Severed Trust: The Men of the Texas Rangers | Book 4

by Margaret Daley

  “My sister has her hands full with the DEA all over the nursing home as well as the corporate office of the company that owns the chain of nursing homes. They’re working to put as many checks in place as possible, so what happened to Lucy doesn’t to other patients.”

  “The stew will be ready in about forty-five minutes.”

  “That’ll give me some time to challenge your son to a one-on-one basketball game. It’ll do me good to exercise hard.”

  “He’s upstairs, hopefully finishing up his homework.”

  Sadie stirred the stew on the stove, the aroma of carrots, potatoes, celery, and beef wafting to her. The smells reminded her of her mother’s kitchen. She recalled Lexie’s comments of what it felt like for her losing her dad and realized she felt the same way about her own father, and he wasn’t dead.

  She put the wooden spoon on the counter and went to the wall phone. Ten seconds later, her father answered. “Dad, will you come over tonight? I need to talk with you. In fact, you and Mom can come to dinner. I fixed her stew that you love so much.”

  “Your mom is at her book club tonight. It’s my night to fend for myself.”

  “Then come over.” She swallowed hard. “Please.”

  A long silence hovered between them.

  “Dad, are you still there?”

  “Yes. What time?”

  “You can come now. Dinner is in about an hour.”

  “I’ll be there soon. I’ve wanted to talk to you.”

  Her father’s ominous words right before he hung up plagued her, making her so nervous she hardly said anything to Ethan and Steven as they went outside to play basketball. She made her way through her house, picking up any mess, even straightening things that didn’t need straightening.

  By the time the doorbell sounded twenty minutes later, she felt wound as tight as the dishcloth she’d wrung out in the kitchen after cleaning the counters twice. When she answered the door, she found her father approaching the porch while Harris stood in front of her. The frown carved on her dad’s face announced his displeasure as loudly as words.

  “Come in, Harris. Let me get Ashley.” She turned to go to the bottom of the staircase to call her daughter, but Ashley charged down the steps.

  “I’m ready,” she said as she breezed past Sadie toward the exit.

  “What time are you bringing her home?” Sadie asked Harris while her father cut across the grass toward the driveway.

  “It’s a school night, so is eight-thirty okay?”

  “Fine.”

  “I saw Steven playing basketball with Ethan. I guess he’s practicing for when the season starts.”

  Sadie peeked out the door and glimpsed her dad rounding the side of the house, probably going to see Steven. Probably not a bad idea since his least favorite person was standing in front of her. “Yeah. It doesn’t take much to get him to play.”

  “Maybe one day,” Harris said, sadness in his eyes for a few seconds before he turned toward Ashley. “Are you ready?”

  “Yes.” Ashley started down the sidewalk to her dad’s car. “Bye, Mom. I got all my homework done.”

  “Thanks, Sadie, for letting me do this. She mentioned how much she liked Cattlemen’s Grill. I thought she might like going with me.”

  When she shut the door, she put her forehead against the wood, her hand still on the knob.

  “I guess there’s nothing I can say to get you to send that man packing.”

  The sound of her father’s tight voice shivered down her. Lord, give me the grace to tell him what I want without losing my temper.

  She pushed away from the door and faced her dad, who must have come into the house through the back entrance. “Did you see Steven? Who’s winning?”

  “Ethan, but my grandson was rallying.”

  “Last time they played Steven won.”

  “I took a look at the stew on the stove. It smells great. Just like your mom’s and my mother’s.” He came further across the foyer. “We need to talk.”

  Sadie gulped. “Yes we do. Let’s go into the living room. For a little while, we’re alone down here, but that won’t last long.”

  When her dad settled on the couch, Sadie took the chair across from him, trying to remember how she had rehearsed what she was going to say to him. At the moment, not a word came to mind.

  He cleared his throat. “I’m glad you called. I’ve been concerned about you. Cord told me he and Ethan are guarding you, Beth, and the kids until they can figure out what’s going on in Summerton.”

