Out of a Texas Night

by Phyliss Miranda

  Tonya nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I understand completely.”

  “I’ve marked the conversation as ADH-CI#1. Do not under any circumstances use the CI’s identity. Redact his name—and any references to his name, period.”

  Feeling comfortable Tonya would carry out her instruction to a T, Avery returned to Brody’s office. With a covered mouth and unsteady walk, allowing all of the information to sink in, she watched him from the door.

  His lanky body sagged against the wall, reminding her of how he had appeared when she and Rainey had stepped off the elevator at the hospital. With crossed arms and eyes closed, he bowed his head. No doubt he felt the weight of the day on his shoulders as much if not more than she did.

  “Brody, we need to get an arrest warrant issued for Scott. Would you do it, please?”

  “Sure.” He went to his desk and booted his laptop. “Won’t take long, since we’ve got the approval of the DA and your uncle to boot.”

  “When you’re finished, let’s go get those boards from storage. I really want to make certain all of the events involving Scott are documented, and what better way than starting with fresh eyes and new boards?” she suggested.

  He looked up with eyes clearer than she’d seen all day long.

  Giving her a thumbs-up, he returned to typing.

  In short order, Brody took the printed arrest warrant out of the printer and handed the pages to Avery. “Best I can do.”

  “I’ll ask Tonya to run this over to Judge Humphrey for his signature. We can then leave them for Robertson and Jessup and head over to your sister’s café.” She laid her purse in his desk chair and pushed it in. “Should be okay until we get back.”

  In less than five minutes, Brody removed the keys from his pickup. He and Avery exited the truck, walking toward the back door of the Ol’ Hickory Inn.

  “Lights are on and the back door is open, so I’m sure Tommy’s working.” Nodding his head toward the huge steel building, he continued, “Since they use this for storage, I’m sure Tommy has the keys.” Brody opened the back screen and hollered, “Sheriff’s Department.”

  Tommy appeared from the front with a mop. He wiped his hands on his brown apron. “You presume I couldn’t guess who was here by your voice?” The young man smiled up at them, much as he had during his interview.

  “Nope. Gotta give you clear warning who’s coming in the back door unless you were expecting us.” A laugh came from deep inside Brody. “Got time for us?”

  “Always when it comes to the law.” Tommy set the mop against the wall. “Want something to drink?”

  “No, thank you, Tommy,” Avery said.

  “We’re here on county business. We need the whiteboards I have in the storage building. We can use them over at the office.” Brody stepped back a foot’s length ahead of Avery, but not where she couldn’t see him.

  “I wish I could help you guys, but I don’t have a key. Stanley keeps things stored out there and nobody but him has one. He said they only got one key when they moved in and he keeps forgetting to get another one made.” He pulled an iPhone from his pocket. “This is Winnie’s. She had two, so when I told her I’d misplaced mine, she offered to loan this one to me. Want me to call Stanley?” Tommy stepped outside.

  “No, don’t bother them. It’s late, and I know they have to get up early.” There was a bit of a discomfort between him and Tommy, but not enough to make their conversation awkward. Brody immediately discounted bringing up the kid’s interview with the sheriff and the facts as Brody knew them.

  Brody asked, “What all is inside that is so important Stanley keeps the only key?”

  “Stuff. I know someone tried to break in a year or so ago, so he’s been overly protective ever since then. By stuff, I mean coffee, some commercial-size cans of tomato paste and vegetables that Winnie uses. Paper towels and toilet paper. You know, stuff they use. They keep the bigger things that come by the case out there and then Stanley keeps the shelves inside stocked.” He twitched his nose, and continued, “There’s really no reason for any of us to have a key, since he keeps everything we need right at hand.”

  “And you’re sure he’s the only one with a key.” Brody made the statement, but Avery saw his look turn from wondering to suspicion.

  Tommy nodded. “Yes, sir.”

