Lingerie and Lariats (Rough & Ready#7)

by Cheyenne McCray

  “It’s a long story, and I don’t have my phone.” She heard the urgency in her own voice as she spoke, but she kept her voice down. “I need help. Would someone be able to pick me up in Nogales and give me a ride? I know it’s a long way, so I hate to ask, but I’m stranded and I’m worried.”

  “I’m just the other side of Patagonia. I’ll get there as fast as I can, about twenty minutes,” Zane said, sounding concerned. “What happened?”

  She bit her lower lip before she spoke. “Now isn’t a good time to go into it.”

  “All right,” Zane said. “You can tell me all about it when I pick you up.”

  “Thank you.” She let out her second breath of relief. “I’m sorry to be an inconvenience.”

  “As far as I’m concerned you’re my little sister,” he said. “You’ll never be an inconvenience.”

  She thanked him again and hung up after he said he’d pick her up at the bank. Now all there was to do was wait and pray that Jerry didn’t find her.

  Renee sat in one of the chairs in the waiting area near the bankers. She crossed her legs at her knees and her top leg bounced with agitation. Beside her on a small table was a collection of magazines and she picked one up and flipped through it without really seeing it.

  Her skin crawled. She glanced up and looked out the floor-to-ceiling glass windows and her heart stuttered. Jerry was walking up to the bank doors.

  She lifted the magazine and hid her face, hoping that he wouldn’t somehow recognize her. She peeked around one side of the magazine and saw him walking up to one of the tellers. She could see his side profile from where she was sitting. Nearly paralyzed with fear, she listened to him.

  “I need to wire funds as well as make a withdrawal,” he told the teller. “Here are the account numbers and my ID.”

  Renee watched as the woman looked at his ID then apparently brought up the accounts on her monitor. The teller frowned and the keys of her keyboard clacked as she typed while studying the monitor. She met Jerry’s gaze. “Those accounts are no longer open, Mr. Nelson.”

  “What?” His voice started to rise and he sounded panicked. “What do you mean, no longer open?”

  “They were closed out today,” the teller said.

  Renee’s heart beat like crazy as she watched Jerry’s face start to turn red.

  “That’s not possible.” His expression was one of fury. “Who closed out the accounts?” He bit the words out, every word harsh. “Where’s the money now?”

  “I can’t give out any information,” the teller said. “All I can tell you is that the accounts have been closed.”

  Jerry looked almost crazy as he fisted his hands at his sides. “I demand to know who closed out my accounts.”

  “According to the records, you were not the account owner, you were a signer,” the teller looked like she was trying to be patient.

  “Bullshit.” Jerry was almost shouting.

  The teller appeared to be losing patience. “Sir, you’re going to have to calm down or I will need to ask you to leave.”

  “I demand to speak to a manager,” he said.

  “Just one moment, Mr. Nelson.” The teller turned and walked toward another woman.

  Jerry’s face was almost purple now and he seemed to go still. The next moment he was looking directly at Renee.

  “You bitch.” He walked away from the teller’s window and strode toward Renee. “You did it.”

  She got to her feet, wondering if she could make the door before he reached her but knew there was no way.

  “What did you do with the money?” He was shaking when he reached her and towered over her. “You will put the accounts back the way they were, you little whore.”

  Renee tried not to shrink away from him and raised her chin. “It’s my money, Jerry.”

  He was nearly shouting as he said, “Oh, you will put the money back and you’ll do it now.” He lowered his voice. “If you don’t, I’ll kill you.”

  Shock made her skin prickle. Would Jerry follow through on his threat if she didn’t do what he told her to?

  A woman approached them. “I’m Stella, the bank manager. I need to ask you to take this conversation outside.”

  Stella frowned as Jerry grabbed Renee by her upper arm and forced her to go outside with him.

  When they were in the parking lot, Jerry took her by her shoulders. “I’m going to hurt you real bad if you don’t get your ass back in the bank and fix what you’ve fucked up.”

