Laying Down the Law

by Delores Fossen

  Since the layout of the crime scene was still fresh in his mind, Cord knew that could mean trouble.

  “Did you go out there in that area before the ambulance or I got there?” Jericho asked Karina.

  “No. Heavens, no. I couldn’t even stand up my legs were so shaky. And Rocky wasn’t hurt. I didn’t see any injuries on him anyway.”

  Neither had Cord.

  Damn.

  This wasn’t good because it could mean Rocky was telling the truth about having injured Karina’s attacker. Or it could mean he had a partner who had simply gotten hurt in the fray. And if so, there could be at least two thugs out there ready to come after Karina again.

  “There’s more,” Jericho went on. “After I got your text about DeWayne Stringer, I had one of the deputies make some calls. He did indeed have a run-in with Willie Lee, and he apparently isn’t a fan of Karina’s.”

  That meshed with what Karina had told him. “Are you bringing him in for questioning?” Cord asked.

  Jericho nodded. “He’ll be here first thing in the morning.” He paused. “Did you know the Comal County sheriff is investigating him?”

  “For what?” Karina took the question right out of Cord’s mouth.

  Jericho drew in a long, frustrated breath. “For murder.”

  Chapter Six

  Karina’s eyes flew open, and her heart jolted when she glanced around at the unfamiliar surroundings. She fought through the haze in her mind and the fresh round of panic and remembered where she was.

  In Cord’s bed.

  And she had apparently managed to sleep there, something she hadn’t thought possible. Not after the attack and all the other things they’d learned. Still, she’d clearly done more than just take a catnap because the sunlight was peeking through the edge of the blinds.

  After they’d left the sheriff’s office in the wee hours of the morning, Cord had brought her to his place. Or rather to the guesthouse on the grounds of the Appaloosa Pass Ranch, where he’d been staying since his attack the previous month. His stay there probably wouldn’t last much longer, though, because she figured he’d soon be cleared for duty and go back to his apartment in San Antonio.

  From the moment Cord had mentioned where he’d be taking her, she hadn’t thought it was a good idea for her to come here.

  Karina still didn’t.

  And now she needed to do something about that and make arrangements for another safe place to stay.

  If a safe place was possible, that is.

  In addition to Rocky, she had to worry about DeWayne. Now that Jericho had dropped that bombshell about the county sheriff investigating the man.

  For murder, no less.

  Jericho hadn’t gotten all the details, but apparently the county sheriff had found something to make him suspicious of DeWayne, and the sheriff was looking to tie him to the murder of a woman over in Comal County where DeWayne and Karina both lived.

  Part of her almost wished that DeWayne had done it. And better yet, that the county sheriff could prove it. That way, DeWayne would be behind bars and not a possible threat to her. Of course, that didn’t solve her problem with Rocky unless, during the past hours, Jericho and the deputies had managed to find him.

  She got up. Too fast. And had to sit right back down.

  That’s when she noticed the clothes on the foot of the bed. Jeans, a blue top, some underwear and flip-flops. There was also a handwritten note on top of the neatly folded stack of clothes.

  “‘Addie sent these over,’” she said, reading the note. “‘There are toiletries in the bathroom.’”

  Cord had no doubt written the note and left the clothes, but it was a little unnerving to know she’d been so sacked out that she hadn’t noticed a man coming into the bedroom. Especially that man. It wasn’t as if Cord was a wallflower, and he always seemed to get her attention whenever he was around.

  Disgusted with that thought, and with herself, Karina forced herself to stand. She scooped up the clothes and went into the adjoining bathroom.

  Karina got another jolt, a really bad one, when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and was glad to see that the toiletries mentioned in the note also included some makeup. Including a tube of concealer. She didn’t normally wear much makeup, but she would today, though she probably didn’t stand much of a chance of covering up the stitches on her cheek or the other bruises.

  The one on her forehead was purple.

  Since this was the only bathroom in the small guesthouse, she hurried with her shower. She definitely didn’t want Cord walking in on her. She hurriedly dressed, too, and even though she did try with the makeup, she finally just gave up. Looking at that god-awful cut on her face turned her stomach, and she already felt lousy enough without seeing it.

  Karina made her way to the kitchen. Not that she had to go far. The guesthouse was simply the bedroom suite and an open space area for the kitchen, dining and living room. There were pillows and covers on the sofa, where Cord had spent the night.

  Maybe.

  But it was just as likely he hadn’t slept at all judging from the fatigued look on his face. He was at the window, drinking coffee from a large mug. Since the pot was nearly empty, she figured he’d already had several cups, so she started a fresh pot.

  “I need to check on my horses,” she said right off the bat.

  “Already taken care of. Jericho sent one of the hands over there this morning.”

  Okay. At least that was one thing she could tick off her list. Still, she’d want to personally check on them soon.

  “I’ll also want to thank your sister for the clothes,” she added. They didn’t fit exactly, but it was better than wearing the borrowed scrubs and no underwear.

  “Maybe we can stop by your place later so you can get your own things,” Cord suggested. “But the CSIs are still out there now so we’ll have to wait until they leave.”

