Cowboy Reckoning

by Barb Han

  She glanced down at the photo in her hand before placing it inside her journal, and then replacing the elastic band. She carefully tucked the small book into her handbag. No words were needed to tell Levi she was ready to speak to Andy Whitfield. He’d already clicked the leash on Karma earlier and those two were exiting the vehicle on the driver’s side. She opened her door and climbed out of the passenger seat.

  There were no fences around front yards in this part of town. The backyard had an eight-foot board-on-board privacy fence.

  Nose to the ground, all the signs Karma had snapped back into his training mode were present. She heard Levi offer soothing words to the dog, low and calm. The reassurance might be meant for Karma but it traveled all over her, entering every fiber of her being.

  There was one of those massive SUVs parked next to the house. She scanned the area for a black truck. Didn’t find one. The SUV was common and especially for families. There were no matching stickers on the back window. She checked for that too.

  Before they made it onto the porch, the front door of the Whitfield house swung open so hard it smacked against the brick. A very concerned-looking man stepped out. She didn’t remember Andy Whitfield from years ago. He was older than her. This had to be him.

  He had on a cowboy hat, boots, jeans, and a button down shirt. Heavy clothes for such a hot day. He was on the tall side but still several inches shorter than Levi. Andy Whitfield was lean and looked to be in his early forties, if she had to guess. He had small, beady rat eyes on top of a long, thin nose.

  “Andy,” Levi started.

  The man became agitated, waving his hands like a wild person. “This is private property. You have no right to be here. This is my family home.”

  Karma’s hackles raised and he unleashed a torrent of barks. He dropped his head low to the ground, and she realized the move was most likely to protect his neck. Whether it was instinct or training, she didn’t know. Maybe a combination of the two?

  Either way, it looked effective.

  Andy Whitfield’s reaction to her coming to town seemed over the top, even to a town that valued its privacy.

  “We just have a couple of questions for you, Andy. What problem could you possibly have with that?”

  “You don’t have a right to be here. You of all people should know that, Levi. Plus, what did you bring with you…Cujo?”

  Ensley figured Andy should be more concerned about her than the dog. “Why did you refuse service?”

  “I’m not answering that.”

  “Well, at least you’re not denying it. I figured you would at least start there.” She was goading him into an argument, figuring it was the best way to make him slip and say something he’d regret. Based on his reaction to them so far, she didn’t have a lot of time to get answers out of him before he kicked them off his property.

  The man was acting guilty as sin. Obviously, he had something to do with this or something to lose.

  “I’ll call the sheriff,” he threatened.

  Levi stopped and smirked, looking like nothing the man had said so far was bothering him in the least. “Go ahead. Call the sheriff. She’s going to drop by anyway. You could save yourself the trouble and talk to us now.”

  Andy’s rat eyes widened and a look of shock passed over his features.

  10

  For a man claiming his innocence, Andy Whitfield sure was acting guilty.

  “How did you know it was my vehicle? How did you know who the vehicle belonged to?”

  One glance showed Ensley’s hands fisted at her sides and her back ramrod straight. It was easy to see her agitation pulsing off her in waves. “Never mind. You knew it was my vehicle and you knew where it was because of the roadside service that I use. They called you, didn’t they?”

  Whitfield was shaking his head.

  “You do realize that the sheriff is going to drop by for questioning. You’re not going to be able to lie about this or cover it up. It’s so obvious that you refused service. My contact told me so last night. You can’t wiggle your way out of this or refuse to answer the question in court.” Ensley’s words seemed to anger him even more.

  Good.

  Levi added, “Skinner isn’t around anymore to cover for you.”

  Those words scored a direct hit. Whitfield seemed taken back. He caught his mistake and recovered quickly with a sneer.

  “What happened to your vehicle was probably kids. You know how they are. Teenagers. They probably thought the vehicle was abandoned and came across it while out joy riding. What’s the real harm in that?” Levi wanted to knock the self-satisfied smirk off the man’s face and Ensley seemed ready to do just that.

