In The Arms Of The Enemy

What had Diamond been doing back in his old stomping grounds instead of plying his trade in Arizona, where he’d been wheeling and dealing for four years? Had that woman lured him this way?

Cole turned to Deputy Brookhurst. “Did you find any other fingerprints besides Diamond’s in this room?”

“We barely found any of Diamond’s.”

Cole narrowed his eyes. “Wiped clean?”

“Looks like it.”

“How about his phone? Did your guys search the Dumpsters and bushes for Diamond’s phone? There’s no way a man in Diamond’s business would be without a cell.”

“We looked. We’ll try to track his number through the different providers and see if we can locate his phone by pinging.” Brookhurst slapped Cole on the back. “Don’t worry, Agent Pierson. We’ll keep you guys in the loop. We called you as soon as we found out you had a flag on Johnny Diamond, didn’t we?”

“You sure did, and I appreciate it. I’ve been after this SOB for a long time.” Cole snapped his fingers. “Did any of the deputies do a search on the GPS in the stolen car? I noticed it had a built-in one.”

“Damn, I don’t think we’ve done that yet—a little distracted by what we found in the trunk.”

“Yeah, poor Hazel McTavish. I wonder how she had the bad luck to run across Diamond.” Cole flipped up the collar of his jacket. Seattle days could be cold enough, but Seattle nights could chill you down to your bones. “I’m going to check the GPS and see if I can find out where Diamond and his mysterious lady friend were headed.”

He shouldered his way through the deputies and EMTs gathered around Hazel’s trunk, and slid into the front seat of the car. He sniffed the air and got a whiff of some flowery scent—probably belonged to Hazel, but he’d have the King County boys dust for prints in here, too.

He poked his head out the door and yelled back, “I’m going to start the engine to look at the GPS.”

The GPS beeped to life as he cranked on the ignition. With a gloved finger, he tapped the screen. He swiped his finger across Recent Destinations and blew out a breath—next stop Timberline, Washington.

* * *

HER HEART STUTTERED when the bell above the door of the tourist shop, Timberline Treasures, jingled. She turned from the bin she’d been filling with little stuffed frogs, and released a sigh.

She smiled at the family with two young kids. “Welcome. Let me know if you need anything.”

The parents smiled back and started to browse through the key chains and magnets.

She wiped her sweaty palms on the seat of her jeans. She’d have to stop freaking out every time someone came into the store—or find another job. There was no way anyone could trace her to Timberline from that motel room. She’d wiped down all her prints and had even taken Larry’s phone just in case he’d had any more information about her, or pictures, or any references to Timberline.

Not Larry, Johnny—Johnny Diamond. When she got to Timberline four days ago, one of her first stops had been the public library to use a computer. It hadn’t taken her long to discover the dead man at the Stardust Motel was Johnny Diamond—drug dealer, thief and all-around bad guy.

What she’d been doing with him and how he’d wound up dead, she still didn’t have a clue. The online article she read didn’t give a cause of death, but the authorities suspected homicide—no witnesses and no suspects.

She brushed a wisp of hair from her face. Diamond’s phone didn’t contain any incriminating evidence, and she’d destroyed and dumped it soon after.

Linda, her new boss, new best friend and owner of the store, came from the storage area in the back and plunked a box on the counter. “Can you help me sort through these items, Caroline?”

She’d adopted the name from the North Carolina plates of the semi that had picked her up a mile from that motel outside of Seattle. The choice of a last name had been trickier.

“Of course.” She turned to the family. “Do you need any help?”

The mom swung a key chain around her finger. “We’ll take one of these—just a little something with the town’s name on it.”

Caroline plunged her hand into a bin filled with furry frogs. Holding one up, she shook it. “How about one of these? It’s a Pacific chorus frog and this particular toy is unique to Timberline.”

The little girl’s eyes widened as she tugged on her mom’s sleeve. “Mom, can I have it?”

“Okay.” She rolled her eyes at her husband, who shrugged.

Caroline brought the stuffed frog to the counter and winked at Linda. Linda rang up the family’s purchases and when they left the store, she patted Caroline on the back. “You’re a born salesperson.”

