“Ah, the rope, they will look for DNA, and check out the footprints, that kind of thing, right?”
“Yes, and again, motive is the thing. I know crime of passion is possible, and maybe that’s right, but I think it was planned just the same. That rope wasn’t that handy, not like it was within reach during a conversation gone bad. There is no way to know if the rope is from your barn because that rope is sold all over this state. And your guys cut it for their purposes just like anyone would. So, the rope and the cut on the rope tells us nothing.”
Abby filled Bobby’s wine glass. “I see what you mean. Someone would have known the rope here was handy or arranged to meet him, brought their own rope, and overpowered him from behind. Maybe they chose the rope because it was quiet. After all, it was in the pre-dawn hours. Or—the meeting went bad; the murderer left only to get the rope and came back and killed him in a fit of anger.”
“That’s my thinking. Abby. You’d make a good detective. I guess working as an insurance investigator you used a similar skill set.”
“Yep, like you said, there is always a motive, planned or otherwise. People don’t commit crimes without a reason. Even serial killers have their agenda, weird though it might be.”
“Exactly. And that is what I am looking at. It still all comes back to the same old question—who gained what with Sam Henson out of the picture, and who was desperate enough to choose that time and place to do it? Opportunity—the next thing to look at here.”
“Come on, Bobby, I can tell, you think you know who did it!”
“Too soon, Abby, too soon.”
“Oh, you are maddening sometimes.”
Bobby grinned at her over his glass of wine. “Patience was never your best virtue.”
“Bobby Johns, you—”
“Careful, I have handcuffs and I’m not afraid to use them.”
“Okay, so you’re not telling me anything else tonight.”
“Not about the case, but I do have something to talk to you about,” Bobby said.
Abby stood and held out her hand. “Let’s get out of the kitchen and go into the family room where it’s more comfortable.”
“I’ll bring the wine.”
“So, I’m going to need more wine for this talk, sheriff?”
Bobby followed behind her. “You might just.”
“Now I’m intrigued.”
Abby kicked off her shoes and Bobby did the same, and they sat on the comfortable sofa with their feet up on the ottoman enjoying a moment of silence. Bobby handed her a glass of wine. “This is the life.”
“Sitting here with your shoes off drinking wine?”
“Sitting here with you and with my shoes off drinking wine.”
“You’re welcome any time, Bobby, shoes on or off.”
“I’m serious, Abby. I want to move on with my life, and that means thinking of a future here, and I’d like you to be involved. I’ve been hesitant to bring it up because I didn’t know if you were ready, after losing your husband, I mean. And then all this stuff with the ranch, the murder. It was just never a good time to talk about it. I was afraid you’d think I was rushing things, rushing you, or trying to revisit the past. But it’s not about the past, Abby. I don’t want to keep waiting.”
“What are you saying, Bobby?”
“I’m in love with you, Abby—still, again, whatever the case may be. You are the one for me.”
“Oh Bobby, are you sure? I don’t want this to be a rebound thing for you.”
“What? Oh, you think I was devastated about Maryann, don’t you? Well, as it turned out I wasn’t. In fact, I think I would have broken it off even if the thing with her ex hadn’t happened.”
“Why?”
“I realized we were not going to make it for the long haul. We were too different, and we had both sort of fallen into the relationship out of convenience more than anything else. I was crazy busy, she was in law school, and we hardly saw each other. But her parents had decided we were a perfect match and they pushed us together at every opportunity. Her father was a judge and a friend of my dad’s.”
“How long were you together?”
“Five years off and on. It was when she was out of law school and in private practice that our troubles started because we actually had time together.”
“So, you are over her?”
“Abby, there is nothing left of that relationship but relief that it is over. Seems like we were both worried about things that we made up.”
“I love you too, Bobby. I guess I have always, and even though it’s been a long time, I feel as if our connection was never really broken.”
