Free Death on Heels by Ellen Byerrum

are you doing out here?” Rose suddenly stood on the back porch, in her robe, giving Lacey a wave of déjà vu. She was a child again, playing kickball in the dusk. “Get to bed, it’s late. You girls! I swear.”
    Giggling like a couple of naughty schoolgirls caught playing hooky, Cherise and Lacey came when they were called. But not before Lacey grabbed the rope one more time and held the coil in her left hand. She lifted her right arm high and started swinging the noose. She let it fly, keeping her wrist and hand straight on her target. Triumphantly, the rope caught. Lacey had lassoed the lawn chair.
    Little Britches Rodeo, here I come.
    “I miss you already.” Lacey closed her eyes and listened to Vic’s voice. It was like honey. Sweet and warm.
    “Me too, darlin’. Every minute.”
    “Promise.” Finally alone in that bizarre guest bedroom in her childhood home, sitting on the hard sofa bed, Lacey finally let go of the tension in her shoulders. Most of it. She closed her eyes, the better to conjure up a picture of him.
    “I’ll have to catch up with you Monday in the courtroom,” Vic said.
    “Monday? But I’m seeing you tomorrow in Sagebrush.”
    “Something came up.”
    “What?”
Better not be Montana
.
    “I’m heading up to Wyoming with the deputy DA. You remember?”
    “How could I forget Brad Owens?”
    “There’s a girl missing out of Baggs. Teenager.”
    “Oh, no.” Lacey didn’t want to hear any more bad news. “How old is she?”
    “Seventeen.”
    How awful.
“You don’t think there’s a connection to the Yampa County murders?”
    “Brad thinks there might be. I’m going to tag along, see if there are any similarities to Rae Fowler and the others. We’re meeting with the girl’s family and the sheriff in Baggs tomorrow night.”
    “But if Tucker was in jail—” Lacey allowed herself to hope.
    “She went missing a couple of days before they arrested him. Like I said, we’re going to check it out. Best that can happen is she shows up. Maybe she’s just a runaway. I’m sorry, darlin’. I’ll be back in time for the arraignment. Have to be. Brad’s due in court.”
    Lacey stretched her neck and back. “Have you seen your ex?” She tried to make that question elaborately casual, but she knew Vic could see right through her. Even over the phone.
    Vic hesitated a moment too long. “I haven’t seen Montana.”
    “Not
seen
her? But you’ve talked to her?” Lacey sat straight up at attention, wishing she could see his face. Instead of picturing him with his ex. Sometimes her mother was right. Lacey did have an overactive imagination.
    “She called
me
,” he clarified.
    “And?”
    “She wants to meet. A friendly dinner. That’s all.”
    “Ha! I knew she’d try something.”
Friendly dinner my eye!
Men really can be dopes,
Lacey thought.
Why aren’t they ever dopes for me? Okay, sometimes…
    “She’s not trying anything.” He started to chuckle. “Montana’s concerned about the cabin. The one she bought from me. The roof is leaking.”
    “Come to my web, said the spider to the fly.”
    “You’re cute when you’re jealous.”
    “Should I mention Tucker and say the same thing about you?”
    “Sweetheart, Montana and I are just trying to have a civilized divorce.”
    “That’s what she’s saying this week anyway.” Lacey was glad he couldn’t see the expression on her face. He wouldn’t like her sneer. “And what did you say to dinner?”
    “I said I’d love to. As long as you come with us.”
    She sank back against the pillows. “That’s why I love you, Vic Donovan. Did you set a date?”
    “Montana said she’ll get back to me.”
    And with any luck that will never happen
. “By the way, how did Montana know you were in town?” Lacey studied her daybook, tracing her schedule with her fingers. It was all written down in ink, along with the questions she wanted to ask Tucker. Her friends despaired of Lacey’s Luddite tendencies, but she