“Are you shaving a lot of my hair off?” she asked. Her grip tightened on Ward’s hand, and she bit the edge of her lip.
“Just a small area. There, that should be enough. I was clearing the wound of hair, so I can clean it.”
“You’ll start a new rave. The hairstyle with a bald spot in the middle,” Jared teased.
“I don’t like being different. I’ll wear pretty scarves. They’re already a popular trend for around the neck.”
“We’ll get you some for a get-well gift.” Ward squeezed her hand.
Gavin washed his hands and put on gloves. He painted the area with an antiseptic. “I’m sorry if this burns, but we don’t want any infection.”
“It already hurts. Whatever you’re doing isn’t making it any worse.”
“Good girl. I’m going to put a thick bandage right over the spot and then wrap gauze around your head to hold it in place.”
Jared continued to rub her shoulder and arm. Ward tightened his grip on her hand.
With each breath she took in, she smelled their particular scents. It was comforting to her. Their love was evident in the anxiety in their eyes and the worried looks on their faces. The love she’d been holding back, barely, filled her heart. She couldn’t resist them anymore. Especially since Ward explained his actions.
“You’ll need some pain pills. I’ll write a script for them and for antibiotics. One of your fellas can go get it filled. I’m almost finished.”
“Thank goodness,” Brittany said, and the others all laughed.
After taping the end of the gauze, Gavin and Jared helped her sit on the side of the exam table.
Gavin turned and wrote something on a prescription pad. “Ward, take these to the pharmacy down the street. She’s going to need both for tonight and tomorrow. The antibiotic is for ten days. See she takes them all.”
“Will do.” Ward kissed her lightly on the mouth. “I’ll be right back.”
Jared’s phone rang. “Hello, Kel. That’d be a great help. We’re sort of stranded in town. Yes, she’ll probably want to stay with her sister for a few days.” He clicked off.
“Is Kel coming to get us?”
“Yes. He’ll take us home and you to his house. Your sister is very upset that you were shot and wants to see you. She prefers for you to stay with her until you’re better.”
“You don’t want me to be with you and Ward?”
“We’d prefer to take you to our ranch, but Sondra is pregnant. We don’t want her worrying. She’ll be happier with you at her house. After we’re married, we aren’t ever going to want you to be away from us.”
“I haven’t said I’d marry you.” She saw the doctor and his nurse tiptoe out of the room and shut the door.
“Darlin’, you know it’s just a matter of time.” Jared put his forehead against hers.
“Maybe, we’ll see.” She pulled away, but smiled.
Someone knocked on the door. “It’s me, Kel. Is it safe to come in?”
Jared opened the door. “We were just talking.”
“Gavin said you all were having a serious discussion.” Kel grinned at Britt. “Sondra’s having a fit to see for herself that you’re all in one piece. Gavin said you’re ready to go.”
Britt stepped gingerly off the exam table. Jared picked her up. “I’ll carry you out.”
“I think I can walk.”
“Don’t deprive me of the pleasure.”
Dr. Gavin and his nurse waved as their entourage exited the building. Jared put her in the front seat. “Ward and I will sit in the back. Here he comes now.”
Britt laid her head gently against the headrest. Reaction was setting in, and she didn’t feel so good.
She dozed for what seemed a minute. She woke when the car stopped. Ward and Jared got out. Jared opened the front door and kissed her softly on the lips, then Ward kissed her cheek and hugged her.
“We’ll be over to see you soon,” Ward promised.
Britt waved at them until they were out of sight. She glanced at Kel. “I think I need to lie down.”
“We’ll be at our house in a few minutes. I’ll carry you straight to your room.”
“But that will scare Sondra. I can walk in.”
“She’ll understand.” He took his phone out of his pocket and hit speed dial. “Hi, honey. I’ve got Britt with me. I’m going to carry her to her room. She’s fine, but a little wobbly. It’s a reaction from all that’s happened. Yes, I think she has some pain pills in the prescriptions Ward got filled. See you very soon.” He clicked off. “There, she’s prepared.”
