by Rayna Morgan
Before Lea could question Scott further, police sirens pierced the air shattering the eerie silence that had settled in around the prone body.
“I’ll go,” Maddy said. “You two wait here.”
• • •
Scott offered Lea a cup of coffee before pulling a bottle of whiskey from a shelf in the cupboard.
“That was rough,” he said. “Want a swig in your brew?”
“No, thanks. I’ll wait until I get home. I should call my husband to let him know what’s happened.”
“Probably a good idea,” Scott said. “Maddy’s mentioned Paul on several occasions. I’d like to meet him, but not under these conditions.”
“As far as my husband’s concerned, my sister and I have been around conditions like these too frequently. He won’t be a happy camper when he hears about this.”
“Does your sister always attract trouble?” Scott asked, smiling. “This is the third time she and I have been entangled in a dicey situation.”
“She has been called somewhat of a drama queen. Speaking of drama, what was Lucy saying about your family and her father being at odds?”
“Benson and my family have never seen eye to eye on the wild mustangs. Our view is Mustangs aren’t meant to be tamed; they should be left to roam free. My neighbor didn’t want his cows sharing the grazing land with wild horses. He wanted the BLM to control them.”
“The BLM?”
“Bureau of Land Management. It’s a federal agency tasked with protecting wild horses and cattle and their grazing lands. The agency’s idea of managing the land in this state has been to round up the mustangs and sell them, supposedly ensuring the horses go to good homes and aren’t slaughtered.”
“Are you suggesting some of the horses sold by the BLM end up being sent to slaughterhouses?”
“I’m more than suggesting it. My family brought charges against one rancher we knew was doing it. The agency finally launched an investigation, but it was only due to the public outrage created at the hearing. The BLM never admitted culpability, but they stopped doing business with the rancher.”
“How awful.” Lea cringed. “Does Lucy understand the issue between the two of you? It’s hard to believe she would side with her father.”
“I doubt Albert discussed it with her. He doesn’t share his point of view unless he’s sure the person agrees with him. Lucy would never have agreed with him about the Mustangs. She loves them as much as Katie does.”
• • •
When Tom Elliot got out of an unmarked vehicle, Maddy wasn’t surprised. Tom was head of the Homicide and Major Crimes Division of the Buena Viaje Police Department, so murder was his bailiwick. With his six feet three inches of toned physique, sun-bleached blond hair, and gray eyes with the satin finish of brushed steel, he was also one of the most eligible bachelors in town.
What did surprise her was that he was already back on the job after a well-deserved vacation, three days of which she and Tom had spent relaxing in the wine country.
“Embroiled in crime so soon?” she asked, taking deep breaths to calm her shattered nerves as she walked to greet him. “I thought you had two more vacation days you were using to work on your car.”
“Murder doesn’t take a holiday just because I do. Besides, working on my car is exactly what the term implies: work. Solving crime is my passion.”
“Is solving crime the only thing you’re passionate about?” she asked, the corners of her mouth turning up into a coquettish smile.
“Don’t distract me.” He frowned. “What are you doing here? I suppose the cowboy invited you.”
“If you’re referring to Scott,” she replied, noting Tom’s sarcastic tone of voice, “it was his daughter, Katie, who invited Lea and me. She wanted us to watch her compete in the Junior Cowgirls Championship.”
Tom looked around. “Who found the body?”
“The victim’s daughter, Lucy. Katie has taken her to find her brother.”
“They shouldn’t have left the crime scene. I need to talk to them, pronto.”
“I’ll tell Scott to call Katie on her cell phone.”
“Where is he?”
“He and Lea are in the camper. Lea’s upset.” She took a step before her knees buckled.
Tom grabbed her, pulling her against his chest. “Whoa, you’re a little shaky yourself. Are you okay?”
“Nothing a shot of tequila and a good night’s sleep won’t cure.”
A grin spread slowly over Tom’s face like syrup over waffles. “You need some company?”
“For the shot of tequila,” she asked, “or the good night’s sleep?”
“Either one,” he said, pushing a strand of hair from her eyes, “or both.”
“Lieutenant, over here,” a man’s voice hollered.
“Go do your job.” Maddy snickered, breaking eye contact and turning away.
“Tell Lea and the cowboy I’ll be over to take their statement,” Tom said.
Maddy watched him kneel to examine the body and heard him barking orders as she walked away.
“Okay, let’s get this thing rolling. Sergeant Jones, cordon off the scene and look for the murder weapon. Fisher, get statements from everyone who knew the victim including anyone on the fairgrounds he came into contact with. I’ll start with the folks in the camper as soon as the girls return.”
• • •
Moments later, two young girls appeared, their arms wrapped around each other. They skirted the covered body, making a beeline for the camper.
Tom bumped into Maddy as he entered the trailer. The space was barely large enough for six people.
“Where’s the brother? Did the girls find him?” he asked her.
“His car’s here, but he’s not. They came back without him when Scott called them.”
Tom looked at the girls, huddled together, hands clasped. Katie’s father stood beside them offering comfort and support.