  In fact, she practically launched herself at the man. Not that Levi wouldn’t have enjoyed the show. He would put his money on Ensley any day to come out on top of that fight. But she could be charged with assault and that wouldn’t be good for her case.

  He stepped in between her and Whitfield as she muttered a few choice words under her breath—the same words Levi was thinking.

  Levi backed Ensley up a couple of steps to put a little more space between her and the source of her fury. He gave Karma the command to retreat as a young guy came bounding out the front door.

  The kid was tall and lean, a spitting image of his father only skinnier.

  “Is there a problem out here, Dad?” The kid looked ready for a fight.

  Levi also noticed the kid brought a baseball bat with him. Smart kid. He seemed to know when they were outmatched and was ready to defend his father.

  “Go on back inside the house, Boyd. I’ll speak to you when I’m done here.”

  Whitfield’s son looked to be about driving age.

  “Let’s go,” Levi said quietly to Ensley.

  Confusion stamped her features. She had questions and desperately wanted answers. The man she believed could give them to her stood fifteen feet away.

  Whitfield would sooner drink rattlesnake venom than give her what she needed. But Levi had already gotten all he needed.

  “Trust me.” He locked gazes with her. Karma was calm for the moment. But now that Whitfield’s son had come out the situation was going south fast.

  Ensley stood there for a long moment, her back teeth grinding. And then she nodded almost imperceptibly before turning toward the truck.

  Stopping a few feet shy of the vehicle, Levi turned. “So, where were you last night, Boyd?”

  Boyd opened his mouth to answer. Whitfield shot a warning look.

  “Home,” Whitfield interjected.

  “I hope that’s true for your sake.”

  Once back inside the cab, Ensley turned to Levi. “You picked up on something I didn’t. What was it?”

  “He busted himself. He acknowledged he knew that your vehicle had been vandalized. According to his statement, he’d been home all night. If he wasn’t involved, how would he know what happened?”

  Ensley was rocking her head. “That’s a good point.”

  “The sheriff will stop by to question him. We made certain she would if he doesn’t call her to report us, which is a possibility.”

  “If he does, we’ll know which side she’s on pretty fast,” Ensley said. It was easy to see why she wouldn’t blindly hand over her trust. Her reaction also made him realize just much she’d gone out on a limb to trust him last night.

  Despite the fact he’d almost convinced himself that he didn’t need anyone in his life, Ensley was wiggling her way into his heart.

  “True,” he agreed. “I’m not plugged in enough to know who Whitfield’s close acquaintances are, let alone his friends.”

  “Speaking of the sheriff, do you think it would do any good to stop by the sheriff’s office and ask to see the case file?” she asked.

  “I doubt she’ll be ready to hand over details before she had her own bearings.”

  “Good point.”

  “We can talk to Greyson’s family and then there’s Oaklynn’s. I’ve been out of it for the p
ast year and haven’t kept up with families in town and…”

  Levi’s ring tones sounded, causing Ensley to take in a sharp breath.

  She glanced at Levi as he pulled over to the side of the road and fished his cell out of his pocket. He checked the screen and then looked to her.

  The look in his eyes had the effect of an espresso shot on her system.

  “It’s the sheriff,” he said.

  “I can’t say that I’m surprised.”

  “I’ll put her on speaker.” He took the call and the sheriff’s voice filled the cab. “I’m parked and Ensley is here.”

  “Good,” Justice said, her voice was all business. “I want both of you to hear this.”

  Another look passed between Ensley and Levi. She could guess what this call was going to be about. Andy Whitfield.

  “I just got a call from Andy Whitfield. He wants to file trespassing charges against the two of you.”

  “He’s a liar.” Levi’s voice left no room for doubt.

  “I never said he wasn’t. That doesn’t mean you can go question him.” She paused for a few seconds like she wanted that message to sink in. “I’m back at my office and this case gets my full attention today. Give me a minute to unpack what I see here.”

