Bitter Justice (Cowboy Justice Association Book 12)

by Olivia Jaymes

  Their would-be burglar had opened every cabinet, drawer, and closet. He'd even rifled through the couch cushions and behind framed pictures.

  "There was nothing to hide. All the files are electronic and on my phone."

  "Smart. And that was never out of your sight."

  Tanner patted his pocket. "They'd have to wrestle me for it."

  "So did you get a look at the intruder?"

  Grimacing, he shook his head. "Tall. Pretty big. From the looks, I think male. He was wearing dark slacks and shirt, plus a knitted cap over his face."

  "Kind of hot for Florida."

  "True, but I don't think he thought he was ever going to be outside. He flipped that lock on the patio door fast. I mean really, really fast. He had to have known where it was located. There was no hesitation on his part."

  Unlike most doors, the lock on the patio wasn't at eye or chest level. It was down near the floor.

  "So you think it was Leo?"

  "I don't know. But...no. I don't think it was Leo. The guy was tall. Bigger than Leo, although he has the money to hire someone to do his dirty deeds. He wouldn't have to break and enter himself."

  "You think he has henchmen?"

  "Stranger things have happened. If he's a guy that's willing to kill his wife, he might also be willing to do other unlawful acts. But either way, he has a vested interest in making sure he doesn't go to jail. They may have been here to look for files or papers about the investigation or they may have been here to scare us."

  "So what happens now?"

  Funny, but she didn't feel scared. Tanner wasn't going to let anything happen to her. He'd be extra cautious from now on.

  "We eat our food, watch the security camera footage, and go back to square one. Somewhere is a clue we've missed. We need to reconstruct it all and see what we come up with."

  "Together?"

  "Absolutely. You're not going to be alone anymore. Not until this killer is caught."

  It wasn't the second honeymoon she'd planned but it sounded just fine.

  22

  They'd reheated dinner after Sheriff Ken Smith and his deputy left. The two men had taken a report about the break-in and they wholeheartedly agreed with Tanner.

  The intruder wasn't looking for sunscreen. This was about the murder investigation.

  Ken had profusely apologized about dragging Tanner into what might be a dangerous mess. The younger man didn't have enough experience to know that looking into a murder usually bothered the killer. Sometimes that meant they acted out. Sometimes it also meant that their actions brought about a break in the case. In this instance, Ken was going to speak to Brad about cameras in the elevators and stairwells. Their visitor might just have been caught on tape.

  In the meantime, Tanner and Maddie had other video footage to comb through, which they did after eating and cleaning up the kitchen. Both of them curled up on the couch and Maddie had retrieved her tablet computer from her oversized handbag. There was film from three separate security cameras along the beach, plus the parking gate.

  "It's harder to commit a crime these days," Maddie observed as the first footage loaded. "There are eyes everywhere."

  "That's very true," Tanner replied, cueing up the first clip. "Most people don't realize just how prevalent cameras are but they're almost everywhere now. If you walk down a sidewalk in a random neighborhood, chances are you're going to get picked up by someone's doorbell camera. Add in security cameras in traffic and business, and there's usually someone watching what you do at all times. Hell, even in Springwood we have red light cameras and I know for a fact that most of the store owners have them. Because I encouraged it. Video can close a case fast."

  "I'm not sure how I feel about that. The thought that cameras are watching me is sort of disturbing. Add in how when I visit a website, ads for it follow me all over the internet and it's all kinds of creepy."

  Tanner wouldn't argue with her.

  "It's all creepy. I guess I'm old enough to be nostalgic for the good old days, but I do admit that being able to have movie showtimes and the weather at my fingertips is pretty cool. It's a give and take. Amanda won't know any different."

  There were times when Tanner wanted his daughter to have the kind of upbringing that he'd had, but then he'd remind himself that the world was different now. She wasn't him. She'd have her own memories of childhood and hopefully she'd look back on them with happiness.

