The Wanted Cowboy (Cowboys After Dark Book 5)

by Maggie Carpenter

“Yeah, he probably will,” Dwayne nodded. “I expect he’ll call me today, but I’m not sure if he wants me livin’ back at my place yet. He likes that Tess has Rex and me around.”

  “Can you please keep a sharp on her at the cafe tonight? I don’t want her spending any time with Patty Jamison. I think I’ve persuaded her to keep her distance,” he frowned, recalling the no-nonsense spanking he’d delivered the night before, “but I’d feel better if I knew you were watching over her.”

  “I’m worried too,” Dwayne agreed, matching Luke’s concerned frown. “Patty’s a crazy woman, and Tess seems to have a mind of her own, so whether I’m on patrol or not I’ll keep swingin’ by there, and I’ll have dinner there as well.”

  “Dwayne, I owe you big-time, thank you. Let’s go join her, I really would like that coffee even it was just an excuse to get her out of the room.”

  Dropping the tinted spectacles in his pocket, Luke followed Dwayne down the hallway and meandered into the kitchen

  “I had an idea,” Tess announced as they wandered in.

  “A bit early in the day for that, isn’t it?” Luke chuckled, staring at the bottle of whisky in her hand.

  “You don’t smell right,” she giggled. “I thought we should add a sprinkle of whisky cologne.”

  “Wouldn’t hurt,” Dwayne remarked. “Most of the old guys I run across have a whiff of alcohol around them.”

  “Not too much,” Luke warned. “Don’t wanna overdo this.”

  “Nope, just a sprinkle, a tale of drinks gone by,” she hummed as she carefully poured a few drops on his lapel. “There, perfect,” then sighing she added, “I don’t know how I’m going to work tonight, I’ll be so worried.”

  “This is a piece of cake,” Luke assured her, “and once Jeb sees those photographs he’ll know it was Patty all along, or at least have more than an inklin’.”

  “I just wish there was something tangible, you know, something that would really link Patty to old man Nate’s assault.”

  “There will be,” Dwayne remarked as they sat at the kitchen table.

  “How can you be so sure?” she frowned. “It’s been months.”

  “Cos that stuff you see on TV, that’s all real,” he declared. “Those tiny fibers and bits of evidence, they hang around like a bad smell, that’s what Alex says.”

  “You always know the right thing to say,” she smiled pouring the coffee. “Getting to know you has been the silver lining of this whole mess.”

  “I second that,” Luke smiled.

  “I-uh…” Dwayne stammered, feeling a deep flush cross his face.

  Not sure what to say or where to look he sent his gaze to Rex laying peacefully on his bed against the wall. Sensing his master’s stare the dog raised his head and began panting happily.

  “You want some walnut loaf to go with your coffee, Dwayne?” Tess asked attempting to relieve the young man’s obvious embarrassment.

  “Yeah, sure,” he nodded, swallowing hard. “You, uh, you guys, thanks so much for sayin’ that,” he managed. “Hey, Rex? You want a nibble of walnut bread?”

  The big dog stretched as he stood, then ambled across to the table.

  “I’ll take one too,” Luke grinned.

  “Great, and I’ll wrap an extra piece in foil to take with you,” Tess promised as she returned to the counter, and moving a knife through the rich, moist loaf, a soft, slight smile crossed her lips.

  This is almost like happy families. Maybe one day it will be.

  Moving back to the table with the plate of sliced bread she sat down, feeling a slight zing in her bottom, sending her glance across at Luke.

  I never thought I’d want a man who spanks me, but wow, it’s something special. Something I’d never even thought about. I don’t think I could have a normal relationship now, whatever normal is.

  A short time later they were in Tess’s car, Luke laying on the floor of the back seat hidden under a blanket, just as he had been the night he’d walked back into her life. As they drove down main street, Jeb, with Alex in the passenger seat, passed them headed in the opposite direction; when Jeb saw them he flashed his lights and waved.

  “Okay, you ready?” Tess asked. “Five, four, three, two, one…”

  On cue her cellphone rang and Jeb’s name appeared on the small screen on her dashboard.

