Tall, Dark, Texas Ranger / Once Upon A Christmas Eve: Tall, Dark, Texas Ranger

The moonlight illuminated the area as she looked at him with those big eyes. Man, she was stirring feelings in him, and that was dangerous for both of them. He needed to redirect his thoughts, to business. “Do you get any help from their aunt?”

“Stephanie? She’s been trouble from the get-go. She’s a lot younger than Mike. He even helped raise her. Then he trained her in the family business after their parents passed away.”

“So she has the business now,” he coaxed for more information.

Lilly turned and looked at him. “It might be a coincidence, but a lot of the trouble between Mike and me started when she got more involved with the company.”

Go easy, he told himself. “Didn’t your husband run things then?”

“He did the books, but the day-to-day scheduling of the work crews was Stephanie’s job. And for a while they were doing great, the money was rolling in. The only problem was Mike was working more and more hours as the business expanded. Then Rey Santos came in as a manager for the crews. And I thought that would free Mike up and he could cut back on his hours. But Stephanie and Rey started dating.” She shivered. “Nothing changed. Then our marriage started … falling apart and finally Mike moved out.”

She shrugged, staring out at the night sky. “Then one day I got served with divorce papers.”

He saw her blink rapidly, her voice grew soft and shaky as she said, “I just never thought he would divorce the kids, too, and then the suicide.” She looked at him. “Can you see why Kasey acts up?”

Coop had a dozen questions he wanted to ask her but was afraid to tip his hand. Was Mike Perry a total jerk, or was he the Feds’ informant trying to protect his family?

The next day, Coop worked the morning repairing the walkway with Robbie. By noon, he’d sent the boy off to go swimming with his friends, while he went to see about his new boss.

He pulled his truck into the construction site at the west end of town. There were to be twenty-five affordable, two-story homes to be built in the development called Vista Verde. The first dozen homes were to be completed by September.

In fact, Alex Casali was listing the prices well below market value. It seemed the millionaire rancher wanted to pay back his good fortune to the community. The people who qualified to buy a house were low to moderate income families. And there was already a waiting list for the energy efficient homes that included a small park and community pool.

Coop knocked on the construction trailer door.

“Come in,” a man called.

He pushed open the door and walked inside. Although the space was large, it still seemed crowded with two men and a pretty auburn-haired woman and two toddlers running around.

The man behind the desk was Alex Casali, a big man with brown hair and gray eyes. He was a formidable man until he looked at his wife. Their affection for each other was obvious.

Alex finally noticed him. “Coop. Good to see you.”

“Hello, Alex. I thought I’d stop by to see about my starting time, but I can see you’re busy. Hello, Mrs. Casali.” He removed his hat. “Good to see you again.”

“Please, call me Allison. It’s nice to see you again, Coop. You don’t have to leave, I’m taking Will and Rose home for their nap. I think their dad’s had enough of family at the work place.” She kissed her husband. “See you later at home.” She paused. “By the way, Coop, we’re having a barbecue this weekend at the ranch. It’s for all the workers on the Vista Verde project. You are invited, and please relay the message to Lilly, Beth and the kids. It’s really a community event.”

He nodded. “Thank you, I’ll tell them.”

Alex walked his wife and children out, then returned with a smile. Coop found he envied the man, not for all his money, more so for his life and family. He’d felt the same way around his brother and his wife, Clara. Then he recalled the reason he was here: Devin’s death.

Alex walked to the desk. “Sorry the kids like to come and see me at work.”

“No apologies necessary. You’re the boss.”

“Boy, have you got that wrong.” He grinned. “My wife and kids run things. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Casali sobered as the two other workers grabbed their hard hats and headed out of the trailer. Once they were alone, he said, “You ready to start Monday?”

“All set.”

Casali smiled. “I hear you’ve been doing some repairs on Beth Staley’s house, too. She’s been bragging about you at the shop.”

Small town grapevine. “I’m not busy right now, and it’s a win-win situation. I get free meals out of it.”

“I’m glad you’re helping out. That family has had a rough few years. Come on, I’ll show you around.” Casali picked up a hard hat, handed him one and they walked outside.

They headed along the row of framed structures, the sound of hammering and power saws made it difficult to talk.

Casali walked him to an open field area away from the workmen. “I’ll introduce you to my foreman, Charlie Reed. He’ll be the one you report to, and he hands out the job schedule.” They continued to walk along the recently paved road and they reached four nearly completed homes at the end of the block.

“We’re proud of this project and I want the community involved in it as much as possible.” Alex studied him a moment. “Sheriff Bradshaw asked me to hire you. I take it there’s a good reason for that.” He raised a hand. “I’m not asking what it is, I’ve already got that lecture from Brad.” Sheriff Oliver “Brad” Bradshaw was Coop’s contact in town.

Casali went on to say, “I only worry about keeping my family and friends safe.”

“I don’t see why they wouldn’t be.”

“Well, I’m going to make sure of that. Just so you know, I’ll have extra security at the party and on the job site.”

“That’s always a good idea. It’s not unusual to have some vandalism on construction sites.”

Casali was a powerful presence. He didn’t doubt the man could take care of himself, or get things done. “Damn. I don’t like what’s going on.”

Coop knew he hadn’t fooled this man. He needed to change the subject. He told Alex about Kasey Perry’s adventure at the Dark Moon Arcade. “From what I could gather it’s not a good place for kids.”

“Not even close,” Alex agreed. “We’ve been trying to shut it down the past few years. I even offered to buy it, but the owner refused my offer.” Again Alex studied him. “It seems you’ve gotten involved in a few things since your arrival.”

He shrugged. “Just a little painting, and helped Lilly find Kasey. Like you said, it’s small-town living.”

“As a friend of Lilly and her family, we appreciate it. Maybe it’s time I alert the sheriff so he can keep a watch on the place.”

There were so many things that Coop didn’t feel safe involving a civilian in. If it was Perry who contacted the Feds, that might have been what caused his death. Did he leave behind some incriminating information? Stephanie and Santos were too interested in Mike Perry’s things. How far would they go to get it? His main job was to keep Lilly and her kids safe.

That was his number one priority.

CHAPTER FIVE

TWO mornings later, Lilly’s heart swelled at hearing laughter from outside the window. Her son was again working with Coop. Today, their resident handyman and his trusty helper were putting flagstone pavers over the already patched walkway leading up to the porch.

Coop had convinced her mother it would be cheaper to lay stone over the patched concrete than tear it out and pour a new walk.

At breakfast, Robbie had explained that the big tree in the front yard shaded the sidewalk in the morning so it was cooler to work there. They’d go back to painting when the sun moved from the side of the house.

Whatever Noah Cooper was doing, she wanted him to continue because her son was a lot happier these days. So was she. Her smile quickly died. If only she could say the same for her daughter.

She rolled her eyes at the ceiling, feeling the vibration, hearing the loud music coming from Kasey’s bedroom. It was the only thing she hadn’t taken away from the teenager.

She knew this wasn’t the end to this struggle between mother and daughter. Somehow, Lilly had to figure out a way to get through to her. What terrified her was that she might not be able to.