  “Cooper Cartier has been waiting almost ten years.” It was all Levi said. All he had to say.

  “I know and that’s why I’m giving this case my full attention. I will do everything in my power to find out what happened that night. But, you have to give me a little room and not rile up my witnesses.”

  Levi glanced over at Ensley. She didn’t even realize that her hand was already in her bag, searching for the journal until that moment.

  “Andy Whitfield’s son looks guilty of something. It might be a good idea to ask him where he was last night,” Levi said.

  “No offense, Levi, but I’m good at my job.”

  “Point taken,” he conceded.

  “The only other thing I’ll say is that he knew her car had been vandalized. Andy. How did he know that?” Levi asked.

  Ensley’s pulse raced until her fingers touched the familiar texture of her journal. Her fingers closed around it and she released the breath she’d been holding.

  “Give me a few hours. I’ll be in touch with questions. Until then, can I count on you to leave things alone?” the sheriff asked.

  Levi sat there, white-knuckling the steering wheel. He just sat there, and Ensley appreciated the fact he seemed to be waiting on her to respond.

  So, she said, “We can probably eat lunch.”

  Ensley had just as much right to ask questions as anyone, probably more so in her book, considering this was her brother’s case. She’d also read up on cold cases and learned the more time passed, the more difficult it became to find the killer. Ten years after the fact, the answers she wanted seemed further away than ever.

  “I appreciate the leeway, Ms. Cartier.”

  “Andy Whitfield and his son are guilty of something,” Levi reiterated.

  “I’ll keep that in mind. In the meantime, no more trespassing,” Justice warned.

  “We’ll see what we can do.” Ensley wasn’t ready to make promises she couldn’t keep. She could give Justice a couple of hours.

  Levi ended the call and navigated back onto the road. “I’m guessing Greyson’s and Oaklynn’s families won’t exactly be thrilled to see us.”

  “Both avoided me and my family like the plague after the murders. I doubt anything’s changed there and the last thing I want to do is cause Oaklynn anymore pain. That kid had been through the ringer.” Ensley motioned toward the cup. “My coffee’s gone cold. I barely took a sip.”

  “We could head back to the ranch. I can rustle up some lunch there. It might give us a chance to think things through and do a little more digging. Maybe speak to my cousin or a couple of my brothers closer to Cooper’s age.” Levi blew out a breath. “Anyone in my family is more likely to be plugged in to the community than I am.”

  A lightbulb seemed to go off in Levi’s mind.

  “You know who socializes more than the rest of us. Aunt Penny. She might be the best one to ask who is doing what and where,” he said.

  “Penny it is.”

  By the time they reached the ranch, Levi had called to prep Penny for the fact they were coming and were hoping to talk to her. He also contacted his cousin, Cage, to ask him if he was close enough to the house to drop for lunch. He’d said he was.

  Penny was waiting in the kitchen by the time they returned to the big house.

  The smell of garlic and fresh vegetables cooking filled the air, reminding Ensley how hungry she was despite the fact she didn’t think she’d be able to eat.

  Penny looked to be in her mid-to-late sixties. She could best be described at tiny but mighty. She was petite with soft edges and she walked across the kitchen to meet them with a natural skip in her step. Her short salt and pepper hair was feathered to one side.

  “Aunt Penny, meet Ensley Cartier.”

  Ensley held out a hand but was quickly pulled into a warm embrace. Penny had the most clear green eyes—eyes that said she saw everything. There was kindness and compassion in them, and just a dash of fire. She had on a flowery blouse with jeans. An apron covered her outfit with four large letters that spelled out the word, BOSS.

  Despite being on the small side, Ensley had no doubt the woman could take care of herself. It was easy to see the respect in Levi’s eyes.

  Penny released Ensley but held onto her arms. “I’m so sorry for what happened to your family.” The sincerity in her emerald eyes, the warmth in her touch was something Ensley hadn’t seen or felt in such a long time.

