Hot Target Cowboy

by June Faver

  Misty stifled a shiver. Not a pleasant thought. She had experienced enough deaths lately to give her nightmares.

  Breck carried the photos to the combination copier, scanner, and printer near his desk and fed them in. He sent them to Levi with a brief message. Turning to Misty, he gave her a nod. “I hope these photos bring Nate’s old man some comfort.”

  * * *

  Colton killed time with Jason and Clyde for a while, hoping to learn something about the attack on Paco Hernandez. Even more important, he hoped they might be able to tell him if there were any clues in the murder of Joe Dalton. He relied on his friendship with Jason and with the deputies’ boredom to perhaps loosen their lips about the crimes related to the Dalton family. Good to be a member of the Good Ol’ Boys Club.

  He was determined that Misty would have closure and learn the true reason behind her brother’s murder, and he wanted to be able to give her hope that the authorities were following up on substantive leads.

  She had grudgingly agreed to remain at the Garrett ranch because he had convinced her she and Mark were in danger. The attack on Paco had driven his point home, but at what cost? He hoped the old man would recover without any permanent disability.

  “I heard this ranch was circling the drain,” Clyde said.

  Colton lifted his head, giving Clyde a sharp glance. “Where did you hear that?”

  “Oh, just around. It looks like really good land. Someone was saying this place was in foreclosure.” He cocked his head to one side. “Do you suppose that’s true?”

  Colton scuffed the toe of his boot in the dirt. “Maybe it was true, but it’s not anymore.”

  “What happened?” Jason asked.

  “I paid off the past due part of the loan.”

  Both deputies exchanged a speculative glance and then turned their attention back to Colton.

  “Because you’re the boyfriend?” Jason asked, a wry grin on his face.

  “Partly, and partly business. We have a legal agreement. I’m a partner in the Dalton ranch now. It’s in my best interest to help them turn this place around.”

  “Sweet deal,” Clyde said.

  Jason just shook his head. “Sounds like this love thing is getting expensive.”

  “Maybe.” Colton tried to keep his temper in check. “She’s worth it.” He took a few steps away from the deputies’ vehicles. “Is it okay if I take a look around?”

  Jason appeared to be sizing him up. “Technically, isn’t this sort of your land?”

  “Yeah, I guess you could say that.”

  “Well, you can look around. Just stay away from the truck. That is what the big city experts identified as the crime scene. Looks like the old guy was dragged out and beaten up pretty badly.”

  “I only wanted to check the outbuildings. I’m thinking they need to be torn down and hauled away.”

  “Be careful,” Jason advised. “I do not want to have to answer for it when the whole place comes crashing down on your head.”

  “Gotcha.” Colton headed for the largest structure, an old barn. The door was ajar since one of the hinges had broken loose, allowing some light to penetrate the dim interior. He stepped inside, inhaling the musty odor of dust, mold, and some kind of animal excrement. An old International Harvester tractor was quietly rusting in one corner along with a cultivator attachment beside it. Some of the tines had come loose and were lying in the dirt.

  The scurry of tiny feet attested to the presence of rats or field mice. Rotted bales of hay were moldering against one wall.

  Colton checked out everything before returning to the door. The wood in the structure of the barn could probably be reused, but he wasn’t sure how to best make use of it. He was pretty sure Big Jim would have some ideas. He always does.

  He checked out a smaller building. It was in better shape and had stalls inside. Must have had horses here at one time. He exited via the door at the rear of the stable and walked through a spiderweb. The crawling sensation had him tearing off his Stetson and flailing at his face to remove the last traces of web. He gave an involuntary shiver as he took a few paces away from the spider’s domain. Slapping his hat against his thigh to knock off any vestiges of the web, he stepped backward and stumbled over a slightly raised pile of wood.

  Falling backward, his weight crashed through the aged lumber and sent splintered boards falling beneath him. He scrambled off the pile on his hands and knees and heard the broken planks land far below. The sound of the wood splashing into water sent a chill skittering across his skin.

