Texas Sheriff's Deadly Mission

by Karen Whiddon

  Rayna pulled up to the Landshark Motel, with its kitschy lighted sign featuring a blue shark with legs carrying a suitcase. Coasting to a stop near Parker’s room, she saw him come outside.

  She caught her breath at the sight of him, with the sun glinting off his dark hair. He wore shades, which made him look sexy as hell. A shiver snaked up her spine and her mouth went dry, just looking at him.

  Sam shot her an amused look, as if he knew. He opened the passenger door and got out. “You can ride shotgun,” he told Parker. “I’ve changed my mind about going.”

  “What?” Both Rayna and Parker spoke at the same time.

  Sam shrugged. “I’m tired. I’m going to go take a nap. I’d only be a major distraction anyway.” He winked at Rayna, though Parker probably saw. “You two have fun without me.” He took off, shooting a jaunty grin at Parker as he sailed past him.

  A moment later, Parker got in the front seat of her car. “What was that all about?” he asked, eyeing Sam’s back as the older man all but fled toward the back of the motel.

  “I’m not sure,” Rayna replied grimly. “Though I suspect he thinks he’s matchmaking. All the way over here, he sang your praises.”

  Parker groaned. “Sorry about that. He’s got a good heart, but you already know that.”

  “New sunglasses?” she asked, shifting into Drive and easing out from the parking lot.

  “Yeah.” His grin made him look even sexier. How that was possible, she didn’t know. “I dropped my other pair when I got off the bike this morning. So I got these.”

  Since all she could think about was how badly she wanted to kiss him, of course she had to get herself back on track. “Here’s what I plan to do today,” she said, her tone brisk and businesslike. “I’ve got a list of people I want to question. The important thing is not to make them feel as if they are suspects.”

  “I’ve heard. Sam mentioned that at breakfast.”

  “Right.” She cleared her throat. “Anyway, I’d really prefer that you don’t participate in the questioning. I’m allowing you to accompany me as a ride-along, but you’re a civilian. If I were to allow you to ask questions, we could have a real problem making any charges stick later. Okay?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he drawled. “Sam already briefed me.”

  “Then I guess I need to be grateful to Sam.”

  Leaving town, they traveled down the two-lane road, turning left onto a gravel lane marked with a sign that read FM3343. They turned into a long driveway and drove through a set of rusted wrought-iron gates, pulling up in front of a well-kept older house with overgrown hedges.

  “This,” she said, turning to face Parker after she killed the engine, “is where the most famous resident of Getaway lives. Myrna Maple, the advice columnist.”

  He gaped. “We’re going to meet her? I remember always trying to run into her around town as a kid, but it seemed like no one ever saw her. When I got older, I tried to find out where she lived, but she must have taken great care to stay hidden. Nicole wanted to meet her more than anything.”

  “She likes her privacy.” Getting out of the car, she waited for him to catch up. “I’ve only met her a couple of times myself, and both of those were before I became sheriff.”

  “And why are we questioning her?”

  “We’re questioning just about everyone,” she said. “Or at least as many people as we can get to this time. I decided to take everyone who lived on ranches, farms or large properties outside of downtown.”

  As they stepped up onto the front porch, a stocky middle-aged man in denim overalls came outside to meet them. “Can I help you?” he asked, his expression curious.

  “Phillip Maple?” Rayna held out her hand. “I believe we’ve met once or twice.”

  “Yes.” He shook, his grip light, as if he was afraid of hurting her. She liked a firm handshake herself, but she understood how some men thought.

  “Is your mother home?” she asked.

  “She is, but has taken to her bed.” He stepped closer, invading Rayna’s personal space. It took all her willpower not to step back. “My mother is quite elderly,” he continued. “As I’m sure you know. She’s been feeling poorly, and is spending a lot of time sleeping. I’m afraid she’s not up to any visitors today.”

  “I understand.” Rayna crossed her arms, mentally urging him to back away. “Do you mind if I ask you a few questions instead?”