  "The good old days," Maddie said with a chuckle. "My dad always said that the good old days weren't as good as we thought they were. That our memories were selective."

  "Your dad is a wise man. Are you ready?"

  The first video was taken from a security camera on the back door of the building next door. There wasn't much to see and it was quite dark. When two figures did appear, they were a distance from the camera and identifying them was impossible.

  "Do you think that's Bibi?" Maddie asked, squinting to pick out any details. Tanner had zoomed in as far as he could but they were simply two dark figures.

  "It could be. I could also be a million other people. The film quality is terrible." He sighed and cued up the next video. "Maybe the next will be better."

  The second was from a security camera at a private residence. The quality was better and the footage wasn't nearly as dark. This time they could see a cat running across the sand and then a few minutes later two people walking by. One taller than the other. At first, Tanner didn't recognize them but then Bibi's scarf waved in the wind and she turned toward the camera for just a moment and he could make out her features. The person she was with, however, kept their back to the camera. Coincidence? Perhaps. Tanner couldn't identify Bibi's companion but he or she was taller and heavier.

  The third video was worse than the first, at completely the wrong angle to show anything worthwhile. The fourth was from the guard house at the parking gate. The entrance was automated for residents between nine in the evening and six in the morning. There were plenty of comings and goings but none of them were Bibi, Leo, Randy, or Carrie.

  "That was kind of a letdown," Maddie sighed. "I guess I was hoping for more."

  "So was I," Tanner admitted. "It looks like we're not going to get lucky on this case. We'll have to find another way."

  "If Logan was here, you'd ask him what his gut was saying."

  She was right. He would have. Logan's gut was rarely wrong.

  "What is your gut telling you?" Maddie asked. "Your instincts are usually just as right as Logan's."

  Gut-check time. What was his intuition telling him?

  "I can't prove it," he finally said, frustration in his tone. This case wasn't supposed to be this difficult.

  "But?"

  "I think Leo killed his wife. I know I shouldn't judge based on prior acts but the fact that this is his second wife dying young..."

  They were both quiet, the only sound the low hum of voices from the television in the corner. He didn't know what Maddie was thinking about, but he was thinking that he needed to start at the beginning again. Go back to square one and see if he missed anything. Leo Gordon was leaving Florida soon. He didn't have much time if he was going to help Ken Smith.

  "I'm going to stay up awhile, honey. Go through the investigation piece by piece again. I want to map out the relationships and the means, motive, and opportunity for each suspect. Logan's supposed to have more background information on Leo and Randy coming as well. I think I'll wait up for it."

  "Then I think I'll head to bed. I'll leave my tablet out here for you." She pressed a soft kiss to his cheek and then stood. "I know better than to tell you not to stay up too late. Should I put on the coffee for you?"

  His wife was the most understanding woman in the world.

  "Nah, I've got it. Sweet dreams, babe. I'll come to bed when I finish here."

  They both didn't believe a word out of his mouth.

  What had he missed?

  The next morning, Maddie woke just as the sun was peeking over the
horizon. Reaching across the mattress, she laid her palm against the cool sheets on Tanner's side of the bed. He'd been up for a long time.

  Assuming he'd ever come to bed to begin with.

  Her guess was the latter. Tanner had worked some crazy hours over the years - and frankly so had she - and she'd learned not to stir too much if he came to bed in the middle of the night but she hadn't heard a single noise.

  I slept too peacefully.

  Throwing on a pair of yoga pants, she padded out into the living room on her bare feet and immediately spied her husband, sitting up but sort of sprawled out, his feet propped on the coffee table and the tablet computer on his lap. Dead asleep and softly snoring. His features were softer and more boyish in repose, and he looked so peaceful she was loath to disturb him. Her heart ached a little in her chest as she studied her husband.

  I love this man.

  Tiptoeing close to him, Maddie retrieved the tablet and then tucked the throw around him, stopping to brush a stray lock of silky hair from his forehead. He was devilishly handsome, far sexier than when they'd met. It really wasn't fair how men seemed to get more handsome as they aged. Or maybe she just loved him that much more.

