Rasp Meadow Crossing
Page 16
“Did your mother ever mention anything about the gun shop being in any way responsible for your father and Nita’s debts?”
“Dad always seemed to come up with the money. I’m certain the businesses were incorporated separately. Like I said, Dad never seemed to sweat it. Mom once said she wondered if the ranch was paying for all those clothes, and new cars of Nita’s and Tony’s.” Emma giggled. “One time, Mom said Dad must be pulling thousand dollar bills out of his ass.”
Royce laughed. “Your mother has a way with words.”
Emma’s simpering giggles continued a moment. A self-conscious expression of concern spread over her face. “I’m not sure where the money came from. Dad wasn’t a gambler, so he didn’t have any big wins. Mom took care of the books here at the shop. I mean, this shop makes amazing profits. There’s great money in guns. By most standards, we’re wealthy people. And the ranch must be turning a profit of some kind.”
“I’m assuming that the divorce split things up the middle?”
“To hear the two of them fight about it – they both felt they lost the battle of the bucks. The ranch and Mom’s home were equal in cost. Even though the ranch has more property, Mom’s home is in Timber so it averages out. The gun shop was fifty-fifty.”
“The property that’s going to you and Tony. That would be west of the ranch? From the ranch boundary to the Rasp Meadow Crossing area?”
“Right before the Rasp Crossing. We don’t own any of that. I checked the will last year when I returned. My father kept the will in the safe here. He didn’t have secrets about what everyone would get. So it’s all there with his papers.”
“Do you know who does own the land beyond yours? The Rasp land.”
“Once I heard it was owned by an Indian tribe. I guess they were fighting over it in court right up to the end of the twentieth century. Well, late seventies.”
“I always thought it was public property,” Royce felt her breath stall. “I can’t imagine why I didn’t know that it belonged to a Native American Nation.”
“They never put up any ‘No Trespassing’ signs on it. And there have never been fences. So maybe they’ve either forgotten about it, or don’t care.”
Royce knew that the Ute philosophy is anti-fence. The Ute nation would never have forgotten about it. And certainly they cared more about it than any other people Royce knew.
She walked to the front door, then tipped her Stetson. “Good talking with you, Emma. Thanks for the information.”
By the time Royce got to the Sheriff’s Department she was perplexed. She couldn’t imagine not knowing who owned Rasp Meadow Crossing. She finished up her stack of reports, then looked at the clock. Once she’d changed into her civvies, the comfortable touch of denims and a t-shirt always felt good against her skin. Royce’s next stop would be to pick up Chance’s salve. While there, she could ask Hertha if she knew about the Ute Nation and Rasp Crossing.
***
Glad that the High Country Animal Hospital was closing, and empty of clients, Royce entered. Hertha was straightening the counter. “Your Gran said she’d call you and left a message not to forget.”
“I’m here,” Royce said with a smile.
Hertha reached under the counter and pulled out a small sack. “Here you go. Just a little film of the salve over the entire pad area. It will also soothe her. Bring her in tomorrow so I can check her and release my patient.”
“I have a question.”
Hertha grinned. “I’m single, but not in the market for an affair.”
They laughed a moment. Royce blushed. She felt uncomfortable. “This,” Royce corrected, “is about Rasp Meadow Crossing. Does that area belong to the Ute Nation?”
Hertha shrugged. “It may. You white folks might not have stolen all of our land.” Hertha playfully backtracked. “I’m sorry to have used the word stolen, I meant to say reallocated. See how good I’m trying to be?”
“Seriously, have you ever heard that story?”
“I’m the wrong person to ask. Gwen or your Gran might have the answer.”
“I’ll check with them. Thanks for the salve.” Royce began to leave.
Hertha came around the counter, following after Royce. “I’ll lock up behind you. We’ve got a murderer running free. I never used to think about it, but with the children. I worry more.”