  Renee’s heart pounded hard. It would probably be another fifteen minutes before Zane arrived. She shook her head. “It’s my money,” she repeated.

  “I made commitments to people for investing your money.” His voice was rough with his fury. “I’ll be in trouble if I don’t get them the cash.” He squeezed her arms hard. “So help me, I will make you pay if you don’t get me the money now.”

  He jerked her back toward the bank doors and her skin prickled as they walked back into the bank.

  When they were at the teller again, Jerry said, “Ms. Winfield is going to put everything back the way it was. Now.”

  “My manager, Stella, just stepped out,” the teller said. “I won’t do anything until she returns.”

  “You’ll do it now,” Jerry shouted.

  “You need to leave,” the teller said in a firm voice.

  “Get your manager back here.” Jerry’s whole body was shaking.

  Renee winced as Jerry squeezed her arm so tightly that she knew he was bruising it. She looked from Jerry to the teller.

  “Just one moment.” The teller picked up a phone and dialed a number. “I have a customer who is causing a disturbance. Yes. Thank you.”

  The teller hung up the phone and gave Jerry a calm look. “Please take a seat and you’ll be taken care of shortly. I need to help the next customer.”

  Renee glanced over her shoulder and saw that there was a line of four people behind them now. She tried to pull her arm away from Jerry, but he only seemed to grip her tighter.

  He gave the teller a glare, then, still holding onto Renee, marched her over to the waiting area but didn’t sit. “You’re going to fix what you’ve done with the accounts and then you’re coming with me.”

  She felt sick to her stomach and prayed that Zane would be there soon.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Jerry was loud enough the other customers continued to look around at the two of them by the chairs.

  Jerry’s eyes were full of terror. She had seen him upset but never like this. He was furious but terrified, too.

  “Are you trying to run away?” His hands were clenched into fists and she was afraid he was going to hit her. “You don’t do this to me. Do you understand? You don’t do this to me. You won’t get away with running away from me. You signed a contract to have me handle your affairs and you can’t just take that away.”

  He was in her face and the back of her knees hit a chair as she tried to step away. “It’s that fucking sheriff, isn’t it?” he continued. “We never should have come. You’ll sign the account back and we’ll head home to Philly.”

  A woman in her mid fifties with graying hair walked up and Jerry faced her as she came to him. “Until the manager arrives, I need to you ask you to take this outside. You’re disturbing the customers. I’ll call you when she arrives.”

  “This is our bank,” Jerry said in a harsh voice. “I’m staying right here. Your customers won’t be disturbed”.

  Two police officers stepped through the front entrance into the bank. Jerry tensed, his grip tighter on Renee. The teller gestured toward Jerry and Renee and the officers started toward them.

  “That fucking bitch,” Jerry said in a low voice. “She didn’t call the manager. She called the cops.”

  Relief made Renee’s knees weak.

  “I’m Officer Martin and this is Officer Leonard,” the female police officer said. “Step outside, please.”

  “What’s this about?” Jerry still had anger i
n his voice.

  “Step outside,” Officer Martin said in a firm tone.

  Jerry still wouldn’t let go of Renee. It was like his hand was glued to her arm. “What the hell is this about?” he repeated.

  “Step outside now or I will arrest you for public disturbance and harassment.” Officer Martin’s voice had a hard edge to it.

  Jerry dragged Renee to the front entrance and out into the parking lot.

  “Give me your names,” Officer Leonard said.

  “Jerry Nelson and Renee Winfield,” Jerry said. “Although it’s none of your fucking business.”

  “Release Ms. Winfield.” Officer Martin gave him a hard look.

  “This bitch took my money.” Jerry shook her and she tried to pull away again. “I’m not letting her go anywhere until she fixes it.”

  “Release her or I will arrest you,” Officer Martin said.

  “She owes me money!” Jerry shouted, his face livid.

  Officer Leonard grabbed Jerry’s hands from behind, forcing him to let Renee go. Jerry tried to fight off the officer, his expression wild as he struggled to get free.