Scooping the trinkets from the box, Caroline said, “I want to do my best to repay you for your kindness, Linda.”

“When that haunted, hunted look leaves your eyes that will be repayment enough for me. It took my sister, Louise, years to recover from the abuse dished out by her boyfriend. When you told me your story of domestic violence and I saw that bruise under your eye—” she patted Caroline’s hand “—I knew I had to help you.”

Caroline blinked back tears as a pang of guilt twisted in her belly. She’d told Linda Gunderson a little lie to explain why she had no ID and why she was using a fake name, Caroline Johnson. She didn’t want her abusive ex tracking her down.

Linda had gone above and beyond by introducing Caroline as her cousin’s daughter, who’d moved out West for a fresh start. Linda extended her kindness even further by offering her the duplex next to her own, which she and her sister owned, and giving her a job at her shop so she could start earning some money with very few questions asked by the others in this small town.

But that haunted, hunted look in her eyes? That wouldn’t go away until she knew her identity and what had happened at the Stardust Motel.

“I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, Linda.”

“I needed help in the store, anyway, with Louise off on her cruise for a month.” Linda sniffled and dabbed her nose. Then she shoved a handful of magnets at her. “Can you stock these and the pencils before you leave?”

“Of course.” Caroline gathered the items and deposited them in their proper places around the store. When she was done, she took the empty box from the counter and left it by the back door of the storage room.

She lifted her black leather jacket and her new purse from the hook and returned to the store, where Linda was helping someone select a sweatshirt. Caroline waved on her way out.

If she hurried, she could make it to the library before it closed. She’d just scratched the surface of Johnny Diamond—enough to discover his talents for all forms of criminality, but not enough to find out about his personal life or any women in it. Had she been one of those women?

Once outside, she glanced at the moody sky, threatening rain, and then hurried across the street toward the civic center at the end of the block that boasted the sheriff’s station, city hall and a cozy library.

She pushed through the glass doors and rounded the corner to the reference section. Two of the three public computers were occupied, but the third glowed in welcome and she strode toward it.

She was two steps away from pulling out the chair when a man slipped in front of her and plopped into it.

“Excuse me.” She put her hands on her hips and hovered over his very broad shoulder. “I was just about to use this computer.”

The man cranked his head over his shoulder and raised his eyebrows over a pair of greenish eyes. “I’m sorry. I was already seated here, but the log-in I got from the reference librarian didn’t work and I went back for another.”

“Oh.” Caroline shifted her gaze to the pad of paper on the table next to the computer, which had been there before he grabbed the chair from under her nose. “I guess I’ll wait.”

“I really am sorry. I won’t be long. The internet went out at my hotel. Otherwise, I’d be there on my laptop.”

She waved her hand. “That’s okay. Maybe one of the others will free up.”

He turned his head to the side to take in the other two users, and his lips twisted into a smile. “Looks like they’re here for the duration. I’ll just be a few minutes.”

“I’ll be over by the magazines. Don’t let anyone sneak in ahead of me.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Thanks.” She pivoted toward a collection of love seats scattered in front of the magazine rack. He must have thought she was a real pain—or worse, that she’d been trying to come on to him. Attractive man like that probably had women making up all kinds of excuses to get close to him and exchange a few words.

She snatched a celebrity magazine encased in plastic from the rack and sat on the edge of one of the love seats, facing the computers.

True to his word, about five minutes later, the man stood up from the computer and stretched. He tapped on the keyboard and tucked his notebook under his arm.

She jumped to her feet. On her way back to the computer tables, she replaced the magazine. “That was fast.”

“It’s all yours. Have a nice evening.”

“You, too.” She settled in the chair, warm from his presence. She still had a password from the previous time she’d used the computers here, so she clicked a few keys and swore. The computer was locked and asking her for a password. The guy hadn’t logged off.

She shrugged off her jacket and hung it on the back of the chair and tromped off to find the reference librarian.

The librarian looked up from her own computer behind the reference desk. “Can I help you?”

