15. Margot

FIFTEEN

Margot

Louise and I peek around the corner at the stranger at the diner. He’s ordering bacon and eggs like he isn’t the most watched man in town right now.

“Are you sure that’s the guy, Margot? He doesn’t look like a lady killer!”

I huff at her. “That phrase has a totally different meaning than you’re using.”

“Okay. What do you want to do? We can’t go up and smack the guy over the head with a lamp or anything like that.”

I eye her cynically. “I wouldn’t do something that plebeian. It’s like you don’t even know me.”

“What then?”

“Call that new guy over at the mechanic’s shop. Baker Tate. He’s a big one. And he’s got some skills with knots. He actually helped the scouts out when they were trying to get their badges. His son volunteered him.”

She glares at me. “I don’t think I want to know what the hell you’re thinking of doing, Margot.”

“Yeah, you do.” I grin.

“You’re probably right,” she snickers. She picks up her phone and dials the garage in town. In less time than I expect, he’s in front of us, his dark brows lifted over coal-black eyes. Silver dapples his dark hair and there are lines in the creases of his eyes.

“What can I do for the famous granny Margot?” His big, bulky arms are crossed over a huge chest and I swear, if I was twenty years younger…hell, maybe ten, I’d be all over that man. He looks like he knows his way around a woman. Like he wouldn’t need a fucking map to find a clit.

“Can you set up a snare over in that deserted lot over there?” I point at it and he nods his head once.

“Yep. Any particular reason why?”

“I need to catch me a predator.”

Both brows lift and he sighs. “Have a feeling that you’re fixing to drag me into something unpleasant, Mrs. Rowe.”

I pat his chest and sigh when I feel the tight muscles jumping under his shirt.

“My, you are a big one, aren’t you?”

“Focus, Margot,” Louise hisses.

He grins at both of us. “I’m gonna help you just because I’m mildly intrigued by what you two could possibly want a snare for.”

I point at him. “It needs to be big enough to catch a man.”

“Of course it does,” he snorts.

But he walks across the street and I turn back to Louise. “Here’s what we’re going to do.”

Two hours later, I’m standing alone in the middle of the street and I’m talking loudly to Louise about the young lady staying out at our house with my son.

“Can you believe he just let this girl move in here with her son? He’s such an idiot. You can’t trust someone who gets all wrapped up with you so quickly. She’s playing at a part and I don’t know exactly what it is but I don’t like it.”

Louise just gives me a sage nod, her lavender curls dancing. “Yeah. You can’t trust a woman who visits all her troubles on a man.”

Both of us nod and then I smile and grab her up in a hug, whispering in her ear, “Here goes nothing.”

“I’m gonna go meet her and her sister at the hotel that they were staying at. I want to make sure that they’ve paid their bills. I mean, you really can’t trust people nowadays. Especially strangers.”

Then I stroll off down the street and into the alley, my eyes keeping a wary look out for anything out of the ordinary.

I spot the shadow following me quickly. And then I hear a scuttle of footsteps and a soft rub of shoe leather as he rushes at me.

But he doesn’t even get more than a couple of steps before he hollers wildly, a high-pitched scream, and I turn back to find him hanging upside down underneath a streetlight that’s not lit. He grabs at his feet and attempts to undo the knot that’s looped around his ankles.

I stomp over to him and growl, “Well, well. Looks like I caught myself a rat. Guess Caro won’t have to worry about this guy.”

“I’m not the guy after Caroline. I’m one of the guys that’s trying to protect her sister, Angel.” He growls and swings his arms again. “If I can ever find the damn woman,” he snaps at his feet as he works at the knot.

I pale and glance over at Louise, shrugging and shaking my head. I don’t know whether I believe him or not.

That is, until a pick-up truck roars around the corner and a woman jumps out, gun drawn, Jace Henry one step behind her on the driver’s side.

The woman spies the guy dangling and groans, shoving her gun into her waistband and stalks over. “That’s my man. Not Kirby.”

“Kirby Rohr?” The woman’s eyes dart to me and Jace groans.

“Oh, shit. Margot and Louise? What the hell are you doing here?”

I grin at him. “Can’t stay out of the excitement!”

“I think you can if you really try. I’m pretty sure that Sebastian and Ricky would appreciate it a helluva lot if you would stay out of it.”

I snort. “Well, then, they don’t know me very well.”

“No, I think that they do know you extremely well. They just hope that you have enough sense not to get involved.”

“Hah!” I snort. “It’s sweet that they think that. And they think that their opinion means shit to me.”

“Margot,” he growls. “This guy means business. Stay the hell out of it.”

“He shot Caro. You think I don’t know that means business? But I also know that you boys need my help.” I wave my hands at the dangling guy. “See?”

The dark-haired woman snorts. “Yeah. You caught my man. Who is trying to find the guy who shot your friend.”

I shrug my shoulder. “Sometimes you’ve gotta break a few eggs.”

Jace’s face turns red then white and I’m starting to worry that my grandson’s best friend is about to pass out or erupt into flames. Then he scrubs a hand down his face and grimaces. “Never mind. Can you cut the guy down?”

I grin. “I don’t carry a knife.” With a huff Baker Tate pulls a switchblade out and opens it.

“I’ve got to get home.” He points the blade at me. “Do me a favor and don’t call me for any more shenanigans.”

I roll my eyes but I don’t promise him a damn thing. I turn back to Jace.

“Is Kirby Rohr in town?”

“I don’t know. But if he is, you need to stay the hell away from him. The sheriff’s looking for him. I’m looking for him.” He points at the woman and his mouth twists like he tastes something bad. “She’s looking for him. There are a ton of people who can handle this.”

“Fine.” I cross my fingers behind my back. If I find the asshole, he’s gonna be hurting. I won’t promise not to do something.

“Oof!” The thump behind me brings my head around and I grin at the guy climbing to his feet and dusting off his clothes. He glares at me and I just grin bigger.

“Bet it’s embarrassing to be caught by somebody’s grandma, huh? Well, don’t worry. I won’t tell a soul.”

Jace groans and huffs. “Yeah, right. Believe that if you need to sleep at night.”

“What’s next?”

Jace points at me. “Keep your nose out of this, Margot!”

The alley clears out and even Baker Tate shoots me a glare as he stomps out of the alley.

I look over at Louise and grin widely. “Well, that was fun, wasn’t it?”

She laughs and arm in arm we step out of the alley and head back into town.

I know that Ricky needs Caro, so if I need to help find the scumbag senator that’s in trouble all over the place for what he’s been doing to naive little girls, then I’ll gladly get my hands dirty.

Caro is going to be safe and so is her son. And then my Ricky is going to make her his queen finally. I knew they were meant to be and dammit, no asshole with a gun is gonna mess this up!

Fuck him!