Kade shook his head. “I don’t know. We’ve talked to Will Turley. Will and I have known each other for years. No way he hired Frank to get back at me. Will and I never had a problem.”

“I didn’t pick up any bad vibes, either. What about the miners? Ever had any trouble with one of the men?”

“Aside from Will, I don’t know any of the guys who work there. And I have to think whoever hired Frank paid him plenty. Those miners don’t make that kind of money.”

“Why don’t you call Will, get him to give you the names of anyone and everyone who has any connection to the mine? Maybe one of the names will ring a bell.”

Kade nodded. “I’ll call him before we leave.”

Ellie’s gaze shot to his. “We’re still going to Denver?”

“You worried about the guy who shot Keller and Dunstan showing up while we’re gone?”

“I don’t know. But two men are dead, and if it’s you he’s after—”

“The ranch has first-class security twenty-four seven, and the hands are all on alert. If it’s me he’s after, he’ll have to go to Denver to find me.”

“Okay, then. Because I’ve still got a job to do. You hired me to find Heather’s killer. At the moment, finding out what happened to Barbara Meeks is the best chance we’ve got.”

* * *

Built in 1892, the Brown Palace Hotel in downtown Denver was a Colorado landmark. Nearly every president since 1905 had stayed in the luxurious hotel, with its eight-story, open atrium lit by a beautiful, multicolored, domed glass skylight.

Walking through the brass front door, Ellie felt as if she were stepping into the age of Old World glamour. Kade’s big hand rode at her waist as they traveled the open corridor, following the bellman toward the suite Kade had reserved.

He opened the door, and they walked into a living room warmed by pale yellow walls, molded ceilings, and Persian carpets. A traditional sofa in soft shades of amber sat in front of a mantled fireplace. In minutes, they were settled, their clothes unpacked in the bedroom.

Kade flashed a look at the huge four-poster bed, hand-carved in a West Indies design. Graceful, gold-silk draperies hung at the windows. Ellie’s gaze met Kade’s across the room. She could almost feel the heat simmering beneath his surface calm, and her stomach lifted.

“I know what you’re thinking,” she said. “But we have work to do before we can . . . umm . . . relax.”

Kade chuckled. “Always practical. Fine, we’ll wait. For now.”

Ellie just smiled. “We’ve got an appointment with Bryan Meeks in forty-five minutes, and it’s a twenty-minute drive. We need to get going.”