Come Hell or High Desire by Misty Dietz Page B

been promoted to head up the CAPERS unit.”
    Archie pounded his fist on the table, rattling the silverware. “No way, man.”
    “A few months ago, I guess. Yay for me.” Zack downed the rest of his milk.
    “What am I missing? What’s CAPERS?”
    All three looked at Twyla. Zack tried to remember how much she already knew. Morgan
     must have read his mind. “CAPERS is the Crimes Against Persons division within the
     Criminal Investigations Unit at the Fargo PD. CAPERS scopes out missing persons. And
     from Zack’s information, an old crum bum’s now the big dog.”
    “Crum bum?”
    “ Enemy. ” Morgan spit the word out. “Barnaba’s the guy who sent Zack to prison.”
    “That’s ridiculous. I know you guys haven’t always been model citizens,” Twyla said,
     jabbing Archie when he snorted, “but you’ve proven to be law abiding for at least
     ten years now. Isn’t a cop supposed to do his or her job, no matter who needs help?”
    He and Archie exchanged a smile. He wished everyone could be as forgiving as Twyla,
     but he knew Detective Tony Barnaba’s hatred would follow him to the grave. Thing is,
     he probably deserved it.
    Archie cracked his knuckles. “Zack ever tell you about Barnaba’s wife, Kasey?”
    “Butterface bint.” They all looked at Morgan, surprised at her vehemence.
    Twyla turned back to Zack. “No. But she’s the one, isn’t she?”
    Zack stilled. “The one?”
    “Who put that sad look in your eyes,” she said.
    “You can’t read people’s feelings in their eyes.” Unless they’re she-wolf eyes.
    “You’re wrong, Zack. A person’s eyes are the proverbial window to their soul.”
    Archie tucked his hand under Twyla’s hair to lightly knead her neck. “Someone said
     Tony finally threw Kasey out a few years ago. Guess he found her in bed with her karate
     instructor.”
    Classic Kasey . “Whatever. Doesn’t matter anymore.” Zack got up to pace over to one of the windows
     that faced Archie’s large workshop, the river, and their back acreage where three
     dogs were rolling around like cats in a bed of catnip. He looked back to find Archie
     watching him, his demeanor calm. “Bart Winters still work in the department? I know
     he had access to the Motor Vehicle Database.”
    “No. Bart retired a couple years ago. What’s up, man? What do you think’s going on
     with Ann?”
    “I knocked on a few doors in her neighborhood before I stopped at the station. The
     police will probably send someone out to do the same, but I…wanted to do something.”
     He paused and Archie nodded. Of course he’d understand. Archie had always been a man
     of action. “Anyway, one of her neighbors is an old lady on oxygen who does jigsaw
     puzzles on a card table in front of her picture window. She said she often sees a
     white Lexus parked in Ann’s driveway. She also made sure I knew that the man who drives
     it is way too old for Ann.” He could barely get the words past the ache in his throat.
    “There you go. Ann’s probably on a weekend tryst.” Twyla started clearing the table
     with Morgan’s help. “I sure as heck wouldn’t have informed either of my brothers if
     I was planning a romantic getaway before I was married. They would have been hyper-protective
     too.”
    “I wish you were right, honey, but I think Zack should trust his gut and find out
     who owns the Lexus.” Archie looked at Zack. “Winters is out, but I can ask around
     to see if anyone else has any suggestions. Have you checked the hospitals?”
    “Yeah. Nothing.”
    “The gym, the office, the new store where she works?” After Zack’s nod, Archie paused,
     his eyes steady on Zack. “The morgue?”
    Dishes clattered into the sink, but Twyla quickly recovered, her gaze shooting to
     her husband. Pressure grew in Zack’s chest until he felt as though he’d suffocate
     unless he got outside.
    He shouldn’t have come. Of course they didn’t know anything about Ann. He was on his