“How the hell do I know?” Ruby said in an agitated voice.
“Let’s not play these games. I know you and I know you keep tabs on all your girls. If she worked for you, you knew what she was doing. Was she prostituting on the side?”
She crossed her legs and her skirt raised high on her thigh. There was a long hesitation and he wondered if she’d answer. “A lot of my girls need to eat, Sheriff. That’s something you wouldn’t understand. I have a couple of sweet morsels that have a thing for men with a badge. I could introduce you. They’d take care of that stick you have shoved—”
“No thank you.”
Her smile was lethal. “Maybe that’ll change down the road.”
“I’m not here for entertainment, Ruby. I need answers. Who were Susy’s johns?”
She sniffed loudly. “You should go now.” She slid off the stool, but he caught her wrist and she snapped her gaze to his fingers, then back to his face. He was certain that if she had a weapon, he’d be dead.
“Tell me. Who was she sleeping with for money? Did someone kill her because she was going to rat him out, or was it something else? She wrote in her diary that she was afraid. Someone was breaking into her house and following her. That wasn’t the drugs talking, Ruby. You know something. I know you do and I won’t give up until I find out. If you think me coming here today is bad for business, you should see the decline once I start sitting in the parking lot day in and day out.”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“You don’t think?”
“The girl killed herself.”
“No, she didn’t.”
Her bottom lip trembled. “I-I can’t. Don’t do this,” she whispered.
“What are you afraid of?”
“You’re in over your head, Sheriff.” She jerked her wrist free from his hold. “Telling you anything is like signing my death warrant.”
“Then don’t tell me.” He reached for a napkin, dropped it in front of her and tapped the paper.
She looked from the napkin back to him.
Finally, he stood, grabbed his hat and resituated it on his head. “Fine. Maybe it’s time the DCI comes in and checks out this place. I think we have probable cause to get a warrant to search the premises.” He started for the door, getting further this time. He was afraid she was going to let him walk.
“Sheriff?”
He turned. “Yes, Ruby?”
She made her way to him, coming so close that he caught a whiff of her overwhelming scent. She leaned in, pressing her hands on his chest. “Did you say you wanted a private dance?”
He blinked. “No.”
“No? But you said…”
Then he understood. Who was she afraid of overhearing their conversation? Maybe the cameras situated around the room were the issue. She took him by the hand and led him through a side door into a room that was no bigger than a cell. The walls were covered from ceiling to floor in mirrors. She pointed to a chair and then stepped over to a small stereo, flipping on music. Rotating her hips, she moved seductively to the beat. He hoped this led to information because he wasn’t interested in a lap dance, or anything she had to offer.
She glided closer, whirling her assets in his face before sitting on his lap.
“Ruby, I’m not—”
“Shh.” She turned and spread her legs over his lap, sitting across his thighs. “M stands for Mansfield,” she whispered.
Kace flinched. “Mansfield? He branded women?”
“Is that so hard to believe? He likes things a little kinky—a little young and kinky. He brands them so that everyone knows who they belong to. He’s a bit greedy.”
“I can’t believe this. I know him—”
“His hands are dirty, Sheriff. He coached me on what to say in my statement and I did as he asked in exchange that he would leave me and my girls alone.”
“But…”
She slid off his lap and stepped over to the radio, flipping a switch. “Your time is up, Sheriff. Now go, please.”
“Ruby?”
“Do I need to call in my bouncers?” she warned.
Clenching his jaw, he got up from the chair and left the room, knowing he wasn’t going to get any more information.
Once he was outside, he reached for his phone and dialed a familiar number. Deputy Payne answered on the second ring. “Meet me at Mansfield’s…yeah…it’s going to be messy.”
Chapter 19
KACE STOOD AT the doorway to the cabin where Mansfield lived on almost forty acres. When the man didn’t answer, Kace tried the doorknob and it was unlocked. “Mansfield? You here?”
“Back here, Cade.”
