Sam left the diner.She had some more things to look into, but now there was a ticking clock, because she had no doubt Jake wouldn’t back off.
He’d be looking into it on his own now.Which meant she had to figure out whatever the hell she was trying to figure out before he did.
She doubted some random hunting accident had anything to do with Glenda, but…
Well, she’d just have to be sure.
Chapter Thirteen
The apartment above Honor’s Edge Investigations Office
Cal wasn’t contentto letSaminvestigate the threat he’d gotten.And he’d be damned if Nate was going to do it.So after he’d had that uncomfortable conversation with Jill—where hehadin fact been a jerk again, like she somehow brought it out in him almost as easily as his brothers did—he’d picked up some lunch to go from the diner and come back to his apartment to do some work.
The fact of the matter was, he had been a practicing criminal defense attorney for over a decade.He’d been threatened before.It wasn’t a total surprise to be threatened again, even if the timing was strange considering he’dquitand moved back to Montana.
Still, to Cal’s way of thinking, ifhewas getting a threat, it likely connected to his life in Texas.After all, the creepy little drawinghadfeatured him in a suit, carrying a briefcase.That was lawyer shit.
He hadn’t had a life in Marietta in something like twenty years.Any threat that was just geared at him—and not the Bennets as a whole—just didn’t make sense unless it came from his life in Texas.Because anything that might connect to his father’s trial surely connected to his brothers, not just him.
If that was wishful thinking, he’d ride it for a while.
So, after he’d gotten done eating and done a cursory search through some of his old files to see if anything major jumped out, he’d picked up the phone and called his old law offices.When his old assistant answered, he figured luck was on his side.
“Mackenzye, it’s Cal Bennet.”
“Oh.Well, hello, Mr.Bennet.I hope you’re doing well.”
Cal frowned a little.He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but the strange note of trepidation in her voice was… odd.He figured he’d always had a positive, professional relationship with his former assistant.
“I am.I just called because I wanted some information on a few old cases of mine.”
“Ah, well, you’re the second person to call about that, Mr.Bennet.”
Cal swore under his breath.“Let me guess, the first guy wasalsonamed Bennet.”
“Well, yes.It was a… Nate Bennet,” she explained, and he could hear her shuffling through papers as she did.“I didn’t give him much, of course, but he did say he was your brother and a private investigator and—”
“Yeah, great.Listen, if he calls again, don’t give him anything.”
“Well, certainly, but—”
“I need a list, Mackenzye.Of any of my cases that might have had something change recently.Someone who got out of prison.Someone I got off that recently committed another crime.Anything that might have caused someone to take new issue with me.”
There was a long, drawn-out silence that Cal knew didn’t bode well.
“The thing is, Mr.Bennet, you don’t work for us anymore, so…”
Shock stoked his frustration with this whole thing.“So I should just have to be threatened?”he demanded.
“No!No, of course not.I just… I’ll have to check with Mr.Dautry and get back to you about what’s acceptable to share with you.And what’s an acceptable amount of time to spend doing this for someone not on the payroll.”
Cal found himself completely and utterly speechless—a rare feat.Not on the payroll.After everything he’d given that firm.Now he didn’t matter at all.
