by Liliana Hart
“I sure hope for your sake there aren’t any snakes out here,” Hank said as he withdrew his new .45 caliber pistol. “I’m going to shoot it and then you.”
“Y’all relax,” Coil said, laughing. “They can sense fear.”
Agatha wasn’t laughing.
“If you’re done snapping nature photography, I’d like to go down and take a look,” Hank said.
Agatha stuck out her tongue at him and let her camera drop against her chest.
While Coil seemed to navigate the slippery canopy of leaves, branches, and mud just fine in his favorite cowboy boots, Agatha managed to windmill her way down with all the grace of a camel wearing ice skates. But at least she ended up on two feet instead of her rear end.
“In all seriousness,” Coil said. “Y’all do need to keep an eye out for rattlers. They’re not as feisty now as they will be once the weather warms up, but they might still nip ya.”
“Geez, if I’d known this I wouldn’t have agreed to come,” Agatha said. “I do not like snakes.”
“Girl, didn’t you grow up out here in Bell County? You know good and well about these Texas rattlers.”
“That’s why I went to school in Fort Worth. They don’t have any snakes. Except in the dormitories, if you know what I mean.” She tried to joke away her desire to run panicking from the scene.
Agatha brushed away at the grime she’d picked up on her clothes. It wasn’t that she was averse to getting a little dirty, but this area was unlike any place she’d ever seen. She shivered once they descended into the moist, boggy pit.
Even the sun’s earliest light avoided the very bottom of the recessed land. Had it not been for the gashes against dirt made from a young boy’s knobby motorcycle tires, the only evidence of human visitation would’ve been the haunting hallow bones of what was once somebody’s body.
“You want to snap a few pics before we move anything?” Hank asked her.
Agatha couldn’t break her gaze from the bones and the glimmering glimpses of gold. She was anxious to discover what was beneath the bones, but they were going to work this by the book. That meant a meticulous documentation of the crime scene. So she put on her brakes, and lifted her camera to begin dissecting the scene in framed photos.
“What do you think happened?” Coil asked Hank.
“He was shot from up top while he was in the process of hiding that gold. Whoever shot him didn’t realize what he was doing. Then Beau fell backward and his body covered whatever it was he was up to.”
“Beau?” Agatha asked.
“Yeah, it’s right there on his vest.”
“Good eye, Hank. That’s why I have you two officially assigned to the case.”
“Officially assigned?” Agatha asked.
“Is that a problem? It’s an old case, and you guys are perfect for this. I thought you had one more book to write on your contract. It’s a cold case we didn’t know we had. And it’s all yours.”
“I’m not sure I like the idea of being officially assigned,” she said.
“Why not?” Hank asked.
“Because I can’t pay you for consulting services if we’re working together in an official, yet voluntary capacity.”
“Oh, yeah,” Hank said. “That is a bad thing.”
“No kidding,” she said, eyes gleaming with good humor. “It also means you’re not working for me, so I don’t get to boss you around like the hired hand you are.”
“I think she set you up, old man,” Coil said.
“Old man? You see this body?” Hank reared up and flexed his biceps. “I’m back in top shape, buddy.”
“Well, I was going to comment on your getting back in shape until I saw you huffing and puffing down that ravine,” Coil said.
“I’m not a fan of cardio, but it doesn’t take a Gene Simmons to solve this case.”
“Gene Simmons?” Agatha asked, confused.
“Yeah, the little exercise dude.”
“Oh,” Coil said, laughing. “You mean Richard Simmons.”
“Whoever it is, this case will be solved in no time.”
“What’s your rush?” Agatha asked.
“The weather is getting decent and I’ve not had any saddle time on my new Harley Davidson that Santa brought for Christmas.”
“Oh right, the motorcycle.” Agatha rolled her eyes.
“Y’all are like an old married couple,” Coil said.
“So how do you know that’s what happened to Beau?” Agatha asked, changing the subject.
Hank looked around carefully before grabbing a willowy stick from the ground. He pointed it toward the skeleton’s skull before poking its craggy edge into a small hole.
“Trajectory. You can see based on the small caliber bullet hole in his head, that a shot came from above and traveled in a downward path. He didn’t crumble or twist when shot. He fell straight back. That’s why his skeleton is in basic alignment. I’d guess animals tore at him a bit, but this vegetation is so gnarled I doubt any big animal would’ve gotten to him. Maybe rats.”
“Makes perfect sense,” Coil said. “Keep going.”
Hank took a drink from his bottle of water and tugged at a rag in his pocket to wipe his brow. Agatha watched the way he processed things. Hank could just bulldoze his way through a theory, but he was careful. Always careful.
“Someone had to have followed him out here,” he said. “No way they just walked up on him. My guess? It was a female?”
“That’s kinda sexist, isn’t it?” Agatha asked.
“When did you become a feminist?” Coil asked.
Agatha snorted at Coil, “I’m just curious how he knew.”
