Dead Eye

by Carolina Mac

  “Guess so,” said Farrell. “We might all end up connected in one big mess of grenades and blasting caps.”

  “Hope they do run straight to him,” said Blaine. “That will prove the connection right there, else why would Leggatt’s cowboys who know nothing about any guns under their kitchen table run straight to the next guy up the food chain.?”

  “Yeah,” said Farrell, “when they should be running straight to the border or home to their mamas.”

  “Exactly.”

  AFTER DINNER, Blaine settled in to do more in-depth research. That’s what he called it, but others called it ‘hacking’. Whatever. To each his own. He printed off key pages, then called the Governor.

  “You weren’t in bed were you?”

  “No, doing my after-dinner reading. I usually fall asleep it’s so boring.”

  “Tomorrow when you get to the office, do me a favor?”

  “Sure, honey. What do you need?”

  “See if Mrs. Warburton can get a copy of Royce’s schedule for the next week and have her send it to my phone.”

  “Got something in mind?”

  “Not yet. Taking a drive up to his ranch tomorrow. Scenic tour, that’s all it is.”

  “He’s probably in DC,” said Catherine. “At least he should be until they break.”

  “Maybe they let him out early. Do you know him personally?”

  “Nope. Never met him, although he did call me for an appointment once and didn’t show up.”

  “Huh.”

  Smithville.

  ANNIE pulled on her best hand-tooled boots, fixed her hair and makeup and jumped into her truck. She was meeting Tyler for dinner at the Smithville steakhouse and then they were going to Boots afterwards to dance.

  Since they got back together, things had been going reasonably well, as long as she allowed for Ty’s jealous streak and they kept their relationship below Jesse’s radar. It wasn’t an easy relationship, but she’d always loved Tyler and he was definitely worth the effort.

  He grinned at her as she walked across the restaurant towards him. “Hey, baby. You look fantastic, but you always do.”

  Annie leaned down and kissed him before she sat down on her side of the table. “I love you, Ty.”

  “I ordered you a draft. It should be here soon.”

  “Are you way ahead of me?” she asked.

  “Nope, just this one.”

  “Okay. I can catch up.”

  “Anything exciting been happening?” he asked.

  “Nope, not to me,” said Annie. “Same old. You?”

  Tyler chuckled. “What could happen at Quantrall?”

  “Are you getting ready for the Equestrian Center in Dallas?”

  “Uh huh. Paulie is working on that. Trying to decide which horses we’re taking and then fighting with Jesse to get them into the arena to make them perfect before the show, like only he can do.”

  Annie nodded. “He does have a gift.”

  “Does he call you or anything?” asked Tyler.

  “Not unless he wants something or wants to ask me something. Nope. Never calls me.”

  “Just wondered,” said Ty. “Sometimes he just glares at me and I know it’s about you, but nothing has changed or happened—it’s the same old pile of shit he can’t deal with.”

  “I had to let it go,” said Annie. “We were so happy when he was living at Coulter-Ross and we were a family. Jacks and Lucy couldn’t have been happier, and neither was Neil for that matter. Then one day, he said, “I’m going raise Charity on Quantrall land.” Tears rolled down Annie’s face. “I’ll never forget how that felt.”

  Tyler reached across the table and took both her hands in his. “I’m so sorry he hurt you like that, Annie. Jesse is always trying to do the right thing, but he can be brutal without knowing he’s doing it.”

  The server came with their beer and Annie thanked her. “Let’s have a fun evening and not even think about Jesse. Okay?”

  “Yep, I want to have fun. We haven’t danced in a while.”

  “Know what, Ty?” A big smile spread across Annie’s face. “We should go to Cowboys in San Antone on the weekend. Super place to dance and they have fantastic bands. We could get a hotel room.”

  Ty raised an eyebrow. “I fuckin want to do that. Let’s go tomorrow night.”

  “I’ll book a hotel,” said Annie.

  Governor’s Mansion. Austin.

  GOVERNOR CAMPBELL sat alone in her private quarters at the mansion on Colorado Street eating the meal the kitchen had prepared for her. Her cell rang on the table beside her and she checked the screen.

