Unbridled Murder

by Leigh Hearon

  Annie had forgotten she’d told him her next stop was a mere two hours away, and she would be carrying no horses with her.

  “No, that’s great. I’ll make the time. Thanks for thinking ahead.”

  “Happy to help.”

  Annie looked critically at the lettering on the side. She wanted it gone.

  “And you will be able to remove the graffiti?” she asked anxiously.

  “Not a problem. You’ll probably want your regular mechanic to restore the finish once you get back home. It’ll look a lot better when you take it on Monday, but not brand-new, which this trailer appears to be.”

  “It is. This actually was its first time out.”

  “What a shame. Police any closer to catching the people who did it?”

  “They say it’ll be real easy to find the ringleader. And that should lead to all of them.”

  “Ringleader? Sounds like someone caught ’em in the act. Did you see anything? I thought you were at dinner or something when it happened.”

  Annie silently cursed herself for being so stupid but gave Andy a confident smile.

  “Yes, I just learned today. Apparently there were several eyewitnesses who could describe the principal players quite well.”

  Annie told herself she wasn’t exactly lying. She knew darn well that if someone would just sit on Deputy Goddard, he could give the names and addresses of everyone else who’d accosted her at the bar.

  “I’m not surprised. Whoever took a bat to this trailer had to be making a helluva lot of noise. Anyone walking by would hear it. Be kind of hard not to notice.”

  There was nothing more to do but let Andy continue with his work. She was delighted to note that the offensive garbage had been removed from the interior and several air fresheners now hung inside. She reminded Andy to go over the horse partitions to make sure everything was still intact and no glass shards remained, but she also was effusive in her praise for the work; as far as she was concerned, Andy was a godsend. They agreed that Annie would come by in the late afternoon tomorrow to review the latest progress he and his helpers had made. She was relieved that Marcus would be spared from ever seeing—and, hopefully, knowing about—the ugly words sprayed on the side.

  She pulled out of Andy’s enclave, waving good-bye as she did so. Wolf, she’d noticed, had clambered into the extended cab and was once more taking a power nap. He certainly knew how to deal with the heat—take a siesta. Her cell informed her the temperature still was in the mid-nineties. Annie wondered how anyone worked in this weather. The options seemed to be to risk a heatstroke outside or freeze to death in any commercial building. She looked forward to creating a temperate climate in her new motel room. Maybe she’d emulate her blue heeler and take a nap.

  The familiar buzz of her cell aroused her from her thoughts. Annie dutifully pulled over and glanced at the screen. It showed Maria’s now-familiar number, and Annie felt a rush of relief to connect with the only person she really knew in this town. Or did she? The pleasure she’d felt quickly dissipated as she recalled her earlier thoughts about her friend’s apparent duplicity. Could she truly trust no one in this hot, dry, scraggy dust bowl of a town?

  “Maria! How are you?” Annie’s tone was uncharacteristically cheery.

  “Tired. A bit hungover. But essentially fine. What’s this about the trailer?”

  Annie gave Maria the short version of events, ending with her trip to Andy’s.

  “I’m hopeful it’ll be in good enough shape to hitch to my truck on Monday. Aside from how it looks, the main problem seems to be rewiring the brake lights and interior ones. The windows are gone, but they’re not essential. They might make the horses more restless when I first hit the road and the breeze comes in. We’ll see.”

  “Or it might make them happy to be feeling all the fresh air. I’ve just returned from the feedlot. Thanks for the warning. Myrna is back in full force, ordering around a bunch of workers I’ve never seen before. She looks in remarkably very fine spirits for someone who’s just lost a husband.”

  “Yes, and I haven’t seen any notices for a funeral in the local paper.”

  “A celebration is more likely in order. Anyway, your five horses are fine. And the mustang is definitely on his way to recovering from whatever he had. In fact, he’s looking so good that I don’t think it was strangles after all.”

  Annie noted that Eddie was now firmly attached to the original four horses Tony and she had designated. The woman was good at her job of adopting out horses, that much Annie had to give her.