  Colton’s heart raced, thumping against his ribs like a drummer on speed. When he could draw a ragged breath, he crawled back to the edge of the gaping hole to see what he had almost fallen into.

  Under the pile of lumber was a circle of stones set in concrete. The top part of the stones had crumbled, and only about a foot remained aboveground.

  Colton leaned over the edge, peering down into the shadowy interior. The pit appeared to be bottomless. He thought it was an old well or cistern of some kind. The stench of brackish water reached his nostrils, causing him to draw back. Ugh! The disgusting odor cut his breath. Phewww…smells like something fell in and died down there.

  He recoiled when he realized he could have met the same fate. This was a big liability. He would make sure to have it filled in. He wondered if Misty knew about the existence of the well. Probably not. But he would be sure to talk to her about it when she got home from work that evening.

  When he climbed to his feet, he was still shaking. He sucked in a deep breath to steady himself and then stacked the longer boards back across the opening. It wasn’t safe, but at least this might prevent someone else from falling in accidentally. If he hadn’t been distracted by the spiderweb, he would have been more alert.

  He brushed his palms against his Wranglers and then tried to beat the dirt off the denim when he saw what a mess they were. Great! I look like I’ve been dragged through the dirt. It could have been worse. He could have fallen into the abandoned well and never been heard from again. He imagined with the two deputies standing guard over the “crime scene” someone would have come looking for him eventually, but it would probably have been too late.

  He needed to make sure this hazard was permanently sealed, and quickly.

  * * *

  Breck had left the office, telling Misty he was headed to his ranch to confer with his foreman, T-Bone, and that the local veterinarian was coming out to join them. It all went over Misty’s head because she tried to ignore all things having to do with cattle.

  An involuntary shudder racked her body. She could still see the sweet face of the calf she’d fallen in love with as a child…before she’d learned that the beef on their table had been born on their property.

  Not ever going to get involved with a cow on a personal level again.

  She tried to focus on the stack of clerical assignments piled on a corner of her desk. She turned the pile over so as to attack the task that had been there longest.

  The door to the office opened with such force as to swing back and knock the bentwood coatrack to the floor with a loud clatter.

  Startled, Misty jumped, half rising from her chair.

  “Let me see ’em!” Levi Blair strode into the office without bothering with the felled coatrack. He stomped toward her and stopped right in front of her desk, taking a wide stance and fisting his hands at his waist.

  “Sir?” She gazed up at him in confusion. “May I help you?”

  “Yes, you certainly may, young lady. I want to see those pictures you sent me. The ones with my son in ’em.”

  She frowned. “Certainly. I’ve got them right here.” Her hands fluttered around her desk, and then she clasped them together in dismay. “Oh no! They’re still in Mr. Ryan’s office. He scanned them and then emailed them to you.” She gave him a nervous smile and shrugged
. “I’m sorry, but he’s gone for the day.”

  Levi raised one of his fearsome shaggy eyebrows, glancing from her to Breck’s office door. “No problem.” He grabbed the stapler off her desk and in three strides was in front of the pebbled-glass inset in Breck’s door. He covered his eyes with one arm and smashed the glass. Shards flew everywhere. Levi reached inside to unlock the door and then stepped through, fragments of glass crunching underfoot.

  “Tell Breck to have the door repaired and to bill me.” He reached Breck’s desk, his gaze fastened to the envelope with the photographs inside. “Is this all of ’em?”

  Misty swallowed hard. “Y-yes, sir. They’re all there.”

  He grabbed the packet and exited Breck’s office, grinding more glass into the polished wood floors. As he passed Misty, he sent a chilling glance her way. “You seen ’em? You know what they mean?”

  Misty felt a squeezing sensation in her chest. “I glanced at them. It’s just a bunch of Joe’s high school friends horsing around.”

