You Will Suffer Read online

  They strolled past the storefronts at a leisurely pace, the afternoon sunlight adding a welcome warmth to combat the chilled breeze.

  “Do your parents still live there?”

  “Yep. My dad’s a cop and my mom takes care of every kid in the neighborhood.” He shrugged. “I don’t think they’ll ever change.”

  “Did all your brothers follow your father into law enforcement?” she asked.

  “In one way or another. I have one brother who is a detective in Chicago. One brother who works in the CSI division. And another who is a professor who teaches criminal justice.”

  She tilted her head, studying his perfectly chiseled profile. There was no way to miss his affection for his brothers. His love was etched on his face.

  She felt a tiny pang of envy. She’d always longed for a sister or brother. Perhaps then she wouldn’t have felt so achingly alone.

  “Impressive,” she said. “Your parents must be very proud.”

  He shrugged. “My mother would be proud of us no matter what we wanted to do. I carved a rocking chair for her for Christmas and everyone who comes into her house has to sit in it before they leave.”

  “And your father?”

  The lean features tightened. “I think he was pleased. In his own way.”

  Ellie was caught off guard. What father wouldn’t be doing backflips to raise four sons who’d followed in his footsteps?

  “What way was that?” she asked.

  His lips twisted, but there was more resignation than humor in his smile.

  “My mother used to say that my father loved us, but he was married to his job. That was her way of excusing his habit of blowing us off after promising to help with a school project or coming to watch us play football.”

  Ellie was fascinated by Nate’s unconcealed bitterness. Not because he was angry. A young boy would naturally long to have his father’s attention. But she’d been raised to believe that you never revealed your true feelings when it came to your parents. Image was everything and she was expected to pretend that the Guthries were a perfect family.

  “I’m sure being a cop means a constant choice between duty to his family and duty to his job,” she said, not quite sure why she would defend Nate’s father.

  Perhaps because she was a workaholic and she understood the compulsion to lose herself in a case?

  “There are some things in life more important than others.” His tone was flat, uncompromising.

  Before she could respond, he halted in front of a three-story brick building. There was an ornate medallion over the double wooden doors that was hand-carved with curlicues and the word Mercer in the center.

  She sent him a startled glance.

  “Didn’t this used to be the old mercantile store?”

  He nodded. “Yep. At one time it had household goods, groceries, women’s clothing, a full-time tailor, and even a small restaurant on the third floor.”

  She smiled, studying the old structure. The red brick had faded, but the massive display windows remained intact along with the decorative stone garland that framed the entryway. The building maintained an air of worn elegance that Ellie had always admired.

  “I love to imagine what Curry must have been like a hundred years ago. This store was probably bustling with customers who spent hours browsing through the merchandise.” She sighed. “It makes me sad to see it abandoned.”

  “Not to ruin the glamorous fantasies of the past, but from what I could discover, this building was first constructed by a shyster from Missouri who used to cheat his customers with weighted scales in the grocery store, and shoddy clothing that he swore came in from France. Eventually he was run out of town by a group of ranchers who threatened to hang him in front of the courthouse.”

  She sent him a chiding frown. “Spoilsport.”

  He laughed, stepping forward. “I’m hoping the future for the building will be much brighter, not to mention, less felonious,” he assured her.

  “What are you doing?” she demanded as he took a key from his pocket and pushed open one of the doors.

  “Taking you to lunch,” he said, gesturing for her to enter.

  Confused, she stepped through the door, glancing around the large, empty room. Her gaze swept over the floorboards, which were dusty but in remarkably good shape, and plaster walls that had once been painted a soft ivory with crown molding and gold sconces. Toward the back of the open space was a heavy oak staircase that led to the upper floors.

  “Here?”

  He closed the door. “This building is officially mine. I recently signed the paperwork with the real estate agent. As well as taking out a hefty loan to get my business off the ground.”

  His answer only added to her confusion. “You bought this building?”

  “Yep.”

  “Why?”

  “I intend to convert it into a showroom.”

  Ellie arched a brow. “I don’t know much about being a rancher, but I’ve never heard of one needing a showroom.”

  “My ranch is too small to make much of a living. I’ve been scraping by, but I hope to sell some of the furniture I have been building for the past two years, to add in some extra income.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yeah.” He glanced around, his features softening. Could he already visualize the room filled with his treasures? She found herself mentally crossing her fingers that the store was a success. “It started as a necessity. After buying the ranch I didn’t have any spare money. I got tired of eating and sleeping on the floor, so I taught myself woodcraft.”

  “A man of many talents,” she murmured.

  “You have no idea.” He grabbed her hand, lifting her fingers to his lips. “Not yet.”

  She burst out in laughter. “Good Lord.”

  He grinned. “Okay. That was pretty cheesy,” he admitted, lowering her hand. “Wait here.”

  Ellie watched as Nate hurried toward the staircase at the rear of the building, resisting the urge to touch her hand where her skin still tingled. She told herself it was the predictable reaction of a woman who was in lust with a gorgeous, sexy guy. But that didn’t explain why her heart felt so ridiculously full as he moved back toward her with a picnic basket in one hand and a blanket in the other.

