Cowboy Reckoning

by Barb Han

  On second thought, he shouldn’t tamper with evidence and neither should Lawrence. He fired off a text to Travis to make sure neither one touched the vehicle and advised both to stay inside Travis’s truck until the sheriff arrived.

  “Technically, your vehicle is a crime scene now. At least we can get the sheriff to tow it. She might want to hang onto it as evidence.”

  Ensley was quiet. Too quiet. A storm was brewing behind those beautiful eyes of hers.

  “Might be easier to get the sheriff to reopen the case now.” Her voice was the kind of calm that was like looking on top of a lake. The surface was still, but no one could predict exactly what stirred underneath.

  “I hope so.” He meant every last one of those words. But if the sheriff wouldn’t reopen the case, he had ways. At the very least, he intended to hire his own investigator. It wouldn’t be as easy or efficient as having a law enforcement official involved, but he had no plans to sit on this or watch Ensley suffer. “I’d like to help you with this case. I’d like to see it through.”

  Levi was sincere on that point.

  Ensley was already shaking her head. “What about Karma? You have to think about him. You have to put his needs first. Taking him around to interview a bunch of strangers or onto a bunch of new properties wouldn’t be good for him.”

  She had a point. But there also came a time when boundaries had to be pushed a little bit. This seemed like one of those.

  “You said yourself that he’s never going to get better if I don’t expose him to different people and places. My last name means a lot in this town and it’ll help open doors for you. I’m shocked by what’s happened. I’d like to think that kind of evil doesn’t exist here, but it’s obvious to me now that it does.” He paused for a second to let her think about that. “I need to report this crime to the sheriff. She will most likely want us to meet her there so she can get a statement from both of us. Are you up for it?”

  Ensley put her palms on the edge of the table and then pushed to standing. “I’m ready now. I just need to grab my things.”

  “You can leave your weekend bag here. It’s obvious to me that it’s not safe for you to stay in the motel alone.”

  “I won’t argue there.” She seemed to take a second to consider his words. “I’ll grab my purse.”

  Levi drained his coffee cup as she disappeared down the hall. The way this day was shaping up, he’d need all the caffeine he could get.

  While she was gone, he made a quick call to the sheriff, briefing her on the situation. Just as he suspected, she wanted to meet at the site. That had been a no-brainer. What he was still scratching his head about was the question of what she might uncover about why Ensley was perceived as a threat.

  Whether Levi believed her initially or not, and he had, he was even more convinced something evil lurked beneath the surface of Cattle Cove now.

  Vandalizing her car had been a stupid move. Now, he had a good reason to get law enforcement involved.

  Levi crossed the kitchen and made a couple of to-go cups filled with fresh brew. He’d already allowed Karma to perform his ‘search’ of the house, a routine the dog needed to perform to keep his nerves on an even keel. He’d fed and walked his dog. Routine meant everything to Karma and was most likely responsible for the few break throughs they’d experienced. And Levi found relief in the daily routine they’d developed.

  By the time Ensley returned a few minutes later, Levi had tucked his cell phone in his pocket and had placed a leash on Karma. He nodded toward the counter. “I made a couple of to-go cups in case you’re interested.”

  “Absolutely.” She moved to the counter and double fisted the mugs. Within another couple of minutes, Karma had ‘cleared’ the truck and they were on the road, heading toward the spot where Ensley had left her vehicle.

  It dawned on Levi that someone had most likely tampered with the car last night even though he couldn’t see anything with the naked eye. Someone had tried to strand her. Then what?

  It was lucky that he and Karma had been in the woods from the back side of McGannon property. She’d called it in to roadside assistance. Again, small town. Folks talked to each other.

  If someone had seen her driving in, news could’ve traveled.

  “Did you pass by anyone you recognized on your way into town?”

  “I stopped off for gas and a bottle of soda off the interstate,” she said. “I lived here so long ago and I was so young. A few people seemed familiar but no names came to mind. Most people change in a decade.” She flashed eyes at him. “It’s been ten years since I was here. It’s been too long. Plus, it was off the interstate so I figured it could’ve been anyone. Strange, coming home I felt like everyone would be the same age as when I left. I guess time moves on even if it freezes in our minds.”

  Levi had shared a similar sentiment about returning from overseas. He totally got where she was coming from in feeling like the town would’ve been froze in time. He knew one thing, nothing stood still forever.

  Sheriff Laney Justice’s SUV was parked to the side of the road. She’d beaten them there. Levi parked behind Travis’s truck and held onto Karma’s leash as they exited the vehicle. The leash wasn’t Karma’s favorite thing. He wasn’t used to it, but he was adapting slowly.

  This spot was no longer strange to him. He would recognize his own scent from last night. Karma had gotten the job in the military because of his keen sense of smell.

  He also acknowledged Travis and Lawrence without much distress. However, when it came to the sheriff, Karma was on alert. It could be a flashback from his days in the military. She had on khaki pants, her radio clipped to her shoulder strap and she wore a holster on her hip.

  Levi introduced the sheriff to Ensley, who briefed her on the situation. Sheriff Justice pulled out a small notepad from her front pocket. She was five-feet-two on a good day. Make no mistake about it, she was dynamite, tiny but mighty.

