sarcasm, but Drum wisely kept that to himself.
"No, sir. It's a fact. Shaw spent the afternoon visiting his sister. Then he checked into The Midas Manor . After picking up Colleen McNamara, they drove to The Sidewinder . Dinner, drinks, and conversation, sir. That's all there is to report."
"After seven years, Dalton Shaw chooses now to show his face in this town again?"
"It could be a coincidence. Like I said, the first thing Shaw did was visit his sister."
"You don't get to my position in life believing in coincidence. Keep an eye on him. Perhaps you're right, and I have nothing to worry about."
"I'll call if he does anything out of the ordinary."
"You'll call if all he does is scratch his ass. I will decide what's important and what isn't. I want everything documented. Understood?"
"Yes, sir."
With a resigned sigh, Drum took another picture. Same angle. Nothing new. For everyone's sake, he hoped this ended soon. The last time Dalton Shaw came to Midas, he was a two-bit drummer in a struggling band. Now, he was a world-famous rock star. He could go anywhere in the world. Why here? Unless his boss was right. Was Shaw going to cause trouble?
Raising his phone, Drum caught Shaw kissing Colleen McNamara's hand. She was a good-looking woman but hardly worth coming to this shithole town. There had to be more to it than sex.
Because he messed with the wrong family, Dalton Shaw had been railroaded. He was sent to prison for doing something that in any other part of the country would have gotten him a medal. Or at the very least a suspended sentence. Was his return a coincidence? Or was he back for revenge?
CHAPTER FIVE
IT HAD TO be the oddest date Colleen had ever been on. It was also the best. They began the evening relative strangers with little more than an instant attraction between them. Now? The connection had grown to something bigger, better—and a bit frightening. Sharing her inner-most thoughts and dreams went beyond the casual. To what, she couldn't say.
However, Colleen knew one thing. She liked the feeling—whatever it was. She liked Dalton Shaw. And there weren't many people she could honestly say that about.
"I'm surprised we made it through dinner without someone recognizing you."
Dalton helped Colleen from her seat. It was a little gesture but not one she saw every day. Or, thinking back, ever. The man turned out to be a big, sexy anachronism—in the best sense of the word.
"You mean because I'm a celebrity?
Colleen took Dalton's proffered arm as they walked toward the exit.
"You're a rock star. Celebrity is something else. Like a Kardashian or one of those Bachelor people."
"I appreciate the distinction." Dalton paused outside the restaurant, scanning the parking lot before moving to the car.
Feeling she missed something, Colleen frowned. "Is there a problem?"
"I hope not."
With what seemed to her to be undue haste, Dalton hustled Colleen into the car. Before he could start the engine, she stayed his hand.
"Do you want to explain?" Deciding that was too easily shot down, Colleen amended her question to a statement. "Tell me what's going on, Dalton. You were relaxed and easy during dinner. Now you're as tense as a dog anticipating a thunderstorm. No clouds. No lightning. So what changed?"
Dalton gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles showing white.
"How hard would it be for you to trust me?"
"Do you want money? Or a vital organ?"
Colleen wasn't certain, but she thought the sound Dalton made was close to a laugh.
"No on both."
"Do I have to lie, cheat, or steal? Because I'm fine with two of those—for the most part. The third is tricky but on occasion? Sure."
"When are you okay with stealing?"
" Ocean's Eleven . I didn't like the casino owner. Of course, they lost all their money, but not until the sequel."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
Colleen had no idea. But it made Dalton smile.
"I trust you. Up to a
"No, sir. It's a fact. Shaw spent the afternoon visiting his sister. Then he checked into The Midas Manor . After picking up Colleen McNamara, they drove to The Sidewinder . Dinner, drinks, and conversation, sir. That's all there is to report."
"After seven years, Dalton Shaw chooses now to show his face in this town again?"
"It could be a coincidence. Like I said, the first thing Shaw did was visit his sister."
"You don't get to my position in life believing in coincidence. Keep an eye on him. Perhaps you're right, and I have nothing to worry about."
"I'll call if he does anything out of the ordinary."
"You'll call if all he does is scratch his ass. I will decide what's important and what isn't. I want everything documented. Understood?"
"Yes, sir."
With a resigned sigh, Drum took another picture. Same angle. Nothing new. For everyone's sake, he hoped this ended soon. The last time Dalton Shaw came to Midas, he was a two-bit drummer in a struggling band. Now, he was a world-famous rock star. He could go anywhere in the world. Why here? Unless his boss was right. Was Shaw going to cause trouble?
Raising his phone, Drum caught Shaw kissing Colleen McNamara's hand. She was a good-looking woman but hardly worth coming to this shithole town. There had to be more to it than sex.
Because he messed with the wrong family, Dalton Shaw had been railroaded. He was sent to prison for doing something that in any other part of the country would have gotten him a medal. Or at the very least a suspended sentence. Was his return a coincidence? Or was he back for revenge?
CHAPTER FIVE
IT HAD TO be the oddest date Colleen had ever been on. It was also the best. They began the evening relative strangers with little more than an instant attraction between them. Now? The connection had grown to something bigger, better—and a bit frightening. Sharing her inner-most thoughts and dreams went beyond the casual. To what, she couldn't say.
However, Colleen knew one thing. She liked the feeling—whatever it was. She liked Dalton Shaw. And there weren't many people she could honestly say that about.
"I'm surprised we made it through dinner without someone recognizing you."
Dalton helped Colleen from her seat. It was a little gesture but not one she saw every day. Or, thinking back, ever. The man turned out to be a big, sexy anachronism—in the best sense of the word.
"You mean because I'm a celebrity?
Colleen took Dalton's proffered arm as they walked toward the exit.
"You're a rock star. Celebrity is something else. Like a Kardashian or one of those Bachelor people."
"I appreciate the distinction." Dalton paused outside the restaurant, scanning the parking lot before moving to the car.
Feeling she missed something, Colleen frowned. "Is there a problem?"
"I hope not."
With what seemed to her to be undue haste, Dalton hustled Colleen into the car. Before he could start the engine, she stayed his hand.
"Do you want to explain?" Deciding that was too easily shot down, Colleen amended her question to a statement. "Tell me what's going on, Dalton. You were relaxed and easy during dinner. Now you're as tense as a dog anticipating a thunderstorm. No clouds. No lightning. So what changed?"
Dalton gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles showing white.
"How hard would it be for you to trust me?"
"Do you want money? Or a vital organ?"
Colleen wasn't certain, but she thought the sound Dalton made was close to a laugh.
"No on both."
"Do I have to lie, cheat, or steal? Because I'm fine with two of those—for the most part. The third is tricky but on occasion? Sure."
"When are you okay with stealing?"
" Ocean's Eleven . I didn't like the casino owner. Of course, they lost all their money, but not until the sequel."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
Colleen had no idea. But it made Dalton smile.
"I trust you. Up to a
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