Cold Case Colton by Addison Fox

Author:Addison Fox
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2017-08-04T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

“Do you need to go back to the store or to your apartment?”

“No.” Claudia’s gaze hung on her car as Hawk maneuvered them out of Jade’s driveway. He’d already called a tow shop in town to come deal with the vehicle, all while instructing her to reach out to Mac and then her siblings.

She’d resisted at first but when the threat had come down—swiftly—that it was Mac, then her brothers and sisters, or another call to Sheriff Jeffries—she acquiesced.

And had to admit he was right when it gave her the opportunity to control the story through its telling.

Mac had struggled the worst with the news, but they managed to reassure him when Hawk got on and relayed the details, as well. He’d also promised to get them out of Shadow Creek for the day for their errand to Austin and Mac had seemed subtly relieved.

So here they were, heading out of Shadow Creek, on a mission to determine if her life was a complete and total lie.

The back roads of Shadow Creek gave way to the main drag through town before they were traveling down better-used highways with signs indicated Austin was their next major stop.

“You know your way around.”

“You navigate one small Texas town, you can navigate them all.”

While she’d spent a long time away, she had to admit he was right about that. She’d easily fallen back into small-town living and had found it equally easy to head for the highway into Austin or up to Waco if she needed larger shopping or entertainment opportunities.

“I’ve always wondered why my mother chose Shadow Creek. She’s a city girl through and through.”

“I bet it killed her to know you were in New York. Living it up in the big city.”

“I don’t know if it did or not. I avoided visiting her once I graduated.”

Claudia thought back to those early days, shortly after Livia was put away. Mac had dutifully driven her up to Gatesville to visit. Jade hadn’t wanted to go and Mac hadn’t pushed her, but Claudia had felt it was something she should do. The good daughter routine.

“When was the last time you saw her?”

“I went the week before I graduated high school. I told her I was going to New York and she’d given me a few pithy remarks about watching out for myself and being careful in the big city. More than anything, she’d seemed distracted, her gaze following the goings-on in the room more than on me.”

“Setting herself up. Reading the room.”

Hawk’s words were murmured, but something in them stuck. “What do you mean by that?”

“Your mother is the quintessential player. She’s always looking for an angle and always on the hunt for the person who can give it to her. You were superfluous by then.”

“Cheery thought.”

“Actually, it sort of is. Staying off your mother’s radar is the very best thing you can do.”

“I guess I never thought about it that way.”

While it was excellent advice, none of them knew when Livia would decide to make her presence known.

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