The women stood nearer than they had. Royce reached up to touch Hertha’s shoulder to reassure her. It was in a comforting way. Hertha looked down at Royce’s upper arm, where the sheriff had been wounded a year ago. Just beneath Royce’s t-shirt sleeve was the lower portion of her scar. Hertha had never seen it. She suddenly touched it.
“I remember hearing that you’d been shot.”
“Yes.” Royce swallowed. “Actually wounded. The bullet ricocheted putting a hole in my arm. But I’m fine. Full use, and it wasn’t too painful. As they say in old Western films, I got winged.”
“I’m so sorry. I wish I could have been here to help you.”
Royce broke their eye contact. “Lyn was here. She helped me.” The moment she said it, she wished she could take back her words.
Hertha’s eyes filled with enormous tears. She wiped them away quickly. Then she lifted Royce’s sleeve. “They did an excellent job sewing the stitches.”
Her laugh was nervous, as Royce teased, “Nick told the medics that I’d arrest them if they dropped a stitch.”
“Nothing like a threat,” Hertha said. “I sometimes think that if I don’t do a good job with the dogs and cats, they could bite or scratch me when they come out of anesthetic.”
Royce wanted to kiss Hertha. The blush on the sheriff’s face burned. She felt the dampness where Hertha had touched her arm. It was the touch of a tear.
“Don’t forget to bring Chance in for her check.”
The trip back to Gran’s cabin was a million miles of heartache. Royce wasn’t certain why she was trembling. She still found Hertha mesmerizing enough to make her shiver.
Chapter 17
Each morning Royce took a few moments to check her notes. She’d made entries pertaining to each suspect of their own sheet of paper. On Emma Wagner’s page, an asterisk was beside her most recent words. The sheriff was troubled. Emma had checked Cal’s will last year when she had just returned to Timber. Normally a family member examined the will after the demise of a loved one. It hardly seemed pertinent prior to the death of a family member.
Royce’s knowledge of Cal was a surface, cursory study. He was a tall, large, boisterous man. His red hair had turned gray. His ruddy complexion covered a strong, angular face. This was her basic knowledge of him. She had never attempted to create a friendship. He wasn’t someone who interested her.
There was a presumption that he’d placed his personal papers and will where they would be difficult to obtain until after his death. Instead, he had made a clean breast of all his plans. The heirs all knew exactly what they might expect. Just as he blustered when he visited the Bell Ringer, he gushed out the terms of the will to each of his heirs.
It was a strange thing for Emma to have told the sheriff. Particularly since there was an investigation. Royce questioned if that could have been interpreted to be incriminating, or just wishful thinking that she might have a clue. It seemed every lead dwindled. As evidence became available, there were exceptions, excuses, and explanations that produced doubt.
Royce would watch for Emma to take her break. She would then question Grace. Not only would she ask about when the family found out about the contents of the will, she would also query Grace about the finances.
As she examined reports, Royce felt less confident. The homicide and those surrounding it, all had reasons for why they hadn’t done it. So was it someone passing through? An unknown person who pulled off the road, entered a gun shop at closing time, and killed a man?
Crime in the mountain county varied with the seasons. The Sheriff’s Department worked with a different set of visitors. Autumn brought the throngs of
visitors wanting to view the changing of the aspen, to hearing the bugling elk, and experience the glorious display of color.
During winter months, there were skiers with injuries, disputes, and driving problems. Wild snow storms, avalanches, and blizzards kept the deputies busy.
Spring was a time of the forests rebirth. When the mountains rebooted with wildlife, it was an enchanting time.
Summer was packed with crowds of tourists, campers, hikers, bikers, fishing parties, and those wanting to take advantage of the lucrative money to be made from selling to the visitors. Colorado offered a magnitude of options for sightseers and sportspersons.
No matter which season, there were enforcement challenges. When a murder had taken place, the rhythm of the area changed. Enforcement changed with it. The Sheriff’s Department became more suspicious. Residents became uneasy. The gentle tranquility of the lush and lovely area became different.
It wasn’t as trusting and kind, Royce mused.
