The young man’s ears reddened. His jaw clenched and unclenched. The fury he clearly felt was etched into every line of his face. Tag’s hand dropped to the butt of his gun. He didn’t think Alcott would attack him so blatantly, but it never hurt to be prepared.
Alcott shoved his face further into the car. “Sheriff, just one question.”
“What?” he snapped.
“What are you hiding?”
Chapter Six
At nine the next morning, Rebecca sat down at the semi-antique desk in her hotel room and pulled her legal pad toward her. She dialed the office number and doodled as the line rang.
“Hello?” Deidre’s voice sounded hesitant and held almost none of her normal professional tone. She cleared her throat. “Uh, sorry. Rebecca Lyons office, how may I help you?”
Rebecca frowned and dropped the pen. “Deidre? Are you okay?”
“Rebecca! Yes, uh, yes. Everything is fine. How is Texas? I hear it’s pretty hot down there. Are you melting?”
She frowned. “Cut the crap, Deidre. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Why do you think anything is wrong?”
“Because I know you,” Rebecca said. “In the five years you’ve been my assistant you have never answered the phone with ‘hello.’ So, something is definitely not right.”
There was a long silence on the other end, then a soft sigh. “I don’t really think you need to worry. I’m sure it’s just a prank.”
Fear grabbed Rebecca. She sat up straight. Her fingers tightened on the cell phone and for a moment she feared she might snap the glass. “Tell me,” she demanded.
“Well. Lord, I feel so stupid.”
Rebecca waited in tense silence.
“When I opened the office this morning there was a…package on your desk. It wasn’t there when I left last night and I know I locked the door behind me.”
Her mouth went dry. “Who is it from?”
“I don’t know. The only thing on the outside was your name.”
“Did you open it?”
Another small silence was followed by a faint squeak. “Yes.”
“Damn it, Deidre. That was an idiotic thing to do. Are you okay?”
“I know. I know! After I opened it, all the usual sorts of things went through my head. Anthrax, bombs, body parts, sex toys.”
Rebecca started. “Sex toys?”
“Just seeing if you were paying attention.” Deidre’s voice regained some of its customary warmth and calm. “Nothing bad happened, obviously. The box held a silver dollar and a typed letter.”
A foreboding shiver snaked up Rebecca’s spine.
“What did the letter say?”
“Hang on, let me get it.”
“Wait,” Rebecca said. “Use tissues to touch it.”
“But I’ve already handled it,” her assistant said.
“Yes, but the less muddying of prints, the better.”
“All right. Hang on.”
Rebecca dragged a hand through her still damp hair. She hadn’t put the blonde mass up in a ponytail yet because it took forever to dry when she did it too soon after showering. She wound a strand around her finger and nibbled at the end. The soothing aroma of coconut filled her senses and the fear abated somewhat.
“Can you hear me?” Deidre asked in an echoing voice. “I put you on speaker.”
“Yes. Go ahead.” Rebecca tugged on the strand of hair.
“It says, ‘Miss Lyons, a small token of my esteem. I shall give you the second coin at the appropriate time.’ That’s all it says. There isn’t a signature or anything.”
“Crap on a cracker and shit fire,” Rebecca muttered.
Deidre giggled but the high-pitched sound held little amusement and a lot of fear. “Haven’t heard you use that one in a while.”
“I’m around Boone,” she said. “I’m reverting. Why don’t you give Detective Donovan Garner a call?”
“You think it’s that serious?”
“Maybe. It’s definitely creepy.”
“Gaughan?”
He’d been the first person who’d come to mind, but she couldn’t quite see the ultra-suave man stooping to such a cheesy form of intimidation. She had the feeling he’d be much more direct.
“I don’t know. Call Detective Garner. Give him the letter and everything that came with it. Make sure you tell him that you touched it all.”
“I will. I’m sorry. I just wasn’t thinking.”
“It’s okay,” Rebecca assured her. “That sort of thing is in the job description.”