  He was asleep now, but he'd wake up soon when he smelled fresh coffee. As quietly as possible, she started the dark brew in the coffeemaker and then sat down at the small patio table to wait for it to finish.

  Firing up the tablet, she could see that Logan had indeed sent some files in the early morning hours but Tanner must have already been asleep. The email hadn't yet been opened. She had a few minutes to kill until the coffee would be finished so she opened the files, the documents loading one by one.

  Scrolling through each, she didn't see anything that stood out. Leo had come from a family with money, had married even more money, and was now loaded thanks to decent investments and a successful business.

  Randy had come from a regular middle-class family but had managed to find his fortune playing professional football. He'd started his business - a string of pizza parlors - soon after retirement and although it had had its ups and downs, it had been mostly successful thanks to a few infusions of cash. The most recent from Leo Gordon.

  She was head down over the files when a shadow fell over the table.

  "I fell asleep."

  Tanner was scraping his fingers through his hair, making it stand on end even more than it had been before. He looked like a sleepy little boy and her stomach clenched in her abdomen for a moment, reminding her of how Amanda looked in the morning. She wore that same half-scowl for the first five minutes of her day no matter how much sleep she'd had the night before.

  "I can see that. How's your neck? You weren't in the most comfortable position for a good night's sleep."

  Shifting his neck from side to side and wriggling his shoulders, he grunted and then sighed.

  "I probably just should have come to bed when I got tired."

  In other words, his neck and shoulders hurt. Probably his lower back too, but he'd never admit it in a million years.

  "Logan sent those files early this morning. I've been looking through them while I waited for the coffee to brew. Can I pour you a cup?"

  Tanner sat down heavily into the chair opposite. "It was the smell that woke me up. I can't believe I slept through you making coffee. Clearly I'm getting old and my hearing is going."

  "You were tired and I was very quiet." She slid the tablet across to him. "Like a ninja."

  He must have found the statement funny because he was chuckling as she poured two cups of coffee. The smell was delicious and it woke her up a little bit more without even having to take a sip.

  "What's my ninja-wife going to do about Gordon leaving? I haven't solved Bibi's murder and he's going to get on a plane and head for New York City, and then possibly leave the country if he's smart."

  "I've been thinking about that. He may not leave the country. He might stay here. After all, he thinks he got away with it. Twice. He must be feeling pretty confident right about now."

  "Maybe," Tanner grimaced, taking a sip of his lava hot coffee. "I think he did it, Maddie, but I can't prove it."

  She could hear the frustration in her husband's voice. She'd been the one that had encouraged him to help Ken Smith and now the number one suspect was planning on getting on a plane and flying away.

  "Why don't you let me fix breakfast this morning? And before you say anything, I think I can rustle up some scrambled eggs. They won't be as fluffy as yours but they will be edible. I haven't poisoned anyone yet and it's been months since we had to throw burnt food away."

  Tanner really wanted to argue with her but apparently, he wanted to look at the information that Logan had sent even more.

  My cooking is improving.

  I can make eggs and toast, for heaven's sake.

  Despite Tanner's dubious expression, he nodded in agreement, his head bent over the tablet while she cooked up the eggs. Carefully. She didn't want to give him any more reasons to think she was a lousy cook. There would be no throwing food in the trash this morning.

  The toast was a no-brainer so it was with a little rush of triumph that she placed two plates of eggs and toast on the table, along with two glasses and a jug of cranberry juice. They both preferred it to orange. She'd also placed the usual bottle of hot sauce next to his plate. He loved that stuff on his eggs. She'd tried it once and it had burnt a hole in her tongue.

  "Thanks, babe."

  He looked up briefly and shot her a grateful smile before pouring the sauce over his eggs and digging in. Maddie shuddered slightly as he took a huge forkful but she was also just so damn happy that the eggs had turned out so well. She'd surveyed the batch and there wasn't an eggshell in sight.