“It has been so—you know, natural with you. Sometimes I have to remind myself that all these years have passed, we had other lives. I feel lucky to have found you again, Abby.”
“Well, thank you, and I feel the same. Now you can kiss me and tell me who the killer is.”
“How about I kiss you and promise to tell you in a day or two?”
“You drive a hard bargain, sheriff.”
Bobby spent the night on her couch this time. He was off the next day and for once had an opportunity to relax and have more than one glass of wine. As it turned out they had several glasses to celebrate and Abby had insisted he not drive, which was fine with him.
Abby watched him sleeping now as she walked through on her way to the kitchen. As she made the coffee and started breakfast, it was easy to imagine doing this every morning, cooking for Bobby and discussing cases. She didn’t want to rush anything but was pretty happy about the recent turn of events, if you didn’t count the murder of course.
After waking him, she left Bobby eating breakfast while she showered and dressed. She looked at the clock now and tried to figure out how to get Bobby out before Teresa Moore showed up. But as it turned out, he got a call and had to go to in to the station, so problem solved. Now she felt especially guilty not to have told him about her meeting with Teresa.
Teresa was on time and annoyingly beautiful. Abby watched her get out of the car and wondered at the cost of her shoes and dress. They would cost more than her clothes budget for three years; Abby was sure of that. How anyone could pay $2,000 for a handbag or shoes remained a mystery to her.
Abby ushered Teresa in and put a cup of coffee in front of her. Today Teresa had only one folder. It was just a brief summary of the week, and a few notes on the changes she thought Abby should make for the next group.
Teresa sipped her coffee and eyed Abby over the rim of her cup while Abby looked at the notes in the folder. “So, what do you think, Abby?”
“Yes, I agree, these are good ideas. Thanks, Teresa.” Abby was desperately trying to think of a way to fire Teresa, but before she could say anything else Teresa leaned in toward her, tapping her nails on the table.
“So, tell me, Abby, how is that handsome sheriff friend of yours doing on the case, any arrests coming up?”
“He doesn’t talk much about his work with me. He’s pretty thorough so it’s a matter of time.”
“Well, isn’t everything? I mean really, it has to be some business rival, right? I heard through the grapevine that your friend, Cami shot at him for heaven’s sake, sounds like a contender to me.”
“I wouldn’t know about business rivals, but I know it wasn’t Cami.”
“Well, she confessed to shooting at him, and she’s out on bail for that, and still a suspect for his murder, and rightly so.”
“How did you hear about that, Teresa?”
“I have friends everywhere, Abby. It’s part of my job to know things and people, and to know things about people.”
“Oh, well, yes, it was Cami who shot at him, but not to kill him. She used to be involved with him before she knew he was married, and she went to confront him but then she saw him with another woman. Sounds like Sam Henson was quite the player and a lot of women fell for his line.”
Abby saw Teresa’s jaw clench and her eyes narrow—her very own tell. “So, who was
the woman?”
“Cami wasn’t sure, she was too far away, and the woman was mostly hidden by the trees.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. But even so, if it was his lover, or girlfriend, whatever, that doesn’t mean anything. Lovers aren’t necessarily killers you know.”
“I never said the woman was a killer suspect, Teresa.”
“Oh, I know, but people always assume the worst, don’t they?” Teresa downed the rest of her coffee and set the cup back on the table with a bit more force than necessary.
“She was just someone else having a fling with Sam Henson I guess, a woman with blonde hair,” Abby said as she watched Teresa touch her long blonde hair.
Teresa sat back in her hair and crossed her arms. “What else does the sheriff have to say about it?”
“Do you mean does he have theories?”
“Yes, we all watch mystery movies, we all know about motive and opportunity, don’t we, Abby?”
“I’m sure he has theories, but he doesn’t share them with me, Teresa.”
“Now why do I doubt that, Abby. Pillow talk, after all.”
“Well, if that is it, Teresa, I have a full day and need to get on with some things. Thanks for coming out to see me. I’ll let you know how things go with future plans.” Abby stood up and started toward the door.