  “Sure is a big storage building for so few items,” Avery commented, then added, “Especially with only one person with a key.” She wanted to give Stanley the benefit of the doubt. “I’m sure he knows there’s a locksmith right on the square. You all must really have a huge business when he can’t find time to get a key made.”

  In a businesslike, yet friendly manner, Brody said, “Since you’re a vegetarian, except for eggs and a few other things”—Brody smiled over to Avery—“you have no idea how good their food is.” He turned his attention back to Tommy. “What else does he have in there? I’m sure he has their catering truck, but what else?”

  “Yes, sir, the catering truck and another van. White.”

  Without being asked, Tommy continued, “It’s a Chevy cargo van. Probably late nineties or early 2000 model, and it’s pretty well beat up. It’s a panel truck, I guess that’s what it’s called, and it doesn’t have Hickory Inn Catering on it like the big one does.”

  “Hum, I didn’t know that.” Brody’s face screamed of surprise, yet he continued, “Matches my whiteboards, huh?”

  “Whiteboards, like both of the white vans.” Tommy let out an easy, comfortable laugh. “Let’s walk around to the backside and see if by any chance he left it unlocked.” Tommy began to amble in that direction. “But it’s very unlikely.”

  Sure as shootin’, the entrance had a padlock on the door.

  “That’s new.” Tommy pointed at the latch.

  Out of the silence of the setting sun, a hardened, ruthless male voice boomed out.

  “What in the hell is the sheriff’s department doing nosing around on my property?” Stanley lowered the baseball bat he held close to his side.

  Avery fought the raw impulse to knock the arrogant expression off his face. She had to breathe in and out slowly to overcome her urge.

  Stanley grabbed Tommy’s T-shirt and pulled him around to face him. He shoved the young man toward the back door. “Get the hell out of here and get back to work before I kick your sorry, lazy ass from here to Dallas and back—and don’t ever let me find you out here again.” He rolled up his sleeve and lifted the bat only an inch. Avery didn’t miss the threatening gesture. She was certain Brody felt the same, if not stronger, about the warning.

  Just as Avery expected, Brody stepped between the two men. “Stanley Mitchell, we’re not here for any reason but to get the boards I have stored out of there.” Brody paused a moment before saying, “I’m telling you one thing, and you damn well better listen and listen carefully, as an officer of the law. If you ever lay a hand on that kid again you’ll have me to deal with.”

  Stanley doubled up one fist while moving the baseball bat back and forth only inches. “And I’ll get a whatever it’s called to make sure you never step foot on this property again without a warrant.” He brought his fist up to a threatening level close to his brother-in-law’s face. “Do you hear me?”

  Brody took two steps forward, invading Stanley’s personal space, and in a carefully controlled tone said, “Stanley, don’t threaten me, because I can assure you that I’ll come out on the winning end. As I recall, my sister bought this café with her inheritance that specifically stated all monies were for her and her only. I believe you were left a hundred dollars. Oh, and, a 1970s Chevy.”

  In an attempt to defuse the situation before something terrible and irrevocable happened between the brothers-in-law, Avery stepped between them. Both men separated.

  “Okay, gentlemen.” Avery interceded in what she hoped was an authoritative but not threatening way. “All we nee
d is the boards and we’ll be out of your hair, Mr. Mitchell.” In her book, first names were reserved for people she liked, and he certainly didn’t deserve being called Stanley.

  She pulled her uniform jacket back with her elbows, exposing her service weapon and badge as the punctuation to her request. “And I’d suggest you put that baseball bat down, too.”

  “I didn’t know what kind of trouble I was gonna find.” He put the bat on the ground near the foundation.

  Obviously not accustomed to being called out on his actions, Stanley flashed a cold, sarcastic look at her.

  Avery recognized his hateful, smirking behavior was taking its toll on her patience. She wanted to smack a ruler over his hand as the teachers had done when she was in grade school. A hatchet came to mind, but she dismissed it with a cautious internal laugh. The tightening in her chest subsided a bit.

