"I'll bet. I sure would like to stay in bed, but I've gotta check in with everyone, then get to Rise and Shine and pack up the trailer."
"What a pain. Do you need Salvo and me to help?"
"No, I'm covered. I have two grooms, and the kids will probably show up. With any luck, by the time I get there the work will be under way."
"Do you know the time?"
"Sure do. I have an internal alarm clock that wakes me up every mornin' at six-thirty."
"Ugh. Anything earlier than seven and I'm a grouch."
"Then I guess you're gonna be a grouch. It's six-forty-five."
"No wonder I'm so tired."
"You go back to sleep, and stay as long as you want. I'll put a Do Not Disturb sign on the door so no-one will knock on the door."
"Perfect. Thank you. Salvo knows if he bothers me I'll cut all the curls off that head of hair he's so proud of, but I wish you could stay."
"Don't fret, Princess. We've got plenty of mornin's in our future, but right now I need to get up," he purred. "One instruction. Call me when you get to Dream Horse. I wanna know you're back safe and sound."
"Yes, Sir. Do you know how much I love to say that?"
"Probably as much as I love hearin' it," he said softly, and giving her a final hug, he slipped out of bed and padded into the bathroom.
Closing her eyes and sighing contentedly, Theresa sank into the mattress and let herself drift away. When she felt his lips on her cheek, she barely managed a mumbled goodbye, and engulfed in a cloud of joy, she wandered back into the land of nod.
* * * * * * * * * *
At eight-thirty Wanda strode into the station.
Two-seconds through the door and her pulse ticked up.
Something was in the air.
That something could be anything.
An anonymous tip.
New witness reports.
A likely suspect.
"The chief wants to see you."
Wanda glanced at the officer giving her the message. The frown on his forehead didn't bode well. Prepared for anything, she knocked on the captain's door and poked her head in.
"Hey, Wanda. Come in."
The boss looked none too happy either, but that wasn't unusual.
"You'd better sit down."
"Now I'm getting worried. What's going on, Captain?"
"Can't keep a secret in this place. What's that about?"
"Why can't secrets be kept here? You're asking me?"
"Yeah, I guess I am."
"How many people knew about this alleged secret?"
"Me and a couple of others, plus the two cops who brought it in."
"That's not a secret. A secret is you and one other person, but this is all because you don't want to tell me whatever it is that has you wound up, and everyone else looking like someone died. Oh! Sorry. Did someone just die?"
"No, Wanda, but, uh, this is about Josh Brady."
"Josh? Is he okay? He was in Springdale when the twister hit. I thought he was fine. Did something happen?"
"Something happened, but not what you're thinking. Wanda, I don't know how to tell you this, so I'm just going to say it. Josh is looking like a suspect."
"A suspect? In which case?"
"The guy who drugs the girls and—"
"Stop right there. No way!"
"You must keep an open mind."
"There's an open mind, and then there's a huge gaping hole where no logic or common sense exists."
"Wanda, you need to listen. First, after you followed Josh back to his house the night Claudia Harris disappeared, did you see him again?"
"No, of course not. He was taking care of the other potential victim."
"No-one saw Claudia either, and you told me yourself, this other girl had also been drugged, so Josh has no alibi."
"But—"
"I haven't finished," the captain said, giving her a look that said he was pulling rank.
"Sorry, sir."
"He was the last person to see Claudia that night. I repeat. She wasn't seen again. He's relatively new in the area, and these attacks started a couple of months after he moved here. He studied to be a doctor. He knows medicine. He knows about drugs. How to use them, how much to use, how to best deliver them, all of that. And what better way to keep track of a case, than to become involved."
"He didn't ask to be a part of the investigation. Jack Cooper invited him. You know that. They've been friends for years."
"Doesn't matter. Psychopaths know how to manipulate people. Then we have Claudia Harris showing up in an area where he just happens to be. Springdale."
"This is crazy," Wanda muttered. "None of this proves anything."