“I suppose.”
She heard the dejection in her assistant’s voice. “So, Texas is interesting,” she said in a forced light tone.
“Yeah?” Deidre perked up. “What is the sheriff like?”
Just like her friend to hit the nail on the head. “A pain in the ass.” She couldn’t stop her smile. “But a good-looking pain in the ass. Actually, Deidre, most of the guys here seem to be inordinately good looking. You know Boone, so he doesn’t really count. But Tag has a friend named Wade who is also absolutely delicious.” She glanced around the room as if they could hear her. Her voice dropped. “To tell you the truth, these guys could make a nun throw off her habit and beg for a piece of the action.”
Deidre laughed. “So, when’s my flight?”
Rebecca grinned. “Not happening.”
“Damn.”
“Sorry, that’s the way it goes.”
“You don’t sound a bit sorry, boss lady.”
Rebecca’s smile widened. She really wasn’t. Though Tag could be an annoying ass, she’d also seen him sweet, attentive, and protective. The man had depths he took great pains to keep hidden. When she first saw him, she’d been thrown both by his good looks and the aura of surfer boy he projected. It hadn’t taken her long to delve beneath that surface and discover a man of so many layers he’d make an onion weep with envy.
She knew the investigation was tearing him up. He’d not even been charged or verbally accused but they all knew the elephant in the room was just waiting to explode. She could only imagine the emotional trauma he was going through. From what she’d gleaned of him so far, his sense of honor and integrity were being attacked and it was something he was definitely not used to combatting.
Good thing she’d arrived when she did to help him out.
“Boss? You still there?”
“Yes, sorry. Woolgathering. This case is strange and I’ve barely touched the surface.”
“Has the sheriff been charged then?”
“No,” Rebecca said. “But it’s just a matter of time, I’m afraid. There is a lot of circumstantial evidence that points to him.”
“Obviously you don’t buy any of it since you’re still there.”
“You’re absolutely right,” Rebecca said. “Tag Cain is not guilty of murder. And I intend to prove it.”
She turned the conversation to the docket of cases she was working on. They hammered out some letters and made arrangements to postpone a deposition she was supposed to take the following week. When all the work was taken care of, she reminded Deidre once more to call Detective Garner then hung up.
Rebecca picked up the pen and bounced it against the legal pad. Had Gaughan sent that letter? Perhaps another defendant with whom she’d worked? Someone whose case she’d lost?
If she had her case files, she could go through them and try to figure it out but her most recent ones had not yet been archived. Not that she had the time for such a research trip. She had a testy Texas sheriff who needed proof of his innocence.
She tore the doodled page off the top of the pad and began listing things to do regarding Tag. First up was getting a sample of the blood and tissue found at the Fischer crime scene and sending it back to Boston for independent testing. She also wanted to have a look at the autopsy report and coroner’s notes.
Thank goodness Tag hadn’t yet been charged with anything because he could get her access to everything she needed. Right now she
was merely acting as an independent investigator and needn’t worry about impropriety. Technically Tag hadn’t hired her. There’d been no retainer. For all anyone knew, she was merely in Texas on a vacation.
Rebecca made a few more notes then her stomach rumbled. A quick check of her phone showed nearly ten o’clock. She stretched her hands over her head and cracked her spine on the stiff curve of the chair back.
“Ah,” she murmured. “That felt good.”
She rose and headed for the bathroom. Time to tame my hair and get some makeup on.
She supposed she would head back to the Tin Star for brunch since it was just about the only place she knew of in town. She also wanted to wander the town square—or Hex as everyone called it—and see what sorts of treasures she could find. Wade talked about an old-time soda fountain she was eager to check out. He’d also mentioned an antique store that held everything from feed bags of the late 1800s to colorful Fiestaware and more.
In the bathroom, she bent to pick up the hair dryer. Like everything else in this hotel it was a relic. It was made of heavy beige plastic and had only an off and on button. It was definitely not her sleek and efficient ionic hair dryer. She wavered before plugging it in.