“You and Boyd are good men. I’m glad my sister married the two of you.”
“You’ve had a difficult time understanding our relationship.”
“I liked you both, but the idea of a threesome was so foreign to me.”
“Ward and Jared are serious about marrying you. Do you think you can be happy with them?”
She looked across at Kel. “When I went back to New York, I was determined to forget them.”
“How did that work for you?”
“Not very good, and then I literally ran into Ward when I was running away from Ralph, my date.”
Kel parked the car in front of his house and turned in his seat to face Britt. “Seems to me fate took a hand. If you believe in that sort of thing.”
“I’m becoming a believer.”
Kel went around the car and opened her door. He lifted her into his arms. The front door opened, and Sondra ran out to greet them.
“Here comes Mama Bear,” Kel said. He grinned at his wife as she started asking Britt a million questions.
* * * *
“You missed killing her?” Dick Aggies shouted through the phone. “Hell, all the police in the area will be guarding her from this point on.”
“She’s being protected by the Jarvis brothers. Do you remember them?”
“How could I forget. They were the guys the girls all wanted, and they were good at sports and academics. I’ve hated them for years. My parents used to use them as an example to me.”
“I may have to kill one or both of them to get to her.”
“It won’t upset me. Do what you must, but get this job finished.” Dick slammed the phone in his ear.
Clyde hadn’t told Dick he’d been wounded. Ward’s bullet nicked him in the side just as he’d peeked around the tree trunk. He’d cleaned the wound and bandaged it, but it hurt like hell. I’ll have a few drinks to ease the pain. Tomorrow I’ll scout around and come up with another plan. I’d been so sure this one would work.
He’d known about Ward’s private spot for many years. One day he had seen Ward riding off alone and had trailed from far behind, but close enough to see him ride into the thicket of trees. Later, he’d come back and found the open area in the center. Why the crap Ward wanted to ride off and stay there for hours alone made no sense to Clyde.
Then by chance he was snooping around the ranch, and he saw Ward and the woman riding in that direction. Clyde went back to where he’d parked his truck. He circled around, and then carefully made his way to the thicket of trees. Once he’d gotten close enough to see them, he aimed his rifle at her. If the bitch hadn’t leaned down to kiss Ward, he’d have killed her, made his escape, and no one would be the wiser.
But now they’d all be watching. He took a swig of the bourbon straight from the bottle. It burned his throat, but it would calm his nerves.
He needed the fifty thousand he’d talked Dick into promising him. He had to succeed. He’d only gotten a ten-thousand-dollar advance. He needed the rest of the money. Come whatever, Brittany Hook had a short lifespan ahead of her.
* * * *
“Did you and Brittany get through your talk before the shooting occurred?” Jared asked. They’d gone in the kitchen, fixed sandwiches and coffee, and sat at the table eating.
“We did. She’d bent down to kiss me or the shooter would have gotten her in the head.” Ward clenched his fist. “I want a few m
inutes with this guy before the police get him. He came very close to killing her.”
“But who knows about your private spot?”
“Not many people are aware of it. Maybe some of our cowboys who’ve been here a long time, but I don’t suspect them.”
“Nor do I.”
“This means whoever is after her is from this area and has been here for a long time. But how would the shooter know where to find us? It doesn’t make sense.” Ward took a swallow of his coffee.
“Let’s think back to school days,” Jared said. “You were ahead of me. Did you have any weird guys in your classes, or someone you knew was good with firearms?”
“I can’t think of anyone.” Ward jumped up. “But I have my high school yearbook in the study. Let’s check it.”
“If we don’t find a suspicious character in your class, we’ll check mine.”
Ward knew right where he had his high school and college books. He pulled out the yearbook for his senior year.
“Remember Tina?” Jared pointed at a picture of a cute brunette. “She had some kind of crush on you.”