  She was thankful that Nate was unaware of her dangerous thoughts as he spread the blanket on the floor and knelt at one edge. Then, with efficient movement, he unloaded the picnic basket.

  “Lunch is served.” He grinned. “Sorry about the lack of furniture. Kind of ironic considering what sort of store I want to open.”

  Ellie moved to sit on the opposite end of the blanket, her gaze on the meat and cheese tray that had obviously come from the nearby butcher shop, along with a bowl of grapes and a bottle of wine.

  “It looks delicious.”

  Nate filled two plates and handed her one. Then he held up the bottle.

  “Wine?” Ellie hesitated. She had work piling up on her desk. She was going to spend the next six hours just trying to catch up. Then Nate sent her a rueful smile. “I think we’ve earned a glass.”

  She nodded. He was right. Over the past couple of days, they’d more than earned a glass. Maybe two.

  Accepting the wine he poured for her, Ellie nibbled at the food, enjoying the hushed peace that surrounded them. Even without furnishings, it felt as if they’d stepped back into a slower, more gracious time.

  Far away from the horrid sight of Barb lying on her filthy carpet, and the nasty pranks that were rubbing her nerves raw.

  At last she broke the companionable silence. “Are you going to tell me what you discovered at the Lodge?”

  Nate poured them both another glass of wine. “Later. First I want to know more about you.”

  She glanced away. She never talked about her personal life. Which might explain why she was so reluctant to have a real relationship with a man.

  She sipped her wine, her gaze locked on her nearly empty plate. “There isn’t much to know. I live
alone. I don’t have any cool talents. And I spend every day working.” She shrugged. “Boring.”

  He braced his hands on the floor and leaned back, his expression warning her that he wasn’t going to be easily diverted. She heaved a sigh of resignation.

  “What made you come to Curry?” he asked.

  “I was born here.”

  “You consider this place your home?”

  She hesitated, thinking about the boxes that were packed in her garage a year after she’d moved in. Was this home? Her actions indicated she hadn’t made her final decision.

  “Maybe not yet,” she conceded. “But I hope it will be one day.”

  He nodded, as if he understood exactly what she meant. “What about Oklahoma City?”

  “It’s a beautiful city, but I prefer to work for myself. It was easier to open my own practice here.”

  “Certainly, there’s less competition.”

  “Exactly.”

  His gaze swept over her face, clearly aware that there was more than a lack of competition that had driven her to Curry.

  “How do your parents feel about you fleeing the nest?”

  She grimly refused to let the memory of their heated arguments rise to her mind. She had enough crap clogging up her brain.

  “My father was disappointed,” she carefully admitted. “He’d arranged a position for me in a prestigious law firm in Oklahoma City. He didn’t understand my need to prove I could achieve success without his help.”

  “And your mother?”

  Ellie wrinkled her nose. Her relationship with her father had been fiery on occasion. They were both strong-willed and both enjoyed a good argument. No doubt that’s why they’d both chosen to become trial lawyers. But she’d told herself that beneath all his bluster he cared about her.

  Her mother . . .

  Well, Allison Guthrie was a beautiful, sophisticated woman who’d met Ellie’s father when she’d traveled from England to visit a friend who was attending Oklahoma State University. They’d enjoyed a long-distance relationship until Colin had graduated from law school. They’d wed and settled down in Curry, where Colin had landed a job in the local prosecutor’s office.

  Ellie couldn’t imagine her mother living in the small town, but within seven years her father had moved up the ladder of success, leading eventually to his impressive career as a judge in Oklahoma City. A place where Allison could truly shine as a leader of society.

  It also gave her plenty of opportunity to be disappointed in her only child.

  “She accepted I was never going to be the daughter she wanted,” Ellie finally admitted.

  Nate’s brows snapped together, as if he was personally offended by her words.

  “She didn’t want a daughter who is intelligent, articulate, and beautiful? Not to mention a kick-ass lawyer who champions the underdog?”

  Hot color stained her cheeks. She’d spent her life trying to live up to her parents’ grinding expectations. She was used to criticism. She didn’t know how to handle compliments.

  “My mother was raised to believe a woman’s worth comes from her husband,” she muttered, hoping the shadows hid her blush.

  “Yikes.”

  Ellie relaxed at Nate’s expression of horror. Nothing seemed as bad, even the oppressive displeasure from her mother, when he was near.

  “Yeah, we started butting heads when I was five.”

  “Families are always difficult.”

  She gave a slow nod. She wasn’t one of those people who was constantly trying to make herself into a victim. She’d been raised in a safe, comfortable home with plenty of money and the opportunity to follow her dreams. But then again, she no longer tried to pretend that her childhood was perfect.

  “My parents were older when I was born. They had a strictly defined idea of what their daughter should be.” She grimaced. “There were times when I—”

  His brows lifted as she abruptly swallowed her words. “When you what?”

  “I felt like they must have taken home the wrong baby from the hospital. I never really fit into the Guthrie household.” She polished off the last of her wine, feeling like an idiot for confessing her deepest secret.