“I’m trying to use computer number one, but the person before me didn’t log off and now I’m being prompted for a password that I don’t have.”

“That keeps happening. He probably did log off, but we’ve been having issues with that computer. If you don’t mind, you can access with the same user log-in so we don’t have to shut it down and restart it. The password is timberline4, the number, not the word. And it’s all lowercase with no spaces.”

“Thanks.” Caroline returned to the computer and entered the password. As the computer digested her entry, she scooted her chair closer. She’d do another search on Johnny Diamond and try to dig a little deeper this time—beyond the article about his murder.

The computer monitor woke up, and she didn’t even have to launch the search engine since the previous user hadn’t closed out, thinking he’d logged off.

As the window filled the screen, an icy fear gripped her heart. She didn’t have to search for Johnny Diamond—the man sitting here before had already done so.

Chapter Three

With her hands shaking and her belly in knots, Caroline scrolled through the display. Specifically, the man before her had done a search of Diamond’s social media sites.

Did drug dealers really post pictures of their meals and funny cat videos? She clicked on the same links he’d accessed, but found nothing. No wonder he hadn’t spent much time at the computer. Diamond didn’t seem to have a social media footprint.

But why was that guy even checking? What was Diamond to him? She slumped in her chair and closed her eyes. He didn’t look like an associate or fellow drug dealer. Too clean-cut for that, but what did she know?

Too clean-cut. She gripped the arms of the chair. A cop?

She forced herself to breathe. There was no way the cops could’ve traced her here. She’d hitched different rides to get to Timberline, avoiding bus stations and cameras.

Her fingers dug into the fabric on the arms of the chair. Unless the cops knew something about Diamond’s destination. Her search of his background hadn’t turned up anything on Timberline, so what connection could he have to this town except through her?

What connection did she have to this town? Why had she scrawled its name on a piece of paper and slipped it into the pocket of her jacket?

Her nose stung with tears as she pushed away from the table. She’d been a fool to come here. Nobody had recognized her yet or provided her with an identity, and she might’ve walked right into a trap set by Johnny Diamond and his cronies. The man using the computer could be one of those cronies. There must be plenty of clean-cut, attractive drug dealers out there. She’d have to leave this town.

Then what? She had no place else to go. Maybe she should just turn herself in. Could she really be charged with murder if she had no memory of the act? If she had no memory of her life?

She hadn’t discovered much more about herself other than she knew Spanish. She’d come across a Spanish-language TV show and could understand every word they were saying. With her pale skin and light brown hair she didn’t look Latina, but she could be half or have spent time in a foreign country. The possibilities were endless.

Blowing out a breath, she did a hard shutdown of the computer, just in case it didn’t log her out, either. She didn’t need anyone snooping into her browsing history, and Mr. Clean-cut would probably be none too happy if he found out someone had been snooping into his.

Maybe he was just interested in the murder. He didn’t seem to recognize or have any interest in her.

She looped her purse across her body and squared her shoulders. She wasn’t going to run. She had some digging to do first.

Ten minutes later she was seated at the bar of Sutter’s, a local restaurant, flipping open a menu. She’d used the money from Diamond’s bag—the drug money—to buy a few clothes, a purse, and pay first month’s rent to Linda for the duplex. Once she got her life back, she’d return all the money she’d used to the police...anonymously.

The bartender tossed a cocktail napkin on the bar in front of her. “Are you ordering dinner?”

“I’ll have the Sutter’s burger and a root beer.”

He took the menu from her and tapped it on the edge of the bar. “Caroline, right?”

“Good memory.” Unlike some people.

“Part of my job. I’m Bud.”

“I’ll take that menu, Bud.”

Caroline jerked her head to the side and almost slid off the bar stool.

The man from the library straddled his stool and took the menu from the bartender. He nodded at Caroline. “Were you able to get your work done on that computer? I think the library needs to upgrade.”

“I—I was just—” she zeroed in on the menu “—looking up restaurants.”

His green eyes flickered. “And you found this one.”

He must’ve heard Bud say her name. She twisted the napkin in her lap. “Oh, I’ve been here before. I was checking out a few other places.”