***
“Anything going on with the murder case?” Grace inquired. Her tone was agitated.
“Nothing yet.”
Grace shrugged with impatience. Her eyes batted. “I was hoping someone would have been arrested.”
Royce’s bemused expression held Grace a moment. Then Royce uttered, “I was also hoping we’d have someone arrested. I have a few more questions I’d like to ask you.”
“Fine.” She suddenly was furious. “I don’t know more than I’ve told you.”
“Sometimes folks don’t know what is of importance. Murder is tricky. Interrogation is tricky. Grace, I need your help in figuring some of my thoughts. Did you know under what circumstance Cal’s last will and testament was drawn up?”
“You bet I did. We all did. He made this will in conjunction with his prenuptial. We all knew exactly what was in both prenuptial and his will. Cal used to say it was ironclad. And he let us know exactly what he was doing. Every step of the way. I didn’t expect anything, and my expectations panned out. Nothing. Both son and daughter knew what they were getting. As I said, he told them. Kept copies of his will in the office safe. It wasn’t a secret.”
“Isn’t that a little odd?” Royce noted that Emma had told her the truth about the openness of Cal’s will. The daughter had not implicated herself in a lie. Royce needed to follow the information, to see if Cal had indeed told everyone the contents of his will. “Why would he have told everyone?”
Grace’s chuckled. “He said he wanted to know if anyone had any disputes with his decisions. They’d better make their voice known if they weren’t satisfied – while he was still alive. He didn’t want any pissing and moaning. Confidentially he told me if anyone dared to question him, he would write them out of the will entirely. That’s the reason.”
Royce rubbed her eyes. Then her face broke into a grin. “So that was why it was common knowledge?”
“He wanted to rule from the grave.” Grace cackled, “Or from his dust that was sprinkled on the Crossing. Either way, control.”
Royce leaned against a display case. “Another question. It probably won’t be as amusing as your last answer. How are most of your sales transactions paid?”
“Credit cards. We get checks. And you’d be surprised at the amount of cash that goes through our registers. We make bank drops through the day. From the register to the safe, then often to the bank. Cal had already made the evening’s last cash drop. Also, there weren’t any guns taken.” She looked around. “Who would rob a gun store and take no guns. This place is like a candy shop for villains.”
Royce grilled softly. “Is the gun shop a money-making prospect?”
“I can’t ever think of a time when we weren’t profitable. Cal began selling guns on line. Those are easy sales. We just run them through. Some of the manufacturers send directly to the client. Tony takes care of all the others. He ships them out.”
“It can’t be easy to do all the background checks?”
“Easy as shooting fish in a barrel. I never got into the mail order end of the business. Cal and Tony worked it. I’m okay with spreadsheets, and basic computer-ese. But the fellas took care of that business. That’s why one of Tony’s vehicles is that big, heavy Dodge truck. So he can load the up and ship them out. Postal orders. And some go out by transport.”
“How does the payment end work?”
“Simple. Wagner Gun Shop, Cal explained, is like an umbrella. It coves Wagner Gun Shop, Gun Smithing, and Cute-Exec. Tony named the mail order business Cute-Exec. My son is nothing if not haughty and conceited.” Her smile was the proud mother variety. “Cal sort of set the business up for Tony to run. Just a little ‘side arm’ business.” She laughed. “Get it? Side Arm.”
“Side Arm,” Royce repeated. “I did get it. So Tony fancies himself a cute executive.”
Grace bragged, “He always was a lady’s man.” She then turned her face toward the wall. “He was like Cal. I always warned him not to get married until he’d played the field and was sure he wanted to settle down.”
Royce witnessed the fleeting dreariness in her eyes. She had been a young bride. Cal had been a young groom. Many couples make that work beautifully. They celebrate anniversary after anniversary. Just as her grandparents had done. Some never put the team together properly.
“Excellent advice,” Royce said. “One final question. The family unit is often a system of love-hate relationships. In your heart of hearts, do you think either Cal’s son or his daughter might be capable of murdering him?”
