The Gamble (Colorado Mountain #1)(200)

“Cops went to Winston’s office, they say he’s on vacation and has been for two weeks, his leave is extended and he’s not due back in awhile. ‘Cept, he was seen brawlin’ with poor, old Harry at The Rooster Saturday night, so everyone knows he isn’t exactly outta town.” Then Arlene leaned forward and shared on a very loud whisper, “And, get this. He’s got a wife! In Aspen. He’s supposed to be openin’ a branch of his business over here, which he’s kinda done but he’s also definitely on…” Arlene lifted her hands and made quotation marks with her fingers, “‘vacation’.” She dropped her hands and carried on talking. “The wife says she’s been in Aspen, closin’ up their house, gettin’ ready to move here. Cops in Aspen who questioned her said she was pretty pissed when she heard the name Shauna Fontaine. Apparently Shauna’s got a history with this Winston guy, one dates back years. The wife took his ass back after the last round of history and now Shauna’s back for round two.”

My gaze slid to Jeff to see he was staring at Arlene in disbelief or, I should say, somewhat angry disbelief as Arlene kept sharing her story.

“This’s where it gets really interesting. See, last time, when the wife took him back, she made him sign everything over in her name. She owns it all, the houses, the businesses, even the bank accounts are in her name, she’s got control of the whole enchilada.”

“Oh my God,” I whispered, now I was staring at Arlene.

“How do you know all this shit?” Jeff asked.

“Everyone’s talkin’,” Arlene answered.

“Not cops and this is confidential information,” Jeff returned. “You aren’t hearin’ this stuff on the grapevine or on your police band, Arlene.”

“I got my sources,” Arlene replied.

“They local?” Jeff returned.

“Not sayin’,” Arlene muttered.

“Arlene, are they local?” Jeff repeated.

“Nope,” Arlene answered quickly and Jeff stared at her.

Then he muttered, “Chantelle.” His eyes went intense and he asked, “Your niece works reception at Chantelle PD, doesn’t she?”

“Uh… she might,” Arlene replied, Max grunted (whether this was an amused or knowing grunt, I had no idea), Jeff looked annoyed and the rest of us glanced at each other as Arlene carried on, her eyes on Jeff.

“Anyway, Jeff, seems to me, unless this Winston fella finds himself a sugar mama, his wife gets pissed, which she is, she takes it all.”

It was then Mindy entered the conversation and suggested to Jeff, “Maybe a sugar mama who thought she was going to inherit some, or all, of a local big man’s construction empire because she told him she was pregnant with his child?”

My gaze snapped to Max who was watching Mindy then his eyes turned to me.

“That’s what I’m thinkin’,” Arlene responded to Mindy then looked to Jeff. “That what the boys at the Station are thinkin’, Jeff?”

At this point Fran hit our table carrying a tray filled with coffees and Jeff stood, fishing his wallet out of the back of his jeans.

“What the boys at the Station are gonna be thinkin’ in about ten minutes, Arlene,” Jeff said, flipping open his wallet and pulling out some bills, “is that the shit you shared at this table better stay at this table or someone’s niece is gonna be out of a job.” Jeff threw the money on the table and took his coffee from Fran before he concluded, eyes back on Arlene. “Yeah?”

I looked at Jeff’s angry eyes and set face and realized, when he was being macho mountain man police officer, he was even more attractive than normal, in fact, as Becca would put it, he was downright hot.

Then I looked at Mindy and saw her gazing up at him with an expression on her face that said she thought much the same thing.

Arlene visibly ground her teeth at having her gossip curtailed and then she muttered, “Yeah.”

“Right,” Jeff stated then his eyes went to Mindy and his set face changed entirely before he said softly, “See you tomorrow night.”

“Okay,” Mindy replied back, just as softly, the pink again tingeing her cheeks.

“Kami’s comin’ to the Station from work,” Max told Jeff, stopping to look at his watch before finishing, “in about half an hour, that good?”

“Yeah,” Jeff replied on a nod. “I’ll tell Mick.” Then Jeff looked at the table at large and said, “Later,” and he moved away.

I watched him go then twisted back and leaned clean across Max toward Mindy.

“Tomorrow night?” I asked and watched Mindy’s cheeks get even pinker.

“He asked me out,” Mindy whispered, leaning into me and my hand reached out and snatched hers.

“That’s great!” I whispered back but my whisper was excited and kind of loud.

Mindy looked at me a second then leaned in further and queried, “Do you really think so, Neens?”

I nodded effusively.

“Seriously?” she pushed.

I squeezed her hand. “Yes, sweetheart.”

Mindy bit her lip then released it and stated, “I don’t know.”

“Why not?” I enquired and she got closer, her eyes going to the side to take in the table and mine did too.