  “I don’t have the key with me, but I’ll get it and will bring the boards over to the sheriff’s department after I find them,” Stanley said in a sharp, hateful tone. “Will that work for you, Sheriff?” He looked at Avery only, seemingly avoiding Brody’s angry stare.

  “Yes, sir. That’ll be fine. We have people over there 24/7, so I’ll let them know to expect you. Please use the front door.”

  He nodded but didn’t move from in front of the storage building until Brody and Avery were on Main Street heading back to the courthouse.

  In an attempt to calm Brody and give herself time to digest the events of the day, Avery said, “I don’t know about you, but it’s been one hell of a day. Why don’t we get a bite to eat and call it a night?”

  “Got any objections with the Kasota Truck Stop?”

  “An omelet with fresh tomatoes and herbal tea sounds good,” Avery said. “Oh, we need to go by the department first, because I left my purse in your office.”

  “I think I can muster up enough cash to buy us dinner, but let’s make it clear that we are not on a date but a simple working dinner, so we absolutely aren’t doing that nepotism thing.”

  In not over ten minutes, they drove up in front of the Kasota Truck Stop, which was extremely crowded with big rigs as well as locals and travelers.

  “They are really busy,” Avery commented.

  “If you’d like, we could always go out to my ranch. I have everything for an omelet. I actually do watch what I eat.” He smiled at her. “I can fix some breakfast and we can go over the day or even just watch some television. I have cable. Don’t know why ’cause I don’t watch it, but we could check out the movies.”

  “You know, I like that idea.” As tired as she felt, she still smiled softly over at him. “A movie and breakfast with a good-lookin’ Texan sounds like exactly what I need.” A rush of what in the hell did I do, calling him good lookin’? She hurried on, “Rocky and Jessup can reach us there, and we’ll be on call, so I think it’s a perfect idea.”

  “The only person we’ll have to deal with is Bruiser, unless he’s with Rocky, which he generally is,” Brody said as they crossed the railroad tracks and headed for his ranch.

  Avery felt sluggish and like she needed to let off a whole smokestack of steam. She laid her head back on the headrest and let only good memories pass through her mind. For some strange reason, Brody VanZant seemed to be in her most current good thoughts.

  “I should have gone home and changed clothes. This dern concealment vest is so snug in order for it to fit under a woman’s uniform shirt, but after a while it gets hot and really uncomfortable.”

  “It’s not too late. I can turn around—”

  “Absolutely not.” She sat up straight. “I’m in no mood to answer all of the questions Daddy will have for me. And he knows good and well I cannot answer the majority of them.” She sagged back in her seat. “Plus with Mother is not feeling well, she’ll want to talk about it. I’m glad they didn’t find anything wrong that a fairly simple surgery won’t resolve, but I’ve just got too much on my mind. Plus, Daddy and Mama always have done fine without my advice.” She turned toward Brody and met his smile with hers.

  “Okay. I understand, but if I’m not being too forward, you’re welcome to take off your corset—”

  “Concealment vest.”

  “Okay, you can remove your vest, and if you want big and comfortable I have a T-shirt or two you should like. You can have a newly washed UT shirt or a Dallas Cowboys one.” Brody kept his gaze on the road.

  “University of Texas, please.” She continued to watch the road herself as he turned north off the interstate. “But, of course, the Cowboys will do.” She hesitated then added, “I knew you had a ranch and a house in Amarillo, but never knew what ranch you owned.” Everything around became vaguely clear, as if a veil of mist was lifting.

  “I just figured you knew, but it’s the old WBarT.”

  “But, I remember now, you are the owner of the WBarT. You do know that was my great-great-grandparents’ ranch, don’t you?” She continued on, “I never imagined it was one of ours, until Mesa mentioned it a while back. So you really didn’t know?”

  The look on his face said it all. “No.”

  “My mother was a Sullivan, and that ranch was originally owned by her family; originally by Sloan Sullivan and his wife was Tess Whitgrove. My grandparents lived there until they passed and it was sold. I haven’t kept up with it since that time.” A happiness Avery hadn’t felt in a long time settled around her. “I’m so thrilled that it ended up in such capable hands as yours. Do you run a cattle operation?”