  Of course. And even then Karina wasn’t sure she would feel comfortable in the house. And especially not alone. Then again, judging from the we that Cord had used, he would be going with her.

  “Thank you for putting the clothes in the bedroom,” Karina said. “I’m not sure exactly when you did that because I didn’t hear you come in.”

  Not very subtle of her, and he picked up on what she didn’t say. “I did knock on the door, but when you didn’t answer, I went in to check on you. Just to make sure.”

  To make sure someone hadn’t broken in and tried to murder her again. Karina certainly hadn’t forgotten that. Or maybe Cord had just wanted to make sure she hadn’t crawled into a corner and gone catatonic.

  “Another thanks for doing that,” she added. “And for saving my life last night. And for this.” She motioned around the guesthouse.

  “But?” He stared at her from over the rim of his cup.

  For a man he was darn perceptive. She hadn’t met many men in her life like that. “But I can’t stay here. It feels a little like the enemy camp.”

  “And I’m the enemy.” Not exactly a question.

  And Karina didn’t address it head-on, either. “You don’t want me here, and I’m also sure you don’t want me in your protective custody any longer than necessary.” Too bad she wasn’t sure just how much longer that would be.

  Cord took his time, had another sip of coffee. “I want you safe, and right now Jericho’s got every available deputy tied up with this investigation. I’m on a leave of absence and volunteered to do it.”

  The corner of her mouth lifted, but it wasn’t a smile from humor. “Did Jericho blackmail you or something?”

  No mouth lift for him. “It was the only way he would agree to let me be part of the investigation.”

  Ah. That made sense. No way would Cord want to back away from making sure a copycat had done th
is. Still, it stung a little. What with arranging for a safe place to stay—and keeping her alive—she had thought maybe he was doing this because...well, it didn’t matter what she thought.

  She’d been wrong.

  “Any breaks in the case?” she asked. Best to keep this conversation professional. Even if he did look hot with his stubble and rumpled hair.

  Get a grip.

  And some coffee. That might get her mind off Cord. The caffeine might help with the dull throb in her head, too.

  Karina went to the counter and poured herself a cup, but she was shaking, and she ended up spilling some of it on her fingers. She barely had time to jerk back her hand and make a small yelp of pain before Cord was there.

  He cursed, took the coffee cup from her and pulled her hand beneath the faucet, turning on the cold water. “Just how much are you hurting?”

  Now, that was a question she didn’t want to answer. And it wasn’t just limited to her hand. From the corner of his eye, he glanced at her face. Then, the rest of her body.

  Cord looked disgusted with himself again.

  “Like you, I’m not hurting at all,” she said.

  Now, that got a smile tugging at his mouth. She was glad he appreciated her lame attempt at a joke. Glad they could share that smile, too.

  Karina was surprised just how much she needed it.

  Because while she was indeed hurting in too many places to name, that was only the tip of the iceberg. It felt as if she had a crushing weight on her heart and chest. Her mind, too.

  The tears came again, burning her eyes, and she tried to blink them back. She already felt like a basket case. No sense acting like one.

  “Crying’s a normal reaction after everything you’ve been through,” Cord said. He kept hold of her hand while the water spilled over it.

  “You’re not crying,” she pointed out, hoping it would get him to smile again. It didn’t.

  But his gaze did meet hers. “It’s a man thing. A couple of my foster fathers taught me that.”

  That didn’t help the crushing feeling in her heart. She’d known Cord had been placed in the system after being abandoned, and unlike his sister, he hadn’t been adopted by a loving family. He had been raised in foster care. And not good foster care, from the sound of it.

  “I’m sorry you’ve had such a rough life,” she whispered.

  Big mistake. He let go of her as if she’d scalded him and took a towel from the drawer so she could dry herself. He would have gone back to the window, but Karina didn’t let him get away that easily. She took hold of his arm.

  “I shouldn’t have brought it up,” she told him. “But the apology’s still there. I know what it’s like to be raised without parents.”

  Their gazes came together again. And held. Until Cord finally nodded. Maybe that nod was his way of accepting her apology or maybe they had simply reached a truce. Either way, he didn’t pull his gaze from her, and she didn’t take her hand off him.

  There it was.

  That tug she felt deep within her belly. And lower. The tug that reminded her of just how attracted she was to him.

  He put his hand over hers, keeping it there a moment. Then, two. At first, she thought he might kiss her. Because his attention slid from her eyes to her mouth. That lasted several moments, too.

  Before he stepped away from her.

  “I can’t get involved with you,” he said as if that would make this heat all go away. “I can’t lose focus. Not while I’m protecting you.”

  Until he’d added that last part, Karina had thought maybe he was just blowing her off, but that last part made it sound as if one day she might get that kiss after all. Even if it was the last thing she needed from Cord Granger.

  He poured her a cup of coffee and went back to his spot at the window. “Talk to me about Mona Wallace,” Cord said.

  Karina was very familiar with the name, but she hadn’t expected Cord to bring up the woman now. “What about her? You know as well as I do that she was murdered and that Willie Lee’s DNA was found at the crime scene.”