  Levi’s eyes narrowed. He let out a snort that sounded more like a bellow. “It’s more than that. Come here.” He strode to the long table at the back of the office.

  Uncertainly, she followed him, wishing Breck hadn’t left. Wishing Colton was there. Wishing she wasn’t.

  Methodically, Levi laid out the photographs. He moved them around, changing the sequence. “Y’see this?” He laid his large forefinger on one of the images. “That’s the date your brother had these pictures developed at the drug store. They used to put a date on them, and this was just three days after Nate disappeared.” He turned his fearsome gaze to Misty. “Do you know what this means?”

  “No, sir.” Her voice was barely audible, almost a whisper.

  He slammed his hand on the table, causing her to jump. “These photos was taken the last day Nate was seen around here. And you know what else?” His dark eyes crackled with an inner fire.

  Misty pressed her trembling lips together, not trusting herself to speak, but shook her head as a reply.

  “It means every one of them damned boys lied to me. They all said they hadn’t seen Nate that day or for a couple of days before. They was damned liars.” And he slammed his palm down on the table again.

  Misty jumped again in response, nodding her head nervously.

  “And I’m a-gonna get to the bottom of it.” He turned on her fiercely. “Did your brother tell you about the day Nate disappeared?”

  “No, sir.” Her heart pummeled her ribs without mercy.

  “Now tell me the truth, girl. How did you come to get these pictures?” He shook his giant ham of a fist in her face.

  She realized he could snap her neck with one hand. Her mouth felt dry, but she sucked in a breath, trying to gain control of her fear. “I was cleaning out Joe’s room.” She felt tears gather and blinked them away. “After he was m-murdered. I found the photos hidden and brought them to Mr. Ryan.”

  Levi’s glare softened. He turned back to the photographs. “These boys was always hanging around Nate. Getting into trouble.” He blew out a breath. “But I thought ‘boys will be boys’ and didn’t put my foot down.” He placed his finger on one of the faces in a group photo. “This here’s the Lynch boy, and that’n is a Diaz.” His brows drew together in a furious V. “And this’n is my nephew, Eddie. If anybody owes me the truth, it’s him.”

  Misty nodded. As Levi advanced toward her, she backed away.

  Instead of grabbing her with one of his big hands, as she had feared, he sidestepped her and headed for the front door. “You be careful, young lady. You may know more than you think you do.”

  He trudged straight to the door, still standing open, and walked through to the daylight, his silhouette dark in contrast to the brightness. The cowbell clanked against the glass as he slammed the door behind himself.

  Misty slumped into one of the chairs at the long table. She was shaking all over. Her encounter with Levi Blair had left her weak and confused. What had happened to Nate Blair? What had Joe known about Nate’s disappearance?

  She gripped her shaking hands together to steady them and drew a deep breath.

  Levi was gone, and he had left a path of destruction in his wake.

  Misty debated what to do and decided she needed to call Breck about the encounter. He should know about Levi’s actions. Especially since he needed to replace the glass in his office door.

  She returned to her desk and punched in the number to Breck’s cell. When he answered, she quickly recounted the events that had occurred since he’d departed his office.

  “Broke the glass?”

  She heard the vexation in Breck’s voice and could imagine the angered expression on his face.

  “You stay put. Don’t touch a thing. I’ll be right there.” He huffed out an impatient breath. “Misty, honey…don’t you worry. I won’t allow that old bully to come back to the office, even if I have to send him packing as a client.” He rang off.

  Misty felt a little calmer after that. All she had to do was wait for Breck to arrive, and he would take over. Straightening her spine, she picked up the task from the pile she had been about to tackle when Levi had first hit the front door.

  * * *

  Colton poked around a bit more and then made his way back to where the two deputies stood guard. “Well, it’s nice to see that my tax dollars are getting put to good use.” He grinned as he said it, but Justin rolled his eyes.

  “Yeah, somebody has to keep the crowds in check.”