  Despite her best efforts to stuff down her emotions—emotions that had been bottled up for so long, moisture gathered in her eyes. The hug reminded her of every maternal thing that had been missing in Ensley’s life since losing her mother after the divorce.

  Those words, spoken in her soft and caring voice threatened to open the floodgates.

  “Thank you.” Ensley ducked her chin to her chest to hide the moisture gathering in her eyes. She coughed and turned her head to the side.

  “It’s lovely to meet you. I just wish it was under better circumstances.” Penny clucked her tongue. “I’m happy you’ve found a friend in Levi.” She said the word, friend, with uncertainty. Her gaze shifted to Levi, like she was looking for confirmation she hadn’t offended anyone.

  Penny’s gaze dropped. It was then that Ensley realized Karma had stayed by her side. Levi crossed the room, two fisting coffee mugs. He went straight to the table and set them down.

  Ensley and Penny joined him. He looked at the woman who had been his caregiver. “Would you like a cup?”

  “No, thanks. I had three this morning. If I have any more I’ll vibrate so hard that I’ll start an earthquake.”

  Ensley couldn’t help but smile and it helped push her heavier emotions to the side. She liked Penny. The woman had enough smile lines to say she’d had a good life. Those penetrating emerald green eyes seemed capable of sizing someone up real quick. Her slight southern lilt was endearing.

  Reaching into her handbag, Ensley pulled out her journal. Levi had taken the seat next to her while Penny sat at the head of the table. Ensley ran her finger along the elastic band before sliding it off and turning to the page with yesterday’s date.

  Next, she pulled out a pen, clicked it, and then set it down beside the journal. She took a sip of coffee and let Levi take the lead.

  “Aunt Penny, you’re aware of Ensley’s situation.” Again, those emerald eyes landed on Ensley.

  “I am.” She reached across the table and patted Ensley’s hand.

  “Do you know whatever happened to Oaklynn? Does she still live in Cattle Cove?” he asked.

  “Yes. She’s still here,” Penny stated, shaking her head. “But she never recovered.”

  11

  “What can you tell us about Greyson and Oaklynn’s family?”
Levi figured the families were the best place to start. And then he could move onto those Ensley viewed as suspects.

  “I can start by saying Greyson’s parents were last said to be living in Austin. As you may know, he was an only child and his parents divorced in the year following his death. His mother ended up at the capital where she went to work for a politician. I hear she’s one serious campaigner.” Aunt Penny tapped her finger on the wood table.

  “Greyson’s father relocated his boat repair business to Austin. Last I heard he lived somewhere near Lake Travis, I believe.”

  “They divorced but moved to the same city?” Levi asked as Ensley jotted down notes in her journal.

  Aunt Penny was rocking her head. “That’s right. Both of their families were originally from the Austin area. There was a time when you couldn’t live in Austin without running into each other but there’s been such an influx of people moving there those days are long gone.”

  Levi knew how populated Austin had become. There was no end to rush hour in or around the city anymore. The Loop helped a great deal.

  Although Levi hadn’t thought too much about having a family of his own, he couldn’t fathom the unfairness of losing a child.

  “What about Oaklynn? Whatever happened to her?” Ensley clicked her pen a few times before setting it on top of her journal.

  “Her parents are still married, and they still own that small farm where they’re raising goats and selling goat cheese. They’ve done pretty well for themselves financially, but they stick to themselves ever since the incident. I can’t remember the last time I saw Oaklynn. I expected her to go off to college like so many her age did when the time came, but she didn’t. She stayed put to work the family business.”

  “Don’t they have a little shop?” Levi asked.

  “They do. Most of their sales are because they got picked up by a couple of big grocery chains. At least, they were. I haven’t kept up with them too much in recent years. They used to be involved in our festivals and holiday celebrations. Not after…” Aunt Penny’s gaze flipped over Ensley and then back to Levi. “The woods.”