by June Faver
Colton’s brows knit together. “That’s what scares me.”
They both sprang apart when the sheriff barged in, clanking the bell against the glass. “Hello, you two.”
“Sheriff.” Colton extended his hand, and the two men exchanged a hearty handshake.
The sheriff glanced at Breck’s darkened office. “Mr. Ryan is out?”
Misty nodded. “He’s gone for the day.”
“We can sit down here in the back.” Colton gestured to the long table Misty used for sorting files and collating papers.
They all trooped to the rear of the office and took a seat.
Misty gripped her hands together in her lap, hoping her anxiety didn’t show.
Colton glanced at her and then cleared his throat. “We wanted an update, Sheriff. Have you made any progress in Joe Dalton’s murder investigation?”
“I wish I could tell you more.” The sheriff huffed out a deep breath. “The medical examiner recovered the bullet that took Joe’s life. It hasn’t been matched to any other cases, but at least we have the information on file. The ME also made a determination, from the angle of entry, that the shot was fired from the passenger window of another pickup or SUV of approximately the same height that must have pulled up alongside Joe’s truck. That means someone else may have been driving, so we’re possibly looking for two individuals.”
Misty pressed her lips together to keep them from trembling. She felt the sting of tears and bit the inside of her lip to keep them from pouring out. She couldn’t bring herself to meet Colt’s eyes, but she felt the weight of his gaze upon her.
“And that’s all you have?” Colton’s arm came to rest on the back of her chair, but he turned to gaze at the sheriff, his brows drawn together in a frown.
“The murder of Joseph Dalton remains an open case. We’re still investigating.” The sheriff blinked and glanced at Misty and then back at Colton. “We’re looking into Joe’s activities the days prior to his death.”
Misty felt a choking sensation clog her throat. Sucking in air, she gasped.
Colton’s hand clasped hers under the table. “What have you found?”
The sheriff shook his head. “Nothing out of the ordinary. He was in the company of his usual local friends the three days preceding his death. He attended the stock auction at the show barns, and afterward he met three of his friends at a bar for some drinks and then went to the Eagles Hall. The next night he met the same friends at the roadhouse a few miles west of town.” The sheriff glanced at Misty before going on. “It’s a biker bar called Wally’s. The bartender remembers Joe being there. He left about midnight and appeared to be on his way home when he was apparently overtaken by the perpetrator or perpetrators and killed.”
A tremor shook Misty’s body, chilling her to the core. Involuntarily, she wrapped both arms around herself, but Colton’s arm quickly encircled her shoulders.
“His friends,” Colton said. “Are you talking about Stan Lynch, Ron Diaz, and Eddie Simmons?”
The sheriff nodded. “His usual companions.”
Colt blew out a breath. “And you questioned them?”
The sheriff looked a bit peeved. “Of course. All three said they stayed at the roadhouse long after Joe left.”
“What about Fred Hamilton? We found his body skewered in the loft of the Dalton barn. What can you tell us about his death?” Colton’s strong fingers stroked Misty’s shoulder rhythmically.
The sheriff cleared his throat. “According to the crime scene technicians, Mr. Hamilton was not killed in the Dalton barn. His body was transported there and arranged with the pitchfork stabbed through his entrails, but he had been dead for some hours before this happened.”
“How do they know he was killed elsewhere?” Colton asked.
A muscle in the sheriff’s cheek twitched. “I’m not into all that techie mumbo jumbo, but it all boiled down to the fact that there was no fresh blood at the scene. The secondary wound from the pitchfork didn’t yield a blood spill. It was all for show, so we figured it had been staged to scare or intimidate someone… Got any ideas about that?” He glanced from one to the other.
A tremor shook Misty’s entire body. “But why?” she cried out. “Why would someone do that?”
“That hasn’t been determined as of yet, but maybe someone was sending a message.” The sheriff leaned forward, resting his forearms against the table. “Miss Dalton, what kind of dealings did you have with Mr. Hamilton?”
Misty blinked rapidly before heaving a sigh. “I really didn’t have any dealings with him personally. My father obtained a loan against the ranch after my mother died. Then when his health failed, my daddy couldn’t make the ranch profitable, so we were in the process of losing the property.” She shot a glance at Colton, finding courage in the kindness reflected in his eyes. “Colton met with Mr. Hamilton and paid the past due payments and late fees.”
The sheriff glanced from one to the other.
Misty felt Colton’s grip tighten, and her blush reflex kicked in.
The sheriff’s expression changed from confusion to knowing.
“Mr. Garrett is our partner in the ranch. My brother Mark and I. We signed the papers.”
Colton continued stroking her shoulder, as though he had no problem letting the sheriff know he had feelings for her.
Misty sucked in a deep breath and laced her fingers with Colton’s. Might as well step up and admit my feelings too.
Colton looked grim but pressed a kiss against her temple. “Actually, I met with Mr. Hamilton at the bank and was supposed to meet with him again that same afternoon, but when I returned, I was told he had gone for the day.” A muscle twitched in his jaw. “I was pissed off. I came to see Breckenridge Ryan the next day, and Mr. Ryan accompanied me to the bank, where the loan was secured from the vice president. I never saw Hamilton after that.”