“Are you new to Timberline?”

“Sort of. My mother’s cousin lives here and invited me out.” She said a silent prayer for Linda Gunderson.

“Working at Evergreen Software like everyone else?”

Bud delivered her root beer with a wink, and she plunged her straw into the foam while he took the man’s order, giving her time to think.

If she refused to answer his questions, it might seem suspicious, but she didn’t want to tell him her life story—especially since she didn’t have one, outside of waking up with a dead Johnny Diamond on a hotel room floor.

And she didn’t want anyone to know that story.

He handed the menu to Bud and turned his rather sharp green eyes back to her. “Evergreen?”

“No. I’m working at my cousin’s shop right now.” She toyed with her straw. Two could play at this game. “I guess you’re not a local, either, since you mentioned the internet connection in your hotel going down.”

“That’s right.” He thanked Bud for his beer and took a sip through the foamy head. “I’m here doing some research for a book.”

She released the breath she’d been holding in one slow exhale from parted lips. “What kind of book?”

“Sort of a travel book that also touches on the history of the area and local legends and customs.” He held out his hand. “I’m Cole Pierson, by the way.”

“Caroline Johnson.” She wiped her fingers on her cocktail napkin and squeezed and released his hand quickly.

If Johnny Diamond was from this area, the book might explain why Cole was snooping around his social media. Maybe she could even get some info out of Cole about Diamond without arousing his suspicion.

The bartender delivered her food, and she hesitated.

Cole said, “Go ahead. You don’t need to wait for me.”

As she sawed her burger in half, Cole watched her with his head to one side. “Who’s your cousin?”

Biting her lip, she placed her knife across the edge of her plate. Did his research make him naturally nosy, or did he sense her secrets?

“Linda Gunderson. She owns—”

“Timberline Treasures.” His cell phone buzzed in his front shirt pocket, but he ignored it. “I heard about the store that Linda and her sister own. Maybe you can put in a good word for me so I can interview them.”

“Louise is out of town, but I’m sure Linda would be happy to talk to you about Timberline’s history, and you won’t need an introduction from me.”

“Is that a no?”

Bud placed a plate overflowing with mashed potatoes and several slices of meat loaf in front of Cole, and Cole whistled. “Looks good.”

Caroline took a big bite of her burger. Did he expect her to respond? He really didn’t need an introduction to Linda, since she loved talking about Timberline. Was he trying to extend their contact with each other?

Not that she minded, since he was a sweet piece of eye candy, but she had other priorities here.

He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “So how about it? You’ll tell your cousin she can trust me?”

Caroline’s heart skipped a beat. Trust him? How had they jumped from exchanging a few words over dinner to trust?

“Trust you?” She gave a nervous giggle. “I barely know you. Like I said, you don’t need an introduction from me. Linda will talk to you about Timberline.”

He took another sip of beer and then picked up his knife and fork, holding them poised above his plate. “Do you know anything about Timberline? Did you visit your aunt much?”

“Cousin, and no. This is my first time out here.”

He raised his brows as he cut into his meat loaf. “What brings you out here now?”

“Fresh start.” She shrugged.

His glance shifted to her right cheek and the bruise she’d been masking with makeup. Or had she imagined that glance?

The man made her nervous. He asked too many questions. Everyone else had accepted her story without blinking an eye.

Time to deflect and go on the offensive.

“Is that what you were doing in the library? Research?”

“Looking into some local stories, local personalities.”

She pushed away her half-eaten burger. Was Johnny Diamond a Timberline local? Maybe they’d been headed here together? If so, nobody seemed to recognize her yet.

“Why this town? What’s so special about Timberline?” She needed an answer to that question herself. Why was the name of this town scribbled on a piece of paper and stuffed in her jacket pocket?

Cole cocked his head. “The Timberline Trio case for starters, and all the recent fall-out from that old case.”

She nodded. She’d heard the Timberline Trio case mentioned a few times since she’d arrived, but didn’t know much about it—something about some kidnappings that happened twenty-five years ago.

“You really haven’t been around much, have you?”