  “Well, you already know my name is Ensley Cartier. I parked here last night and had car trouble. The decision was made to leave my vehicle here overnight and this is what we found today.”

  Sheriff Justice nodded and looked up at Ensley who had a solid four inches over the sheriff. “What time were you parked here last night?”

  “Just before sundown and was here until not long after. I didn’t check the time. I’d been driving for a long time and had stopped off on the highway to refill my tank.”

  “You don’t remember the time?” There was no judgment, just a search for facts.

  “I was watching the sunset, trying to beat it. I wanted to get to the meadow before the sun went down. I misjudged the time. I was distracted and a little emotional. This is the first time I’ve been home in ten years.”

  “Welcome back.” Sheriff Justice’s words were filled with compassion. Levi hoped that meant Ensley would be able to trust her.

  “Thank you. I’m just breezing through. I heard that the coroner passed away and a few questions have come up about past cases. My brother was killed ten years ago in the meadow I was trying to find. His name was Cooper Cartier.”

  Sheriff Justice was calmly nodding her head. “I’m sorry for your loss, Ms. Cartier.”

  “I appreciate your sentiment. But I’m here for answers. And it doesn’t seem like someone is real happy that I’m here. Aside from the obvious, the coroner’s nephew, who owns the only tow truck company in the area, refused service last night.”

  “Is that so?” Sheriff Justice’s interest seemed piqued.

  Levi could almost see the wheels turning in the sheriff’s mind.

  “A black truck with a partially peeled off sticker on the passenger-side window drove by here last night.” Levi showed the picture he’d taken of the truck. “The driver swerved at the last minute, barely missing us and her vehicle.”

  “Can you forward that picture to my e-mail?” she asked.

  “I can do it right now.” He did.

  “I’d like to take a look at tha
t case for myself. I’m afraid I’ve only been on the job for the past three years and that happened before my watch. Again, I couldn’t be sorrier for your loss.” She glanced at the vandalized vehicle. “This isn’t normally the kind of welcome folks receive in town. You already know that since you lived here once. We hope to do better.”

  Ensley scraped her top teeth across her bottom lip, and then said, “I’m counting on it, sheriff.”

  9

  After taking down statements, the sheriff offered to have Ensley’s vehicle towed before excusing herself. A small seed of hope sprouted in Ensley’s chest. This was the first time she thought her brother’s case might have objective eyes on it. She knew better than to put too much stock in it.

  Since Karma had already ‘cleared’ the truck once, he didn’t have to do it again. As they walked back, Levi said, “I’d rather know who was taking care of your car and I’d rather have it on McGannon property.”

  “I’d like that. And I’d like to pay for the transfer. How would that work?” Ensley had money saved. She didn’t have a family of her own depending on her financially. Covering the cost wouldn’t take much out of her savings. She made a mental note to call the insurance adjuster and request a copy of the complaint from the sheriff.

  “We’ll figure something out.”

  “I don’t want to sit around and wait while the sheriff gets up to speed on my brother’s case. I don’t know how much of a priority a ten-year-old cold case will be for her and I’m on a limited time schedule.” She didn’t add what she really felt, which was her brother had waited long enough for justice to be served.

  “Agreed. Time is of the essence and we have no idea where this case falls on Sheriff Justice’s priority scale. This could be classified as simple vandalism, even though the words written on the side your vehicle were pointed,” he said.

  She was glad to hear him say that because she felt the exact same way. “Except for the message directed at me, someone could write this off as teenagers playing a prank.”

  She hadn’t done any of those things in her teenage years and figured teens in general got blamed for a lot of things they didn’t do. It was like in school when a couple of kids misbehaved and the whole class had to sit in for recess.

  Where was the justice in that? Punishing innocent kids as a blanket statement only hurt the good ones. The same thing had happened to Cooper.

  Sadly, there were teenagers who fought over girls. There were teenagers who got into fights or accidentally killed each other. It happened even though it was rare. But to put a blanket label on all teenagers as reckless or out of control because of hormones was wholly unfair.

  If she’d learned anything from this case, it was that people liked easy answers. Anything that required more explanation than a sentence started to lose people.

  “Where would you like to start?” Levi asked.

  “Lowell Whitfield’s nephew seems like a pretty good jumping off point. Why not begin there?”

  A few thoughts ran through Ensley’s mind as she and Levi made the drive to Andy Whitfield’s property. He lived in the outskirts of town despite his tow truck business being located on Main Street. At this time of morning, Andy would most likely be at home. He wanted to catch him before he got out to his workplace. Catch him while he was still eating his breakfast.

  Ranchers may get up at four o’clock in the morning, but tow truck drivers worked around the clock, and especially at night. Andy would most likely be up late dispatching drivers. Last time Levi had checked, the man’s company serviced this county and two others.

  Nine-thirty in the morning might be a good time to catch a man like him.

  Andy Whitfield lived on an acre of land in a cul-de-sac neighborhood.

  “Andy has three children. All boys. His wife owns a small craft jewelry business that she works at from home.” Levi stopped the truck in front of a nice-sized two-story brick home.