"I agree, but something has surfaced that could prove to be, well, to put it bluntly, bad for him. Prepare yourself."
"Go on, though I can't guarantee I'm what you'd call, prepared."
"When that kid found Claudia, one of the responding officers thought it was a bit too coincidental that Josh should be in Springdale at the same time. He decided to stop by the boarding facility where Josh had his horses, and he found a dirty blue silk scarf. It was in the barn's tack room sitting on one of his saddles."
Jumping to her feet, Wanda threw up her hands and walked around in a circle.
"Wanda? Sit down."
"Has everybody lost their minds?" she exclaimed. "Captain, think about it. A guy who leaves no evidence, zero, nada, zip, not a trace, who's cunning enough to lure these women away from the bar and whisk them off into the night without a soul seeing him, leaves a prime piece of evidence lying around for anyone to see. Not only that, do you honestly think he'd be stupid enough to release a woman in the same area where he's going to be in the spotlight for a week? Yeah, that makes sense."
She'd struck a nerve.
A red blush slowly crept up her boss's neck.
"Has anyone bothered showing this scarf to Claudia Harris, or has it already been sent off for analysis?"
"Yeah, it's at the lab. Claudia's pretty out of it, and the powers that be didn't want to wait."
"This is really insane, you know that, right?"
"Wanda, we need Josh's DNA."
"Oh, no. Don't look at me to get that for you. Not a chance."
"Just talk to him. Ask him to come in and cooperate."
"Nope. Number one, there's not a chance in hell the scumbag behind these abductions is Josh Brady. Number two, I know how things can go. Some ambitious, idiot detective gets it into his head someone is guilty, and they start looking for things to prove their theory, instead of looking for evidence to find the culprit. You know that better than anyone, and number three, I cannot believe I'm standing here having this conversation with a man I've come to respect and admire. Who are you, and what have you done with the captain."
"Dammit," he grunted, dropping his eyes and staring at the desk.
"Captain, shit, you agree with me."
"Of course I do," he suddenly shouted. "Don't you think I know all that? Don't you think I've been going through everything you just said over and over in my head a thousand times? Don't you think I made those same arguments to the men sitting behind their big desks with their big fat salaries?"
"I don't understand."
"This case has been dragging on for months, and they want an end to it. This business with Josh is the first scintilla of a lead we've had, and they pounced all over it."
"What are you saying?"
"I have to follow orders, just like you have to follow orders. If Josh is innocent, he has nothing to worry about."
"Captain. You didn't just say that!"
"Our justice system isn't perfect, I grant you that, but it's better than most, and more importantly, it's the only one we have."
"Those are just words, and there is no way I'm going to let a good man—no—a great man, a caring man, a man who has given up all his free time to try to catch this asshole—there is no way I'm going to let him get railroaded."
"Wanda—"
>
"No!" she exclaimed, raising her hand. "Now you have to listen to me."
"Go on."
"Neither are you."
* * * * * * * * * *
To Josh's relief no-one in his group had been injured, but when he arrived at the barn, Smitty, the manager, asked him into his office for a private word.
"I don't know what's goin' on," Smitty began, "but I gotta real bad feelin'. Last night, kinda late, two policemen arrived here askin' questions."
"Questions about what? You look so worried."
"I reckon I am, but not for me, for you. They asked how well I knew you, if I'd ever seen you rattled, stuff like that, then they picked up a blue scarf that was sittin' on one of your saddles. They dropped it into a bag and left."
"That's weird."
"They were real interested in that scarf, Josh."
"If you're askin' me where it came from, I found it on the floor of the trailer when I was unloadin' the tack. All the kids had gone into town and I didn't know who it belonged to, so I left it on a saddle. I figured someone would claim it."
"Well, the police have it now."
"I can't imagine why, but thanks for the heads up. I'm sure it's nothing. Maybe someone lost one of those crazy expensive scarves and they thought they'd found it, though why they'd think I'd be interested in a woman's scarf is beyond me. I'm sure I'll be able to clear it up when they get in touch, assuming they do."