“We were a hot item for a short time. Then after high school she married Harry, one of our local pharmacists, and now they have five kids.”
“A happy ending for her.” Jared stopped Ward as he started to turn the page. “Who’s that guy?”
“Which one?”
“Second line from the bottom, third in from the left.”
“Let me think. He isn’t anyone I knew except in passing.” Ward studied the picture and the name. “Clyde Washers, I vaguely remember being in one or two classes with him. A quiet guy. He kept his head down most of the time. I believe he was shy.”
“Washers, I remember hearing the name. His parents owned that small spread over near the county line. I think I heard both of his parents died in the last few years. Do you think he could be our shooter?”
“I don’t know how he could be involved. I’d bet he’s never left Triple Dare County in his whole life. But, if his parents are gone, he’s got to be a loner. Still, who’d know him well enough to hire him to murder someone?”
“Wait, I remember him,” Jared said. “I think he’s the one Dad ran off the ranch way back when we were all teen-agers. Dad had caught him sneaking around a few times. He never had a good explanation of why he was trespassing on our property.”
“Still that’s not much to go on. As far as we know he’s not been in trouble with the law. We’ll put his name on the list, but we need to keep looking.” Ward turned several more pages, and then stopped.
“Now this guy, Otto Dugal, was always hassling people. He got in trouble with the school and the police for driving and underage drinking. Add his name to the list.
“There was another guy Otto liked to run with and they’re still friends. They live near each other.” Ward looked through several more pages. “We may have missed him. Let me see if I can recall his first name. Cedric, I remember he hated his name. Most of the class called him Butch. But if someone wanted to rile him they just had to say his real name, and he’d blow up. Here he is.” Ward pointed at a picture. “Cedric Hallis, put his name down.”
“That should be a good start. I’ll call Kel and ask him to check these men out. We can’t be too careful regarding Brittany. We have to begin looking somewhere.” Jared reached for the phone.
Kel answered on the first ring. “Are you two all right?”
“Of course, but we’ve come up with a theory that our shooter is homegrown.” Jared explained why and their idea of having Kel check the three men on their list. He gave Kel the names.
“I don’t mind at all. Britt’s asleep and Boyd’s home to guard the girls. I’ll take my deputy, James, with me. We’ll ride out to where they live. I know Hallis and Dugal. I’ve had a few run-ins with them. I’ve seen Washers in town a few times, and I know where his ranch is located, but I haven’t driven by there recently. I guess since his parents died he’s been living alone out there.”
“Want us to go along?”
“No. This will be a friendly call to look around. The men you’ve mentioned will suspect something’s up if they see you two.”
“I guess you’re right. But it’s hard to sit here and twiddle our thumbs.”
“Don’t you have work to do? Get at it, and let me do my job.” Kel was chuckling when he hung up.
Jared filled Ward in on the other side of the conversation. “He’s right. You want to go out riding with me? We’ll check on some fences.”
“Good physical work may keep me from going crazy sitting around here.”
“Then let’s get busy as Kel suggested.”
Chapter Fourteen
They’d found Hallis and Dugal at the local bar, as Kel had suspected. After a casual conversation, Kel went back out to his patrol car where he’d left James.
“Those two stay so drunk I don’t think they’d be sober long enough to plan a killing. They didn’t get anxious when I walked in, either. Let’s drive on out and check on Washers, although I’m afraid that will be another dead end.”
Kel got in the driver’s seat and headed out of town. When they got close, James reminded him on where to turn. Kel drove down the bumpy road toward the ranch’s cabin, more like a shack. It actually leaned toward the left.
“This doesn’t look like a working ranch. The fields are full of weeds, and the few cattle look underfed,” James commented.
“It’d take him a right good amount of money to get this place up and running again, and if he wanted to sell the property, he wouldn’t get much for it, as is. Mr. Washers must have a great need for money.”
“Still, boss, it doesn’t make sense. Who from New York would know Washers’s financial situation and contact him? And the man’s never been in trouble.”