Following the hallway, Kace stepped into the large office. Mansfield sat behind his desk.
Kace didn’t have time to observe any of the pictures or decorations on the wall. All he could see was the gun that Mansfield had pressed against his temple. Kace pulled his own weapon and aimed it at the floor. “Drop the weapon, Mansfield.”
The man chuckled. “I’ve been waiting for you, son.”
“Did Ruby call you and warn you that I was coming to see you?” Kace stayed in the threshold of the door, his back pressed against the wooden frame. Hearing Payne’s footsteps approaching quickly, Kace motioned for his deputy to hang back. “All I want to do is ask you some questions, buddy. Plain and simple. You know the drill.”
“I had a premonition that my life would be shortened when I lost the Sheriff’s race.” He leaned back, keeping the gun in place.
“Come on, man. Stop talking like that. Tell me your side of the story.”
Mansfield laughed. “My story? Hmm. Well, it won’t matter one way or another. I know you and I had our differences, but in all truth, I liked you, Cade. You remind me a lot of myself back when I was younger. I had my morals and values and I wanted to see changes in this town.” He shrugged a shoulder. “It always gets to you, son.” He cocked the gun. “The bullshit always gets you.”
“No, Mansfield. Don’t do it. Stop!”
“Kiss that pretty Posey girl goodbye because she’s fucked.”
Bang!
Mansfield fell over.
“Fuck!” Kace blew out a long breath, holstering his weapon and turning to a wide-eyed Jake. “Get an ambulance here.” Although Kace knew it was too late.
~~**~~
Tyler looked up from her father’s bedside just as Kace stepped into the hospital room. She got up from the plastic chair and stepped into his arms, pressing her cheek against his shoulder. He held her close, kissing the top of her head. “Mildred told me he had a heart attack. Is he okay?”
She pulled back, looking at him through moist eyelashes. She’d finally stopped crying but seeing Kace the tears wanted to start again. “The doctor has him sedated to keep him relaxed. They’ve run some tests and we’re waiting for answers to see if he needs surgery. I don’t know what happened, but he was on the phone and then collapsed.”
“Hey, Rogue,” Kace said.
Rogue stood up and held out his hand to Kace. “Hey, man. Kace, why don’t you take Tyler out and grab her some coffee. She’s been here for a few hours and she needs a break.”
“I-I won’t go anywhere,” she muttered.
“He’s sleeping, Sassy. He won’t wake up while you’re gone, but if he does I’ll come and get you right away,” Rogue said.
Her shoulders slumped. “Okay, as long as you promise to get me if you hear anything.”
Rogue kissed her cheek. “Take a break.”
She stepped out of the room with Kace, his large hand on the small of her back which comforted her some. “He’s too young for this.”
“He’s been under a lot of stress.” Kace sighed. “With Susy’s death and the issues on the ranch with Bane.”
“You’re right. I feel so guilty. I’m partly to blame for this. I’ve been selfish and stubborn.”
He brought her in for another hug, holding her tight. “You can’t blame yourself”
“He�
��ll be okay. I know he will be. He has to be,” she muttered against his shoulder.
“Have you eaten?”
She took a step back and wrapped her arms around her waist to ease the butterflies. “I couldn’t eat anything, but I could use coffee.”
He nodded. “You take a seat and I’ll grab us both a cup. I could use one too.”
She sat down and watched him leave, then pressed her face into her palms, when she heard… “Ms. Posey. I do hope your father is better.”
Bringing her head up, she gritted her teeth. Standing over her was none other than Bane himself. “What are you doing here?” Seeing him made her anger rise.
“I came to pay my respects. It’s the neighborly thing to do.” One corner of his mouth lifted in a grin that made her want to vomit.
Not liking that he was standing over her in a domineering fashion, she stood and, although he still stood at least four inches taller than her, she felt better. “If you’re here hoping that he died you’re out of luck.” She crossed her arms over her chest, mostly to keep her hands to herself. The urge to slap the man was strong.