  “What a relief. What did Myrna say about my taking them?”

  “Subject didn’t really come up. I assumed that because they were still in their separate paddocks that nothing had changed. Why?”

  “Myrna showed up at the sheriff’s office as I was retrieving my rifle. She screamed at the sheriff that I’d killed her husband, which I’m now thinking may have been a cover-up. She also was three sheets to the wind, so I don’t know how seriously Mullin took her, especially since he’d just handed over my Winchester. But I don’t need any more snags right now. A friend’s coming into town tomorrow, and I want to hit the road on Monday. No offense or anything. It’s just this trip’s taken longer than I ever expected.”

  “No offense taken. Is your friend that boyfriend you mentioned, by any chance?”

  Annie squirmed in her truck seat. She shouldn’t have offered that information. Well, it was too late now.

  “It is. I’ll be glad to see him.” No reason to mention that Marcus was flying all the way from London and would arrive in his private Learjet.

  “Well then, it looks like this is the last day we’ll have a chance to get together. Are you free tonight?”

  Annie had no intention of repeating the drinking party that had ensued the previous evening. But it wasn’t as if she had any other plans, and Maria knew it. She’d have to punt.

  “I really need to catch up on a bunch of phone calls this evening. Everyone back home thought I’d be back long before now, including a caretaker who’s looking after all my animals. And it wouldn’t hurt to get a good night’s sleep, either. I don’t think I slept more than an hour or two at a time last night, worrying about whether someone was going to come crashing through my door.”

  “I understand. But you’ll be safe in your new motel. No one can get to your room without going through reception first. How about getting together now? I’ve got two hours before I have to pick up the kids. There’s a coffee shack between Browning and Loman that’s not bad. Want to meet up for iced tea?”

  “Sure. I’m practically in Browning now. See you in about ten minutes.”

  * * *

  Annie knew she wouldn’t be able to hold back from querying Maria on the discrepancies in her stories. She just hoped Maria had good answers to her many questions.

  But Maria was decidedly closemouthed.

  “Look, I don’t care where you work, or if you work.” Annie’s tone was getting a bit testy. “I just want to know why you lied to me about working at your sons’ school. I’d also like to know how you really heard about George’s accident.”

  “I can’t tell you.” Maria had doggedly replied this to every previous question.

  “Why not?”

  “It’s just not possible.”

  Annie wanted to scream. The one person she’d trusted in this town was obfuscating the truth for no apparent reason. And that put everything Maria had told her in doubt.

  “Fine. So what else shouldn’t I believe? That you didn’t know that Danny Trevor worked for the tribe, tracking down wild herds? Or that you and Tony were as close as you say you were?”

  Maria winced and took a small sip of the iced tea in front of her.

  “That’s not fair, Annie. There’s one small part of my life I can’t share with you, okay? I have to keep it private. It doesn’t mean everything I’ve told you should be cast in doubt.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

&nbs
p; Annie glared at the woman she had come to consider a friend, and who, despite Annie’s insistence, continued to look remarkably at ease.

  “Okay, don’t tell me. You don’t know me that well, and you don’t have to. But look at it from my point of view. You come barreling into the feedlot moments after the sheriff shows up and minutes after George is killed. You say you heard about the accident on the school’s police scanner, but now we know that isn’t true. What am I supposed to think? Particularly since I happen to be the person who’s been accused of murdering George, so much so that I’ve even hired an attorney to represent me.”

  “Annie! Is that really necessary? If Harlin gave you your Winchester back, doesn’t that clear you?”

  “Apparently not. There are still surveillance tapes that Harlin’s hoping will show me using another rifle. The official word is still to stay put until further notice. Although I’m telling you, on Monday morning I plan to be on the road, clearance or not.”

  Was that wise? Maria was close to Harlin. Would she now tell him Annie planned to take off without the official blessing from law enforcement?

  Maria seemed to see the question in Annie’s eyes.

