Sovereign Sheriff
Page 19
He heard the sound of an ATV motor. Nothing unusual about that. Every ranch used these raucous four-wheel machines that were cheaper to maintain than horses. But he sensed danger approaching. He drew his weapon and held it at his side.
The ATV came closer. Jake squinted into the sun, trying to recognize the rider. He raised his gun. “Granger.”
Beside him, Saida started. “What?”
“It’s Granger. He must have been following us, tracking us.” Jake was actually impressed by Granger’s ability to follow them without being seen. “He’s a good hunter. And sneaky as hell.”
“But not very bright,” she said. “He’s got to know that you’re going to arrest him.”
Granger parked, turned off the ATV and climbed off it. He looked like he’d been sleeping in the forest and living off tree bark. “Give me the money,” he demanded.
“Don’t move.” Jake aimed at the center of Granger’s skinny chest. “I’ll shoot.”
Granger spread his arms wide. “Everybody wants to kill me. Might as well get it over with.”
“That’s enough,” Saida snapped. “Mr. Granger, you said you had information for me. I wish to hear it.”
His eyes shifted from side to side. “If I tell you, will the sheriff let me go?”
“Tell me,” she said imperiously. “And we’ll see if we can come to an arrangement.”
“Damn it all, things weren’t supposed to turn out like this. I was meaning to do the right thing. I was going to tell the lady and get some money, and then I figured she’d tell you, Sheriff.”
“Start talking,” Jake said.
“You going to arrest me? If you do, I’m as good as dead. Maddox will have me killed in jail, just like Amos Andrews.”
Andrews was a dirty cop who supposedly committed suicide while he was in custody. Jake had suspected murder but couldn’t prove it. “What do you know about Andrews?”
“I know a hell of a lot.” Granger sounded proud of himself. “You’d be smart to take me into protective custody. You know, like those witness protection programs. I could start a new life.”
“Tell me about Dormund’s murder,” Jake said.
“Maddox paid Dormund big bucks to keep him quiet about some race horse scam. Dormund was on the payroll. Maddox had him come here and get a rental car.” He glanced toward Saida. “We were fixing to kidnap the lady.”
“Why?” Jake asked.
“It didn’t have nothing to do with her.” Granger showed his yellow teeth in a sick grin. “It was all about you, Sheriff. Maddox figured if we kidnapped her, you’d look real bad. Everybody’d know that you can’t handle Big Burt’s job.”
The attempted abduction was nothing but a ploy. Maddox intended to use the COIN crimes—the explosions, the snipers, the traitors—to destroy him. “None of this is connected to Amir’s disappearance.”
“Hell, no. I don’t know where he’s gone off to. And I don’t give a crap.”
“You still haven’t told me who murdered Dormund.”
Granger held out a filthy hand. “And you haven’t given me my money. Even if I’m a protected witness, I’m going to need some cash. Ain’t that right?”
He really was an idiot. There was no point in explaining reality to him. Jake tossed the backpack on the ground near Granger’s feet. “Tell me what you saw?”
He scrambled to pick up the pack and unzipped it. He clutched a handful of cash in his fist. “Hey, this isn’t enough.”
“There’s more where that came from,” Saida said. “Talk.”
“Maddox shot Dormund in the rental car, then we moved him to my truck. And we left that pretty little earring to hook things up with the lady. The way Maddox figured, Dormund’s murder would get lumped in with all the other royal crimes. Nobody would come looking for him.”
Jake wanted to believe that he might ultimately have discovered the truth, but he had to give Maddox credit. If Granger had disappeared, there was a good likelihood that Dormund’s murder would have gone unsolved.
“Why are you telling me this?” Jake asked.
“Maddox already got away with murder. Twice, if you count Amos Andrews. It wouldn’t be long before he came after me.”
“Has he threatened you?”
“I’ve been hiding out ever since you found my truck. That’s why I didn’t answer my phone.”
“You were scared,” Jake said.
Granger’s jaw tensed. No man liked to admit he was frightened. “Maybe.”
Three gunshots exploded.
Granger was shot in the chest. He threw up his hands, tossing the money into the air. His legs crumpled and he fell to the ground.
Maddox and two of his men rode out of the nearby trees. They were all armed. The two men aimed their rifles at Jake and Saida. She was positioned between him and Maddox. Her eyes were frantic. “What should I do?”
“Don’t move. Not yet.”
Maddox rode closer. “Drop your gun, Jake. Do it now or I’ll have them kill her.”
If he discarded his weapon, Jake would have no way to defend himself. Maddox couldn’t let them live. Not with what they knew.
His only chance was to stall. He knew they were close enough to the south field for Freeman and his men to have heard the gunshots. He had to hope that they’d come to investigate.
“Finally,” Jake said. “Finally, I get to see your true colors, Maddox.”
“Drop it. I’m not joking.”
Jake didn’t have a choice. He dropped his gun where he could reach it easily if he dismounted. He called out to the two men flanking Maddox. “Let me ask you boys. You think he’s going to let you live? Or do you think you’re going to end up like poor old Granger.”
“My men are loyal,” Maddox said. “Granger was a rat.”
Jake focused on the other two men. “You don’t want to do this. Killing a sheriff will get you in serious trouble.”
“A sheriff,” Maddox said with a sneer.
Jake deliberately provoked him. “I beat you, fair and square.”
“You’re nothing but a damn, dirty Indian. We never should have let your people off the reservation.”
“Is that so? Well, let me tell you what happened at the Cattlemen’s Ball in Cheyenne. The governor wants me to run for the senate. By the way, Virginia says hello.”
“That bitch.”
“She’s the one who got you into all this trouble, sending Dormund to investigate. Who would have thought he’d be smart enough to figure out how you were hiding your money.”