She glanced down, troubled. Then she showed the first true emotion Royce had seen. Her words stumbled. “My ex-husband could be an unlovable husband. He could also be an unlovable father. But I don’t want to think my children could have committed such a terrible crime.”
For their mother’s sake, Royce didn’t want to think that either.
***
Gran had given Chance a high grade in quick healing. Royce wanted to make certain that the German shepherd was truly recuperated, so she told Gran that she’d pick Chance up during her lunch break. She could grab a quick meal, then take Chance to the High Country Animal Hospital. Lunch hours were usually slow, so it would be easy for Hertha to examine Chance’s paw. Gran fixed a plate of her Mozzarella stuffed portabellas for Royce to take to Hertha.
When Royce and Chance arrived, Hertha had just finishing up her morning appointments. “Looking great,” the vet complimented Chance. She tenderly examined the dog’s paw. “For another day or two, I’d keep her away from strenuous exercise. Just to make certain. And the salve kept her from chewing her foot?”
“Stopped it immediately.”
“Nice of your Gran to send me something to eat. The kids are visiting Gwen and Nadine this morning. I hope they’re behaving.”
“Who doesn’t behave around Gwen?” Royce joked. “I remember when I was a kid following her around. She was a stern believer in teaching children. She made me follow behind her reading books aloud.”
“Antero’s reading can use some work. I hope he’ll be ready when school starts back up after summer.”
“If he spends much time with Gwen, the poor little guy will be spouting Shakespeare.”
“As I recall, you aren’t much of a reader,” Hertha indicted. “So Gwen didn’t do a great job on your literary skills.” Hertha’s wide smile was intriguing. There was a healing aspect. It elevated the spirit of the recipient. One sensed a recovery of joy. It made animals well. At one time, Royce calculated, it had made her believe in herself. The vet asked, “Well?”
Embarrassed, Royce admitted, “With the wilderness all around us, I spent most of my youth exploring the great outdoors.”
“You never need to apologize for what you might not have been interested in. You make up for it by being an amazing sheriff. It’s what you wanted to be, and what you are. Just like your father.”
“And you have become a healer, just like your mother was.”
“Can you sit down for a minute?”
***
Afternoon had provided Royce with only a slight amount of time to pour over the ‘antique’ Rasp Crossing cold case homicide. There were numerous police assistance calls with a varietal of cases that many of the deputies called wasting time. Royce had answered a few of them throughout the day, taken reports, attempted to solve the myriad of skirmishes in the community. None of which were what Nick called the blood-letting variety. Bickering folks were part of the job.
When six PM arrived, the sheriff changed into her civvies, and drove to Crystal. It would give her the workout her body needed, and also give her a time to touch bases with Nick. She was glad to see that Nick had the same idea. He was rowing his way across his thoughts of the day. Royce stepped on the treadmill. “Great minds think alike.”
He teased, “So do tired enforcers.”
They quickly caught one another up on the day’s activities. Royce asked, “One thing I was wondering. Have you ever heard of Tony’s business called Cute-Exec?”
“A mail order arms business. Offshoot of Wagner Guns. One of the deputies teased him about the name of it. He got real defensive about it. Claimed the website offered a huge line of women’s firearms. Color coordinated. I went online to see, just out of curiosity. While there was a section marketed toward female weaponry, there was also a gigantic array of serious assault weapons. Even had protective body gear – groin protectors.” Nick laughed, “Heck, what do we need that for? Unless there’s a war we don’t know about.”
“I’ve heard that they sell some mega weaponry. Most of that would be sold through the online orders. I’m just not certain where he’d be selling it around these parts. Up here in Crystal, most of the residents purchase arms for protection. A little fire power. In Timber, most of the guns are also purchased for hunting.”
“All I know is that the business has been approved. All the licensing has given Cute-Exec the green light. Apparently Tony isn’t doing anything illegal. I’m sure if there were discrepancies, Grace would have spotted anything dodgy. That woman has always had a boatload of anger.”