The detective knew Scott Miller from his presence at two previous altercations in which Maddy was involved. He also knew Maddy’s friendship with the cowboy had grown since their initial encounter when Miller rescued her from the clutches of a ruthless kidnapper.
He nodded in Scott’s direction. “Is showing up at crime scenes getting to be a habit with you?”
“Our paths do seem to keep crossing,” Scott replied, moving across the room to shake hands.
Tom ignored the response, uncertain as to whether it referred to the crime scenes or the friendship with Maddy they had in common.
“I need to speak with the girls. I’m told the daughter found the body.”
“That’s right. Let me introduce you.” Scott put an arm around each of the girls, turning them to face the detective. “Lieutenant Elliot, this is my daughter, Katie. And this is Lucy Benson, Albert’s daughter.”
“I understand this has been a terrible shock for both of you,” Tom said, straddling a chair and leaning over the back of it to be at eye level. He spoke in a low tone, his voice kind. “I need your help to find out how this happened. Lucy, we’ll start with you. Why were you and your father at the campground? Weren’t you competing in the barrel competition?”
“I had my horse saddled and was waiting for my father to walk me into the arena. When the announcer started calling names and Dad hadn’t shown up, I tied my horse up and went to find him. I had almost reached our trailer when I saw him on the ground and ran toward him. When I saw the blood…” Her voice hiccupped with a sob.
“Did you see anyone around your trailer? Maybe you heard something.”
“I don’t remember anything until Mr. Miller was standing next to me, staring down at my dad.” Tears streamed down her face.
Tom turned to Scott. “I didn’t realize you were at the scene.”
“When Lucy didn’t appear for her event, I went looking for her. I found her as she described: frozen in place, staring at the body. I could see her father was dead. When Lea came, she called the police while I got Lucy out
of there. Maddy and my daughter came as soon as the contest ended.”
Tom turned to Katie. “Did you see Mr. Benson before the competition?”
“Only when he was arguing with my father and Dad punched him.” Pride sounded in her voice until she realized what she had said. She turned to Scott, an alarmed look in her eyes.
“Don’t worry, kiddo. I’ll tell the detective about my fight with Albert.”
Tom grabbed Scott’s elbow and steered him away from the girls. “Let’s hear it. You can start by telling me about the victim.”
“The Bensons are neighbors of ours.”
“What happened here doesn’t seem very neighborly.” Tom’s tone had a sharp edge.
“Albert’s a local rancher.” Scott’s voice faltered. “Guess I should say, he was a local rancher. He kept a small herd of livestock and a couple hundred acres of crops. He tried raising ostriches a couple of years back, but it didn’t pan out for him.”
“Did he have any bad habits like drugs or gambling? Money problems?”
“I’m sure he didn’t have a fortune stashed away, but he was holding his own, like most of the farmers in this economy.”
“Was he mad at anyone?” Tom asked. He added, with sarcasm dripping, “I mean, anyone besides you?”
“I don’t know of enemies, if that’s what you’re asking, but he wasn’t well liked. He was a hothead, always blowing off steam.” Scott looked in Lucy’s direction. “He was tough on his kids, too, always a hard thing for people to watch.”
“You mean child abuse?”
“I wouldn’t go that far, but he worked them hard with chores and pushed them to win every competition they entered. Never let them be kids.”
“Is that what your fight today was about?”
“Albert was spouting hot air about his kid being better than mine. When he insinuated Katie wins competitions because of my position on the Cattlemen’s Association, I’d had enough. He threw a punch, and I decked him.”
“Sounds like you’re a bit of a hothead yourself.”
“I’m not the only one. Plenty of people knew sometimes the only way to get Albert to shut up was to shut him up.”
“All right, that’s enough for now. Can you take Lucy home to her mother?”
“Lucy doesn’t have a mother at home. Victoria Benson died. Albert was raising Lucy and her brother, Dalton, as a single parent.”
“That’s rough. How old is her brother?”
“Nineteen.”
“So he can apply to be her legal guardian. That should make things easier than child services taking over. Do they have any other family around here?”
“Not that I know of, but I’ll ask them about relatives. I’m sure Dalton will want to take care of his sister himself. From what I know of the boy, he’s capable enough.”
“All three of you need to come to the station tomorrow to sign statements unless you prefer Officer Fisher comes to your ranch.”
“I’d appreciate that. It will be much less intimidating for the girls.”
There was an edge to Tom’s voice when he asked his next question. “Will you be taking Maddy home, too?”
“I would, but she came on her own.” Scott’s lips turned up in a sly grin. “You don’t have anything to worry about. She was my daughter’s guest, not mine.”
• • •
“Looks like we’ve found the murder weapon, Lieutenant,” Sergeant Jones hollered.
“What have you got?” Tom asked, approaching the officer.
“A rancher’s horse was acting up. When the man found what was causing the ruckus, he called me over.” He pointed to a pistol lying in the bushes next to the horse trailer. The two officers squatted over the gun. Jones put on disposable gloves, picked up the weapon, and dropped it into an evidence bag.
“Was the rancher able to identify it?”
“Said it was probably one of the pistols riders use in the shooting competition. That would be the only reason for anyone here to have a gun.”
“What are these notches on the grip? They look like kill notches.”
