“He hasn’t called in, and I can’t reach him on his cell or home phone. He’s due in court in ten minutes, Jade. Can you cover?”

“What?” My stomach dropped.

“It’s just the Monday-morning docket. You can probably find all the folders on Larry’s desk.”

“Are you kidding me? I’m not prepared—”

“It doesn’t matter, Jade. You have to go. You’re all we have right now.”

I stood, flustered. “Fine, fine. Find everything in Larry’s office to get me up to speed. I’ll run over to the courthouse right now, and you bring the information as soon as you can. I’ll tell the judge what’s going on so I don’t look like a complete imbecile.”

The judge would probably not care that Larry had left me high and dry. She’d expect me there. The Monday docket was the Monday docket, and if the city attorney wasn’t available to handle it, the assistant city attorney would have to. And that, unfortunately, was me.

I looked down at my casual khaki pants and silk camisole. Hardly courtroom attire. Had I known I’d be going to court, I’d have worn a suit. Fortunately, a black cardigan was wrapped around the back of my chair. It would have to do.

“Bring the information as soon as you can,” I told Michelle again. “I’ll head on over.”

Damn Larry anyway.

 

A few hours later, it was over. I’d received a good talking to from Judge Gonzalez about adequate preparation. She wasn’t even slightly interested in the fact that her city attorney had flown the coop.

Judges were judges. I pledged to be better prepared from now on.

“Michelle,” I said, when I returned to the office, “from now on I want to be advised of all cases. All court dates. Whether Larry is in town or not, I want them all on my calendar, and I want to be fully apprised of each one. Make sure I get that information, please.”

I walked into my office and slammed the door shut. I hadn’t meant to be rude to Michelle. This was no more her fault than it was mine. But getting a dressing down from a judge was never on any lawyer’s “to do” list. Judge Gonzalez had been fair with me on Talon’s case, and she was perfectly within her right to expect me to be prepared to take over the city attorney’s duties. This would not happen again.

I sat down and picked up the receiver of my landline, ready to call my father, when my cell phone rang. Another number I didn’t recognize. “Hello?”

“I’m looking for Jade Roberts.”

“You found her. May I ask who this is?”

“Yes, this is Detective George Santos with the Denver PD. I’m investigating the disappearance of Colin Morse.”

Oh, shit. Just what I didn’t need right now. “I’m afraid I don’t know anything about that.”

“It’s our understanding that you were the last person to see Mr. Morse.”

“I was one of four to see him that evening. I was accompanied by three other people, and there were many others milling around the city on Friday night.”

“We’ve been in touch with the Snow Creek police. All three of them.” He scoffed. “One of their fine officers of the blue will be coming to see you, Ms. Roberts.”

“I will look forward to it with bated breath,” I said sarcastically. I knew better than to get mouthy with a cop, but this was so not a priority for me right now. I wanted Colin to be okay, but I had too much else going on to be overly concerned. All I wanted to do was check on my mother and then go and see Talon once work was over.

Would it be too forward to call Marj and request one of her homemade meals tonight? I could sure use it. And I could sure use a heavy dose of Talon.

I was still pretty mad at him for leaving me there Saturday. But maybe he really wasn’t ready to meet my father.

Maybe he didn’t love me as much as I loved him.

The thought hurt, kind of sliced my heart in two, but Talon was Talon. Something was eating him up inside, and as desperately as I wanted to help him, he had to let me first.

I went to pick up the landline again to call my father when a knock sounded on my door. God, would this workday never end?

“Come on in,” I said.

Michelle entered with an officer I recognized. “Jade, Officer Dugan needs to speak to you.”

“Sure. Come on in, Officer Dugan.” I gestured to one of my chairs. “Sit down.”

“I’m here to—”

I held up a hand. “I know why you’re here. I just got off the phone with the Denver PD. Go ahead and ask your questions. But I don’t know much.”

“I understand. When was the last time you saw Mr. Morse?”

“He took me to dinner Friday night a couple weeks ago. When we were coming out of Enzio’s, the Steel brothers were coming out of Murphy’s. We all chatted for a while, and then Colin went on his way.”

“Chatted” wasn’t really the right word for what had gone on, but I had basically told the truth. No punches had been thrown, thank God, though all four of them had threatened each other.

“Did he say where he was going?”

“No, he didn’t. I assumed he was going back to wherever he was staying in Grand Junction. He told me he was going to show up for court Monday morning, but then he didn’t.”

“Were any words exchanged between him and Talon Steel?”

I was an officer of the court. I could not lie to an officer of the law. And there was no need to. We had lots of witnesses. “Yes, words were exchanged.”

“What kinds of words?”

“Talon wasn’t happy to see Colin, obviously. And neither were his brothers. I don’t really remember everything that was said.”

“Did any of the brothers touch him in any way?”

I closed my eyes, trying to remember. Had Talon grabbed Colin? No. He and Jonah had both raised their hands to him, but they hadn’t touched him.

Thank God.

“No, they didn’t.”

“Good.” Steve looked visibly relieved. “What was the last thing Colin said before he left?”

“I don’t recall his exact words, of course, but he said he would see me in court on Monday.”

“And he didn’t show up for court.”

“That’s right.”

“Is there anything else you can tell me about this?”