  “Before you ask I’m just running some errands,” she declared as she hit the ‘Accept’ button

  “I’m glad you’ve got Dwayne with you, and Dwayne, thanks for looking out for my sister.”

  “It’s my pleasure, I’ve haven’t eaten this well since I left home,” Dwayne replied.

  “Where are you guys off to?” Tess asked, wanting to make sure they weren’t going near the train station.

  “We’re off to the wilderness,” he said sarcastically. “I’m goin’ up to have a chat with Patty Jamison, and Alex is going to have a casual look around while I do.”

  “Oh, well, good luck with that. I’ll be interested to see if she can offer anything new, or if she has any changes in her story,” she remarked, sharing a quick look with Dwayne.

  “Yeah. Truth is, I’ve had a strange feeling about that girl ever since she moved into town. To be honest, Tess, at the time I believed her when she said Luke had tried to force himself on her, but looking back maybe I was hasty. I mean, Luke has always kept to himself but I never saw him as an unsavory character. When we found that evidence in his garage I figured he was a dark horse…it’s still tough to explain that away.”

  Taking her eyes off the road for just a moment, she rolled them upwards in frustration.

  Really? You’re having doubts now? You were totally condemning him back then. I don’t know whether to be relieved or furious!

  “Tess, you there?” he pressed.

  “Yes, I’m here, sorry, just concentrating on turning into the lumber yard,” she lied. “Keep me posted. Signing off, bye,” and clicking the ‘End’ button she shook her head. “Unbelievable,” she breathed.

  “Did I just hear there’s a light at the end of the tunnel?” Luke asked moving the blanket away from his face.

  “I don’t know, maybe,” Tess replied. “He was with Alex, they’re both going to see her, which I think is a good sign.”

  “That’s interesting,” he remarked. “Dwayne, do you have a direct phone number for Alex? I wanna text him the photos as well.”

  “That’s a real good idea,” Dwayne agreed. “I’ll text it to you right now.”

  “Dammit, I wish they’d dug deeper when it all happened,” Tess sighed, “and I wish I’d had more time with Patty last night.”

  “Remember what I said about Patty,” he warned. “Stay away from her.”

  “Luke’s right,” Dwayne interjected, “she’s one crazy bitch.”

  “I know, I know,” Tess replied impatiently, shifting in her seat, knowing what would happen if she chose to ignore Luke’s warning, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have a long natter with her on the phone.

  “I can hear the cogs in your brain turning, Tess,” Luke said grimly. “Dwayne’s gonna be keepin’ an eye out until I get back, so don’t you go tryin’ to track her down after work tonight.”

  “Don’t worry, I won’t,” she promised, at least not in person.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Patty Jamison was expecting them, so when Jeb and Alex knocked on the door they weren’t surprised to find her ready and waiting with a tray on the coffee table offering cookies and a thermos.

  “I’m not sure how I can help,” she said innocently. “I told you everything back when it happened.”

  “Yes, but I just want to go over a few details again,” Jeb replied sitting down in a large armchair that virtually swallowed him up.

  Standing off to the side Alex vaguely listened as Patty began to recount her story, while his eyes scanned his surroundings. He had a unique ability to catch things that were out of place, and a keen instinct that some said bordered on psychic; moving slowly to pi
ck up a cookie he glanced down the hallway and his radar beeped.

  Moving casually across the small room he pretended to look at a collection of cameo paintings hanging haphazardly, using it as cover while he studied the narrow hall; a storage closet at the end looked benign, but his eye traveled to the rug on the floor, and a moment later he spied a wire peeking out leading to a plug in the wall. Furtively focusing his gaze he was unable to find anything to which the wire was connected; frustrated he turned away and ambled back to stand behind Jeb.

  “So when you left Luke Larson he was very angry and that was the last you saw of him that night,” Jeb finished.

  “Yes, that was it,” Patty sighed. “I’m so glad I got away when I did or I could have been the one who was conked on the head.”