  Already braced for an unwanted display of pity, Ellie was relieved when Nate flashed his charming grin.

  “My oldest brother told me my parents found me in a dumpster and brought me home. I believed that stupid story for years.”

  She lifted her empty glass in a mocking toast. “To families.”

  “And moving far, far away,” he added in wry tones.

  Chapter Nine

  Ellie set aside her glass and plate, her brief smile fading. She really did have to get back to her office and get some work done. But first she needed to know what Nate had learned.

  “Are you going to tell me what you found out?” she demanded.

  His gaze roamed over her face. “I’d rather kiss you.”

  Something that felt like liquid fire flowed through her blood. She had a sudden vision of Nate pressing her onto the blanket and exploring her with his mouth. From head to toe and back again. Then her gaze shifted to the large windows that offered a view for everyone walking past the building.

  “The entire town can see us,” she pointed out.

  “And?”

  Ellie rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe your mother had four boys and still managed to spoil you rotten.”

  “I was the youngest,” he explained without apology. “And the cutest.”

  Ellie wondered if Nate’s brothers were like him. And how his poor mother had survived.

  She returned the conversation to more important matters. “Tell me what happened when you went to the Lodge.”

  Nate collected the plates and placed them in the picnic basket.

  “I talked to the bartender.”

  “And?”

  “Barb was there last night.”

  A flicker of sadness touched Ellie’s heart. She’d be a liar if she said that she’d found Barb anything more than a pain in the neck, but it was difficult to accept that someone might have deliberately ended her life.

  “Was she there alone?”

  “Yes.” He held up his hand. “And before you ask, I watched the surveillance tape and she didn’t talk to anyone except Paula.”

  It took a minute for Ellie to remember that Paula was the name of the woman who was now in charge of the Lodge.

  “Did you ask if she had any friends?”

  Nate nodded. “If she does, she never meets them at the tavern.”

  Ellie tried to recall if Barb had mentioned an acquaintance during their conversations. She couldn’t remember anyone. Most of the time, Barb had seemed lost in the past, talking about her years as Colin Guthrie’s secretary and her important connections to men in power.

  So, who else could she ask?

  She hit on the most obvious solution.

  “Maybe I could talk to her neighbors. They might know if she ever had any visitors.”

  Nate scowled, not nearly impressed by her stroke of genius as he should be.

  “Ellie, we don’t know if someone attacked Barb or why she was trying to warn you.”

  “Which is only more reason to find out if she shared her secrets with anyone.”

  Grasping the middle of the blanket, he tugged. Ellie found herself being scooted along with the blanket until she was just inches away from Nate.

  “No, it’s more reason to be careful,” he said, his expression suddenly grim. “You start stirring a hornet’s nest and you’re going to get stung.”

  She refused to back down. Her job as a defense lawyer meant that she dealt with criminals every day. Granted, Curry didn’t have an overwhelming number of killers, but she was used to dealing with violent offenders.

  “But you can stir the nest?” she demanded.

  “It’s what I’m trained to do.”

  Okay. She couldn’t argue with that. He was certainly better trained than she was, but that didn’t mean that
she couldn’t be a part of the investigation.

  “We need to know what Barb wanted to tell me.”

  Nate reached out, tucking her hair behind her ear. “We will. I promise.”

  He was careful not to sound patronizing, but Ellie pushed away his hand as she glared into his handsome face.

  “And I’m supposed to be a good girl and let the tough FBI agent take care of my business?”

  “If I say yes, something bad is going to happen, isn’t it?”

  “Yes.”

  He heaved a sigh, his features tight with frustration. Was he debating whether or not she was worth the effort? Probably. She had that effect on people.

  “Right now your stalker is content to try and torment you with nasty pranks,” he said, his tone sharp. “If he senses you’re a danger to his game, he might decide he’s tired of playing.”

  “We don’t know that whoever left the rats is connected to Barb,” she reminded him. She was a lawyer. She never jumped to conclusions.

  “And we don’t know it isn’t.”

  Nate’s clenched jaw warned he wasn’t going to debate the issue. He wasn’t a lawyer, he was an FBI agent. No doubt he assumed the worst, and prepared for the even worser. Was that a word? She gave a mental shrug. She knew what she meant.

  Nate was hyperalert. But that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, she abruptly acknowledged. As long as he understood she wasn’t going to be some passive bystander in her own life, she was willing to accept he had skills that she didn’t.

  “So, what do we do?”

  He thought for a minute. No doubt he was trying to consider ways she could feel useful without putting her in danger.

  “I think you should start with a list of any recent clients who might be violent or have a history of stalking.”

  Ellie’s lips curved into a smile. Had she prepared the listing knowing that Nate would demand one? Probably. And in the back of her mind, she’d already devised how she intended to use it as a leverage.

  Hey . . . she was a lawyer.

  “I already did.”

  He studied her, like he was expecting a trap. Wise man.

  “Will you share it with me?” he asked.

  “Only if you agree to go on my payroll as an investigator and sign a confidentiality agreement.”