  “I’m fine. Cord and Ethan are overreacting. I got a couple of prank calls, and now they’re all worried. I understand why they feel that way about Lexie.”

  “Where is she?”

  “She’s upstairs lying down. She’s finally realizing Kelly is gone. It hit her hard today.”

  “When I was a teenager, all parents had to worry about was alcohol. Now there’s so much more to tempt young people.”

  “This isn’t an easy time to be a teenager.”

  “Sadie . . .” He coughed. “When you left the other day, your mother let me know in no uncertain terms just how big a fool I’ve been. I drove you away all those years ago. When you came home, I should have set my pride aside and accepted you back with open arms. I have no defense for what I did, especially since you’ve been back. All I can do is ask for your forgiveness and start anew.”

  The only words that came out of her mouth were, “You mean that?”

  “Yes. In the past weeks we’ve lost three young people just like that.” He snapped his fingers. “It made me realize I could lose you that fast or Steven or Ashley. Life’s too short to hold on to this stubborn pride. Will you forgive me?”

  Sadie hurried to the couch and sat next to him. “Yes, if you’ll forgive me for running away with Harris. I thought I knew best, and I was so wrong.”

  “Yes, honey,” he choked out and drew her against him.

  For the first time in fourteen years, she finally felt at peace inside. The world might be falling apart around her, but making amends with her father lifted her spirits as though a great burden had vanished.

  When Ethan entered Cord’s office at the station Saturday morning, his friend stood in front of a white dry eraser board mounted on his wall. Ethan shut the door. “I’ve sent officers out to pick up Patti again and Kalvin. I think it’s very coincidental that Patti is Kalvin’s aunt. Even if Mr. Howard didn’t find any drugs on him, Sadie is convinced she saw something going down in the auditorium.”

  “Not to mention he’s part of Jared’s group and at that pill party Saturday night. In fact, he’s the one that suggested having pill parties to them.”

  “Interestingly the west wing is the only part of the nursing home where the patients weren’t getting the right medication. The blood tests on the patients in the other wings came back fine so that leaves only a few nurses who had access to the medication on the west wing. We can rule out the late-night-shift nurses because no medication is given on a regular basis, only in case of emergencies. That leaves the four nurses on the other two shifts.”

  “And Patti looks the most promising of those four. At least the Greenbrier case will probably be solved soon. I can’t say the same about the other ones.” Cord chomped down so hard on his toothpick he broke it in two. After tossing the pieces in the trash, he faced the board again. “Okay, what do we have on Jared’s murder?”

  “Missy said, and the other teens involved admitted, they moved Jared from the warehouse to his car in the park. Luke freaked out and didn’t want Jared found in a building his dad owned. According to each one, none of them know how Jared ended up in the lake. They didn’t even buckle him with his seatbelt, but when he hit the water, he was alive. The seatbelt was around him but stuck.”

  “With a strong glue. Something not hard to find and effective. So, someone definitely murdered Jared. Why? He was well liked.”

  Ethan plowed his hands through his hair then cupped his hands at his nape. “One
good thing that came from Missy’s interview. We had a reason to fingerprint all the kids at the party and could match our latent prints against them.”

  “Yeah, but none of them match the same one we found on Lexie’s water bottle, on the lighter, and on the rafter at the warehouse.”

  “But according to Missy, and Brendan confirmed, Luke spiked Lexie’s water bottle so why was the other print on it? It isn’t Luke’s.”

  “Lexie knows the person who killed the teens? Or that person had access to her water bottle? Do you think that person threw the bottle in the trashcan?” Ethan rolled his head around to ease the tension gripping him. “I was hoping Kelly’s computer would give us a lead. She was receiving some nasty emails from someone, saying they know what she did, but it originated from a cyber café. And that didn’t lead us anywhere. Did she wipe the computer or someone else?”

  “They were most likely from the one who killed her. That person had a reason to wipe the computer and hope they couldn’t be recovered.”