  “Excuse me,” Alex interrupted, “Patty, may I use your bathroom?”

  “Yes, it’s off my bedroom,” she smiled. “It’s the only door before the end of the hall, you can’t miss it.”

  “Let’s get back to the phone call,” Jeb continued as Alex moved away.

  Walking slowly down the hallway Alex zeroed in on the closet door, and though it was almost indiscernible he could just make out a thin piece of wire tied around the handle. Squinting, he followed it’s path and saw how it disappeared into the door frame.

  Wow, that’s some lock. One turn of that handle and you’re fried. What’s so important you need such extreme security?

  Moving into the bedroom he looked around, and though he saw nothing out of place there was something bothering him, something he couldn’t put his finger on. Entering the compact bathroom he made sure to wait a moment then flush the toilet, and after washing his hands he opened the medicine cabinet.

  Nothing but makeup. No drugs, no prescriptions, not even aspirin. That’s interesting. Most people have something, an expired bottle of antibiotics or cough medicine, something. Hmmm.

  Returning to the living room he found Jeb on his feet thanking the young woman for her time.

  “If anything should pop into your mind, perhaps a comment he made that you might have forgotten, anything at all, please call me.”

  “I will, and I hope you catch him soon. I’m a bit nervous with him on the loose,” she remarked.

  “We think he’s left town, but we’re keeping our eyes and ears open regardless,” Jeb assured her. “Thanks again. Have a good day.”

  As they walked back to the car, Patty stood in the doorway smiling and waving.

  “Somethin’s up with that one,” Jeb said quietly as he settled behind the wheel.

  “You’ve got that right,” Alex declared, “she’s got a closet door wired to electrocute anyone who tries to open it.”

  “Say what?” Jeb exclaimed.

  “Yep, ain’t no law against it,” Alex drawled, “but what could be so important?”

  “Drugs? Guns? Hell, it could be almost anythin’,” Jeb replied. “Jewelry, cash, it’s anyone’s guess.”

  “I’ve got a sneakin’ hunch it isn’t any of those things,” Alex said quietly, “don’t know why, just do, and there’s somethin’ else, I just can’t put my finger on it.”

  “We’ll need more than one of your hunches to get a warrant,” Jeb sighed.

  “Somethin’ will show up, I got a feelin’ about that as well,” Alex said confidently. “Just gotta be patient.”

  As the train chugged into the Longville station Luke attempted to switch his focus to the all-important task ahead of him; he had spent the entire two hour trip thinking about Tess.

  During their brief courtship in the days before his arrest he’d been immensely attracted to her, and though he had felt their closeness blooming he’d wanted to take things slowly. The current circumstances had put their relationship into superdrive, and he felt as though they’d been together forever.

  As the train had wound its way through the countryside, he’d gazed out at the cattle and thought about his home. Being a cowboy, working with the horses and running his ranch filled him with a deep satisfaction; he loved the life, the open spaces, riding to the back fields and fixing the fences. Being locked up in four walls had almost killed him.

  When the way out had gelled in his head and he’d started planning, he knew he’d become a wanted man running from the law, and would remain one until he was able to clear his name, but he had no choice. The legal system had let him down, so he had to take matters into his own hands.

  Leaning his head against the window and closing his eyes he thought about Tess, he pictured her beautiful breasts, the way she moaned when he kissed her neck, her small gasps when he spanked her, and the way she yielded so deliciously under his tongue and into his hands; he could see a future with her, a future he wanted very badly.

  The train began to slow, and as he opened his eyes and watched Longville come into view, his brow began to crease with worry.

  I know you’re feelin’ these things too, Tess, but I think there’s a part of you that’s enjoyin’ all the drama. I wonder if you’ll be as excited about me when things settle down?

  Doing his best to shake off his doubts he felt the phone in the pocket of the baggy coat laying across his lap, and as the train stopped he slowly stood up, pulling the coat around his shoulders.

  “Can I help you, Sir?” a young woman asked, thinking she was watching a frail old man struggling to put his jacket on.