“Now, now, young lady. I don’t mean your father any harm. In fact, I’d like to reach out and offer my help.” He scratched his temple.
“The only help my family needs from you is for you to move the hell out of Bohannan. Better yet, out of Wyoming.” She tilted her jaw stubbornly.
Bane laughed, then said, “You shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds you.” He pushed his hat further up on his forehead.
“What are you talking about?”
“Soon you’ll be begging me to take the ranch off your hands. You’re losing cattle, my dear.”
“Because you’re stealing them.”
He acted offended. “Me? Stealing? You don’t think I need to steal livestock, do you? But if your father won’t keep up on the maintenance of his fence, I can’t help that a few stray cattle mosey on over to my land. They like it better.”
She blinked. Was he serious? “You should leave.”
“Not before I make an offer.”
“You can stick that offer where the sun doesn’t—”
“Tsk. Tsk. What anger you have, Ms. Posey.” He smiled and took several steps, then turned. “Isn’t it odd that we’ve had two calamities today. Poor Mansfield. He just couldn’t handle the pressure of what he did to your sister.”
It took her a good minute to wrap her mind around what Bane said, and before she could ask him, he was on the elevator. He gave her a cocky wave as the doors closed. She dropped down onto the chair.
“Here’s your coffee.”
Looking up, she met Kace’s gaze. His brows scrunched. “What’s wrong? Is everything okay?”
“What happened to Kyle Mansfield? And what did Bane mean that Mansfield couldn’t take the pressure of what he did to my sister?”
Kace frowned, placed the cups on the table and took the seat next to her. She saw the concerned lines around his eyes. “Bane was here?”
“Tell me what he meant.”
He dragged off his hat and hooked it on his knee. “We got a clue today that Mansfield was involved in Susy’s death, but before I could validate the information, he shot himself.”
“He killed Susy? He shot himself?”
“It hasn’t been confirmed about Susy, Tyler. I was coming to see you when Mildred called me about your father. I wanted to be the one who told you.”
She clasped her hands tight in her lap. “You were coming to tell me?”
He nodded. “As of right now, it looks like the brand on your sister was an M for Mansfield, but I’m not convinced.”
Chapter 20
HE SWALLOWED AGAINST the constriction in his throat, feeling his heart plunge into his stomach.
“What do you mean? Isn’t Mansfield shooting himself a confession?”
He stared at Tyler’s pale complexion, wishing he could give her all the answers so she could find closure. He just didn’t have them yet. “No, it’s not, Tyler. It just doesn’t make sense.”
“I want to know everything, Kace. I have the right to know. I need to know. What were you told about Mansfield and my sister?” Her bottom lip trembled.
Swiping a hand down his face, he sighed. “I’ll tell you what I know right now, which isn’t much. Whatever Mansfield knew about your sister, he didn’t want to divulge. I linked another mysterious death back to a young woman who had the same brand marked on her body that Susy did.”
“Another death? Was her death made to look like a suicide too?”
“No. An overdose, but there were clues that made it look suspicious. The case was dropped.”
“Let me guess. By Mansfield?”
“Yes.”
“He was guilty. All fingers are pointing at him.”
“Maybe, but before he pulled the trigger he said something that has me stumped. He said that you are in trouble, Tyler.”
“How?”
“He didn’t go into detail.”
Her eyes widened slightly. “He’s only saying that because that was the type of man he was. He needed to give one last hoorah. Why would he want Susy dead?”
He leaned his elbows on his knees. “Allegedly, Susy was into prostitution. He marked his girls.”
Several pained expressions flickered across his face. “That’s not true. She wouldn’t sleep with a man like Mansfield.”
“Tyler—”
She stood and crossed her arms. “I can’t believe it.”
“Can’t or won’t? She was working as a stripper because she needed the money for drugs. She wouldn’t be the first. I’m sorry, but it’s true. Even notations in her diary point to the facts. In the meantime, I’m not closing this case. Not quite yet. I’m in this for the long haul.” Seeing her curious expression, he laid a hand on her knee. “What is it?”
