At the Crossroads (Buckhorn, Montana #3)(44)

But Vi knew there would be only one way she would leave Buckhorn. It would be in a coffin. The thought actually cheered her. She would die here. The thought didn’t bother her in the least. She had to die somewhere. Why not here?

Before she left though, she would make her mark on this town whether people liked it or not.

ALEXIS WOKE AS the pickup tires kicked up gravel. She sat up, surprised that she’d fallen asleep. But then again, she hadn’t had much sleep the night before. Culhane’s late-night visit seemed like days ago. Now it was late afternoon, the day already feeling incredibly long. Night came quickly this time of year in Montana, and so did the cold.

Culhane drove through the gravel parking lot and pulled into a spot in front of Red’s Bar between a motorcycle and a truck with a four-wheeler and a blue heeler in the back. The dog growled at them as they climbed out and walked toward the front door. Alexis stepped over some smashed beer cans dumped on the sidewalk and shot him a look.

“Red’s is an acquired taste, I’m told. So is its owner, Jack Redfield. I should probably warn you about him,” he said, but she shook her head.

“Don’t worry about me.” She could see that Culhane was anxious. “When was the last time you were here?”

“Jana and I stopped by to tell her father that we were getting married. He bought us a beer and wished us luck. She asked him if he wanted to pay for a wedding. He laughed.”

“I see,” she said, and he opened the door for her to step inside.

As Culhane pushed open the door, a large redheaded man looked up from where he was wiping down the bar. He froze for a moment before he went back to what he was doing as they approached.

Jack stood well over six feet with a barrel-shaped body and large hairy arms. He wore a filthy tank undershirt exposing his numerous tattoos. Both hands, Alexis saw, were badly scarred. That and the odd angle of his nose told her he was a brawler. No doubt some of the fights had taken place right here in this very bar.

“Remember me?” Culhane asked, even though Alexis had already seen the recognition in the man’s eyes before the shutters had come down.

“You look vaguely familiar,” Jack said with a sneer. “Aren’t you wanted for the murder of my daughter?”

“Who says she’s dead?”

The man laughed. “The cops.”

“You’ve never believed anything they had to say. Why start now?”

Jack leaned his elbows on the bar. “You come here to give me shit? Because I only take that from paying customers.”

Culhane reached into his pocket and tossed a twenty on the bar. The bill disappeared like magic under Jack’s big hand. “Two beers?” Culhane looked at her when he asked, and she nodded.

“Bud Light?” Jack inquired in a mocking tone.

“I’ll take a Moose Drool,” Alexis said as she climbed up onto a stool.

The man’s gaze swung to her as if he hadn’t noticed her before. His eyes narrowed as his lips turned up in what could have been a snarl or a smile.

“I’ll take the same,” Culhane said and joined her on an adjacent stool. Neither spoke as they watched Jack pull two bottles of Moose Drool from the cooler, uncap them and place the bottles on napkins in front of them formally as if he were serving royalty. “You don’t seem very concerned about your daughter.”

Jack shrugged. “I’m concerned about all three of my daughters.”

“Are the other two also missing and believed murdered?” Alexis asked, and this time Jack’s lip curl was most definitely a snarl.

“Not that I know of,” he said before shifting his gaze back to Culhane. “Jana’s thirty years old. I no longer change her diapers or get her out of jail. She’s on her own.”

Culhane nodded. “Which tells me you suspect the same thing I do.”

“And what is that?”

“That she faked her death to either get out of the trouble she’s in or to frame me. Maybe both.”

Jack lifted one bushy red brow. “Sounds like you’re screwed either way. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here.”

“Where is she?”

Jack crossed his bulky arms to meet Culhane’s gaze. “What makes you think I’ve seen her?”

“Because she’s your blood. She’s in big trouble. She needs money. She came to me. She’d come to you next—if she hadn’t already. Did you give her money?”

Jack laughed and wagged his big head. “Like I said, she’s not my responsibility anymore. If she came by here...well, I would have told her to ask her husband. Aren’t you still married to my daughter?”

“Funny you should ask. She promised to mail in the annulment papers after she signed them. But the fact that you know she didn’t means she’s been here. She mention why she’s on the run? I’m pretty sure she isn’t just running from snitching on her partners in crime. I think there’s someone in law enforcement who doesn’t want her to ever surface. If I’m right, she’s involved with even worse people than she was before. I think she’s realized that and is hiding out. If you know where she is—”

“I don’t. But then again, I wouldn’t tell you if I did.”

Culhane swore under his breath and looked away.

“Even to save her life?” Alexis demanded.