  Renee stared, her eyes wide, unable to believe that Jerry was resisting arrest.

  The officer slammed Jerry facedown on the asphalt and cuffed his hands behind his back. Officer Leonard dragged Jerry to his feet and bent him over, with his chest and face on the patrol car’s trunk. The officer emptied his pockets which included her cell phone.

  The whole time, Jerry screamed obscenities at Renee. “I’m going to make you regret this, you little bitch,” he shouted. “You’d better fix it before I come back or you’ll be more than sorry. Just like I told you.”

  The officers read Jerry his Miranda rights as they forced him into the back of the patrol car and then shut the door behind him. He glared at Renee through the window, still shouting at her.

  “Did he harm you in any way?” Officer Martin asked Renee.

  “Not here.” She shook her head. “He just wouldn’t let go of my arm.”

  “What happened to your cheek?” Officer Martin gestured to Renee’s face.

  She reached up and touched the sensitive skin and winced. She hesitated for only a moment. “Jerry hit me last night.”

  Officer Martin wore a serious expression. “Please explain what happened last night and today.”

  Renee took a deep breath then told the officer about Jerry hitting her and forcing her to sleep on the floor.

  Then she explained about Jerry being her financial advisor and he’d had permission to sign on her accounts. She explained how much money was missing so she closed out the accounts and put the funds into a new one.

  She also told Officer Martin that Jerry had taken her belongings including her credit cards and driver’s license, and had her clothing, and that one of the two cell phones taken from his pockets was hers. At the last moment she added that Jerry had threatened to kill her.

  Officer Martin’s expression was grim. When the officer finished taking Renee’s statement, she was told that her belongings would be returned to her after they took Jerry in. She would be contacted.

  And then Renee was free to go. Officer Martin asked Renee if she had anywhere to go without her belongings. Renee said a friend was coming and that she did have some cash and her passport.

  As the officers drove away, Jerry glared at her through the rear window as he mouthed threats.

  She shuddered and thanked God that the teller had been smart enough to call the cops and that Zane was on his way.

  Chapter 8

  Dan frowned as he stood in his office and looked at the text message from Renee.

  Don’t ever call or text me again. I don’t want anything to do with you, especially after the way you got in Jerry’s and my business last night. I don’t want you ruining things between Jerry and me.

  The message didn’t sound like Renee and something told him that she hadn’t sent it. He’d bet his prize bull that Jerry Nelson had been the one to write and send the message.

  He sat in front of his computer monitor and pulled up Nelson’s record. Over a hundred unpaid parking tickets, but that was the only thing on his otherwise clean record. Still, Dan couldn’t help the feeling that something was wrong with the man. Real wrong.

  For a long moment he stared at the screen. On instinct, he pulled up the Internet browser and did a search for the Philadelphia Police District that Nelson lived in. Dan found it and dialed the number.

  When the operator answered, Dan explained who he was and the information he was interested in. He was transferred to an officer who looked up the parking tickets. All one hundred plus tickets were for the same address.

  The officer whistled through his teeth and told Dan that it was the address of a suspected drug dealer with ties to the Mexican drug cartel in the West. However the suspected dealer had no arrests or convictions. He always seemed to be one step of law enforcement.

  After he thanked the officer for the information, Dan disconnected the call, hair prickling at the nape of his neck. Nelson possibly had ties with a drug dealer in Philly, and through him, Nelson might have ties to the cartel.

  Fire went through Dan’s gut. He had to reach Renee. He looked up the number for the bed and breakfast that Nelson and Renee had stayed in. When he reached Angie, she told him that the pair had checked out early that morning.

  Dan thanked her and slammed down his desk phone.

  Where the hell could Renee and Nelson be? All that he knew was that he had to find her. And one way or another he would prove that Nelson was involved in something illegal and would make sure that the man spent some serious time behind bars.

  The phone rang. Dan answered, “Sheriff Cooper here.”