  “Where are we with that tip about a white Chevy in the parking lot behind the warehouse the night Kelly died?”

  “I have two officers watching all the traffic cameras in the area around the warehouse for Tuesday night. I hope they can catch a white Chevy or any white car and get a license number. Then we’ll run them all down. But do you know how common a white car is? My mother has a white Chevy.”

  “At least the time is between midnight and six. It could be worse and be from noon to six.”

  Cord chuckled. “We take the breaks where we get them.”

  “It would be nice to have the same latent print on Luke’s water bottle. At least what little liquid was left in it tested the same as Lexie’s. If it wasn’t for the type of person Luke was, we could look at that death as a suicide since we found out he drugged Lexie, but it doesn’t feel right. He was too upset at her to have remorse. And certainly not enough to kill himself because Lexie was all right.”

  A knock at the door sounded. Cord said, “Come in.”

  An officer came into the office. “Both Patti Shea and Kalvin Majors are here waiting as you said in the reception area, but separated and being watched to see if they talk. Also, the hospital called. Mary Lou Winston has awakened.”

  “Thanks,” Cord said then glanced at Ethan. “Ready. We’ll let Kalvin stew for a while.”

  As Ethan started to leave with Cord, Bradley Montgomery appeared in the open doorway, a scowl marking his face with gravity. “I need to talk with you two.”

  Ethan stepped back to allow the man into the office, then shut the door. “What about?”

  “I’ve met with the other parents whose kids are involved. We want to make it clear we want answers to who killed Jared, Luke, and Kelly. Find the murderer before another kid is killed. Tell me you are close to an arrest. My son has to be avenged. His murderer can’t go free.” Bradley’s expression collapsed into a haggard look underscoring a man who hadn’t slept in days.

  The pain in his childhood friend’s eyes intensified his own desire to make sure they found the killer. “I don’t intend for that to happen. We have good solid leads we’re tracking down. When we make an arrest and go to trial, we want the case to be airtight. Give us time.”

  Swallowing hard, Bradley nodded. “I’ve tried to stay away and give you that time, but this morning talking with the other parents, I just couldn’t keep quiet any longer. I’ll double the award I’m offering for any information that leads to an arrest. Use it in any way you can to get what you need.”

  “Thanks.” Ethan moved to the door and opened it. “I’ll let you and the other parents know when we capture the killer.”

  When Bradley left, Ethan made his way to the reception area to escort Patti back to the interview room. As he passed Kalvin, he slid a look toward him, Jeffrey Livingston, and Dr. Majors. The teen averted his gaze.

  A few minutes later, seated at a table in room number one, Cord stood by the door with his arms folded across his chest while Ethan started. “Patti, we have you. The patients you see are under-medicated, the only ones in the nursing home. The day shift gives the bulk of the medication to these patients. Most weeks you’re on the schedule for that duty five days while the other nurse during your shift only does it when you’re off. With the blood tests run, the lab has determined it would have to be you taking the drugs. On top of that, you have large sums of money you haven’t accounted for with the IRS. Examining your tax return from last year with your spending doesn’t add up.”

  Her face set in a bland expression, Patti stared at Ethan as though she were in a trance.

  “Patti, can you account for the money you’ve used to pay off some of your debts and to purchase some big-ticket items? Your husband isn’t working, and you are the sole provider.”

  She blinked and lowered her head. “My husband and I have been doing extra work under the table so we don’t have to pay taxes.”

  “Is that selling drugs you’ve stolen at the nursing home?”

  “You don’t have to answer that,” her lawyer said.

  Patti remained silent.

  “Does your nephew sell them at the high school?”

  She lifted her head and stabbed him with a cutting look. “No, he’s a good kid.”

  “As we speak, we’re searching your house and his. We’ll find the truth. Make it easier on yourself and tell us what you can.”

  Patti looked at her lawyer. “I have nothing else to say to you.”

  Ethan stood. “Fine. I need you to stay here until after I talk with your nephew.” He left the room with Cord and moved to the next one. “You want to take this one.”

