Page 51 of Relentless Hearts
Colt turned his head, showing off the brand-new row of neat stitches above his brow. “You got off easy, man.”
His lips twitched. “Looks like Denver got off easy too.”
Denver waved a hand in front of his face. “Can’t have two black eyes and a busted lip in my wedding photos.”
Decker listened to a recounting of the fight that turned into a brawl, but his stare locked on the whiteboard on the wall. His stomach bottomed out as he skimmed the long list of male names.
Carson noticed the direction of his focus and brought the room to order with the clearing of his throat.
“What am I looking at?” Decker already knew.
“It’s a list of guys Willow has dated or ever took interest in her.”
Now he had to face the list of men she’d dated.
“That’s a lot of boyfriends,” he said.
Colt spoke up. “She didn’t sleep with all these guys. We know that.”
Oaks waved at the extensive list. “I think we nipped all these in the bud pretty quick. I don’t think she slept with any of them.”
Some of the tightness in Decker’s chest eased, but his muscles were still tense.
Carson grabbed a marker and strolled over to the board. “I think we can cross off these two.” He drew a line through two names. “They were at the bar last night. Denver drilled them outside the restroom.”
Denver sat back, arms folded, wearing a smug expression.
Gray nodded toward the board. “Cross off the fourth guy on the list. He’s married.”
Decker swung his head to look at Gray. “Does that matter? He could lie.”
“Happily married,” he added.
“I ran background checks, and several are on the other side of the country. You can cross these off,” Denver said, grabbing the marker.
Oaks narrowed his eyes. “McCain is in prison.”
Every pair of eyes snapped to him. “You sure about that?” Carson asked.
“I’m sure.”
Colt groaned. “Good thing we chased that bastard off…what? A week into their relationship?”
“Six days,” Carson corrected him.
They continued down the list, one by one.
“Who is left on that list who could be sending her the gifts?” Decker asked.
Silence throbbed in the room. Finally, Theo said, “Was there anybody else at the bar who was involved? What about that guy who tried grabbing her on the dance floor?”
Oaks tilted his jaw up. “Let’s say I enticed him to talk. Learned that he spends every dollar he has on booze and gambling. According to his buddy with him, he doesn’t have two nickels to rub together. I doubt he’s our suspect.”
“There’s only one way to root this guy out.” Decker’s announcement was met with questioning looks. “We have to wait for him to make the next move. We hit all the bars in Willowbrook. Outside of town too.”
“Not tonight,” Carson interrupted. “It’s Denver’s bachelor party at the Rusty Spur.”
Decker chuckled. “Tonight? Are you sure you’ll be allowed back in?”
