“Tonight, you think?”
“Probably. Since Stella’s off tonight, we’ll all stay in, stay close, see what he does. If nothing happens, maybe start thinking about drawing him out, finding some way to catch him doing something criminal where there’re witnesses. Law enforcement, even. This place have any to speak of?”
“Sheriff has a good reputation,” Nate said. “According to the locals, at least, she’s likely to be sympathetic. Only problem has been that the asshole hasn’t done anything even slightly illegal yet.”
Carlos nodded grimly. “We’ll just have to make sure he does.”
Nate grinned. “Glad you’re here.”
Carlos’ expression held for a second, and then he broke and grinned back. “Same.”
“I’ve been too close to this,” Nate said thoughtfully. “I knew it’d just keep drawing out until there was some clear violation of the law, something that could take him away. I knew he wasn’t just going to give up. But I just...I want to protect Stella. I don’t want him to scare her, or do anything violent or dangerous. I haven’t been thinking long-term.”
Carlos shrugged. “What you’ve got me for.”
“Yeah. Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“You said you’d explain why you were so all-fired-up to get away,” Nate remembered.
“Yeah.” Carlos ran a hand through his hair. “I’m getting fed up with the job. All that fast-paced, high-powered crap...I don’t need it anymore. I won the game already. I have more money than I’ll ever use, you know? And once I realized that...the whole thing started to seem just...like a pointless game. Played by a bunch of rich assholes.”
“Don’t talk yourself down like that.”
Carlos didn’t laugh. “You’re kidding, but you’re right. I’m late to the game, but I figured it out: I’m one of the rich assholes. That’s what I’ve become. So I’m getting out.”
Nate’s eyebrows rise. “You’re—”
“Retiring,” Carlos said firmly. “Got a few more loose ends to tie up, and then I’m out of there. No idea where I’ll go.”
Nate processed that for a second. “Well. I have to recommend beautiful Glacier National Park. You never know what you’ll find here.”
Carlos’ sober expression broke into a broad smile. “You sure found something. Can’t believe you finally got caught. Bet you didn’t see that one coming.”
Nate shook his head, silently wondering. “Not in a million years. Neither did she. We’ve both been kind of blindsided by it all.”
“In a good way, though,” Carlos said, half a question.
“The best way possible.” He sighed. “I should’ve known right from the beginning. Normally, I come to a new place, I start thinking about which women might be fun to get to know, who might want to get taken out and shown a nice time. But from the second I laid eyes on Stella...” He shook his head. “Didn’t notice a single other woman.”
“And there are some pretty ones here,” Carlos said thoughtfully. “Our waitress, the dark-haired woman, she was really something. Nametag said Pauline.”
Nate thought about it. It was funny—he could realize that Pauline was an attractive woman. In her late forties, probably, pretty features, a deft hand with her makeup. But he didn’t feel a thing. “Guess so.”
“I wonder if...never mind.”
Carl
os’ voice trailed off, and Nate waited a second to see if he had anything else to say, but it seemed like he didn’t. So Nate stood up. “I’m going to go see if Stella needs anything.”
Carlos shook his head, smiling. “Go on. Be with your mate. I’ve got security covered.”
Nate went off, a warm feeling in his chest. He’d forgotten how it felt to be with his buddies like this. When Ken got back from whatever he was doing in the Park, maybe the three of them could catch up a bit.
***
Stella