Native Cowboy by Rita Herron

and her husband exchanged a confused look. “Then why are you here?”
    “Please sit down,” Mason said.
    The Davidsons huddled together on the sofa. Lacy started whimpering as if she sensed something was wrong, and Julie rocked her in her arms, soothing her with softly whispered words of love.
    Nellie would have taken comfort in the way the couple loved her baby, Cara thought.
    “Why are you concerned that we came to take the baby?” Mason said. “Had the mother or father asked for the child back?”
    Don shook his head and Julie followed. “We haven’t heard from the mother at all. In fact, we’ve never even met. All communication was done through our attorney.”
    “Regan Wurst?” Mason asked.
    The couple nodded in tandem.
    “How about the baby’s father? Has he tried to contact you?”
    “No,” they both said at once.
    Julie’s eyes widened. “Do they want Lacy back?”
    “No,” Mason said. “Why do you think that?”
    “I’ve just seen stories about that happening,” Julie said.
    “It’s all right, Julie, I promise you, that’s not why we’re here.” Cara stroked little Lacy’s soft dark hair. “Can I hold her?”
    Julie looked wary, but nodded and allowed Cara to gently lift the baby from her arms. Cara rocked Lacy back and forth, her heart constricting when the baby looked up into her eyes and cooed.
    “Please, Dr. Winchester,” Julie said. “Tell us what’s going on.”
    Cara glanced at Mason, and he cleared his throat.
    “Where were you the night before last?”
    Don narrowed his eyes. “At a work function until midnight, then in the hotel the rest of the evening.”
    “What kind of work do you do?”
    “I’m a developer,” Don explained. “I helped develop this housing community, and we’ve just opened up a similar one in Dallas.”
    Mason angled his head toward Julie. “What about you, Mrs. Davidson?”
    Cara tensed. He couldn’t possibly suspect sweet Julie Davidson of such a heinous crime.
    Julie squared her shoulders. “Lacy and I were here. My mother came for a visit, and we took Lacy to the park that afternoon, then had dinner out and came home.”
    “So you both have people who can confirm your whereabouts?”
    Don’s mouth compressed into an angry line. “Yes. Now what the hell is going on? Why do we need an alibi?”
    Mason heaved a sigh. “Because Nellie Thompson was murdered that night.”
    “Oh, my God,” Julie gasped.
    Don’s eyes widened in shock. “You think we had something to do with her murder?”
    “We’re simply trying to work through the process of elimination at this point. If Nellie or the baby’s father had pushed you to relinquish custody—”
    “That would be motive,” Don said as he reached for his cell phone. “Don’t say anything else, Julie. I’m calling our attorney.”
    “Don,” Cara said. “We’re not accusing you of anything. We’re just trying to figure out what happened to Nellie.”
    Julie took the little girl from Cara. “Regan promised us confidentiality, and we did everything by the book. Lacy is ours.”
    Cara squeezed her shoulder. “I know that, Julie. We’re just trying to find Nellie’s killer. And frankly, I had to make sure Lacy was safe.”
    Don clenched the phone, hesitating. “You think whoever killed Nellie might come after the baby?”
    Mason cleared his throat. “At this point, we don’t have any idea. But just to be on the safe side, you should be careful.”
    “We could take her away somewhere,” Julie said, her voice stricken. “Maybe my mother’s in Houston.”
    Mason shook his head. “Until the investigation is over, don’t leave town.”
    Fury flashed in Don’s eyes. “Then I’ll hire around-the-clock security. No one is going to get our little girl.”
    Cara shot Mason an angry look. She didn’t believe Julie or Don had anything to do with Nellie’s murder any more than she thought Alfredo had.
    And she hated that they’d frightened the couple.
    After all, the murder might