Shattered Silence: Men of the Texas Rangers Series #2

by Margaret Daley

  “So do others in town. Al does.”

  “I hope I’m wrong. I like Juan.”

  “Anna was killed during the day. He works during the day— Carlos and Miguel, too. He rarely misses work. He prides himself on his job and his attendance.”

  “He left this morning. He goes between the police station and the courthouse. Who keeps track of his whereabouts?”

  “No one. The job is always done.”

  “Remember Ruiz’s ledger? He put Crip $5000. Crip could mean cripple.”

  “I don’t see Juan having that kind of money.”

  “I’m ten minutes away. We’ll talk then.”

  What’s he doing? Samuel is parking his borrowed car on the shoulder of the highway and climbing out. I turn into a drive overgrown with bushes down the road from Al Garcia’s place and grab my rifle.

  Samuel disappears over the ridge, heading toward Garcia’s house. Is that a gun in his hand? I hurry. I have to stop him before he gets to Liliana and the children. I run through the small grove as fast as I can.

  Instead of entering the den, Liliana motioned to Al to come into the kitchen with her. “That was Cody. He thinks Juan Castillo is involved in the murders in Durango based on the description Maria Martinez has slowly been giving us. Talks funny. Drags his foot. I suppose his drooping eyelid could be referred to as an evil eye, but I don’t see Juan as a murderer, especially the brutal ways perpetrated on Ruiz and Carlos.”

  “More than one killer?”

  “We think more and more there was only one committing the murders. The four people are linked together. You know Juan. What do you think?”

  “Actually, I really don’t know him. Yes, I’ve been around him a lot through the years he’s worked at your station, but he’s a very private man. There are times I don’t even realize he’s around. Is he capable of murdering? Anyone is under the right circumstances. You’ll need to follow the evidence.”

  Liliana released a long breath. “I know. I’m going outside to wait for Cody on the porch. I don’t want Mama and the kids to overhear us talking about the murders. Enough has happened to my family. I don’t want them upset any more than they are. Mama and Juan are friends. My little brother is a friend to Juan’s nephew. Besides, I’m hoping Cody is wrong.”

  “So am I. If your mother says anything, I’ll tell her you’ll be back in a while.”

  “Thanks. I still need to talk with Joanna. I won’t let Samuel ruin my sister’s life.”

  Liliana stepped outside, shutting the front door behind her. Her thoughts swirled with the conversations she’d had with Juan over the past couple of weeks. Was there anything in them that indicated he was capable of killing a woman with child? That murder started the spree. Anna was carrying Carlos’s baby. Why would Juan care?

  A sound disturbed her thinking. A prickling along her neck caused her to whirl around. Samuel stood flattened against the wall of the porch between the door and the living room window, his right hand on the handle of a gun stuck in his belt. His left arm hung at his side, bandaged.

  “Where are my children? Here?”

  “I’m not letting you near them.”

  “You can’t stop me.” He pulled his weapon free and pointed it at her. “You have kidnapped my children. You have no right.”

  “Yes, I do. Someone has to protect them and Elena.”

  “You just don’t get it. This is none of your business. I have tried to make you understand it. You aren’t taking any of my hints.”

  “Like slashing my tires.”

  “You’re lucky it was just your tires.” The gun wavered in the air only a foot from Liliana’s face. “I’m their father.”

  Her heart pounded in her chest. “Who abuses his wife and children.”

  “I haven’t laid a hand on them,” he said in a shaky voice that rose in volume.

  “Yes, you did. You slapped Joanna yesterday. Your handprint was still on her face when I saw her. What else have you done I don’t know about?”

  He brandished the gun. “Tell me where they are, or I will call in favors to take care of this problem. I know influential people who won’t care you’re a police officer.”

  16

  Samuel is waving the gun at Liliana. He deserves to die.

  I move closer to get a better shot because Liliana is blocking my view. I don’t want to hurt her. She’s always been kind to me. Freeing her from Samuel is something I can do for her.