“Well, I guess I won’t be a good person for you to interview, then.” She grabbed her check from the bar and plucked a ten and a five from her wallet. “Good luck with your research.”

She slapped the check and the cash on the bar and spun around on the stool and hopped off. She couldn’t get out of here fast enough.

“Nice meeting you, Caroline Johnson.” His voice trailed behind her, but she didn’t turn around.

Just because a stranger asked questions didn’t mean you had to answer them—no matter how attractive the stranger was.

When she hit the sidewalk, she blew out a breath, which turned frosty in the night air.

Linda’s duplex sat at the end of the main street in town, so Caroline was able to walk everywhere—at least to work and back. She had enough money from Johnny Diamond’s loot to pay cash for a used car, but she didn’t have a driver’s license or any other ID. Walking would have to do for now.

She reached into her jacket pocket for her hat and tripped to a stop on the sidewalk. It must’ve fallen out. She scanned the ground around her, and then kicked at the curb with the toe of her boot.

She’d left it, along with her umbrella, on the bar, and the last thing she wanted to do was go back in there and have another exchange with the nosy, if hunky, writer.

She could leave them at Sutter’s and pick them up tomorrow. Nobody would steal a hat or umbrella. Bud had probably already put her things behind the bar.

Hugging her jacket around her body, she took a step, and a drop of rain pelted her cheek. She looked up at the dark sky and shivered. A ten-minute walk in the cold rain without a hat or umbrella would turn to misery after about one minute.

She had every right to march back into Sutter’s and grab her hat and umbrella. She peeked through the window at Cole chatting with Bud. He was probably giving him the third degree, too.

She could always swing through the back entrance and maybe get one of the waitresses to get them for her. She took off at a swift pace and slipped into the alley between two businesses a few doors down from Sutter’s.

Trailing her hand along one wall, she strode to the back of the buildings and turned right.

A low light illuminated the red awning above Sutter’s back door. She tugged at the handle and stepped into the warmth. Moving toward the buzz of the restaurant, she had a clear view of the bar, and it looked like Cole had left.

The door to the men’s room swung open, almost hitting her, and she jumped back.

“Nothing yet.”

The low timbre of Cole’s voice stunned her, and she flattened herself against the wall and ducked behind a cigarette machine.

The bathroom door slammed shut, but Cole stayed put in the hallway and continued his conversation, his back toward her.

“I met a woman tonight who sort of fit the profile—slim, new to town, had a dark cap, too.”

He paused, while Caroline’s heart thumped in her chest so loudly she couldn’t believe he didn’t hear it.

“Naw, she’s related to someone here in town and isn’t Diamond’s type—too pretty, too normal.”

Caroline closed her eyes and ground her teeth as her stomach lurched. If she got sick here and now, it would be all over, and Cole would know she wasn’t normal—not at all.

“I’ll keep looking around—and not a word to the boss, Craig.”

He ended the call and went back to the bar.

Caroline crept to the back door and stumbled outside.

She might not be who she claimed to be...but neither was Cole Pierson.

Chapter Four

Cole pocketed his phone and perched on the edge of the bar stool. “How much do I owe you, Bud?”

“Do you want another beer?”

“I’m good. Just the check.” Cole fingered the soft, black stocking cap on the bar beside him. Caroline had left in such a hurry she’d forgotten her hat and umbrella.

Her attitude had set off alarm bells in his head. She’d been skittish, nervous. Hadn’t liked his questions. Didn’t seem to know much about the town where she had relatives. Why would a young, attractive woman come to a small town like Timberline to relocate when she’d never been here before?

She didn’t seem too concerned about his possible interview with Linda Gunderson. He’d make sure to follow through on that.

When Bud dropped the check, he pointed to the cap. “Caroline leave her hat?”

“Her umbrella, too.” Cole ducked beneath the bar and hooked a finger around the umbrella’s wrist strap.

“I can put it back here for her.”

“You know what?” Cole balled the hat in his fist and shoved it into the pocket of his down jacket. “I’m stopping by her cousin’s shop tomorrow, anyway. I’ll return them to her.”