  “Hey, we love to stand around in the sunshine, with not another vehicle in sight, guarding a crime scene.” Clyde removed his hat and wiped his brow.

  “Don’t work too hard, fellas.” Colt took a couple of steps toward his truck but stopped when Jason asked a question.

  “Did you find anything interesting? Something worth saving this old place?”

  Colton cocked his head to one side. “It’s all about the land. This is valuable acreage for grazing and for producing crops.”

  “Yeah, I suppose so,” Jason agreed. “And if you knock down all these decrepit buildings, you’ll have a little more.”

  “I suppose,” Colton said. “I just want to make sure it’s safe. I found an old well out back. If you two are poking around, don’t fall in. It needs to be covered.” Colt bade them goodbye and took off, thinking he hadn’t learned anything new about the crimes involving the Daltons or their property, but he was glad he had a chance to tromp around the outbuildings. He hadn’t looked at the little house, but maybe it could be renovated and Misty could use it as rental property. Maybe not. He needed to call someone to check out the well. Perhaps it could be restored to a useful source of clean drinking water.

  He shook his head and pulled off the graded caliche road and onto the paved farm-to-market road. Ridiculous. It would be better to clear that corner of the Dalton land and get it over with. Not everything can be saved.

  * * *

  By the time Breck reached the law office, he was in full warpath mode, his temper raging just below the surface. “What the hell?” His eyes lit on the overturned coatrack just inside the front door.

  Misty held up her hands. “You said not to touch anything, so I’ve been sitting right here, minding my own business and working on a statement for the billable hours to send to the Slaytons.”

  Breck’s eyes narrowed, focusing on the broken glass strewn on both sides of his office door. “That bastard. This makes my blood boil.”

  “Mr. Blair was more than a little boiling when he came in here. It was the pictures you sent that set him off.” She gave a shiver in remembrance. “He was just plain scary.”

  Breck pulled his cell out of his pocket, punched a number, and then began talking. “Sheriff, come over to my office. It’s been vandalized.” He spent his waiting time pacing around the front office.

  In due tim
e, the sheriff parked in front and strode through the door. “What’s going on here?” he asked, gesturing to the fallen coatrack. He frowned, fisted his hands at his waist, and surveyed the broken glass. “What the hell happened?”

  Breck stepped forward to shake the sheriff’s hand. “Your friend and mine, Levi Blair, came in the office a short time ago, scared the devil out of poor Misty, and deliberately broke my private office door.”

  The sheriff eyed Misty uncertainly. “Are you all right, Miss Dalton? Were you injured?”

  Misty swallowed. “Mr. Blair didn’t hurt me. He just frightened me.”

  “Come on, Misty,” Breck said, gesturing for her to join them. “Tell the sheriff exactly what happened. Don’t leave anything out.”

  She pushed back from her desk and retold the story in detail. She answered questions when they stopped her but managed to get all the way through.

  “So, Blair never touched you?” The sheriff gazed at her, one brow raised.

  “No, sir. He grabbed my stapler to break the glass, and he got the packet of photos off Mr. Ryan’s desk.”

  “And then he spread them out to look at them?” Breck pointed to the table in the back of the room.

  She nodded. “He laid them out and then rearranged them. That’s when he got real mad. He said the boys lied to him.”

  Breck led the way back to the table, and all three surveyed the photographs.

  “And you say the date these pictures were printed was a couple of days after young Nate disappeared?”

  “That’s what Mr. Blair said.” Misty felt a shiver spiral down her spine. “He was really upset. He said he was going to talk to his nephew, Eddie Simmons.”

  “And that’s when he left.” Breck gazed down at the photos. “There’s a story here if we just knew how to read it.”

  All three stared down at the images. In the order Levi had placed them, it appeared the boys were just horsing around to start, but the blurred pictures of two boys fighting were followed by the image of Eddie, his shirt smeared with something dark, maybe mud. He was holding a gun.