  Ensley appreciated hearing an update on Andy. Part of her didn’t want to think about him as a human being. She didn’t want to think about him as a dad or husband. She didn’t want that to soften her stance if she needed to be tough. So, she tucked the information deep inside. She’d gotten really good at tucking away pieces of her. Too good?

  Levi gave her a minute before he shut the engine off. “Ready?”

  There were so many questions that had been running around in Ensley’s mind while she waited for a moment like this to happen. Now, all of a sudden, she was drawing a blank. Her pulse kicked up a few notices and that probably wasn’t helping.

  Whether her body cooperated or her mind, she was ready to face down Andy Whitfield. At the very least to ask him why an innocent person would refuse tow service to her.

  “You bet I am.” And if she’s hesitated a moment ago she was certain now.

  Levi reattached Karma’s leash. The dog seemed to have come to expect her as part of the pack. She hadn’t been left alone with him but he didn’t seem to mind her presence as long as Levi was there.

  “Hold on a sec.” Ensley reached inside her handbag and searched for her journal. She closed her fingers around its soft edges and then pulled it out of her bag. She pressed the journal against her chest in the spot where her heart beat frantically.

  She traced her finger on the elastic band that held the pages closed and kept her brother’s favorite picture tucked inside. She fanned out the pages until she located Cooper’s picture. Seeing him grounded her. It gave her focus.

  Levi sat in a respectful silence. When he seemed to think it was okay, he asked, “Is that Cooper?”

  “It is. Would you like to see?”

  “I would very much like that.” Those words sent warmth through her and cracked some of the ice that formed in her chest. Ensley held the picture out so Levi could see it. The move meant reaching over Karma. If anyone believed dogs weren’t perceptive, they had no clue. He seemed to catch onto the somber moment and didn’t budge when she met Levi’s hand halfway across the cab.

  It was probably too soon to drop her hand and pet him but the desire was there. This was a start.

  Ensley sat there in silence as Levi studied the photo.

  “He was good,” Levi said.

  “Soccer was his life until recently…” She caught herself talking about him like that goal had just happened yesterday and he would just show up at any minute. Somewhere in the back of her mind she realized there was no way that was happening. Thinking of him in the present kept him closer to her. “Girls. He started to notice girls and suddenly he was not in the backyard anymore kicking a ball into a goal post. He wanted to hang out with Greyson and Oaklynn more.”

  It was so nice to talk about her brother in happier memories. She never did that. She never did that with her father. She never did that with her stepmom. And Stella seemed determined to make the subject of Cooper off limits to eight-year-old Angel.

  “My brother was such a prankster. I don’t think most people ever saw that side to him. Certainly not at school. My father would come down hard on us if we stepped out of line, especially in public. It was game over. But if Greyson was over or it was just the two of us he was always pulling something.” It was a strange sensation to want to laugh and cry at the same time. She did.

  “The soccer part was most likely how he connected to my cousin, Cage. He’s right here in this picture.” Levi pointed to a dot, to a face. It was one she recognized because McGannons were pretty unmistakable. Cage’s fists were pumped in the air, his huge smile plastered on his face. He beamed. Cooper was about to end their season on a win.

  “They both looked so happy,” she said. It wouldn’t be long before that face was blank, and all the emotion was drained of it.

  “I can tell how much you miss your brother. He was lucky to have a big sister like you to look out for him. Not everyone does.”

  Ensley really did have to fight back the tears welling in her eyes now. “I don’t think my parents would agree with you on that front. They won�
�t let me spend time alone with their new daughter. It’s like they think I’m going to infect her with something. Like I’m bad luck.”

  Saying those words out loud were knife jabs straight to the heart. Breathing hurt as she thought about the rejection she’d faced after losing her best friend. They might have been a few years apart but no siblings were closer than her and Cooper. She’d secretly wished for a sibling all those times her parents had fought when she was little. She’d wanted a playmate so badly.

  After the divorce, she really wished for another kid in the family. Truthfully, she’d hoped for a sister but her mind had changed after Cooper came into the world.

  Levi calmly handed over the picture and took a minute to speak like he was choosing his words carefully.

  “You know, I never did like your dad. No offense to you. And his wife wasn’t any better. They had a reputation for not having a whole lot going on under the surface. He seemed like he came here to take and that’s never been the philosophy here. It’s never been the philosophy of ranchers. And if he made you feel like that after how much you looked after your little brother, I like him even less now.”

  “I know he’s my father but he’s not real high on my list of favorite people, either. I will always love him, but respect is earned.”

  “I couldn’t agree with you more. And if he’s idiot enough to keep someone like you—someone who is kind and caring, giving and loyal…if those aren’t the attributes that he’s trying to instill in his daughter then he doesn’t seem like the brightest person to me. I won’t go into his parenting skills or should I say lack of them.”

  The emotions trying to engulf Ensley were building. Break that dam and she had no idea how bad it could be. Open those floodgates and she had no idea what the damage would be.

  So, she glanced at Andy Whitfield’s house. He might be a husband. He might be a father. But he also might be covering up for his uncle. He might have the answers she’d been searching for almost a decade.