  Apparently, this so startled him that he took an involuntary step back. “About what?”

  She pulled the photograph of Nicole from her shirt pocket. “This young woman disappeared. We haven’t found her vehicle or anything, but we’re going around asking everyone if they’d seen her.”

  Barely glancing at the picture, he shook his head. “Sorry. I rarely go into town, and when I do it’s just to pick up supplies. I don’t do much socializing.”

  She moved the photo closer to him. “Maybe you might have seen her broken down on one of the back roads around here?”

  Finally, he accepted the pic, holding it gingerly in between his thick fingers. “She’s very pretty,” he mused. “I think I’d remember if I saw a woman who looked like that. I’m sorry. I wish I could help you.” He handed the photo back. “Tell you what—if I do see her, I’ll be sure to call.”

  “Thank you.” Eyeing Parker, she turned to go. Halfway down the front porch steps, she turned back. “How long has it been since your mother was in town?”

  He shrugged. “Months. She’s elderly and can barely walk. It’s easier for her to stay home.”

  “Is she still writing her column?”

  For the first time since they arrived, Phillip appeared abashed. “Actually, no. Not entirely. I write it and then she edits before we send it in. It’s a collaboration. I can’t let her stop yet. That column pays the bills.”

  “You don’t work?” she asked, inwardly wincing at the rudeness of her question. “I mean, I know this isn’t a working farm or ranch. I thought maybe you might have a side hustle, too.”

  “A side hustle?” Pursing his lips, he mouthed the word as if he found it distasteful. “No, that I definitely do not have. I take care of Mother. I wouldn’t be able to leave her for long. She is my full-time job.”

  “Understood.” Rayna dipped her chin. “It was nice meeting you. Thank you for your time.”

  Phillip remained standing on his front porch, watching as she and Parker got in the car. She backed up and turned around, all the while silently considering the interaction as she drove them back down the rutted gravel road.

  “He’s a strange one, isn’t he?” Parker finally asked.

  “Yes.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Not very friendly, but most likely harmless. He keeps busy taking care of his mother, which is admirable.”

  “Especially since Myrna Maple is a national treasure. Her advice columns have been syndicated for as long as I can remember.”

  They hit up five more farms before they drove to the Sanders place, which would be their last one of the day. Ted Sanders seemed honestly happy to see them, though his twin teenage daughters frowned and disappeared into their rooms.

  “They’re unhappy because I’ve been super strict on them ever since those two bodies were found,” Ted explained. “It’s rough, but I can’t take a chance of some sicko getting ahold of either of them. They seem to think carrying their phone with them at all times keeps them safe, but you and I both know that’s not the case.”

  Something about the way he worded that last statement had her wondering if Old Man Malone had spilled the beans about finding Nicole’s phone.

  “I’m wondering if either of the girls might have heard anything,” Rayna explained. “Teens gossip as much as adults. Would you mind asking them to come out here for a moment to talk to me?”

  Ted scratched his head. “Sure. No problem.” Putting two fin
gers in his mouth, he blew an ear-piercing whistle.

  Rayna exchanged an amused glance with Parker, who appeared startled.

  The girls appeared instantly. Judging from their sullen expressions, they weren’t happy about being summoned.

  “Girls, the sheriff here wants to ask you a few questions,” Ted said. Instantly, the twins froze.

  “Come on, Yvonne and Yolanda,” Rayna said. “I’ve known the two of you since you were little girls. Why are you acting like you think I’m about to arrest you? Have you done something wrong that I don’t know about?”

  Still silent, they both shook their heads, cutting their eyes back to their father. Both wore heavy mascara and eyeliner, along with a dark purple lipstick that was not the right shade for their fair complexions.

  Right then, Rayna decided she’d have better results if she talked to them privately. “Ted, would you mind if me and the girls went for a quick walk? You and Parker here could talk about sports or whatever.”