But as he and his group packed up the trailer and headed home, he couldn't shake the unsettling news. When he pulled into Tall Tree Farms, he was grateful to be home, and after unloading the horses and making sure they were safely in their paddocks, he hurried across to see Queenie. The big chestnut mare was standing in her shelter, her breakfast in front of her untouched.
"Queenie! What's the matter girl?" he muttered, quickly opening the gate and walking over to her. "Hey, aren't you feelin' good."
Raising her head, she gazed at him, her big brown eyes reaching through his chest and touching his heart.
"I'm fine. The tornado didn't come near me. It was miles away."
But his reassuring words had no impact.
"Okay, yeah, there's a problem. I don't know what's goin' on just yet, but I'll take care of whatever it is."
To his great relief, she let out a snort, then shook her body the way she would after rolling in the dirt.
"What are you doin', girl? Shakin' off the bad energy?"
Dropping her head into his chest, she gently nudged him, and for a brief moment Josh felt the threat of tears.
"Dang it, Queenie, how do you know so much?" he murmured, wrapping his arms around her neck. "I sure wish you could talk. I've gotta feelin' you know more than I do."
Snorting again, she lifted her head and stared at him.
"Trust me. I'll sort it out. Would you please eat your breakfast? I don't need to be worryin' about you as well."
She held his gaze for a minute, then ambled to her hay and began to munch. Relieved to see her eating, he moved through the gate and started back to the barn.
"Okay. Somethin's goin' down. She knows it, and sooner or later I guess I will too," he muttered, but just as he finished speaking his phone rang. Pulling it from his pocket he glanced at the screen. Wanda. "Huh. Looks like it's gonna be sooner."
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
As Wanda outlined the information about the scarf, Josh hurried though the barn and into his office. Closing the door, he began to pace as she reported her concerns. Though questions came to mind he held his tongue. During his training as a doctor he'd learn to pay attention. Any queries followed, then armed with all available information a diagnosis could be made. An excellent listener, he also possessed an analytical brain.
"That's where we are," Wanda finished. "You're now a blip on the radar screen. Regardless of the results from forensics, probably before they're even known, you'll be getting a visit from the detectives in charge of the case, but as you know the first few victims were in Marionville and that's where they're based. Josh, are you there?"
"Yeah."
The deeply disturbing news had set his brain spinning. When he'd returned to Rise and Shine that morning, many of the saddles had already been loaded into the trailer, and he hadn't given the scarf a second thought.
"Wanda, I think that scarf is going to prove significant."
"Why do you say that?"
"I could be wrong, but I'm familiar with the show clothes my juniors wear, and the amateurs too, though I only have a couple of adults. Two of the mothers to be precise. I don't recall any of them wearin' a scarf like that, and certainly not that size. They wear kerchiefs around their necks, not shawls around their shoulders. I remember wonderin' what it was doin' there when I found it. The tack compartment in the trailer doesn't have much space. It's organized and kept clean. The scarf was filthy and wrinkled. Looks like whoever is behind the abductions has decided I'm gonna be the scape goat."
"I'm sorry to say I'd already come to that conclusion," Wanda said solemnly, "but I wanted to hear your take."
"How the hell do I handle this, Wanda?"
"Let's start with the visit from the detectives. For the moment you need to avoid them. Keep your eyes open, and if you see an unfamiliar car driving into Tall Tree Farms, jump on that amazing horse you're always telling me about and hit the trail. If you hear a car pull outside your house and you're not expecting anyone, duck out the back."
"But I haven't done anything. Won't that make me look guilty?"
"Not initially. They'll just think they've missed you. We can spend ages trying to catch up with someone. It happens all the time."
"Uh, Wanda, you shouldn't be tellin' me any of this. I appreciate it more than I can say, but I don't want you stickin' your neck out. You could lose your job."