Maddox raised his rifle. “I should shoot you right now.”
“But not me.” When Saida spoke, her voice was steady. “I have a great deal of influence and money. I’d be happy to pay you gentlemen four times what you’re earning right now.”
She turned her shoulder bag around as though she would reach inside and pull out a fresh stack of cash. Jake knew what she intended. She meant to take out her own gun. But then, she’d become the target. He couldn’t let that happen.
“Let’s wait a second, Princess.”
She looked toward him, and he subtly shook his head.
“Don’t bother,” Maddox said. “My men aren’t going to fall for her lies. She’s a foreigner. Her country means to rip off our American oil business.”
Jake heard the buzz of approaching ATVs. Freeman and his men were coming to see what the shooting was about. Their vehicles were already in sight.
“Here comes our backup,” Jake said. “You can’t kill us all.”
His men lowered their rifles and exchanged a look. They dug in their heels and rode away fast. Maddox turned in his saddled and yelled after them. “Cowards. Stay here.”
Jake took advantage of his momentary distraction. He swung down from his horse, grabbed his gun and aimed at Maddox.
When he glanced toward Saida, he saw that she’d drawn her Beretta. Both of their weapons were trained and steady.
“Burt Maddox,” Jake said, “you’re under arrest.”
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AS JAKE TOOK THE FORMER sheriff into custody, Saida dismounted. Her legs were shaky, and her hand trembled. If she’d been required to shoot Maddox, she wasn’t sure that she could have pulled the trigger.
Wade Freeman and two other men had arrived on their four-wheelers. Wade ran past Granger, bleeding on the ground, and came to her. “Saida, are you all right? Were you hurt?”
In his dark eyes and firm jaw, she saw a reflection of her brother. She should have guessed at their relationship the moment she’d met him.
Fighting tears, she asked, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wanted to. I saw the family resemblance right away, and I wanted to hug you. But I promised Amir that I would wait.”
“Why?”
“He didn’t want to talk about our relationship until after the COIN summit.”
The only reason Amir would have for keeping this huge secret was because he couldn’t risk having a challenge to his leadership. “You’re the eldest. Do you intend to assert your rights as my father’s heir?”
“Never.” His voice was deep and sincere. The tone reminded her of Amir. “I never knew who my father was. My mom didn’t tell me until she was on her deathbed. Then she talked about a handsome sheik who came to Wyoming and fell in love. She showed me a wooden cigar box, wrapped in a red scarf. Inside were two passionate letters and this.” He opened the top button on his shirt. On a chain around his neck, he wore a ring emblazoned with the three-horse crest of Jamala.
“A tragic story.”
“Not at all,” he said. “When he left, she never expected to see him again. My mom was a Freeman, born and bred to be a cattle rancher. This ranch was her life. Mine, too.”
She was beginning to believe that Wade Freeman didn’t mean any harm to her or her brother. “When did you contact Amir?”
“That happened the way I told you. We talked about oil projects. One thing led to another, and then I showed him the ring.” He gave her a smile. “How did you find out?”
“Harriet at the quilt shop.”
“I wasn’t aware that she knew.”
“Not only does she know, but she made a wall hanging to commemorate the meeting of your mother and my father. I’d like to give it to you.”
“I’d appreciate that. It’s taking me a while to get accustomed to the whole idea. I never had brothers or sisters.”
“Now you do.”
“I hope you won’t be offended if I don’t change my name to Khalid and move to Jamala. I’m a Freeman. My home is right here on this ranch.”
“The name doesn’t matter.” She threw both arms around his neck. “Welcome to the family, brother.”
She clung to him for a long moment.
Jake had been right when he’d said that Freeman was happy in Wyoming and had no designs on becoming the ruler of her country. The main reason her mind had gone down that path was because she’d been spending so much time with the COIN royals. When she was around them, everything seemed like a complicated conspiracy. Life wasn’t meant to be so difficult.
She smiled up at her brother. “We’ll have a chance to get to know each other. I’ll be spending more time in Wyoming.”
“Until we find Amir.”
“Yes.”
She went toward Jake. As usual, he was juggling several responsibilities at the same time. Keeping an eye on Maddox who was being held by Freeman’s men. Covering Granger’s body to give him the dignity in death that he lacked in life. And talking on his cell phone to Wheeler.
As he ended his call, she took custody of the phone, compelling him to face her. “I wanted to tell you that you were right about Freeman. You’ve been right about a lot of things.”
“I hope,” he said, “that I wasn’t right about you and me being from such different worlds that we could never—”
“There’s only one world, Jake. And it’s a world where you and I are together.”
In spite of the people watching, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her on the lips. Still holding her, he whispered, “I want you to stay with me.”
Her father had come to Wind River County, fallen in love and run away. She wouldn’t make the same mistake. “I won’t leave you.”
“I’m going to find your brother.”
Regret cut into her happiness. Though she still felt a connection to Amir, they hadn’t come any closer to discovering where he was or what had happened to him. “That might be a promise you can’t keep.”
“I won’t take back my promise, and I won’t stop looking. I mean what I say. I don’t lie, especially not to the woman I love.”
As soon as he spoke the word, she knew it was true. “I love you, too. And I have a promise.”
He leaned back so he could look into her eyes. “I’m listening.”
“Next season. Opening game. Courtside seats for the Lakers.”
He lifted her off the ground and spun her in a circle. “I’m there.”
And so was she. There with him, forever.
Special thanks and acknowledgment to Cassie Miles for her contribution to the Cowboys Royale series.
ISBN: 978-1-4592-0958-9
SOVEREIGN SHERIFF
Copyright © 2011 by Harlequin Books S.A.
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**Rocky Mountain Safe House
**Safe House: Mesa Verde
†Christmas at the Carlisles’
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Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four