  This last comment made the girls giggle. “The only sports dad likes are bull riding and NASCAR,” Yvonne said. She glanced shyly at Parker, almost as if she might be beginning a crush.

  Clearly oblivious, Parker brightened. “I love NASCAR.”

  “You do?” Yvonne sounded disappointed.

  “I do,” Parker answered firmly. Through all this, Yolanda kept her eyes studiously averted from Parker, which struck Rayna as odd.

  “You girls go walk. The two of us will be fine.” Ted waved them away. “We’ll be right here waiting for y’all to get back.” He turned to Parker. “How about a beer while we talk drivers?”

  “Sounds good.”

  The two men headed into the kitchen.

  “Let’s go.” Rayna led the girls outside. “Would you rather sit out here on the front porch or take a stroll down the road?”

  Again, the twins looked at each other before answering, making Rayna wonder if they had some kind of silent code.

  “We’re good either way,” Yolanda finally answered. Yvonne nodded, still silent.

  Though the porch swing looked inviting, Rayna suspected they might open up more if they were away from their house. “Let’s take a walk. Maybe you two can show me around your farm.”

  Yvonne made a face. “There’s nothing to see. Pigs and cows, mud and poop. Even the chickens stink. You wouldn’t like it, I promise.”

  “I’ll take you at your word.” Rayna made a quick about-face. “Then we’ll go this way. Walk down the drive until we reach the road and then come back.”

  The identical expressions on both girl’s faces told her they thought that idea would be pointless.

  “Humor me,” Rayna said. “Come on. Let’s go.” She took off, trusting they’d follow. After a moment, they shuffled along after her.

  She walked until she stood in the shade of a massive cedar tree. “This is pretty,” she said, looking out over the pastures from the slight rise in the land.

  When they caught up with her, they both looked around, disinterest plain on their young faces.

  “What did you want to talk to us about?” Yolanda finally asked, jamming her hands into her jean pockets.

  “I’m sure by now you’ve heard of the two murdered bodies we found, right?”

  “Of course.” Yvonne shuffled her feet. “That’s all anyone talks about at school. It made my dad so worried, he changed our curfew and now he monitors all our activities. Thanks to this, we’re literally prisoners.”

  “Literally,” Yolanda agreed. “It’s awful.”

  “No, what’s awful is getting strangled and then buried in a shallow grave,” Rayna said. “I need to know if any of the kids are talking about something that might be related to this. Like a new guy Snapchatting them, wanting to meet. Someone no one knows, but who might paint himself as hot.”

  Yvonne frowned. “An older guy?”

  “Maybe. Or even the same age.”

  “We haven’t seen anything like that,” Yolanda interjected, her color high. This of course made Rayna suspicious.

  “Are you sure?” Rayna asked, staring directly at Yolanda.

  “Positive,” Yvonne insisted, clearly covering for her sister. “But we promise to tell you if we do.”

  Short of badgering the teens, that was all she could hope for. “Thanks, girls.” They turned to make their way back to the house.

  Right before they reached the front porch, Rayna lightly touched Yolanda’s shoulder, which startled her. “Sweetie,” Rayna said, keeping her voice soft. “Here’s my card. If you think of anything you want to tell me, anything you might have forgotten, just give me a call.” Turning to Yvonne, she also handed her a card. “Ditto for you.”

  Both girls mumbled their thanks. They stepped inside the house and took off for their bedroom.

  Rayna found Parker and Ted in the kitchen, sitting at the table, laughing and drinking beer.

  “Want one, Rayna?” Ted asked, smiling broadly.

  She shook her head. “Sorry, I can’t. I’m still on duty.”

  Parker stood, draining the last of his can. “Are you ready to go?”

  “Yes.” She looked at Ted. “Thank you for letting me talk to your girls.”

  “No problem. And Parker, come back whenever you want. It’s been a while since I had someone to watch NASCAR with.”

  “I just might take you up on that,” Parker said.