“Do you mind if I have another cup of coffee, Abby?”
“Sure, go ahead. I just need to check my phone. I’m expecting a message.”
Abby looked up from her phone and saw the second Teresa realized she had figured it out. It was like a silent message had passed between them. Some kind of odd telepathy.
Teresa sat for a few seconds looking into her coffee cup and then she stood. “When did you figure it out, Abby?”
“The blonde hair, you keep a horse near here, and you were involved with Sam Henson. But why I don’t know, Teresa.”
Teresa barked out a laugh, “Why? I’ll tell you why. He was a lying pig of a man. He promised me everything and I fell for it like some dumb show girl. For the first time in my life I let down my guard, and I fell for a guy, the worst kind of guy. He promised to leave his wife for me. He talked me into investing $250,000 in one of his companies, and then when things didn’t work out so well, he shrugged as if it was nothing. It was just one of those things, he said. It was only money, he said. Then I find out about your friend Cami. He had been seeing her the entire time he was lying to me about everything.”
“So why were you with him that day on the trail?”
“We had agreed to meet. He promised me he would return my money and that he was done with Cami. I believed him because he handed me a check for half my money right there. I wanted to believe him, everything he said.”
“What went wrong?”
“He called me later that evening, after his rescue, when he got home from the clinic, and told me he’d thought things over, and getting shot at put things into perspective. He said he was through with me, and there’d be no more money. He was going to leave his wife for Cami and confess everything to Jill when they got home.”
“But why was he willing to meet you in the middle of the night like that?”
“I told him if he didn’t give me the rest of my money, plus interest, I’d tell his wife and Cami about our affair and a lot of his other affairs, along with some things I knew about some of his shady deals. I knew enough to ruin him in every way possible. He had no choice. Like I told you, I make it my business to know things. He knew I wasn’t lying.”
“So, he didn’t bring the money—is that what made you do it?”
“Oh, it wasn’t about the money anymore. No one treats me like that and gets away with it. I hated him. He brought the money, and I took my check. When he turned around, I put the rope around his neck and twisted it until he fell. It didn’t’ take very long. I was surprised how easy it was.”
Abby didn’t know what to do or say, and all she wanted now was to get away from this crazy woman. She started backing up toward the kitchen door, but Teresa had anticipated that move, and before Abby knew what had happened Teresa had taken a thin belt out of her purse and was walking toward her. Her blue eyes were bright and glassy, and her mouth was set in an odd grin.
“Teresa, you don’t want to do this. Bobby will know. He will find you.”
Teresa shoved her against the wall and pinned her there with an arm on each of her shoulders. “Shut up, Abby. This can be quick and easy if you cooperate.”
“You’re crazy!” Abby couldn’t believe how strong Teresa was. She was pinned against the wall.
Teresa dropped one hand from her shoulder to remove her belt, and Abby took advantage of the few seconds and pushed her backward with all her strength. Teresa stumbled against the kitchen table but stayed upright. Abby ran for the door, but Teresa was quick, and her arms were long. She grabbed onto Abby’s ponytail and jerked her backward away from the door, and this time she had her in the perfect position. She put the belt around Abby’s neck and began to tighten it, lifting her off the floor. Abby kicked and clawed but Teresa had her and there was nothing to do. Abby saw her life ending in her dad’s kitchen under the old clock. She felt herself falling to the floor and then nothing.
When Abby woke up in the hospital room, she had no idea where she was and why. The nurse loomed over her and did some things, and when she was done, she saw Bobby in the corner watching her. “Hey, you’re awake.”
“Hey how long have you been there?”
“Since I brought you in, Abby.”
“You—you brought me in? What happened? Oh, my throat hurts.”
Abby moaned and clutched her throat as it all came back to her. “Teresa, she tried to kill me, Bobby.”
“She was trying very hard when I got there,” Bobby said.
