B.J. Daniels - Big Sky Dynasty

Agnes would remember little after that. The moment her fingers touched Nicci’s hand, she could recall only the woman’s bloodless touch, the soft jingle of the silver bracelets, the murmur of voices around her and the feeling of being out of her body.

Images flashed behind her eyes. A boat rocking in rough seas. Angry voices. Blood. She pulled back her hand as quickly as she could and saw something ugly flicker across the woman’s face.

“It is very nice to meet you, Agnes,” Nicci said, her green eyes as cold as her touch. “I can see why you are such a special student to Georgia. I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other again soon.”

Agnes heard what she knew was a threat and shuddered inwardly as she forced a smile and murmured, “Nice to meet—” The lie stuck in her throat.

Her fingers, as if of their own accord, began knitting again. She put a smile on her face and pretended to listen to the others, thankful only when the renter excused herself and left them alone.

Only then did Agnes feel as if she could breathe.

“WELL?” GEORGIA ASKED when she and Rory were alone after the class. “You liked her, didn’t you?”

“I saw her for only a few minutes,” Rory said noncommittally.

Georgia couldn’t hide her disappointment. “I thought for sure the two of you would hit it off.”

Rory touched her friend’s arm. “I have to be truthful with you, Georgia. There is something about her I don’t trust. Did you see the way she got you to go to the show with her tonight by putting you on the spot in front of us all?”

“Come on, it was just a spur-of-the-moment invite.”

“You don’t know anything about her and she’s living across the hall from you and for all you know she could be dangerous.”

Georgia groaned. “I’m pretty sure she’s not an ax murderer since I helped her unpack and didn’t see an ax.”

“But you don’t know that for sure. It might be one of those folding axes,” Rory joked, clearing the air a little. “Seriously, there’s something about her. She makes me uneasy.”

“I think you’re jealous,” Georgia said. “And I think it’s ridiculous. You’re still my best friend.”

“Jealous?” Rory started to protest then sighed. “Okay, maybe I’m a little jealous, all right? I miss you and this pregnancy makes me a little weird…” She laid a hand on her swollen belly. “But Georgia, I’m not the only one who doesn’t trust her. I saw Agnes’s reaction to Nicci.”

“Oh, please, Agnes likes everyone.”

“Exactly. Agnes didn’t like her. And I saw Nicci’s face when she shook Agnes’s hand. She didn’t like Agnes either. It was spooky.” Rory shivered. “Agnes almost looked afraid of her.”

Georgia laughed. “Do you hear yourself?”

“I know. I sound crazy,” Rory admitted. “But look at the way this woman has insinuated herself into your life.”

“If this is about the movie tonight, come with us,” Georgia said. “You can spend some time around her and see if you still feel the same way.”

“I’ll think about it.”

A horn honked in front of the shop. Georgia waved to Rory’s husband. “She’ll be right out!” she called to Devlin.

Rory took both of her friend’s hands in hers, drawing her attention back. “Honey, just be careful. Promise me you’ll try to find out more about her.”

Georgia nodded and gave her a hug and then stood back and watched her leave. Maybe Rory was right. What did she really know about Nicci Angeles Corbett?

As she turned, she was startled to find Nicci standing at the back of the shop. From the look on her face, she’d heard everything.

Dalton pulled over once he was around the block from the knitting shop. He tried to convince himself that Nicci wouldn’t have rented an apartment in the shop where he’d seen her yesterday for fear he’d come back.

But he knew that’s exactly what Nicci would do—and no doubt had because she’d found an ally in Georgia Michaels.

Georgia had no idea what kind of woman she’d taken in. And trying to warn her, he feared would be a waste of time. He could only imagine what Nicci had told the shop owner to get Georgia to lie and cover for her.

Dalton knew he had two choices. He could wait around until Nicci decided to let him in on what she was up to. Or he could stir the pot. He wasn’t good at sitting around waiting for the other shoe to drop.

He hadn’t paid any attention to what kind of vehicle she’d been driving when he thought he’d seen her the other day. But with the closest airport three hours away, that meant she had a rental car parked around here somewhere.

Whitehorse consisted of only a ten-block square, so finding the car shouldn’t be that difficult. Even if it didn’t have a rental sticker or plate, he should be able to spot it in a town that was ninety-percent pickups.

He took off on foot, determined he would cover the entire town if that’s what it took.

His cell phone vibrated.

“So what’s going on?” Lantry wanted to know.

Dalton filled him in as he widened his search for Nicci’s rental car.

“You gave the woman who owns the yarn shop flowers and apologized to her?” Lantry said, scoffing. “If you suspect this woman lied to you yesterday and is harboring Nicci, why the hell didn’t you call her on it? I thought you went into town to find Nicci and demand to know what she wanted.”

“You don’t know anything about women, do you?” Dalton said.

“Excuse me? I didn’t marry evil incarnate,” Lantry snapped.

“ I did, and thanks to Nicci I was provided with a lifetime of learning in a very short while.” Ahead, he noticed a nondescript white car. Most people in isolated parts of Montana didn’t buy white cars. A white car in a blizzard was dangerous. If you went off the road in a blizzard, white cars weren’t easy to spot and you could be stranded for days down a snow-filled gully.

“Not all women are like Nicci.”

“Exactly,” Dalton agreed. “Georgia Michaels for one. That’s why she didn’t rat Nicci out yesterday. I’m sure that’s also why she would rent the apartment to Nicci. She feels sorry for her and wants to help her.”

“Okay, but wouldn’t it have made more sense to lay your cards on the table and tell her the truth?”

Dalton chuckled at that. His own brother wasn’t going to like the truth when he finally heard it. A complete stranger, a woman who saved other women in distress? Yeah, sure.

“I can imagine how that would have gone over,” he said. “How are you coming on getting the information you need to file for the divorce?”

“I’m trying to get a copy of your marriage license. You’re sure you were married in Galveston?”

Dalton frowned. “I assumed so.” Was there a chance Nicci had lied about that, too? Maybe the marriage license she’d showed him was a fake. He should be so lucky.

“Nicci Angeles, right? She couldn’t have used another name?”

“She showed me a copy of the marriage license the next morning, but truthfully, I didn’t notice what name she used.”

“She really did drug you?”

“Oh, yeah. She said I drank too much and that’s why I couldn’t remember getting married. I believed her until I discovered the drug she used on me.”

Lantry swore. “What the hell kind of woman did you get tangled up with?”

“A very dangerous one as it turned out.”

“I WASN’T EAVESDROPPING, I forgot my purse.” Nicci walked over to the counter, picked up a white leather bag and swung it over her shoulder.

“I hope you didn’t—”

“Your friend Rory is right,” Nicci said, smiling ruefully. “You don’t know me. Maybe we did become friends too quickly. I have a tendency to come on a little too strong when I really like someone. I’m big on first impressions, but sometimes I’m wrong about a person.” She shrugged. “If you want to cancel the show tonight…”