  “Don’t worry, Annie. I won’t say anything to Harlin or anyone else. I’ll help you load on Monday and make sure Myrna doesn’t give you any more grief. And I wish I could tell you more, I really do. But it’s safer if I don’t. For everyone’s sake.”

  And with those enigmatic words, Maria refused to say a single word more on the subject.

  Annie parted from her friend ten minutes later. The two women had managed to chat about other things, mostly to do with horses, but the hug that Maria bestowed on Annie was uncomfortable and awkward. Annie was distinctly disgruntled with the way the conversation had gone. She knew no more now than before. And what she didn’t know was driving her nuts.

  She pulled into the motel parking lot, turned off the engine, and rolled down the window. Bad idea. A gust of hot air washed over her and awakened Wolf, who lifted his head, whined, and laid it down heavily again on his paws.

  “I know, buddy,” Annie muttered. “It’s too damn hot here. We’ll be home soon. I promise.”

  She heaved herself out of the truck, and trudged inside, Wolf at her heels. She gave a tight smile to the receptionist clerk behind the desk, who started to speak but then apparently thought better of it after he’d seen his guest’s set face.

  She wearily plodded up the two flights of stairs to her floor. Opening the door, she stepped inside and was just about to turn around to lock it when she stared into the room, disbelief and joy flooding her face. Marcus was reclining in the room’s one overstuffed chair. When he saw Annie, he stood up and strode over to her.

  “I thought you were over Iceland!” she managed to choke out after he’d enveloped her in a huge hug and a bigger kiss.

  “That was twelve hours ago. The text must have been delayed. I’m here now.”

  “And I am so happy you are.”

  “Now that I’m here, what’s there to do in this godforsaken town?”

  CHAPTER 21

  SATURDAY EVENING–SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST 13-14

  Annie gazed rapturously at the rib eye steak in front of her. It was about the size of Texas and grilled to absolute perfection—pink in the middle and charred on the outside. She sighed happily but was aware of Marcus’s bemused gaze upon her.

  She glanced over at the salmon on his own plate.

  “Are you sure you don’t want some? I’ve obviously got enough to share.”

  “Thank you, Annie, but no. I get more enjoyment watching you tear into a steak than I do eating one.”

  “You’re sounding suspiciously like my half sister Lavender. Although I don’t think she particularly likes to watch me eat red meat.”

  Marcus laughed his deep, husky laugh she loved so much. It almost made Annie want to stop what she was doing and devour the man instead.

  “I’ve just returned from a week in London. I’ve had more than my share of steak and kidney pie and pub fare. Fresh Northwest salmon is just what I crave right now.”

  Annie looked skeptical as she raised the first juicy bite of steak to her lips but said nothing. The steak was calling to her and would not be denied.

  Between mouthfuls, Annie assured Marcus that the animals she and Tony had selected were sequestered and healthy enough to travel. She also reluctantly confessed her split-second decision to adopt Eddie, the woefully underweight Thoroughbred, as well.

  “Why not?” Marcus promptly responded. “Maybe Trooper would like a friend who’s the same breed. Anyway, if you think he needs saving, that’s good enough for me. We’ll figure out where he should reside later, when he’s restored to good health.”

  What a man, Annie marveled. She was touched by Marcus’s seemingly unending generosity toward others, both human and animal.

  “Thank you, Marcus. I knew you’d understand. And when you see the feedlot—” She felt the telltale pricking behind her eyes that occurred whenever she thought about the hateful place. “When you see it, you’ll know why I wish I could simply take every one of the horses with us. What lies ahead of them is unbelievable cruelty. It’s unconscionable what people do to perfectly sound horses.”

  She unconsciously wiped her eyes with her cloth napkin. When she was done, Marcus reached over and took her hand.

  “People who care deeply, people like you, are what give me hope for the world. Keep on thinking that way. You may not be able to save them all, but you’re making a difference, and that’s what counts.”

  “Stop, or I’m going to start blubbering all over my half-eaten steak.”