The sheriff looked grim. “Neither did anyone else. Apparently, after your visit, his employees report that he appeared to be agitated. When he left, he claimed he wasn’t feeling well, so when he didn’t show up the next day, they thought he was still sick. Nobody checked on him until a few days had passed.”
Colton shrugged. “He was, after all, the president of the bank. They were probably a little afraid of him.”
The sheriff nodded. “I suppose you’re right, but he didn’t go to his house after you left the bank. Wherever he went, that was when he was killed. Whoever he met with shot him and then staged the scene in Miss Dalton’s barn.”
Misty sat up straight. “Shot him?”
“Yes, the ME recovered a single bullet in his chest. Not a match to any crimes on record at this point.” The sheriff pushed his chair back. “If you good folks have anything to add, let me know.”
Misty felt her lips tremble. She started to tell the sheriff about finding the photos and the gun among her brother’s personal things but somehow couldn’t bear to bring any possible shame on him. Breck had said Joe was the only one of the surviving friends from his school days who hadn’t run into trouble with the law, and she hoped to keep it that way. It was bad enough everyone in the area knew about her father’s drinking after her mother’s death and the subsequent financial mess. No reason to smear more mud on the Dalton name. After all, she and Mark would have to live it all down.
Colton stood and leaned across the table to shake the sheriff’s hand. “I just have one more question, sir.”
“Shoot,” the sheriff said, pumping Colton’s hand.
“Misty and her younger brother have been staying at the Garrett ranch, but she wants to return to her home. I’m dead set against it.” He swept her with his fierce gaze. “I think it’s too dangerous. She’s welcome to stay with us for as long as she needs.”
The sheriff fixed her with a stern glare. “You might want to listen to Colton, young lady. The Garretts are good people. The
re’s a murderer on the loose. At least one killer plus an accomplice in the case of your brother. We don’t have any good leads on the murder of Fred Hamilton, nor do we have any clue as to why his body was staged to be discovered in your barn.”
“Do you think the two deaths could be related?” Colton asked.
The sheriff ran his hand over his thinning hair before carefully replacing his hat. “Could be. The weapons are different and the methodology is different.” He shifted his gaze to Misty. “The Daltons are the only common denominator.”
Chapter 14
After the sheriff had departed, Misty fell silent. She seemed to have withdrawn into herself.
“Are you okay?” Colton asked, certain the sheriff’s revelations had upset her and not wanting to cause her more distress.
She pressed her lips together and nodded. “I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
A hint of a smile graced her face. “Thanks.”
“No, I mean—”
“It’s all right. I’m just feeling sad is all.” She took a few paces across the room before turning back to face him. “I wanted so badly to be able to get on with my life. To help Mark get past Joe’s and Daddy’s deaths. We both need this to be over and done with.”
“I understand. But you can’t rush these things. You heard what the sheriff had to say. Just try to be patient.”
She shook her head. “Sorry. Patience is not one of my virtues.”
“Apparently not.” He grinned and tickled her cheek, eliciting a giggle in return. “I need to get back to the ranch. Have I convinced you not to move back to your home just yet?”
Misty heaved a sigh and lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “I guess, but I’m going to go by and check on Rosa and Paco after I get off work. I’ll just stop by to see if they need anything.”
Colton tried to quell the anxiety gathering in his chest. He had no right to tell her what to do, but he felt greatly concerned about her hanging around a place where so much tragedy had occurred. “Can’t you just call them?”
She raised an eyebrow. “No. Rosa doesn’t want to impose, and she won’t tell me when they run low on food or basic supplies. I’ll have to check for myself.”
“Just promise me you’ll be careful. Come home quickly.”
Misty made an exasperated noise in the back of her throat. “That ranch is my home, Colton. I was born and raised there.”
He huffed out a deep sigh. “I know. I want you to come to my home. I want you tucked up safe with me.”
“Sounds like you care.” She gazed up at him, her eyes shining.
“You know I do. I love you, remember?”
“I remember, and I love you too.”
He planted a kiss on her lips that quickly deepened as her arms circled his neck. There it was. She admitted she loved him too. Now what? Did that give him the right to forbid her to go to her ranch? He thought not.
Colton kissed her on the nose. “Well, I’ll be at home…my home…when you get there. Hurry up and come to dinner. We can go for a moonlight drive after we eat.”
She flashed him a grin. “That sounds very romantic, Colt. I’ll see you later.” She gave him another kiss, and he left the law office, climbed in his truck, and headed back to the Garrett ranch. Now, if he could just stop worrying until she joined him there.
* * *
Misty stopped at the Food Mart to pick up a few fresh things. Milk, bread, and orange juice plus some fruit and vegetables. She figured Rosa and Paco would be running low on these supplies. The freezer was well stocked with meat.
When she pulled up close to the front door of the Dalton ranch house, the door flew open, and Rosa clasped her hands together. “Oh, Miss Misty. I’m so glad to see you. Paco hasn’t come home yet, and I’m very worried.” She cast a glance in the direction of the road, and her lips tightened. “He always come home before this time.”