  Go me.

  "Are you going to call Logan–"

  She didn't get the entire question out before Tanner had shot out of his chair, practically vibrating on his feet. For a moment she thought he was going to run to the sink to puke up breakfast but then she saw a smile cross her husband's face. She knew it well.

  "What did you find?"

  Tanner waved the tablet in the air, tapping the screen. She was so excited she didn't even care about the fingerprints. "Leo and Randy grew up in the same town, went to the same high school, although Leo was a few years ahead. Randy's dad worked for the company that Leo's dad owned."

  "I'm not a cop. You're going to have to bottom-line it for me."

  "This places Randy in Leo's life all the way back before his first wife Caroline died. Don't you see?"

  Not really, but she wanted to.

  "You think Randy killed Leo's first wife? And Bibi, too?"

  She was trying to wrap her mind around it but her brain was telling her there were still too many unanswered questions.

  "I think somehow Randy and Leo have been working together. I think that they're both involved in this. It's too much of a coincidence. Randy had to know that Leo's first wife died but he never mentioned it at all. Don't you think that's strange?"

  Yes, she did. That was weird and if she had been in Randy's place, she would have had a hell of a lot of suspicions about her friend.

  "Carrie was super upset when you questioned Randy," Maddie added. "Maybe she knows something as well. Could they all be working together?"

  If so, Bibi never had a chance.

  "I don't know about Carrie. She could just be freaked out that I was questioning her husband. I looked at the info that Logan sent me on her and there isn't anything that stands out. She could have her own suspicions."

  The knock on the door interrupted their conjecture. They weren't expecting anyone, especially at this hour.

  Tanner took a peek out of the peephole. "It's Ken Smith."

  The sheriff? He was out and about early this morning. Tanner opened the door and the sheriff strode in, waving his phone in the air.

  "We've got it," he crowed. "I was contacted by a homeowner who was out of town when the murder happened. They just returned and were
happy to send me their video from their security camera. You'll never guess what it showed."

  "Leo and Randy?"

  Ken stopped, his brows pinched together. "Yes...how...did you know that? Do you already have it? Shit, I thought I'd broken the case wide open."

  Tanner clapped the younger man on the shoulder. "You have. It was just a lucky guess on my part. It turns out Leo and Randy grew up in the same town and Randy's dad worked for Leo's dad."

  "Do you think they knew each other?" Ken asked. "That they were friends?"

  "Maybe. I do think it's a coincidence that we need to check into further. Now let's see that video."

  Ken cued it up on his phone. It wasn't a long clip but it showed Randy and Bibi walking on the beach. Fast forward about twenty minutes and Leo walked in front of the camera as well headed in the same direction. Was he going to meet Randy and Bibi?

  "Is it enough to bring them in for questioning?"

  "Absolutely," Tanner replied. "This is excellent work. Bring them in and question them about their past connections and also this video. Plus, you need to ask them about Leo's cash infusion into Randy's business."

  "You mean you're going to ask them," the young sheriff corrected. "I wouldn't know what to do."

  "Never a better opportunity to learn. How about we do it together?" Tanner suggested with a grin. "Now let's find Leo before he leaves Florida. We don't have much time."

  This might finally be the break that they'd been waiting for.

  23

  Within the hour they were all crammed into the conference room at the sheriff's station.

  Tanner, Ken, Randy, Carrie, and Maddie. It hadn't been Tanner's idea to have Carrie there but she refused to leave Randy alone with them. In fact, she'd been rather aggressive about the whole thing, calling cops in general a nasty name, and Tanner and Ken in particular a really nasty name.

  Maddie had stayed to try and calm Carrie down and it had worked to a certain extent. Both women were sitting at the far end of the table while the three men sat at the other end. Randy had waived his right to a lawyer but not his wife, so she would stay for the time being.