  “Mrs. Stokes, how is Templeton?”

  There was sobbing on the other end of the line before Mrs. Stokes spoke. “He died, Governor Campbell. A few minutes ago. He died.”

  “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Stokes. Do you have family with you?”

  “Yes, the children are here.”

  “We’ll talk tomorrow. Call me if you need anything.”

  The Blackmore Agency. Austin.

  BLAINE AND MISTY were settling in the parlor to watch a Netflix marathon when Cat called.

  “Evening, Governor,” said Blaine.

  “Stokes just died in the hospital,” said Cat. “His wife called.”

  “I’m sorry, Cat, but it wasn’t your fault. He was messed up in something and it was too much for him to handle.”

  “I guess so, but I feel responsible. I yelled at him.”

  “If I had arrested him, he would have had a stroke at DPS,” said Blaine. “It was inevitable.”

  “His wife sounded like she was blaming me.”

  “That’s because it happened in your office. She doesn’t know what he was into, I’d bet on it.”

  “I didn’t either.”

  “True enough,” said Blaine.

  “I’ll call you tomorrow, sweetie.”

  “Yep, it will be okay, Cat. Don’t take it too hard.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Friday, June 12th.

  The Blackmore Agency. Austin.

  AFTER BREAKFAST, BLAINE held the morning meeting at the Agency and divided the boys into teams. “Obviously we can’t cover them all if they scatter in six different directions, so we’ll tail as many as we can. Travis and Fletch go together, Farrell take Luke,” Blaine pointed around the table, “Carlos and Lil, Rick and Andy go together.”

  “All we need is a destination—name and address—this is like a spider web. We don’t know who all the players are, and they could be stock-piling weapons in ten different locations, so they don’t lose it all at once if they get busted.”

  “Yeah, look at what Lee Warren had in his basement,” said Farrell.

  “What are they getting ready for?” asked Fletcher.

  Blaine grinned. “We don’t know what and we don’t know when. The threat is hanging in the air and that makes it more interesting, doesn’t it?”

  “More scary than interesting,” said Lil. “Some of these guys are off the trolley line.”

  “And that’s why they have to be stopped,” said Blaine. “Let’s go do it.”

  “Misty, are you ready, sweetheart?”

  She nodded and picked up her purse.

  North on I-35.

  ALL VEHICLES left the Agency compound at the same time and headed for the courthouse downtown. All but one. Blaine and Misty drove through the city to I-35 and took the northbound ramp.

  Misty lowered her window and let the wind blow through her long curls.

  Blaine glanced across the console at her, shades on and a cigarette in her mouth and smiled. She rarely smoked anymore. Could be because of her throat. She couldn’t tell me unless she wrote me a fuckin note.

  Wish she could talk.

  Sometimes when the silence got to be too much, he just filled in for her, like now, and said, “It’s about fifty miles to Temple and then another twenty or thirty at least to the Royce ranch outside of Gatesville.”

  She nodded and turned up a song sh
e liked on the CD that was playing.

  “When we’re done, we’ll look for a barbeque place and stop for lunch.”

  She pointed to her stomach and shook her head.

  “What? You’re not hungry?”

  Blaine grinned at her. “Not yet, but you will be.”

  Austin Courthouse.

  TRAVIS and Fletcher were in position at the curb outside the courthouse waiting for their prey to emerge.

  “How do we know who to follow?” asked Fletcher and it was a damned good question. One Blacky hadn’t been too specific about earlier.

  The cowboys began pouring out the double doors at the front of the building and Travis recognized the magnitude of the problem. “Oh, shit. What the hell are we supposed to do?”

  Jesse walked along the sidewalk beside Travis’ F-450 and tapped on the window. “Here you go. Follow either one of these trackers.”

  Fletcher grinned. “How’d you do that, boss?”

  “I had the lab put a little bug in all their boots while they were wearing jail togs.”

  “You’re a smart one, boss,” said Fletcher. “I was a little worried how this was gonna work.”