Misty noticed the battered old truck was missing. “When did he leave?” She climbed out of Leah’s car and removed the bags of groceries from the back seat.
Rosa reached for some of the bags and led the way inside. “He come home for lunch and then go back out. He say Mr. Colton talk to him about planting a crop before winter sets in. He drive off toward the east field about one o’clock.”
It was just after six, and Misty felt a twisting in her gut. If something had happened to Paco, she didn’t think she could stand it. “Put the cold things away, and we’ll go look for him. Maybe the truck broke down.”
Rosa’s brow cleared. “Ah, yes. The truck.” She put the milk and other cold things into the refrigerator and slipped on a cardigan sweater.
“I’ll meet you in the car.” Misty went back outside and climbed behind the steering wheel, with Rosa following. When they were both settled, Misty started the car and pulled out onto the road. “He drove this way?”
“Sí. He go to see where best place to plant crops for feed the cattle.” She flashed a smile. “Paco very happy that Mr. Colton would buy seed.”
Misty gnawed her lower lip, staring out the windshield. She didn’t see the old truck or any other vehicles on the road. The sun was getting low in the sky. She hoped they could find Paco soon and that he was safe.
They reached the property line, and she turned east onto a smaller farm-to-market road.
Rosa’s lips were moving silently, and Misty realized she was praying.
“There!” Misty pointed up ahead to where the truck was partially hidden behind the old abandoned farmhouse on the property her father had acquired when she was just a child. The outbuildings looked as though they were about to fall down.
She pulled in and turned on the headlights.
Paco was not in the truck, but the driver’s-side door was open.
Misty barely had time to bring the car to a full stop when Rosa was out the door. “Paco,” she called.
Misty grabbed the flashlight she had seen in the glove compartment and followed. She washed the inside of the truck with the beam, her stomach catching when she saw blood on the seat and doorframe. “Oh no!”
“Dios mío!” Rosa covered her mouth with both hands. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she began shaking all over.
Misty put an arm around her, not sure what to say to comfort Rosa when she was so terribly frightened herself. She swallowed hard, wishing Colton was with her. “Let’s look around. He has to be nearby.” She hoped this was true. It appeared Paco had been in an accident or injured himself in some way.
She shone the flashlight around, playing the beam over the ramshackle sheds and falling-down barn. There was no movement, and she heard nothing. Turning toward the house, she rounded the truck with Rosa still encircled in her arm.
A slight movement caused her to start. Something on the passenger side of the truck made a noise. She picked out a form slumped against the rear wheel well. It was Paco.
Rosa rushed toward him, her arms outstretched. “Papa!” she moaned.
Misty went to kneel on the other side. Paco’s head was bloodied, and he appeared to be covered with dirt and dried blood. “Let’s get him in the car.” She helped him to his feet, and the two women half carried him to lie down in the back seat. Rosa climbed in beside him, cradling his head in her lap.
Misty drove away quickly, calling Colton on her cell phone.
“Where are you?” he asked. “Everyone is waiting dinner on you.” He sounded a little irritated.
“Colton, Paco has been injured. He and Rosa are with me in Leah’s car. I don’t know what happened to him, but he needs a doctor right away.”
“Can you come straight here? I’ll call the doctor to meet you here.”
“Yes, we’re headed there now.” She disconnected and drove as fast as she could to the Garrett ranch. When she arrived, Colton, his father, and his brother Beau were waiting outside.
The three men rushed to open the door and carefully lifted Paco from the vehicle. They bore him gently into the house, with a weeping Rosa following close behind.
Misty turned to see Breckenridge T. Ryan’s truck veer into the drive and make a hard stop. Breck jumped out on one side, and his wife, the local doctor, leapt from the passenger side carrying a leather bag.
“Where’s my patient?” she demanded.
Misty pointed to the house, and the woman shot through the open door.
“Misty, that is my wife, Cameron, better known as Cami. What happened?”
“I went to my ranch after work to take some supplies, and Rosa said Paco hadn’t returned. We went to look for him and found him all bloody. I don’t know what happened to him.”
Breck gestured toward the house, and they entered together.
Mark met her in the front room, his eyes wide. “What happened to Paco? He looks awful.”
Misty embraced him, glad to hold onto her young brother. “I don’t know. We found him like that.”
“They took him to one of the guest rooms. The doctor is checking him over now, but they told me to step out.” Mark’s brows drew together. “I hope he’s going to be okay.”
She kissed his cheek. “Me too, honey. Me too.”
Colton came down the hall toward them, his face grim. “I’m going to call the sheriff. It looks like someone attacked this man.”
“Oh no!” Misty fought against the constriction in her chest. “Who would do such a thing?”
“Who indeed?” Breck asked.
* * *
Colton made the call to the sheriff’s office and waited for him to arrive. He was gripped by a combination of fear, anger, and relief.
His fear was for Misty, who seemed oblivious to the fact that some person or persons were focused on eliminating everyone associated with the Dalton ranch.
He was angry that someone had brutalized an elderly man, but he was relieved that Misty hadn’t been the victim of the attack.