“I hope I don’t get electrocuted.”
The beige monstrosity roared to life with a kick that almost made her drop the danged thing. She gripped it hard and drew a round brush through her hair as she waved the super-hot air over her head.
She winced as her scalp protested the molten blasts. Rebecca moved through her hair as quickly as she could until the weight of the dryer forced her to shut it off and set it down. When she placed it on the miniscule counter she felt a jolt race up her arm.
She gasped and stumbled backward. “I was kidding about electrocution,” she muttered.
A small scratching sound came from her hotel door and she froze. Her eyes zoomed in on the door handle.
Had it moved? Was it twitching like someone was trying to turn it?
She snatched up the hair dryer and yanked the cord from the wall then inched toward the door. She had the safety locks on but those were ridiculously easy to get through if someone was determined.
A faint jingle permeated the door. She swallowed and tossed a panicked glance over her shoulder.
Why did I leave my phone all the way over there?
She began inching toward the desk.
A loud rap shook the door. She screeched and lifted the hair dryer over her head like a baseball bat.
The knob rattled. “Rebecca?” The deep male voice boomed through the wood. “Are you okay?” Another loud pound and the handle jiggled some more. “Rebecca?!”
Wade. Her eyes closed in relief and she jumped forward. She tossed off the locks and yanked the door open.
“Hi,” she said with a forced smile.
His broad shoulders were taut and stretching the limits of his black T-shirt. A dark frown covered his face and he swept the room behind her with a penetrating blue gaze. “Are you okay?” he demanded as he moved into the room. His fingers curled around her shoulders and pulled her close. “I heard you scream.”
Rebecca wasn’t used to being comforted, and the events of the morning seemed to have thrown her off-kilter. She sank into his chest and wrapped her arms around his lean waist. The hair dryer slipped through her fingers and thumped against the floor.
“I’m fine,” she said softly.
His hands tunneled into her hair and he tugged her head back to look up at him. His blue eyes were intense and focused. They were full of concern for her. Rebecca felt warmed all over. She caressed his back.
“I promise. I’m okay. Just being a little silly, I suppose.”
A small smile lifted his lips and her gaze zoomed in on his mouth like a hummingbird on sugar water. She wondered how he kissed. If he would be tender or rough? Perhaps he would be both.
Awareness blossomed between them. She saw when the concern melted from his eyes to be replaced with desire.
He cupped her chin. His thumb stroked her bottom lip. “You don’t seem like the kind of woman who indulges in being silly.”
She couldn’t form a coherent thought. His touch set off flutters of excitement and anticipation through her entire body. Her nipples tightened and poked through her light cotton shirt.
Wade’s gaze dropped to her breasts and his nostrils flared. The hand still in her hair tangled further. He met her eyes again and slowly lowered his head.
“I’m going to kiss you.”
She gripped his hips and threaded her fingers through his belt loops. “Good.”
Humor flitted in his eyes then his mouth settled on hers. His touch was soft and tender. He tasted of caramel coffee.
Wade brushed her lips, back and forth as though mapping the landscape of her mouth with his. The small exploration was not enough. She wanted more.
Rebecca rose on tiptoe and snaked one arm up his muscular shoulder to cup his neck. His soft black hair tickled her fingers. She pressed against him.
His moan reverberated against her lips. She gasped and his tongue dove inside her open mouth. He tasted and teased her with short, sweet darts of pleasure. His tongue lapped at the corners of her mouth then found hers and stroked wetly before pulling away.
Rebecca whimpered.
Wade’s fingers tightened against her scalp and held her still while he assaulted her mouth. He kissed her fast and hard. He was demanding and insistent. She couldn’t deny him. She didn’t want to deny him. Rebecca moaned and sighed beneath his lips, begging for more. Darts of pleasure wound their way through her body and she was achingly aware of his erection pushing against the soft juncture of her thighs.