“That is a good question.” Kel parked by an old, beat-up gray truck. They went to the door, and Kel knocked hard several times.
He heard a stirring, and then the door opened a crack. Clyde Washers had long, stringy hair, overalls that hung on his thin frame, and he smelled of liquor. In spite of hanging on to the door, he swayed.
“What do you want?” He squinted at Kel and the deputy.
“In case you don’t remember me, I’m Kel Reardon, and this is James, my deputy. We were riding around the county and saw your ranch. It looks like you’re having a difficult time. I’d heard your parents died.”
“They were the ranchers, not me. I’m going to put this place up for sale and leave South Dakota forever.”
Kel looked around him. “I don’t think you’ll get much for the place in the shape it’s in.”
“We’ll see. Ain’t none of your business.”
“True. We were being neighborly. Good luck on selling the place and getting out of here. It must be right lonely with the folks gone.”
“I didn’t like it when they were here, but couldn’t leave them. I’m free now. Thanks for the visit.” He shut the door in their faces.
Kel and James didn’t speak until they reached the paved road off the ranch. “There’s a man hurting for money.”
James nodded. “And a hungry man will do most anything to get cash.”
“When I get to the office, I’m going to do some checking on the computer. My gut is giving off all kinds of alarms. I’ll drop you at the ranch. We need to be hyperalert at this point.”
Kel was glad to get to his office. He hadn’t stopped long enough at the ranch to even tell Sondra hello.
His computer was on, and he quickly started searching for information on Clyde Washers. Nothing. The man had lived like a hermit. Still, to get hired from someone in New York he’d have to have contacts. Kel called the judge and explained his problem.
“You have no evidence, Reardon. I can’t give you permission to do a search of his personal phone calls and records. You of all people know we have a lot of weird people in our county. You need to get me more.”
How in the hell am I going to find the evide
nce? I’ll start talking to some of the folks who’ve been here longer than me and know all the residents. And I’ll have one of my deputies guarding his ranch.
Having a plan made Kel feel better. He’d start by calling Jared and Ward, and then he’d speak with Dr. Melwyn and go from there. His gut was telling him they were running out of time.
* * * *
“Hi, Kel. You need more evidence? Sure, we’ll ride out there and check on it for you. I’ll call if we find the bullet.” Jared disconnected the call. “Get your hat. We’re going back out riding. Kel needs the bullet that hit Brittany, for evidence.”
Ward grabbed his hat off the hook by the door and followed Jared out to the barn. They quickly saddled their horses.
“Wait a minute. I’m going to get a ball of twine I have in my office.” Jared knew he had it in his right-hand drawer. Once he put it in his saddlebag, they set off.
“Kel said he wanted to get permission from the court to check Clyde Washers’s phone calls, but he needs something besides a hunch to convince the judge.” Jared glanced across at Ward riding beside him. “Do you remember where you were located when she was hit?”
“Sure. I’m more familiar with that particular area than any other on the ranch. We’ll find the bullet.”
They dismounted after they’d ridden through the trees to the center. Ward walked to the pond and looked around. Then he slowly proceeded to stroll around. Every few seconds he’d stop, study the trees and the angle of the pond.
“This is the place. We sat here, and then she lay down on top of me.”
“Don’t move. I’ll come to you.” Jared joined Ward and studied the trees to the left. “It hit the back of her head when she leaned toward you.” Jared stooped down to about her height and moved his head in the direction of the nearest trees. He nodded to Ward. “Now go straight to where I’m looking and find the spot where the shooter probably stood.”
Ward studied the angle from Jared to the pine trees. He paced a direct path and went into the thicket a bit further. Shortly, he called out. “I think I’ve found where he took the shot. The fallen pine needles looked disturbed. But I don’t see a bullet casing. Either the shooter took it with him, or he had a single-shot rifle.”
Seductive Surrender [Triple Dare County, South Dakota 3] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Polyromance) Page 13
