Page 2 of Colton's Undercover Reunion (Coltons of Mustang Valley)

A hurt look flashed across Spencer’s face, as though he couldn’t believe she would doubt his motives. “Of course,” he replied. He pulled a folded packet of papers from his back pocket and passed it to her.

Ainsley began to flip through the papers, scanning to find the information she sought. “A gun?” She looked up at Spencer. “That’s what you’re hoping to find?”

He nodded, just as Ace interjected, “I don’t have a gun!”

Ainsley placed one hand on her brother’s arm, silently instructing him to remain quiet. “What’s the basis for issuing this warrant?”

Spencer shifted on his feet. “I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but...” He shrugged. “Seeing as how you guys are family.” He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “We got a tip from someone who said Ace confessed to shooting his father and stashing the gun in his closet.”

“That’s ludicrous!” Ace said loudly. Ainsley tightened her grip on his arm, her nails digging slightly into his skin. He snapped his mouth shut.

“What’s her name?”

Spencer started to shake his head. “Now you know I’m not supposed to—”

Ainsley merely arched her brow and stared him down. Spencer sighed. “All right. Given that Chief Barco approved me working on this case and it could otherwise be a conflict of interest... It was a woman named Destiny Jones.”

Beside her, Ainsley felt Ace draw in a breath, preparing to defend himself. She gave his arm a little shake, and he backed down. “Did she say how she knows my client?” She deliberately used formal language, to remind everyone this wasn’t a social call.

Spencer glanced at Ace, and twin spots of color appeared high on his cheeks. “She, uh, said it was during an encounter of a personal nature.”

“She’s lying!” Ace yelled. He shook off Ainsley’s hand and stepped forward, bringing him closer to Spencer. “I don’t even know a woman named Destiny!”

Spencer held up a hand, palm out to try to diffuse Ace’s reaction. “No judgments, man. But we had to check it out.”

“So I guess anyone can call you up and spread lies about me, is that it?” Ace threw his arms out in disgust. “This is such a crock of—”

“That seems pretty thin,” Ainsley interjected. “How’d you get a judge to sign off on this?” She lifted the warrant, handed it back to Spencer.

  “We had enough to get us in the door.” His lips pressed together in a thin line. Clearly, her cousin was done talking.

Ace shook his head, still fuming. “Yeah, well, you’re not going to find anything,” he said. “That woman, whoever she is, is lying.”

Seeming sympathy flashed in Spencer’s blue eyes. “Between you and me, I hope so. But I still have to do my job.”

“Spencer?” A voice called from the bedroom. “We need you back here. Looks like Boris has found something.”

Ace sucked in a breath. Spencer shook his head slightly, then turned. “Coming.”

Ainsley waited until her cousin had left the room. Then she grabbed Ace’s arm and dragged him over to the foyer, as far away from the bedroom as she could get.

“You need to be straight with me, right now,” she said, tugging his shirt for emphasis. “What are they going to find in your bedroom?”

“Nothing!” Ace whispered back urgently. “I swear to you, Ainsley, I didn’t shoot Dad. You know I didn’t. There is no gun in my room because I didn’t do it.” He met her eyes unflinchingly, his tone, his expression, everything about him absolutely sincere.

“Then what—”

“I don’t know!” he interrupted. She heard the edge of panic in his voice and her heart went out to him. He ran a hand through his hair again, causing the strands to stand on end. “But I can tell you this much—I don’t know a Destiny Jones. I haven’t been with a woman since—” he cut himself off, the tips of his ears going pink as he looked away. “Well, that doesn’t matter. What’s important is that whoever this woman is, she’s lying.”

“Why would a stranger lie about you like that?” Ainsley wondered aloud.

“I don’t know,” he said. He shook his head. “Maybe it’s a business thing? Someone trying to get back at me for something I did earlier? Or for money?”

Ainsley nodded slowly. That was definitely possible. Ace had a reputation as a ruthless businessman, and he had his fair share of professional enemies. Had one of them heard about the recent troubles over at Colton Oil and decided to make things harder on Ace?

She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could say anything, she saw Spencer walk out of the bedroom holding an evidence bag.

“Ace?” he called.