The Colt & The Cobra - THE SPECTER SERIES [book six]

Chapter TWENTY

Mikki De'lucca

"Haunted how?" Your heart pulses anxiously as you gape at Juilette, dumbfounded by her cryptic statement.. If Colt Knox is as hunted as you he does a much better job of hiding it.. Though, somehow, you can believe it.. Because when you really think about it, the rugged golden Cowboy really only talks in facts.. Never in feelings..

Jules' peeks over her shoulder towards the door, as if to ensure nobody nearby is eavesdropping before she turns back to you, lowering her voice conspiratorially as she leans forward.. "It all started with his Mama, see.. Adeline Knox died when Colt was just a pup, and after that Kane's ma, his aunt Josette, took him in and raised those boys as brothers, loved him like her own.. Till she died a few years later.. Exactly the same way her sister did too, dropped dead of'a heart attack, god-rest their souls.. And so the boys were really on their own, since her husband was-- well-- for lack of a better expression; About as useless as tits on a bull.."

"Oh wow.." You swallow a surge of sympathy..

"Yeah.. It really only gets worse.." Jules sighs, continuing on.. "So.. Kane and me, we got together freshman year.. I was smitten, you know, we were teens crazy in love and of course I went to all of his rodeos to watch him ride. We were a pretty tight-knit crew.. Paw was workin', so he always used to ask me to take my sister along.. You know, since she was only a couple years younger and we got along well.. Not always.. But you know what siblings are like.."

"I-- I had a brother.. I think sisters are a little different, cuz Bobbi didn't want anything to do with me.." You smile thinly.. "Colt hasn't really said anything.. But I don't think he likes it when Clint mistakes me for Savannah.. He kind of gets this-- look.."

Juliette chuckles wistfully.. "Yeah, I know that face.. The one where he looks like he's been sucking on a lemon...." She taps her palm absentmindedly against the bottom of her glass, fidgeting about in her seat.. "It's not you though Mikki.. It's cus he thinks whatever happened to her happened because of him.."

"What happened to her?" Your ears prick up as the squirming bundle of curious nerves in your belly twists and tumbles..

"Well.. that's just it Mikki.. I don't know.." Juliette sighs.. "Savannah had eyes for Colt since the second she saw him and after a few months pining over him, she finally got up the courage to say somethin' about it.." Jules absentmindedly runs the tip of her index finger around the rim of her high-ball as she speaks.. "But he really wasn't interested in her.. I mean.. He was nice'n'all about it.. Tried to let her down easy, told her he would only break her heart and she could do a lot better than a rodeo runner.."

"That's sweet.." You offer, feeling oddly unsure of where she is going with her story..

"Yeah.. Well Savannah didn't think so.. It mostly just pissed her off.. Just like anything and everything that didn't go her way always did.. She set fire to the old barn beside the Knox family home a couple days later, and burnt the place to the ground.. I don't know if she was trying to warn him or maybe she was trying to get even.. Either way.. Things escalated so quickly after that.. Savvi just wouldn't leave him alone.. She kept harassing him.. Calling his phone and hanging up.. Showing up at his house.. Stalking him.. Threatening him.. One night she stole his car and drove it into the river-- Aw, heck, the girl was outta her damn mind and we didn't none of us know how to stop her.. Or how to help her.. She just kept gettin' herself in deeper and deeper.. We must've made a hundred trips to the Sheriff's office to bail her out and that went on for over a year.. Until one day... Savannah just never came home.. Nobody has seen hide nor hair of her since.. She's just gone.."

"Holy shit.." You breathe in stunned horror..
How does somebody just disappear like that?
Where did she go?
Curiosity consumes your thoughts..

"Yeah.. Crazy right?.. Colt took it pretty hard since he was the last person to see her alive, and the Sheriff had him made as a suspect from the start.. God, he must have spent thousands of hours looking for her since then.. Trying to find the truth.. There were a few tips early on that she was last seen headed towards Mobil.. But-- we never found anything.. And the sheriffs office didn't care.. Far as they were concerned, Savvie was just another rebellious runaway.. A trashy kid with a bad attitude.." She holds up the bottle, offering you a refill with the simple motion..

You extend your still quarter filled glass, allowing her to top up your cup.. "I'm so sorry.. I don't even know what to say, Jules.."

She shakes her head as she tips the bottle to pour herself a fresh nifter.. "There's nothing to say.. I know that she isn't coming home, Mikki.." When Juliette lifts her gaze to meet yours, you can see the pain behind those haunted hazel orbs as she looks you solemnly in the eye.. "I just know it.. And I think deep down-- Colt knows it too.."

You nod slowly, understanding just how entangled in eachothers lives the two of them are.. You see now how the traumas they have survived, they have survived together.. Maybe even because of each other.. Or in spite of.. You aren't entirely sure.. "And he blames himself for all of this.."

She taps the side of her nose in confirmation.. "I'm sure he does.. It was about the time, right after the sheriff's office called off the search, Colt got real restless.. He up and joined the Marines thinking he could find some kinda justice or purpose.. I dunno.."

"That makes sense.. But--" You pause to take a burning gulp of whiskey, the alcohol unwinding the last of your awkward inhibitions, helping you to speak more freely.. "I kinda thought he enlisted later.. Like.. after you lost Kane?.."

She frowns, matching your sip with her own.. "Yeah, he did.. I mean.. No.. He went back in after Kane died.. But he shipped out at 18 the first time.." In an abrupt move she rises to her feet, completely switching gears at the sound of grumblings coming from inside the house.. "Aw, fuck.. Paws awake.. I gotta go get him.. Give me a sec.."

"Take your time.." You finish your drink in solace, feeling warm and wobbly as you scoop up the liquor bottle to pour another shot..

"Probably shouldn't be drinkin' on an empty stomach, Sugar.. Think that's smart?" Colt appears at the foot of the porch stairs, an armful of logs for the fireplace bundled between those burly biceps..

"I'm not hungry.." You smile, putting the bottle down when you realise how right he is at the fact you can almost see two of him as your vision sways..

"If you say so.. But I'm warning ya, you think that stuff tastes bad goin' down, wait till tomorrow mornin'.." He smirks, moving towards the door..

"Oh.. I got it!" You hop to your feet and wobble over to pull the flyscreen open for him..

He pauses, his puzzling eyes bore deep into your soul, scorching you somewhere inside you'd long forgotten.. When he answers his drawl is slow and doubtful..

"Uh.. Thanks, Mikki.."

"You're welcome, Colt.."

You rock a little on your feet and the trance breaks as he shakes his head and turns a shoulder to push through the doorway..
"If you pass out or puke tonight, Sugar, don't say I didn't warn ya.."

You giggle.. "Pffft.. I haven't puked or passed out since college.."

He laughs as the door clicks shut.. "Why doesn't that surprise me.."