  “Do what you can,” said Jesse. “Call for backup if you run into difficulties.”

  Fletch gave Jesse a little wave as they pulled away from the curb following the tracker. “Boss is smart, ain’t he?”

  “I’ve always liked working for Jesse,” said Travis. “Even when I did some stuff that wasn’t too bright, and he fired me, he was in the right.”

  Fletcher chuckled. “He fired you?”

  “Damn right and I deserved it.”

  LIL LET TWO vehicles fill in behind the pickup that held three of the cowboys that made bail.

  “Three together,” said Carlos. “Be good to find out where these dudes are going.”

  “Looks like they might be heading out of town.” Lil gave the Mustang some gas and moved up a spot.

  “I like your car,” said Carlos. “A fun ride.”

  “Thanks,” said Lil. “I like it too.”

  “I’ve never been happier in my life,” said Carlos. “Love working for Blacky.”

  “He’s the best,” said Lil. “I’ve worked for him for a long time. Before he opened the Agency, I managed his law office.”

  “He’s a lawyer?”

  “Yep, he owns Powell and Associates downtown with his mother.”

  “Never knew that.”

  “He passed the bar with a record score at the same time he was studying to be a criminologist.”

  “Jeeze, that must take big brain power.”

  Lil laughed. “Here we go.” Lil flicked on her blinker for route two ninety. “We’re taking a trip out of the big city.”

  “Wonder where we’re going?”

  “Mystery tour,” said Lil and cranked up the CD.

  Gatesville Area.

  BLAINE TOOK a left in Temple and headed north on route thirty-six. Misty was sitting in the passenger seat with her eyes closed and had been in that position for the last ten minutes.

  Blaine glanced at her every few seconds to make sure she was okay. She shifted in the seat and let out a little mewling sound. Blaine startled because he was so used to Misty in silent mode. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

  “My throat,” she said the words in a whisper, but they were words all the same.

  “What’s wrong with your throat?”

  “It’s better.” She was speaking in a whisper, but he could hear her.

  Blaine smiled. “I’m so glad you can talk. Did it just get better?”

  She nodded. “Right now.”

  “Amazing.”

  Everything about Misty is amazing.

  Twenty minutes later they reached the Royce ranch about ten miles south of Gatesville. Nicely kept fences and large herds of cattle in the fields next to the road.

  Blaine parked a half mile away and called each of the boys in turn. He started with Travis and he and Fletcher were headed west. Same with Lil and Carlos, they too were driving west.

  “Farrell, where are you?”

  “Coming your way, bro. A couple in the blue pickup ahead of us. Tag number.” He gave Blaine the tag and Misty wrote it down. “We just made the turn in Temple.”

  “Okay, you’re twenty from my location,” said Blaine.

  “What’s the plan once they turn in the gate, boss?”

  “Misty and I will drive in and casually talk to Mrs. Royce or Chuck, the son and see what kind of vibes we can pick up. You sit at the gate on stand-by.”

  “Roger that, bro.”

  Blaine pressed end, then turned to Misty. “They should arrive in fifteen minutes or so.”

  “I’m excited to be working,” she whispered.

  I’m not excited to have you close to all those guns.

  The pickup drove down the county road and turned into the Royce ranch laneway. Blaine held his position until he saw Farrell pass the gate and turn around. His brother was ready.

  “Okay, ready, Mist?”

  “I’m ready.” She smiled and reached across the console and squeezed his leg. She let her hand slide towards the inside of his thigh and he moved her hand. “Hey, I can’t talk to Mrs. Royce with wood.”

  “Why not?” She winked at him.

  Royce Ranch. Gatesville.

  THE RANCH HOUSE was long and low with an almost square center section constructed of locking timbers and two frame wings jutting out towards the rear at obtuse angles. The four bay garage was separate and stood on the other side of the compound. Two of the doors stood open affording flashes of a silver Beemer and a burgundy Navigator.

  Blaine parked beside the pickup that had just arrived, helped Misty down from the side step on her side of the truck, and gave her a kiss for luck.