“Do you think Bane could be involved in some way? I just don’t know what it is, but he can’t be trusted.”
He blew out a long breath. “Bane wants your father’s land, but what would he have to gain from Susy’s death? That wouldn’t have any influence over your father selling the ranch.”
She shrugged. “I don’t know, but I don’t like him. When he’s near me, he is so smug and cocky, as if he knows something I don’t.”
Kace wrapped his head around her words. “Bane is a lot of things, but I don’t see the connection.” He stood and took her hand, holding it between his. She seemed so small, so fragile, and yet he knew she had more spunk and strength than he could imagine. “But I won’t let him near you again. I promise.”
She met his gaze and his heart hitched. “I’m not afraid of him, Kace.”
“I didn’t say you were, but I don’t want him harassing you. My job is to protect you.”
Her shoulders slumped some. A suspicious moisture filled her eyes. “Thank you.” She lifted her hand to cup his cheek. “I feel safer having you near me. I trust you, but I don’t know if we’ll ever truly find out what happened to Susy. I didn’t know she was involved in so many bad things. I should have never left her, never left Bohannan.”
He could hear the heaviness in her tone. “You shouldn’t worry about the case right now. Let me handle things on this end and you concentrate on your father. He needs you right now.” Kace wanted to tell her how much he also needed her, but he didn’t want to lay too much on her shoulders at once.
After the day he had, after watching Mansfield use his gun, Kace knew more than ever he needed to find answers. Although it would be easy to push the blame of Susy’s death onto Mansfield, it just didn’t fit. Kace knew that cases didn’t always fit into a perfect puzzle, but he was also a good judge of character. He and Mansfield had their differences, probably didn’t even like each other much, but there was so much more to this story. Kace only wished the man had been brave enough to fill in all the blanks.
Eventually, Kace would pay Ruby another visit. Why would she point the finger at Mansfield and then call to warn him? It was as if she k
new what he would do.
“Ms. Posey?” The doctor stepped into the lobby.
She turned. “Do you have news?”
“We aren’t going to schedule him for surgery yet. We’ll know tomorrow. In the meantime, why don’t you and your brother go home and get some rest. Your father will need you in the morning after we lift the sedatives.”
Kace stepped next to Tyler, placing his arm around her waist for comfort. “He’s right, Tyler. Let me take you home.”
“Will a nurse call me if there are any changes?”
“Of course.” The doctor patted her hand. “But your dad is strong and he’s a fighter. We have every reason to believe he’ll pull through.”
~~**~~
“Here you go.”
Tyler took the cup Kace offered her and she looked down into the tea, wishing she could see into the future— wishing she could find the answers that her sister so deserved. Tyler would love to be able to give her dad answers too.
Kace sat down next to her hip on the bed. He looked at her with such concern and emotion that her heart melted in her chest. How could he make her feel as if life was good even when there were so many troubles surrounding her? Wasn’t that what love could do for a person? Make them forget their problems? Make them feel better? “Thank you, Kace.”
“For what, sweetheart?” he asked in a soft voice.
“For being here for me.” She rolled her finger around the rim of the cup.
“Where else would I be?”
“Working.”
“Sure but keeping you safe and comforting you takes top priority.” He shifted and leaned his elbows on his thighs. “I could get used to this. Having you needing me.”
She brought the cup to her lips and sipped, savoring the sweet tea. This gave her some time to envelope what he’d just admitted. “Wow. So, you want someone to need you?”
“I want you to need me. Not just anyone would do.”
She cupped his cheek, feeling his whiskers rasp her palm. “What exactly are you saying?” Would they do this right now?
“I realize now might not be the best time, but I’ve put a lot of thought into this. You and I—” His cell rang from the night stand. “Shit!”
Claimed by the Lawman (Lawmen of Wyoming Book 4) Page 16