  Once they were inside the car, he glanced back at the farmhouse. “Hell of a nice guy. It’s got to be hard, raising two teenage daughters on his own.”

  “I agree. I’ve always respected that about him.”

  Her cell phone rang just as she turned on to the highway. “It’s the FBI,” she told Parker, right before she answered. “Sheriff Coombs.”

  “Sheriff Coombs, it’s Special Agent in Charge Prado. Our profiler has finished working up a composite of what you’re looking for. I’ve emailed it to you.”

  “Great. I’m not in the office right now, so can you tell me over the phone?”

  “To be honest, it’s a profile similar to those of ninety percent of serial killers. Middle-aged white male, likely a social misfit, can be charming and sociable when he wants to be, though he tends to keep to himself. Might be slightly overweight or underweight, etc. You know the drill.”

  She did. She’d done extensive reading on serial killers when she first became a law enforcement officer. “Thanks, Prado. I’ll be in touch if we learn anything new.”

  “You do that. Keep in mind, since you’ve located two of his bodies—which most likely aren’t the only ones—he’s either going to do one of two things. Lay low for a while, or ramp up the killing.” Prado gave a humorless laugh. “Which tells us exactly nothing.”

  Rayna relayed the information to Parker, her voice grim.

  He cursed, his frustration evident. “Sometimes it feels like we’re just going in circles.”

  They reached the Landshark and she pulled up without parking. “I’m going to leave you here,” she said. “I need to stop back at the office and do some paperwork.”

  “Okay.” He leaned over and gave her a quick, casual kiss on the lips. Every instinct she had made her long to deepen it, but she resisted. Still, she sat in the car, mouth burning, and watched until Parker disappeared inside his room.

  Her phone rang just after she dropped Parker off. To her surprise, it was Ted Sanders. “Listen, Rayna,” he began, concern deepening his voice. “Yolanda has something she’d wants to say to you.”

  Intrigued, Rayna waited while he passed the phone to his daughter. “You asked if there’d been a new guy contacting any of the girls in my class,” she began. “That man you brought with you today...my dad says his name is Parker Norton.”

  “That’s right. Why?”

  “Because he’s been trying to Snapchat and Viber with several
of my friends.” She swallowed, the sound audible. “He’s hot, though I’m sure you already know that. And he and I have been getting really close, which is why I was surprised to see him today.” She sounded as if she was about to cry. “But I wanted to tell you, in case he’s the serial killer.”

  Feeling queasy, Rayna thanked her. A moment later, Ted came on. “What are you going to do about this?” he demanded. “Even if that Parker guy isn’t the murderer, he’s way too old to be contacting teenage girls. I can’t believe I sat and had a beer with him. Sicko.”

  “Agreed.” Rayna took a deep breath, her heart pounding, trying to think rationally. “There’s always a chance someone is using a photo of him as their profile picture. He might not even be aware.”

  “True. But then again, he might be guilty as hell.” Anger simmered in Ted’s voice. “Promise me you’ll take care of this.”

  “Believe me, I will,” Rayna said grimly. “I’m on my way back to his motel to have a talk with him right now.”

  Chapter 11

  Parker had just turned on the television when a series of furious, sharp knocks sounded on his door. He checked through the peephole, surprised to see Rayna outside.

  “What did you forget?” he asked, opening the door. As usual, just the sight of her hit him like a punch to the gut. All swirling red hair, flashing green eyes and the most kissable lips he’d ever seen, even if they were pursed in a tight line at the moment.

  “Rayna? What’s going on?”

  She stormed into his room, expression furious. “I just got a phone call from one of the Sanders twins.”

  “Okay.” Crossing his arms, he waited for her to say more.

  Instead, she held up her hand. “I need a moment.” Turning her back to him, she took several deep breaths. When she turned back around, her expression had gone deadly calm, though a combination of hurt and anger blazed from her beautiful green eyes.

  Stunned, he reached for her. She twisted away, clearly avoiding him. “Rayna, what is it? What’s wrong?”