Wade tipped her head and trailed light kisses along her jaw then down the side of her neck before returning to her lips.
“Rebecca,” he whispered. “I can’t get enough of your mouth.”
She scraped his scalp with her fingernails. “More,” she pleaded. “Kiss me again.”
He fulfilled her request with a tenderness that made her feel both cherished and vulnerable. His hands gentled and fell to the waistband of her cream linen pants. He held her lightly with thumbs stroking the sensitive skin just above her hips.
She squeezed her eyes shut and gripped his shoulders. She hadn’t felt so alive in so long. She wanted more. She wanted him to slam the door shut and sweep her to the bed then lay her down and ravish her entire body with his mouth.
She wanted to explore every inch of his muscular frame with her hands and mouth and make him feel as good as he was making her feel.
Her phone chirped.
Rebecca stilled and her eyes flew open.
Wade gently pulled away. He swiped his thumb over her bottom lip. “Jesus, Rebecca,” he whispered hoarsely.
She nodded slowly then reluctantly backed out of his arms. Holding his gaze, she snatched up the phone. “Hello?”
“Morning, Bex.” Tag’s voice rumbled in her ear. Her eyes widened and she immediately felt a surge of embarrassment as if he knew she’d just been kissing the hell out of his best friend. “What are you doing?”
“Nothing.”
The squeaking response made her think of Deidre’s earlier answer and she couldn’t quite stifle a giggle. She cleared her throat and waved at Wade to shut the door. She frowned at the phone. “What did you call me?”
“Bex,” he said. “That nothing sure sounded interesting.”
“I prefer Rebecca.”
“Uh-huh. It’s after ten. Are you coming to the office?”
The soft snick of the door shutting seemed to echo loudly in the room. She covered the mouthpiece so Tag couldn’t hear. Wade sauntered into the room and dropped down on her bed. The sight of his long body sprawled casually along the mussed white sheets sent another bolt of electricity to every nerve ending she possessed.
“Bex?” Tag demanded. “What in the hell are you doing?”
She turned away from the tempting view of Wade and her bed. Another two sec
onds and she’d be pulling off all their clothes and indulging in a little afternoon delight. At ten o’clock in the morning. She peeked over her shoulder and caught his wide grin and mischievous wink.
Somehow she didn’t think Wade would protest one bit.
“Rebecca,” she repeated. “I was just getting dressed and about to head to the Hex,” she said. Without the visual stimulation of Wade’s enticing body, her brain finally kicked into gear. “Is everything all right?”
Have you been charged?
They both knew that was her real question.
“Yes,” he replied tersely. “But I have some things I’d like to show you. I can come by and pick you up.”
“No,” she said quickly. “No, that’s all right. I can get myself there.”
“I insist.”
She rolled her eyes. “I appreciate the gentlemanly, if somewhat insistent, offer but I’m fine. Is it urgent?”
“Not really,” he said.
She couldn’t tell if he was irked or not. “There are a few places downtown I’d like to get to before coming to your office.” Her trip to the Hex wasn’t all tourist based. She planned on interviewing the shop keepers about the events of the last few days. She’d already gleaned quite a bit of information about Fischer’s death and the events leading up to it, but those were the cut-and-dried accounts from Tag and Boone. The two lawmen didn’t offer anything outside of the facts.
Though she’d grown up in a relatively exclusive Boston suburb, it had still been a small town. She knew how they worked. More importantly, she knew what small town residents saw and she planned to ferret that information out. She hoped to find something useful that would outright prove Tag was innocent and set them on the track of the real killer.
“Fine, if you’re gonna be all Yankee stubborn about it.”
“You say Yankee like it’s a bad thing.”
He ignored her retort. “How about we meet for lunch at the Tin Star at twelve-thirty? Deputy Carson will be back on duty then.”
“Not to mention you still have to give blood.”
Her Heart-Stealing Cowboys [Hellfire Ranch 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 9