  “Sheriff, this is Zane Cameron.”

  “I’m glad you called,” Dan said. “I’m looking for Renee. It’s important.”

  “That’s why I called you,” Zane said. “I think something’s wrong. She called me from a bank in Nogales—sounded like she’s in trouble. I’m on my way to pick her up. Got a flat tire outside of Patagonia and have no way to call her to let her know I’m going to be late.”

  More prickles went down Dan’s spine. “I’m in my office in Nogales now. Where is she?”

  Zane gave Dan the name of the bank and Dan said he’d be there within ten minutes. “You head on home and I’ll take care of it,” he said.

  “I can still make it out there,” Zane said, “if you’d like me to take her back to the ranch.”

  “I’ll make sure she’s taken care of.” Dan disconnected the call with Zane, rushed through the office, and headed outside to where his SUV was parked. In moments he was in it and headed toward the bank.

  Renee was standing in the parking lot. She looked pale and she was rubbing her arms with her hands as if she was cold, even though it was close to a hundred degrees out. She didn’t notice him until he pulled into the parking lot.

  He parked and jumped out of the SUV. Renee ran toward him and he took her into his arms and held her close.

  “Are you all right, honey?” he asked her and then realized she was sobbing against his chest.

  “I’m fine.” She drew away, her cinnamon eyes brimming with tears. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be crying on your shoulder.”

  “Hey.” He cupped her chin and noticed the side of her face was bruised. “You can cry on my shoulder any time, okay?”

  “I’m glad to see you,” she said. “How did you know I’m here?”

  “Zane called,” Dan said. “He got a flat tire on the way here. I told him I’d come to get you instead and for him to head on home.”

  “Thank you.” She bit her lower lip then said, “I need you to know I didn’t send that text message.”

  “I know you didn’t.” He pushed hair out of her eyes with his fingers and he saw more of the bruise. “I never for a moment believed it was you.”

  She smiled. “Thank you for believing in me.”

  He let his expression go grim.
“How did your face get bruised? That wasn’t there when I saw you yesterday.”

  She looked away. “It’s nothing.”

  “Nelson hit you,” Dan stated.

  She hesitated then nodded. “Jerry was angry because he’d caught you and me together.

  Anger boiled inside Dan and he clenched his jaw. That sonofabitch. “Where is he now?”

  Renee had a look of relief on her features. “He was just arrested.”

  Surprised at that bit of news, Dan said, “I’ll have you start at the beginning, but first I’m going to call in to the Nogales PD that Nelson hit you.” He could hear the fury in his own voice.

  Renee put her hand on his arm. “I already told them. They’re adding that to his list of charges.” She still looked pale but she was sweating beneath the summer sun.

  Dan gestured to the other side of the street. “We’ll go to that café for a late lunch and you can tell me everything.”

  “I am hungry.” She kept pace with him as they walked across the parking lot. “I haven’t had anything to eat today.”

  They crossed the street and Dan held the small café’s door open for her. They found a table in a corner and Dan sat so that he was facing the door.

  After they had ordered sandwiches, Dan folded his arms on the table and focused on Renee. “Why don’t you take it from the top?”

  She let out her breath and pushed hair from her face. “Last night when Jerry found us and took me outside I realized that I couldn’t leave him. Not yet.”

  Dan frowned. “Why not?”

  “Because as my financial advisor he had control of my money.” She clenched her fist on the tabletop. “If I had left him I’m sure he would have gone straight to the bank and cleared out my accounts this morning.”

  Dan gave a nod. “When did he hit you?”

  “Almost as soon as we got to our room at the bed and breakfast.” She looked embarrassed. “He made me sleep on the floor.”

  The fury inside Dan increased and he gritted his teeth. “Then what happened?”

  Renee told him about the trip to Nogales and Jerry’s explanation that he’d bought a load of Mexican furniture and accessories. “I had a strange feeling that he wasn’t telling the truth, but I don’t know why he would lie.”