  “No. Not at the moment. I never looked at my abstract when I bought the ranch. I stayed mostly in Amarillo while I worked with the special crimes units, so I didn’t come out here a lot. I almost never set foot in Kasota Springs during my stint over there. Now I live here exclusively; and ,the old Wolflin family home in Amarillo is sitting there lonely, I guess. I do have a neighbor who looks after it for me.”

  “That’s sad—the lonely house I mean—but I hope the ranch headquarters haven’t been changed a lot. I’m sure appliances and stuff like that have been changed out.” She smiled, thinking back to some of her schoolgirl memories.

  “Not a whole bunch done, except appliances and furniture. Probably the same colors on the wall.” Brody laughed. “And the same big ol’ Cottonwoods.”

  “I’m so excited.” She laid back her head and let the good memories overshadow one of the worst days in her career, with the exception of the day Lee got shot. Wow, I can’t believe I thought of it as when he got shot instead of when I got him killed because I froze and couldn’t get a shot off!

  Brody’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “Now that we have dinner planned and what you’re going to wear, how about a movie?”

  She pulled out her iPhone. “One thing for sure, no cops and robbers, no police stories, no murders, and—”

  “Okay, look for Paul Newman or Cary Grant. Houseboat is where Sophia Loren slaps him for making the wrong assumptions.”

  “Cary Grant is out. How about Hud with Paul Newman?” Avery asked.

  “If it’s on, sounds good to me. A lot of it was filmed only a few miles from here in Claude, so maybe we’ll find something in the movie we recognize.”

  She put her phone in her lap, “Hud it is. Got the time, and we can find it tonight.”

  Avery enjoyed every Yucca and Mesquite bush along the path to the main house on the WBarT, and a happiness she hadn’t felt in a while consumed her as Brody escorted her from his pickup to the porch.

  “It’s just like I remember,” she said. “Beautiful with so many memories.”

  After a tour of her family’s old ranch house, Avery sat at the kitchen table and watched Brody prepare breakfast for their evening meal. He worked as if he’d been a chef in his former life.

  For what seemed like hours, they talked about everything from their families to their Texas Rancher grandfathers, wondering if they k
new one another from their days at the WBarT.

  “Are you sure I can’t help?” Avery asked, but deep inside she enjoyed the herbal tea he just happened to have in the cabinet. His explanation was simple: Clara from Pumpkin’s had been doing his cleaning and bought the tea on one of her shopping excursions.

  After a hearty dinner of omelets, fresh tomatoes, and hummus, again, that he just happened to have in the refrigerator, she sat at the table enjoying Brody cleaning up and putting the dishes in the dishwasher. She took another sip of tea.

  “You could spoil me really easy by doing all the cooking and cleaning up while I drink tea and relax.” She put her hands around the delicate cup.

  “That’s what I wanted. You’ve had one hell of a day.”

  “And you haven’t?”

  “Let’s just say we both need a quiet evening.” He tossed a dish towel at her. “Okay, dry that fry pan and your work will be done.” His broad smile sent a signal of desire to her brain that told her she really wanted to throw the cloth around his neck and pull him down so she could kiss him from tonight until tomorrow. But reality set in. They could not and would not become romantically involved. That was out of the question.

  Avery dried the frying pan and hung it on the wall next to two other pans. She pulled at the bottom of her T-shirt and smiled. “This is so comfortable. Thank you.”

  “Thank you for taking a chance on my cooking,” he replied as he laid the towel over the edge of the cabinet. “Let’s go see what movies are on.”

  Dropping down on the couch, Brody patted the cushion next to him. “Here’s a nice spot, unless you’re scared of getting too close to me.”

  “I’m not scared in the least. Now find Hud or whatever we’re going to watch on Netflix. And I didn’t tell you thanks for locking up our service weapons. I appreciate it, although I know you know I have a personal one on me, as you do.”