“I asked about those. Some competitors carve a notch in the handle of a gun when they win a shooting championship.”
“If that’s the case, it will help identify the owner of the gun. We’re looking for someone who’s won five times.”
“That won’t be hard to do.”
Tom turned toward the voice of the man standing behind him. Jones made the introduction. “This is the owner of the trailer who found the gun.”
“Thanks for bringing it to our attention,” Tom said, shaking hands with the man. “It always helps when we locate the murder weapon at the outset of the investigation.”
“As I said, those shooting matches are very competitive. Hard to score many wins before a new up-and-comer challenges your title.”
“Anyone around here fit the bill?”
“Only one I know of.”
“Who would that be?”
“Scott Miller. Best shooter in these parts by a mile.”
• • •
Tom found Scott helping Katie load her horse. “One more thing before you head out.”
“What can I do for you?” Scott asked, raising the tailgate on the trailer.
“Can I have a look at the pistols you used in the shooting competition?”
Scott looked up, surprised. “The competition isn’t until this afternoon. With all that’s happened, I hadn’t thought about it. I need to withdraw from the contest before we leave.”
“Where do you keep your guns?”
“In a storage unit in the back of the truck.”
“Would you get them out, please?”
“Sure, no problem. I’ll get the keys from the pegboard.”
Moments later, Scott returned from the camper empty-handed. “Katie, where are the keys to the toolbox?” he asked.
“I don’t have them, Dad.”
The men looked at each other. Scott rushed to the back of the truck and pulled open the door. On the floor was an open metal box containing one pearl-handled pistol.
“Thought people used two guns in those competitions,” Tom said.
“I do. The other gun should be here,” Scott said, shuffling through oily rags.
“Are you saying someone stole your gun?”
“There’s no other explanation. No one handles the pistols before a match but me. Katie’s not allowed to handle guns.”
“Could that gun have been used to kill Albert Benson?” Tom asked.
“Hardly. We don’t use real bullets. The cartridges are filled with black powder. Live rounds are prohibited.”
“But someone could have substituted a live round for the black powder in your gun, isn’t that right?”
Scott hesitated before answering. “I suppose.”
The detective looked at the other man with steely eyes. “It will be me coming to interview you at your ranch tomorrow instead of Officer Fisher.”
• • •
Tom saw Lea and Maddy headed for the parking lot. He grabbed Maddy’s arm as she unlocked her car. “You neglected to tell me about your cowboy’s altercation with the victim.”
Maddy turned abruptly, pulling his hand from her arm. “What are you talking about? You’re hurting me.”
“Exactly what I said. Why didn’t you tell me Scott and the victim had a blowout shortly before Benson was found murdered?”
Maddy’s face turned crimson. “What you’re implying is absurd. If you think Scott Miller had anything to do with that man’s death, you’re plain loco.”
“Calm down. I’m not accusing anyone of anything, yet. But you of all people should know information about a victim’s actions or state of mind prior to his death is relevant.”
“The minor scuffle that occurred earlier was the furthest thing from my mind when you arrived at the scene. If I thought you needed to know, don’t you think I would have passed that information on to you?”
Tom hesitated, staring
deeply into her eyes. “Honestly, Maddy, I don’t know. I don’t know how into this guy you are. Or for that matter, how into me you are. I don’t know where your loyalties lie anymore.”
“You better figure it out if you expect our friendship to stay intact,” she said, slamming the car door. “I’m going home. This rodeo has been one rough ride.”
CHAPTER TWO
“Do you want to come in for a glass of wine?” Lea asked as Maddy drove into the driveway.
“A shot of tequila would be more like it,” Maddy said, locking the car and following Lea into the house. “Maybe you’re getting used to seeing dead bodies, but I’m not.”
“Jon, you home?” Lea called out to her son.
“Looks like he left a note.” Maddy pointed to a piece of paper on the dining room table. “Did he lose his cell phone again? Why didn’t he just call you?”
“He leaves a note if he’s not sure my answer will be yes.” Lea smiled as she read the note. “This would have been a safe call.”
She looked to the patio door where two dogs pressed their noses against the glass. “Let the dogs in. I’ll fix our drinks.”
Maddy opened the screen door, and the dogs bounded through. “Hey, Gracie,” she said, acknowledging exuberant barks of affection from the yellow-and-white border collie.
“How you doing, Spirit?” she asked, handing the white golden retriever a treat from the canister on the counter. Following the dog out to the patio, she noted the smattering of soil on his paws. “Has Spirit been helping you with the gardening?”
Lea placed drinks on the patio table and sank into a wicker chair, brushing curls of copper hair off her brow. “If that’s what you call digging holes. I see the rosebush is now leaning to the left. It didn’t look that way when I left this morning. I need to channel his energy more productively.”
Maddy raised a glass filled with orange-and-red liquid in the air. “Here’s to murder, western style.”
She smiled but her eye twitched, a telltale sign she was upset. A tremor ran through her body, and tears welled in her eyes.
“Are you okay?” Lea asked, reaching an arm across the table.
“I was keeping it together for the sake of the girls. Seeing a dead body is starting to sink in. That was too close to home.”