  “Let’s do it.” He took her hand and strode across the compound to the wide wooden porch.

  Misty pointed at the huge clay pots of flowers on the porch and Blaine nodded. He’d get Carm pots like that.

  The front door was open with only the screen across and raised voices could be heard inside the house. “Why did you drive straight here from the court? Are you idiots?”

  “We had no where else to go. What did you expect us to do?”

  “I expected you to use your fuckin brains.”

  “Some of the others went to Caldwell’s place.”

  Blaine smiled and pressed the bell. A moment later, a tall young man with blond hair who closely resembled Charlie Royce jerked the door open with the look of thunder on his face.

  “Who are y’all and what do you want?”

  “Ranger Blackmore, Mr. Royce. Somewhere we can talk?”

  Royce Junior kicked the door frame and hollered out a barrage of curses. “I got nothing to say to no super cop. Y’all can get off my ranch.”

  Blaine pressed Farrell’s number and left the line open. “Can’t do that, Mr. Royce. I have to ask you to come with me to headquarters to answer a few puzzling questions.”

  “Ain’t going to Austin. Not today and not tomorrow.”

  Blaine heard Farrell’s truck stop behind him and said without turning his head. “Luke, take Misty to my truck.”

  Luke took Misty’s arm and removed her from the porch. As soon as he did, Blaine drew his weapon. “Step out onto the porch with your hands in front of you, sir.”

  “Ain’t doing it. Do you know who my father is? You will pay for this. You are in one huge pile of shit.”

  Farrell took a step forward, grabbed one of Royce’s wrists and jerked him out of the doorway. The screen door slammed behind Royce as Farrell snapped a cuff on. Farrell twisted Royce’s arm behind his back and locked the other cuff into place. “Let’s go Mr. Royce. Make Daddy proud.”

  “Y’all ain’t taking him anywhere.” Leggatt’s newly arrived cowboys stepped onto the porch with shotguns levelled at Farrell’s head.

  Blaine had stepped down off the porch and was standing on the hard-packed dirt in front of the steps.
“Guns down,” hollered Blaine. “Do it now.”

  The cowboy on the right raised the shotgun in his hand and drew a bead on Farrell.

  Bang.

  He dropped to the ground with a nine mm in the center of his forehead.

  “Okay, okay,” said the other one. He was covered in his buddy’s blood and brains. “I’m dropping the gun.” He bent at the knees and set the shotgun down on the floor of the porch.

  “Cuff him, Luke.”

  Luke cuffed the second cowboy and secured him in the back of Farrell’s truck with Chuck Royce.

  Blaine called the incident in to the Ranger office in Waco. Closer than the Austin office.

  “Thanks, bro,” said Farrell.

  “No problem,” said Blaine with a smirk. “Don’t want you dead. You have to work tomorrow.” He walked over to the truck where Misty was sitting. “You okay, sweetheart? It’s going to take a little while to clean up the mess I made.”

  “Can I walk around?”

  Blaine opened the door for her. “Sure, you can. It should be safe now.” He gave her a hand down and she kissed his neck.

  Less than fifteen minutes later, the troops arrived from the Waco office. First the Medical Examiner, a Doctor Alex Seward with his assistant, then came two squads. Blaine had stipulated that no ambulance was needed. Save them the trip.

  Blaine gave his statement to the first Ranger on the scene and handed over his Beretta.

  “Nice to finally meet you, Ranger Blackmore. Didn’t know y’all were prowling around up here in our parts.”

  Blaine grinned. “Yep, prowling up north today to see what I could find.”

  “And what did you find? I been reading Miss Polito’s running account of the illegal weapons crackdown y’all were pursuing.”

  “Might have a bunker here for y’all, but don’t know for sure. Now that a crime has been committed on the property, it will be easier to get a warrant.”

  The Ranger raised a brow under his hat. “Y’all know who’s ranch this is?”

  Blaine nodded. “Senator Charlie Royce.”

  “You got it. A warrant might raise a little wind.”

  “I’m all about raising wind,” said Blaine. “We’ll see how it plays out.”