“You stopped her? You arrested her, right? She killed Sam Henson.”
“We know, Abby. Just rest and get well. The rest will get worked out now.”
“I just want to go home, forget these people, these past two weeks, and get my life back,” Abby said.
“We’ll see what we can do about that.”
“You saved my life, Bobby, that just occurred to me.”
“Purely selfish reasons, of course. I can’t live without you now.”
“You won’t have to, please take me home.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
What’s Next?
Read the first chapter of MURDER IN THE MATERNITY WARD, book 5 of the TEXAS-SIZED MYSTERIES…
“If you call me whiny one more time, I’ll shoot you.” U.S. Marshal Maggie Donahue glared at her partner Reed Donahue, but he just grinned and winked at her. “I’m not kidding, Reed,” she growled. “If you think this pregnancy has thrown off my aim, you’d better think again.”
Her husband, Garrett Donahue, stepped between his wife and his brother. “All right, that’s enough, you two. Seriously, I can’t take you anywhere.”
“Take us anywhere? We’re in Sweet Grove Community Hospital because I’m about to have your baby. And if you don’t watch it, I’ll shoot him and divorce you.”
A laugh sounded from the doorway and Susan Sinclair, Reed’s fiancée, walked in. “Please don’t shoot him, Maggie. At least not until after the wedding.” She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek, adding in a stage whisper, “I’d leave her alone, Reed. I don’t think she’s bluffing.”
Chuckling, Maggie reached out to give her a hug. “Finally, someone who gets me. Help me out here. Reed called me whiny and Garrett says he can’t take me anywhere.”
“Reed! This woman is a righteous U.S. Marshal who is about to have a baby. She doesn’t whine, she roars, and don’t you forget it. And you; you’re about to be a father, so you need to treat your wife like the queen she is and not give her a hard time.” Susan turned back to Maggie with a long-suffering sigh. “I swear, it’s like raising two Labrador puppies. They’re cute but you can’t take your eyes off ‘em for a minute.”
Maggie was full on grin
ning now and she held up her hand to high five her soon-to-be sister-in-law. She saw her husband watching her, a sheepish expression on his handsome face.
“I’m sorry, Mags. I was just teasing you.” He rubbed his hand across his stubbled chin and she instantly felt guilty. She knew this was stressful for him, too.
“I’m sorry too, love. I just don’t know how I’m going to sleep tonight without you.” Maggie’s eyes filled with tears.
“Don’t cry Mags, it’ll be alright. You just need to rest and follow the doctor’s orders.” Garrett stroked his wife’s face and kissed her on the cheek. “You need to get some shut eye while you can. When our baby gets here, we’ll be blessed with 18 years of sleepless nights.”
“Definitely something to look forward to,” she replied, a wry grin on her lips.
“Well, it won’t be all bad. I can think of a few things we can do to while away the time.” He grinned at her cheekily and winked.
“You do realize I’m never letting you touch me again?”
He laughed and shook his head. “Don’t underestimate the Donahue charm. Once you’ve had this baby, you’ll be back in my arms in no time.”
She wanted to tell him his charm wasn’t enough, but as she looked at him a deep longing came over her and she knew she’d never be able to resist him. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her palm, making her insides melt. They gazed into each other’s eyes, oblivious to everything around them.
“Okay you two love birds, it’s time for mama bear here to get some rest. Everyone out.” Maggie groaned at the sound of Nurse Jackson’s voice. She was 6’2” of no-nonsense woman, and she stood with her arms crossed in front of her, foot tapping the floor while she waited for them to follow her orders.
“Good night, Maggie,” Susan hugged her friend, stepping aside to let Reed in.
“I love you, partner. Take care of yourself and my niece or nephew. We’ll make sure Garrett gets some dinner and makes it to bed early. See you tomorrow.”
Garrett stepped forward and placed a kiss on his wife’s lips. “Love you,” his husky voice said it all.
Murder at the Dude Ranch Page 11