  It had been the start of this current nightmare since that DNA meant the cops believed Willie Lee was the Moonlight Strangler.

  “Did you know that Mona had a connection to DeWayne?” he asked.

  Karina couldn’t shake her head fast enough. “No. I mean, I knew Mona and DeWayne lived in the same county, but I didn’t realize there was a connection.” She froze, and it hit her then. “Does the county sheriff believe DeWayne was the one who killed Mona?”

  “He does.”

  Oh, mercy. This could be the break she’d been looking for. Because if DeWayne had murdered Mona, then it meant DeWayne could have also been the one to plant Willie Lee’s DNA at the scene.

  “Don’t get your hopes up,” Cord went on. “The sheriff only has circumstantial evidence. Mona was a married woman, and DeWayne and she had had an affair. But there’s no evidence or eyewitnesses to put DeWayne at the crime scene.”

  It was too late. She had already gotten her hopes up, and Cord had dashed them just as quickly with that reminder.

  “Then, why does the county sheriff suspect him?” she asked.

  “Because Mona’s husband was pushing for DeWayne’s arrest. He claims Mona had broken off the affair and that DeWayne was furious, that he’d even threatened her.”

  Since Karina had been on the receiving end of many of DeWayne’s threats, she knew all about his hot temper. “Is there any way to have the evidence from the scene reexamined or—”

  “I’m already working on that,” Cord interrupted. “I called the FBI this morning to get them started on it. But again, don’t get your hopes up. The county CSIs didn’t cover that crime scene. The Texas Rangers did, and I’d be surprised if they missed anything.”

  So would she, but at this point she was simply grasping at straws. If Willie Lee ever came out of that coma, she wanted to be able to tell him that he was a free man. This was the first step in making that happen. Because if DeWayne did kill Mona, then he could have easily planted Willie Lee’s DNA at the scene.

  Of course, that didn’t explain the attack last night.

  She was certain, though, that Jericho would ask DeWayne about an alibi when the man came in for questioning. If it was DeWayne, then he would probably find a way to wiggle out of this—alibi included.

  “Has Rocky turned up?” she asked. Karina was certain they could get more answers from him, especially after all those photos and news articles that Jax had found in the bunkhouse.

  “No sign of him yet. But we did find out that the blood outside the barn isn’t the same type as yours. That means it’s probably the blood of the person who attacked you, so the lab will put a rush on processing it.” He paused. “Now, you can get your hopes up about that because both Rocky’s and DeWayne’s DNA are in the system.”

  She had to shake her head. “I figured Rocky’s would be there because of his record, but DeWayne’s, too?”

  “He voluntarily gave a sample to the county sheriff when the sheriff started investigating him for murder.”

  Oh. Karina didn’t have to think too long on why he’d agreed to that. DeWayne wouldn’t have done it if he’d known there was any chance whatsoever that his DNA would turn up anywhere near Mona’s body.

  Still, it might be a match to her attacker.

  Which brought Karina to her next concern. “That wasn’t Rocky talking to us right after the ambulance blew up. I would have recognized his voice.”

  Cord nodded fast, which meant he’d been thinking about it, too. “Like I said earlier, he could have disguised his voice. Or maybe that was Rocky’s partner in crime.” He pointed to the laptop on the table.

  Karina went closer and saw the webpage for a site called Bloody Murder. Not exactly the sort of site she would
surf. Especially since the home page was covered with photos of famous serial killers.

  “There are sixty-two members,” Cord explained. “They apparently don’t consider themselves groupies but rather amateur sleuths. They look through the clues of old cases and try to solve them. Sometimes, they even go so far as to get close to the victim’s friends and families.”

  Sweet heaven. Karina felt violated all over again. Even if Rocky wasn’t behind the attack, he’d lied to her, had pretended to be something he wasn’t.

  “According to their site,” Cord went on, “they’re convinced Willie Lee is innocent. That he was framed.”

  She didn’t have to think too long about why Cord had mentioned that. “And you believe that’s why Rocky attacked me. To make Willie Lee look innocent.”

  He nodded. “San Antonio PD will be handling this since the club is based there, but they’ll take a close look at each member to see if one of them knows where Rocky is. Or if one of them was Rocky’s accomplice. I’m betting at least some of them have criminal records, too, so once the CSIs have a DNA profile, they can start comparing it to the club members.”

  Karina doubted all of that would happen overnight, and that meant she really did have to come up with a different place to stay. However, before she could even bring up the subject, Cord continued.

  “I also made a call about Harley Kramer, the guy you had arrested. He’s on bail right now, and his trial date is in five days.” Cord paused and made eye contact with her again. “And you’re the only person scheduled to testify against him.”

  Karina stopped and gave that some more thought. “At most Harley’s only looking at a year or two in jail if he’s found guilty. That’s not much of a motive for wanting me dead.”

  “It’s a motive, though,” Cord concluded. “He’s got a very wealthy wife and some in-laws who want all this to go away so he won’t muddy their name. And that alone makes him a person of interest in the attack.”

  Cord didn’t add more because his phone rang, and he held it up for her to see.