  Positioning myself on the side of the stable, I lift the rifle and use a railing to steady it on my shoulder then sight Samuel in my scope. One less bully in this world.

  Liliana straightened, trying to remain calm, but seeing the frantic look in Samuel’s eyes underscored what was at stake here. “You won’t get away with pulling a gun on me.”

  “It’s your word against mine. I can accuse you of framing me.”

  The thumping of her heartbeat against her ribcage and thundering through her head drowned out his words. She saw his mouth move, the gun raised higher.

  Where is Cody?

  The crack of a gunshot reverberated through the air at the same time a bullet went through Samuel’s heart. He remained standing for a few seconds then toppled over.

  Cody?

  Liliana swung around, drawing her gun. The shot came from the stable area, but if it had been Cody, she’d see him. That awareness motivated her to drop down behind the porch post, the only place to partially hide. The door opened behind her.

  She glanced over her shoulder and spied Al, a weapon in his hand. “Samuel was killed. Call the station and protect Mama and the children.”

  “I’ll cover you. Get back in here before you’re shot.”

  “I think the shot come from near the stable.”

  Al protected himself while pointing his rifle out the door toward the area. “Now.”

  Liliana took a composing breath and dove toward the entrance.

  Cody sped toward Al’s place. As he passed the deserted property next door to his friend’s, he glimpsed a dark green truck pulled off the road, partly hidden in some overgrown bushes. A little further down the highway, a car was parked along the shoulder. Not Samuel’s. Juan’s? Whose?

  The sound of a gunshot reached Cody as he turned into the gravel drive that led to Al’s house. He pressed his foot on the accelerator and after he crossed the bridge over the gully, he swerved to the side to block anyone leaving Al’s in a vehicle. Then he shoved his door open and hit the ground running, withdrawing his Wilson from its holster.

  As he neared the bend in the gravel road that opened up onto the yard just before Al’s house and stable, he suddenly remembered where he’d seen a dark green truck like the one parked in the bushes. In the lot behind the police station. Juan?

  The blast of another weapon going off spurred him even faster.

  Al released the trigger, the shot deafening Liliana as she threw herself through the opening and landed on the floor in the entry hall. She peered up to find her mother standing in the hallway that led to the den, her eyes wide. The front door slammed shut behind her. With a bum leg, Al hobbled as fast as he could into the living room and posted himself at the window to watch outside.

  “What’s going on?” Her face pale, her mama wrung her hands together in front of her.

  Liliana rose, ignoring the pain emanating from her elbow where she hit the tiles. She hurried to her mother and bent toward her ear. “Samuel was killed on the porch.”

  “By you?”

  “No. By someone else.”

  “Who?”

  “Don’t know for sure.”

  With his gaze trained on the front of his house, Al said, “Keep your grandchildren and yourself in the bathroom near the den. There are no windows. You’ll be safe in there.”

  Still twisting her hands together, her mama nodded. “What are you going to do?”

  “Go out the back and hopefully find the person who killed Samuel.” Liliana started around her mother.

  “Don
’t. Please.” Her eyes shiny, her mama grasped Liliana’s arm, her fingers digging into her to keep her from moving.

  “It’s my job, Mama.” From behind her mother, Liliana glimpsed Joanna peeking out of the den. “Take care of Joanna and Sammy.” She tugged her arm to her side and started for the kitchen.

  Joanna rushed forward. “Don’t go, Aunt Liliana. Don’t leave me.”

  “You’ll be all right. Grandmama will be with you.”

  “No.” The child latched onto Liliana’s leg.

  She didn’t know what to do. Pausing, Liliana settled her hands on Joanna’s shoulders and kissed the top of her head. “I have to do this. I’ll be okay, honey. You have to be brave for Sammy.”

  Her nephew came out of the den rubbing his eyes, fear behind his expression when he saw his sister. “What’s wrong?”