  “Have another glass of wine. And let’s look at the dessert menu. I know that will cheer you up.”

  Bolstered by Marcus’s praise, Annie accepted the second glass and wondered when would be a good time to bring up the other herd of horses—the ones sheltered in a secret sanctuary on tribal land, the ones she’d promised Colin she’d save, as well.

  After dinner, they strolled along main street, arm in arm. It was a far different scene from Port Chester, where the surrounding bay gave off the fresh smell of salt water, and the breeze was constant and welcoming. At least the sun’s rays were no longer drilling down on them, which made walking tolerable. And since Annie was with her very favorite person in the world, it really didn’t much matter where she was.

  She’d avoided telling Marcus about the damage to the trailer, and he hadn’t mentioned it, either. Annie was sure he would have if Dan had filled him in. As they approached the motel, she decided it was time he knew. She dreaded his reaction to the news. But Marcus preempted her with a topic of his own.

  Leading her to a bench in what the motel euphemistically called “the garden area,” he sat down and waited for her to be seated, as well.

  “Now then. Tell me about your meeting with Alvin. Since you’re now properly lawyered up, I can’t talk to him or you about your case. Lawyer-client privilege and all of that. But at least let me know how eastern Washington’s finest criminal defense attorney treated you. Are you feeling more relieved knowing he’s looking out for your interests?”

  Annie shrugged. “He was pretty swell. I told him exactly what had happened, and he thought there wasn’t too much to worry about. And yes, he told me not to talk about the case with anyone—” Annie recalled her recent conversation with Dan, and paused. “He also said that he’d be in contact with both the prosecutor and sheriff and do his best to get me off their suspect list. And thanks to Alvin, I now have my rifle back. He said the sheriff wouldn’t have released it if it hadn’t tested clean.”

  Annie had been looking at two geckos chasing each other over rocks as she talked. She could feel Marcus’s eyes upon her.

  “Why do I feel as if I’m getting about half the story?” His tone was not accusatory, but she did hear concern in his voice.

  “Well, because you are. It’s a bit more complicated than that.”

  “I thought
so. Tell me everything, privilege be damned. I’ll swear we never had this conversation.”

  “Good. Dan said that, too, when we last talked.”

  Marcus chuckled. “How’d he feel about your retaining counsel?”

  “Believe it or not, he was in favor of it. He doesn’t trust Sheriff Mullin, and he’s absolutely right not to. The fact is—” Annie took a deep breath. “The fact is last Thursday night, I was threatened by a bunch of local men at a bar. I was there with Maria—she’s the woman who helped Tony and is helping me and unfortunately now I don’t trust her either. Anyway, I was there with Maria and a bunch of Maria’s friends, and a group of guys came up and started accusing me of killing George. One of them was a deputy. He wasn’t as obnoxious as the others, but he reminded me I couldn’t leave town. Which Dan said was hogwash, I could leave anytime I wanted and he wants me to do so immediately. Then, when I got back to my motel room that night— the other one, the first one I checked into—Jessica’s trailer was all smashed up. It’s now at a repair shop and is supposed to be ready to go by Monday. The guy who’s doing the work is great. Anyway, I told Alvin all about the trailer’s being vandalized, and he said to report it to the police. Dan told me not to bother, which was my clue that he thinks Sheriff Mullin is a dirty cop. So Alvin called Mullin and got him to release my rifle, but I still don’t know where I stand as far as being a suspect even though Alvin is telling me not to worry. Just don’t talk to anyone, like I am now.”

  The words came out in one long rush, and Annie suddenly felt exhausted. She also wasn’t sure she’d expressed herself as clearly as she might have. She looked at Marcus. His blue eyes were intently focused on her face. To her dismay, she realized she had no idea what he was thinking. Usually, she could tell in an instant. She turned away again and concentrated on the geckos, now barely visible in the fast-oncoming sunset.

  “That’s quite a story.” Marcus’s voice was unusually bland. “Let me make sure I’ve got all the facts right. When did you arrive? Five, six days ago?”