  “That’s real nice of you, but I can manage,” he mumbled.

  Walking bent over and taking small steps he left the train and moved towards the bus stop. It didn’t matter which bus he took or where it might lead, though he fancied sitting in the park watching the ducks.

  It was a cool but sunny day, the kind of day he wished he was sharing with Tess. He could imagine them taking a long ride out to the back of his property with a blanket and a bottle of wine.

  “Do any of these buses go to Parnell Park?” he asked a teenage boy lounging against the back of one of the shelters.

  “Yeah, number 24, it’ll be along in a minute.”

  Thanking him, Luke sat down and waited. He’d given a lot of thought about what to do with the phone, and had decided there was only one option; it had to be broken apart. If it was recovered, Tess, Dwayne and Robbie’s numbers could be retrieved, and that had the potential to cause trouble for them all.

  Pulling it from his pocket he opened up the first five photographs, sending them simultaneously to Jeb and Alex’s phones, then to Jeb’s email. The bus pulled up just as he’d finished, and climbing on board he settled in to watch from the window as the town sailed past him.

  When it stopped at the park he stepped off and wandered into the greenery and trees, finding an empty bench at the lake’s edge. Bringing the phone back out he opened the last five photographs and sent them to the same three destinations, this time adding a note:

  Yes, it’s me, Luke Larson. This is what lives in the closet at the end of Patty Jamison’s hall. Obviously she is completely unbalanced and hates me with a white hot fury. For the record, I have never attempted to force myself on any woman, and regardless of the evidence I did not hurt old Nate, nor did I rob old Nate. It is my belief that Patty Jamison was solely responsible, that she stole the crowbar from my truck and used it to incriminate me.

  Be careful if you enter her premises through the back door if she’s not home, she has a nasty booby trap in place. The closet is wired to electrocute anyone who attempts to open it, the plug is at the end of the hall. If you do manage to get a search warrant she has a large number of shoe boxes that she claims contains her secret papers, whatever that means, but I don’t know where they’re kept. They used to be in the closet.

  Good luck. I won’t come in until I hear you’ve managed to sort all this out. LL.

  He read it through, then stared out at the calm waters of the small lake, gazing at the modest fountain and its cascading water.

  Should I include the note or just text the photographs?

  Why did you write it?

 
I guess because I never really had my say back then, never felt that anyone was interested in hearing me.

  Then include it.

  Sighing deeply he hit the send button, then watched the small screen as the animated envelope flew through the air and into the mailbox.

  What I wouldn’t give to see the looks on their faces.

  Smiling, he wandered across to the nearest trash bin, and opening the phone dropped in the battery. As he meandered through the streets he dropped various parts of the phone down several different drains, then ambled into a modest cafe for a bite to eat before heading back to the train station.

  It was a few minutes later as he unwrapped the walnut bread so carefully wrapped up by Tess that he spotted patrol cars moving slowly through the street; the location of the cell towers had been determined, the alarm had been raised, and he had no doubt Jeb Parker and several of his deputies would be arriving in Longville before nightfall.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Dwayne had arrived at the Sheriff’s Department early for his shift. He had estimated the time Luke would be sending the photographs and he wanted to be at the station when they landed. Sitting at his desk he had watched, almost amused, as Jeb, dashing from his office had almost collied with Alex. Alex, racing on his way to see Jeb, had been so fixated on what he was seeing on his phone it was only when he’d glanced up at the last minute that the collision had been avoided.

  People began shouting and running around, and a few minutes later the deputies and the Sheriff himself were crowded around a monitor as Jeb opened up the images for all to see.

  Standing at the back, peering over the shoulders of the men gathered in front of the monitor, Dwayne thought he saw something, and moving around to the side of the huddled group to get a better look he stared at the tiny fragment of the ‘something’ pinned on the wall of the closet.

  When Luke had downloaded the collection of images on to Tess’s computer, the attention had been on the disturbing images of Luke’s disfigured face, but staring at the tiny item in the corner on the large monitor in front of him, he suddenly realized what it was.