  “I’ll be back and we’ll talk, Joanna.” Liliana threw a look at her mama who scurried toward them and took her grandchildren.

  “Joanna and Sammy, I’ve got a game we can play in the bathroom . . .” Her voice faded as she escorted the children into the room and shut the door.

  Liliana raced for the back door before her niece came after her.

  I keep the stable between me and the house and run toward the slight rise not far from me. I can’t be caught. I have too much work ahead of me. Too many bad people who need to be taken care of.

  But not Liliana. And if I know her, she will come after the shooter. I don’t want to be forced to kill her. I can remember the tired, angry look on her face this morning. Killing Samuel will wipe that expression from her.

  As I mount the incline, I see the Texas Ranger coming down the road toward Al’s. I don’t want to kill him either, but I’ll do what I have to in order to get away. To continue what I’ve started.

  Liliana spotted Juan scrambling up a rise then suddenly flatten himself on the ground. He peeked over the incline, his rifle clutched in his hand. Ducking behind the front of the stable, she withdrew her cell and called Cody. It could be him, and she didn’t want him ambushed by Juan.

  “Liliana, what’s happening? I heard gunshots.”

  “Get off the road. I think Juan has seen you.”

  The janitor lifted up and positioned his weapon to shoot.

  “Now.”

  Liliana rushed from her protective cover, raising her gun at Juan about a hundred feet away. Before she could pull her trigger, Juan got off a shot, shattering the silence.

  Liliana’s heart plummeted. “Drop your rifle.” She came to a stop sixty feet away, planted herself, and aimed her weapon at Juan. “I’ll shoot if I have to. Drop your rifle, Juan.”

  He swung around, his restrictive movement in his left arm causing him to fumble with his gun.

  “Don’t even think it.”

  Is Cody dead? Please, Lord, don’t let him be. I beg You.

  Juan made eye contact with Liliana and let his rifle fall to the ground.

  She moved in fast, desperately needing to see Cody alive. “Get down,” she yelled at Juan when she was ten feet from him.

  As she came over the rise to inspect the road below, she saw Cody halfway up the small hill. Relief momentarily pulled her focus from Juan. But when he started to roll toward his dropped rifle, she surged the last few feet and kicked it away. Then standing over the man she had considered a friend, she pointed her gun at him.

  “Hands behind your back.” She removed her cuffs and snapped them on Juan.

  Cody crested the incline. The most wonderful sight she’d seen.

  Cody sat across from Juan in the interview room while Liliana leaned against the wall with her arms folded across her chest. She didn’t know what to think. Relief. Anger. Sadness.

  Conflicting emotions bombarded her from different sides. She still had a hard time believing Juan’s confession to all five murders. A man she had talked to, cared about for years.

  She knew one thing—she couldn’t keep fighting the Lord over control of her life. It hadn’t worked in the past. Something always came along to mess up her plans. She was going to try to give control to God. It wouldn’t be easy, but she needed the peace.

  Ramrod straight in his chair, his arms cuffed to the table, Juan raised his chin. “I was doing your job. Cleaning up this town. Victor Ruiz. Miguel Salazar. Samuel Thomas. All evil men.”

  Cody’s eyebrow rose. “You don’t think you’re evil?”

  “I’m dedicated to helping others.”

  “What was Anna Medina’s crime?”

  “She played me for a fool. I paid for her to come to this country and marry me. That’s like stealing five thousand dol-lars from me. She had no intention of fulfilling her obligation to me. I’m not going to be used anymore.”

  Liliana listened to the haughty tone in Juan’s voice and couldn’t believe the transformation of this man she’d called a friend. She wanted to grasp onto her fury and hold it against him. She couldn’t. It took too much of her energy. She was just glad everything was over.

  “And Carlos? What did he do?” Cody closed the folder in front of him.

  “He took Anna away from me. I deserved better. All my life, people have ignored me and belittled me. Not anymore. They know now I won’t take it.”

  Finally, sadness mantled Liliana’s shoulder. “I feel sorry for you. You had much to offer others.”