“If a guy was following him to steal the gold, why would he have left the gold? Also, a guy would’ve climbed down here to bury Beau, or at least cover him up. But if his woman thought he was meeting a lover in the woods, it’d be natural for her to follow him.”
“With a gun?” Agatha asked.
“He was shot with a small caliber, like a twenty-two. It wouldn’t be uncommon for a woman to grab a small rifle before wandering off into these woods.”
“Maybe it wasn’t his wife,” Coil suggested. “He’s got no ring.”
“We might find a ring once we excavate the body. But if he was an outlaw, it’s not always common to wear a wedding ring. And that’s not being sexist, it’s being real.”
“You got a team coming out to do the excavation?” she asked Coil.
Coil unzipped the black bag and an assortment of tools fell loose.
“Honey, you’re looking at it.”
Liliana and I have loved sharing these stories in our Harley & Davidson Mystery Series with you.
There are many more adventures to be had for Aggie and Hank. Make sure you stay up to date with life in Rusty Gun, Texas by signing up for our emails.
Thanks again and please be sure to leave a review where you bought each story and, recommend the series to your friends.
Kindly,
Scott & Liliana
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Also by Liliana Hart
The MacKenzies of Montana
Dane’s Return
Thomas’s Vow
Riley’s Sanctuary
Cooper’s Promise
Grant’s Christmas Wish
The MacKenzies Boxset
MacKenzie Security Series
Seduction and Sapphires
Shadows and Silk
Secrets and Satin
Sins and Scarlet Lace
Sizzle
Crave
Trouble Maker
Scorch
MacKenzie Security
Omnibus 1
MacKenzie Security Omnibus 2
JJ Graves Mystery Series
Dirty Little Secrets
A Dirty Shame
Dirty Rotten Scoundrel
Down and Dirty
Dirty Deeds
Dirty Laundry
Dirty Money
A Dirty Job
Addison Holmes Mystery Series
Whiskey Rebellion
Whiskey Sour
Whiskey For Breakfast
Whiskey, You’re The Devil
Whiskey on the Rocks
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
Whiskey and Gunpowder
Books by Liliana Hart and Scott Silverii
The Harley and Davidson Mystery Series
The Farmer’s Slaughter
A Tisket a Casket
I Saw Mommy Killing Santa Claus
Get Your Murder Running
Deceased and Desist
Malice In Wonderland
Tequila Mockingbird
Gone With the Sin
The Gravediggers
The Darkest Corner
Gone to Dust
Say No More
Lawmen of Surrender (MacKenzies-1001 Dark Nights)
1001 Dark Nights: Captured in Surrender
1001 Dark Nights: The Promise of Surrender
Sweet Surrender
Dawn of Surrender
The MacKenzie World (read in any order)
Trouble Maker
Bullet Proof
Deep Trouble
Delta Rescue
Desire and Ice
Rush
Spies and Stilettos
Wicked Hot
Hot Witness
Avenged
Never Surrender
Stand Alone Titles
Breath of Fire
Kill Shot
Catch Me If You Can
All About Eve
Paradise Disguised
Island Home
The Witching Hour
Also by Scott Silverii
Books by Liliana Hart and Scott Silverii
The Harley and Davidson Mystery Series
The Farmer’s Slaughter
A Tisket a Casket
I Saw Mommy Killing Santa Claus
Get Your Murder Running
Deceased and Desist
Malice in Wonderland
Tequila Mockingbird
Gone With the Sin
American Police & Military Heroes series
Call Of Duty
FAST
Rapid Fire
End Of Watch
A DEA Undercover Thriller series
SAINT
JUSTICE
SINNER
Cajun Murder Mystery Short-Story Series
By The Numbers (#1)
The Shepherd (#2)
Geaux Tiger (#3)
Cajun Cooking (#4)
Crooked Cross (#5)
Cracked Cross (#6)
Double Cross (#7)
Creole Crossroads (#8)
Bayou Backslide: Special Novella Edition
Bayou Roux: The Complete First Season
F.O.R.C.E Adventure Series
The Darkest Hour
Split Second
New York Minute
Liliana Hart is a New York Times, USAToday, and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of more than sixty titles. After starting her first novel her freshman year of college, she immediately became addicted to writing and knew she’d found what she was meant to do with her life. She has no idea why she majored in music.
Since publishing in June 2011, Liliana has sold more than six-million books. All three of her series have made multiple appearances on the New York Times list.
Liliana can almost always be found at her computer writing, hauling five kids to various activities, or spending time with her husband. She calls Texas home.
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Liliana’s writing partner and husband, Scott Silverii blends over 25 years of heart-stopping policing Special Operations experience.
From deep in the heart of south Louisiana’s Cajun Country, his action-packed writing style is seasoned by the Mardi Gras, hurricanes and crawfish étouffée.
Don’t let the easy Creole smile fool you. The author served most of a highly decorated career in SOG buying dope, banging down doors, and busting bad guys.
Bringing characters to life based on those amazing experiences, Scott writes it like he lived it.
Lock and Load – Let’s Roll.