"Josh, this is a no-brainer. I don't want to see you go down for a heinous crime you didn't commit, while the guilty bastard disappears and hurts other women somewhere else."
"I'm at a loss for words."
"I'm sure you are. This is a shock. I was shocked when my captain laid all this out, but forewarned is forearmed. You need to keep your head do your best not to change your habits or walk around looking worried."
"I'm glad you mentioned that. I can see why that would look bad, but keepin' that in mind wouldn't have occurred to me."
"Getting back to the detectives. I'm hoping we'll have all this figured out before they catch up with you, but if we don't, and you find yourself being peppered with questions, first rule that cannot be broken, answer truthfully. Even if you think your answer won't help you, tell the truth. Oftentimes we'll ask questions we already know the answer to, and if we hear a lie, it only serves to confirm our suspicions. Besides that, lying to the police is a crime."
"This is beyond anything I've ever faced," Josh said grimly. "I already feel outta my depth."
"I understand, but you're a smart guy and I know you're Mr. Cool under pressure. If you end up being interrogated don't let them rattle you. Stay calm, and don't be defensive. If you feel they're overstepping or trying to trap you, stop, take a breath, and tell them the crime their investigating is deadly serious, you take it seriously, and you don't want to answer any more questions without legal counsel. Smart people do that. It doesn't point to guilt."
"Damn."
"Do you know a good criminal defense lawyer?"
"I know a dozen medical malpractice attorneys."
"Get a referral. If you need to make that phone call you won't be scrambling."
"Wanda, this is crazy."
"Yeah, but being prepared will go a long way if things come down to the wire, but I'm hoping it won't come to that. My gut tells me leaving that scarf is his first mistake."
"What makes you say that?"
"Why now? Is he getting nervous? More importantly, he's set us in motion, and because he has I'm throwing the book out the window. Playing by the rules won't work when there are ambitious detectives looking for an arrest, especially whe
n they're supported by the higher-ups. Don't get me wrong. Most of the people I've worked with are decent, but this case has been dragging on for too long. Everyone is anxious. That's when mistakes are made and people's logic gets a bit twisted."
"I'm sure glad you're on my side, Wanda."
"I am, and I'm on the side of all the women this creep has harmed. So, cowboy, it's time to get to work. We need to do what we discussed last night. Meet me at the The Horseshoe Tavern in an hour?"
"Sure, no problem."
"I know I've thrown a bunch of stuff at you, but you can handle it. The good news is we have some breathing space. We won't get any results back from forensics for several days. And you'll be in for a surprise when I see you."
"I'm not sure I can handle any more surprises."
"You'll love this one. I'd tell you what it is, but even though I'm on a burner phone I still don't want to mention it. Oh, one more thing. Think about who knew you were heading up to Springdale, and who had access to your trailer."
"Hells bells, Wanda. I don't need to think about that. Everyone knew I was goin' to that show, just like all the trainers around here. As far as the trailer is concerned, anyone could've come in here and left that damn scarf. The owners live on the property, but the house is up the hill and I don't think Ben and Jerry would sound the alarm if someone sneaked in here in the middle of the night. Maybe if they were haulin' a trailer and makin' a bunch of noise, but on foot? I doubt it."
"Who are Ben and Jerry?"
"Two golden retrievers. They belong to the owners."
"Cute."
"Yeah, they are. Rascals, both of 'em, but they're good boys. Nice to think about them at a time like this. Normalcy."
"You need to keep thoughts like that in abundance. They'll help you stay grounded. The last thing you want is to panic."
"Don't worry. That's not gonna happen. I don't panic easy. Just the opposite. That's one thing a doctor and a horse trainer have in common. They have to stay calm when things start goin' wrong."
"Ah. I see your point. I need to go. I'll see you there at one, oh, and park somewhere outta sight then walk up."
To Catch A Cowboy (Hunks and Horses Book 2) Page 13