  Juan looked at her, his eyes hardening. “No one will mess with me again. Now they know I can take care of myself. I practiced years to learn to shoot like I do. I can—”

  “That won’t make any difference in prison.” Liliana pushed from the wall and grasped the door handle. “You won’t have a moment’s peace from now on. I never wished that for you. May God forgive you.” She left the room, passing Alfredo Flores being escorted into the other interview room.

  Chief Winters paused outside that door. “Go home now. There’s nothing else to solve here. You’ve done good. You deserve the rest.”

  Liliana kept going down the hall. The word deserve replayed in her mind, remembering what had driven Juan over the edge. Bullies. This had all boiled down to people exploiting others. Using fear, their position, and their perceived superiority. First, her father with her mama, Elena, and her. Then there was Samuel continuing that legacy with her older sister. Even Kyle had to deal with bullies at school.

  Somehow, Liliana arrived at her house fifteen minutes later. Numb to her surroundings. So exhausted she wanted to fall into bed. But she needed to see Elena at the hospital, then rest.

  After taking another shower, hoping to revive herself, she gathered up her purse and keys and started for the door. The bell rang. Checking her peephole, she spied Cody on her porch. She let him inside.

  “You didn’t want to interview Alfredo Flores?” She shut the door.

  “Nope. The chief is perfectly capable. We have his records. He isn’t going to be able to get out of the charges. Alfredo’s sister did tell us that Rita is fine and with a cousin in Santa Fe.”

  “That’s good. I wonder if she knew about what was going on.”

  “Who? Rita or Alfredo’s sister?”

  “Both.”

  “Only time will tell, but from what we’ve learned no. Alfredo thought a woman’s role was to run the house and it looked like Miguel felt the same way. It appears he went to great lengths to keep his wife in the dark.”

  “Did Juan say—no don’t tell me. I’m going to remember Juan the way he was before—he snapped. I don’t have any other way to explain what happened.”

  Cody gestured toward her purse and keys. “Where are you going?”

  “To tell Elena what happened to Samuel then speak with Mrs. Martinez. I want Maria to get the help she needs, but hopefully with the murders solved she will have some closure.”

  “I’ll go with you. Drive you.”

  “You don’t have to.”

  He stepped closer. “Yes, I do. I can’t let you go through this without me by your side.”

  “Aren’t you as tired as I am?
We’ve both been working this case almost nonstop.”

  “I know, but I want to be with you.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I’m falling in love with you and that means I need to be here for you.”

  She heard what he said but for a few seconds his meaning didn’t register on her mind. Then it did. “You care?”

  His hands framed her face. His gaze linked with hers. “Yes. I know we need time to get to know each other better, but these past two weeks we’ve gone through a lot together and I love what I’ve gotten to know about you. I want us to have a future together. Go out on dates like a normal couple.”

  “Does that mean you’re staying in Durango?”

  Cody nodded. “It was actually my son’s suggestion. He’s going out for the baseball team on Monday. It seems the Durango High School team is in need of a good shortstop since José left and that just happens to be the position Kyle has played.”

  She wound her arms around Cody. “We can go to their games together.”

  He settled his mouth over hers and drew her close. Her kiss expressed what she hadn’t told him yet—that she was falling in love with him, too. But mostly she trusted him with her heart—something she’d never given to another.

  When he pulled back, he laced his fingers through hers and started for the door. “C’mon. I don’t want you to tell your sister about Samuel by yourself. I’ll be with you. Just like you’ll be here for Elena. That’s what family is all about.”

  “She’ll need a lot of help.”

  “I know. But she has you.”

  “And God. He has been with her the whole time. She’s alive and has her two children.”

  Outside Cody placed his arm along her back and pressed her along his side. “Maybe your friend at Grace House will help Elena deal with what happened to her.”

  “Jackie’s great. If anyone can, she’s that person. Not only does she have a counseling degree, but she has gone through what Elena has.”