Page 41 of Hot For You

“Unknown callers, hang ups?” he asked.

She frowned. The only one to call her had been Sam, and she’d missed his calls. “No one,” she said.

Reese looked at Cody who shook his head. Reese finished questioning them and pulled Cody aside. Carilyn wondered what they were talking about, but turned and looked around her at the violation.

Feeling even sicker than before, Carilyn started to clean up the mess again.

Cody rested his hand on her shoulder, startling her. “I don’t think we should stay.” He met her gaze. “If it’s the arsonist, he could target this house.”

A helpless feeling weighted down on her as she looked from Cody to Reese. “I don’t want Leigh to return home to a mess.”

“There’s plenty of time,” Cody said. “She won’t be back for almost a month. By then the police will have caught the bastard.”

“I hope you’re right.” Carilyn blew out her breath. “Let’s go.”

Reese and Cody made sure all of the doors and windows were locked while she waited for them in the living room. Apparently the back door had been jimmied, so Cody was going to have someone fix it and put on a bolt lock.

She stared at the empty picture frame. Why would the person who ransacked Leigh’s home come back for the photo? Cold traveled down her spine again and she shivered.

“Everything’s locked up tight.” Cody’s voice jerked her out of her thoughts and she whirled to face him.

“I wish Leigh had an alarm system,” Carilyn said.

“So do I,” Cody said grimly.

Reese left with Cody and Carilyn. She gave Reese a little wave as he pulled away in his unmarked vehicle.

They were quiet on the way back to the ranch, Carilyn lost in her thoughts and Cody seemed to be, too.

They were almost to the ranch when he spoke. “Why don’t we go out tonight? Jo-Jo’s has happy hour ’til seven.”

“Okay.” Carilyn looked at him. She could use a distraction. “Is Jo-Jo’s a bar?”

“Probably the nicest one in Prescott.” He smiled. “Although Nectars is classy, too, it’s just hard to compare the two.”

“I think I saw Nectars when I went to the Hummingbird.” She swallowed. “The day my car was burned up.”

“Yes, it’s right next door.” He glanced at her before looking at the road again. “Wasn’t planning on taking you there since that’s where it happened.”

She nodded.

“My cousin, Tate’s, wife owns Jo-Jo’s,” Cody said. “His brother, my cousin Gage’s, in-laws own the Hummingbird and Nectars.”

Carilyn couldn’t help a laugh. “You McBrides do get around.”

He grinned and looked at her. “You should see the Johnsons.”

* * *

Before they left, Carilyn took a long bath to relax and get her mind off of all that had happened. It wasn’t easy, but she finally set it aside so that she could enjoy a night out with Cody.

After she had dried off, she dressed in a matching black bra and panty set. She slipped into the sleeveless emerald green dress she had picked out on impulse when she and Leigh had gone shopping. The dress reached a few inches above her knees and she had to admit it looked great on her. She stepped into black strappy heels she’d also picked out that matched a small black purse with a long strap. She brushed out her hair and let it fall around her shoulders. She usually kept it back but today she felt like leaving it down. After she grabbed the purse, she left her room to meet Cody.

“Hello, gorgeous,” he said the moment she walked into the living room. Her cheeks heated and she knew she was blushing as he looked at her with appreciation in his gaze. “You always look beautiful.”

“Thank you.” She smiled at him.

He opened the door for her then touched the small of her back as he escorted her to the truck. Her heels wobbled a little on the uneven ground and he caught her by her upper arm and steadied her. When they reached the truck, he opened the passenger door and helped her up and into the truck, and then closed the door behind her. He went around to the driver’s side, climbed in, and started the vehicle.

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