  A grin tipped the corners of Cord’s mouth up. “My pleasure.”

  When Ethan entered with Cord, he took the position by the door but with a clear view of Kalvin. The teen slouched in his chair, as though he had not a care in the world.

  Cord eased onto the seat across from Kalvin, with Jeffrey and Dr. Majors flanking the teen. “We have your aunt in custody for stealing prescription drugs from Greenbrier Nursing Home and selling them. She’s saying she has given drugs to you to sell at the high school. That you do quite well for her.”

  Kalvin sat up straight, his eyes flaring.

  Jeffrey put his hand on the boy’s shoulder and whispered in his ear.

  Cord continued. “It allowed her to pay a hefty down payment on a car in cash as well as pay off some of her debts. Right now, I have officers at your house, tearing it apart looking for those drugs. We have a witness who will testify she saw you selling drugs to a student.”

  “No way.” Kalvin brought his fist down on the table. “I wasn’t selling drugs. Your—witness is wrong. I didn’t know my aunt was stealing drugs. I rarely see Aunt Patti. Our families aren’t speaking.”

  “That’s right, Chief Thompson. My wife and her sister haven’t talked to each other in over a year.”

  “That doesn’t mean your son hasn’t.”

  “I was cleared by Mr. Howard.”

  “Let’s talk about that incident at school. What did you do with the drugs while walking from the auditorium to the office?”

  “Nothing. I didn’t have any drugs.”

  “I believe my client has been cleared. He didn’t have any drugs at school.”

  Ethan answered a knock on the door. An officer indicated he should come out into the hallway.

  When he did, the young man said, “They found about six painkillers in a plastic bag stuffed in Kalvin’s sneakers in his closet.”

  “Just six?”

  “Yes.”

  “Anything at Patti Shea’s house yet?”

  “No. Her husband wasn’t there and his car was gone.”

  “Put a BOLO out on him.”

  Ethan reentered the room while Cord said, “We’re bringing in Sam Travis to get to the bottom of what happened in that auditorium. It wasn’t the first time Ms. Thompson saw you making a suspicious exchange at school.”

  “My son doesn’t s
ell drugs. He admits he attended the pill party but only to drink beer that evening. I’ve taken his car away from him because of it.”

  Cord directed his look at Kalvin. “Well, one of you is lying. You or your aunt.”

  Kalvin’s mouth pinched together, and he stared down at the table.

  Ethan stepped forward. “If you don’t sell or take drugs, Kalvin, why are six painkillers in a plastic bag in your sneaker in your closet?”

  “What?” Dr. Majors asked and turned to his son.

  “This is your first offense.” Ethan said in a calm, reassuring voice. “You’re still under eighteen. We have some room to negotiate with the DA if you come clean and tell us what went down in the auditorium. Did you go back to the warehouse and take the rest of the pills left in the green bowl?”

  Kalvin’s shoulders sagged forward. “I can’t do this anymore.” He raised his head, weariness in his expression. “Football is my life, and yet I can’t play without taking painkillers. I used to have to only take one or two a day. Now it’s three. I’m a tackle and sometimes the pain is so bad I have a hard time getting out of bed. I knew if I said anything to Dad,” Kalvin kept his focus on Ethan standing next to Cord, “he’d make me quit football. I have colleges looking at me. I figured I’d heal after the season was over, and no one would know.”

  “So why are you selling the drugs? To pay for your painkillers?” Cord asked.

  “I’m not selling. I was buying from Sam that day in the auditorium.”

  “How about the pills in the bowl at the party?”

  “I took some painkillers out of it. I know what they look like. The ones I need. I didn’t need the pills that were left. I didn’t go back to the warehouse after we moved Jared until we cleaned it up the next morning. Brendan, Luke, and I wondered what happened but thought Kelly took them. For all I cared, Brendan or Luke had. It was none of my business.”

  “I want you to write down what happened at the party and afterwards. Also, what happened in the auditorium. Was that the first time you bought from Sam Travis?”