“Yes, I will,” she murmured, wondering what, exactly, he’d gotten mixed up in. God, she hoped Randy hadn’t involved her brother in any shady dealings that she wouldn’t be able to help him with. Because she loved her brother, but she couldn’t close her eyes if he were breaking the law.

“There’s nothing wrong.” He rubbed both hands over his face, visibly tired, but maybe covering his eyes so she wouldn’t see the emotion in them. He seemed truly shocked that she’d offered her help so readily. Did he really think she would have refused him?

Maybe. She certainly hadn’t been sympathetic the other morning. Then again, he hadn’t exactly been contrite and vulnerable, either.

“I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have come. I just knew that if I stayed home, Randy would show up and I’d go out and do something stupid.”

Something stupid with Randy. Well, alert the media. “He’s trouble.”

“He’s my best friend.”

“I know that.”

“Look,” Tim said, getting defensive, “I’ve known him all my life. We’ve been there for each other. Since his dad died, and our mom.”

They seldom talked about their mother, primarily because Stacey had no memory of her. “I know. You think I don’t remember him talking about how great it would be if Dad married Randy’s mom and you two became brothers?”

Tim had just sipped his coffee, but he quickly spewed it back out into his cup. This time, a real smile appeared. It emphasized his scars. It also emphasized the beautiful color of his eyes. And broke her heart a little. “Jeez, I was petrified it might happen.”

“Me, too! I thought you were all for it.”

“You kidding? She’s a barracuda. If a man could will himself to have a heart attack, I’d think Mr. Covey did just to get away from her.”

“Lucky guy,” she said with a laugh. Laughing. With her brother. How rare was that?

“Randy’s had it tough,” Tim insisted. “We’re there for each other, thick and thin. Right and wrong.”

That right and wrong part really stuck in her head. “Tim, I know there’s something you’re not telling me.”

“You asking as the sheriff?” he snapped.

“No. I’m asking as your sister. Someone who loves you.”

His green eyes locked with hers, and for a moment, she thought he was going to open up. She braced herself to listen without reacting, knowing he was really worried about whatever was going on.

But he hedged, repeating, under his breath, “He’s always been there for me.”

“I know. But right now, he’s not the kind of person you need to have ‘there’ for you. He’s not helping you, and he could be hurting.”

Tim’s coffee sloshed over his cup as he lowered it to the table. Her brother was actually shaking.

“Tim, please, tell me what it is. Are you… Have you been taking something?”

He rose abruptly. “I’m not on drugs.”

“I know Randy used to do them.”

“Years ago,” he snapped. “He’s not anymore. End of story.”

“I’m sorry.” Stacey reached for him. “Please don’t go.”

He hesitated, then ducked away from her hand, as if he didn’t want to be touched. But the anger left him and he quietly murmured, “You have to go to work tomorrow, keeping Hope Valley safe from the evils of the world. I’ve kept you up late enough.”

Knowing it was useless and that he’d shut himself down for now, she rose to her feet as well. “Safe from the evils of the world, huh? Guess you haven’t been following the local news.”

“Oh, hell, I totally forgot. I heard about Lisa. That’s rough.”

“Her mother certainly thinks so.”

Tim flushed. “Dick told you I was in the bar the night she disappeared.”

“Yes, he did.”

“Thanks for not calling me out all big, bad sheriff sister in front of everyone.”

“I intended to stop by and see you tomorrow. Randy, too.”

“He’ll tell you the same thing I did. Lisa was drunk, like everybody else in the place.”

“Did you talk to her?”

He shook his head, sneering now, for real. “Are you kidding? She couldn’t even look me in the face. Oh, she never said anything; she might have been a little cock-tease, but she wasn’t mean.”

Stacey zoned in on the most surprising part of his statement, ignoring the self-pity in her brother’s voice. “A cock-tease? I thought when she was using she gave it away left, right, and center.”

“Maybe to a rich guy on the left, a well-hung guy on the right, and a drug-connected one in the center. Not with average dudes like Randy or ugly ones like me.”

She rolled her eyes at the self-slam, too used to them to even argue with him about it anymore. Instead, she focused on this new aspect of Lisa’s personality. Had the young woman had simply turned down the wrong man one too many times and drawn the Reaper’s ire?

“How late did you and Randy stay?”

“I was there until closing. He left a little before that. I think he got antsy when your deputy came and hauled his brother out. I guess the punk used to run around with Seth or something, and Randy wanted to make sure his kid wasn’t trying to score beer, too.”

“You saw Mitch show up to get Mike?”

He nodded. “Oh, yeah. He grabbed Lisa and tried to get her to leave with them. Got ugly for a minute. Shame he didn’t convince her; things might have ended up a lot differently.”

Yes, they might have. They probably would have, in fact. Mitch was a good guy; he’d been trying to help Lisa Zimmerman; she felt sure of it.

But that surety still didn’t erase the tiny hint of suspicion about why Mitch hadn’t come clean about his relationship with the troubled young victim.

“Thanks. I appreciate the help.”

Though she wanted Tim to stay and tell her the real reason he’d come over tonight, she didn’t press her luck. This was the first time he’d reached out to her, and she wanted him to come back. She wanted him to want to come back. And hopefully, the next time he did, he’d be ready to reveal a little more.

Despite that, as she walked him to the door and kissed him good-bye on his poor, scarred cheek, she murmured, “You could go see the doctor down at the VA again.”

He tensed.

“I’m not criticizing. Not judging. Just making the suggestion. If you can’t talk to me or to Dad, maybe you could talk to him.”

Tim stared down at her, saying nothing. But she knew him well enough to know he’d at least consider it, because she hadn’t ordered, hadn’t browbeaten him. She’d simply made a suggestion. It was the only way to deal with the man lately.

After her brother had left, Stacey locked the door behind him and returned to the kitchen. She’d barely touched her coffee, but it didn’t matter. Caffeine couldn’t jazz her up any more than she already was.

Too bad Dean wasn’t here. Though, of course, it was better that he hadn’t been when Tim showed up. Her brother would never have stayed. But now, facing the long night, she’d like the company. Her mind swam with details about the case, things she’d learned, things she’d speculated. Tidbits that seemed important, though why they should be remained just out of mental reach.

It was almost one o’clock. She needed to try to get some sleep. Still, she couldn’t help eyeing the phone as she cleaned the kitchen.

As if by magic, it rang.

She grabbed it, laughing and about to ask him if he’d read her mind. “Dean?”

Silence.

“Hello?”

That ominous nothingness stretched on for several seconds. Unease made her throat tighten. Images of Lisa, memories of the vicious surprise someone had left on her porch, filled the recesses of her imagination. “Who the hell is this?”

No answer at first, then one single word.

“Bitch.”

The call disconnected.