"Wow. I thought that twister was about the most dangerous thing I'd be facin' for a while, but it doesn't compare to this drama."
"Hopefully it's one that'll be over just as fast."
"From your lips, Wanda. From your lips."
Ending the call, Josh dropped on the couch and replayed the conversation in his head. Processing the information calmed him, and he came out of his reverie with a sense of clarity, and a belief the man behind the abductions was local. Someone who knew Josh, where he worked, and that he would be taking his trailer to Springdale. Last and most importantly, the man had been at the Horseshoe Tavern somewhere in the crowd.
Because of his attraction to Theresa he'd been keeping a close eye on her, and thinking back to that night, he didn't recall any men sidling up to her. He also remembered not being surprised. While the women at the bar were laughing and drinking, making it clear they were approachable, Theresa had been sitting at the bar with a cool demeanor, wearing clothes that didn't fit the scene.
"As much as I wanted to, even I didn't feel comfortable goin' up to her," he muttered, "so who the hell got close enough to slip somethin' in her drink? Dammit. It had to be the bartender. Duke Palmer!"
The ringing of his phone made him jump. In spite of the thundercloud hanging over him, when he saw Theresa's name on the screen he broke into a smile.
"Hey, Princess."
"Hi, Josh. Is this a bad time?"
"Nope. In fact, your timin' is perfect. I needed a distraction. What's goin' on?"
"Just following orders. I'm checking in to let you know I'm back."
"Good girl. You'll get a big hug when I see you."
"How as your journey back here? Did you take the main road?"
"Yep. I don't like haulin' through the back country. If anything happens there's no-one around to help, and sometimes cell phone reception can be dicey."
"Good point. Josh, can I swing by and visit Queenie later this morning?"
"You can swing by and visit Queenie any time, and I'd love it. I know she'd love to see you."
"Wonderful. Thank you."
"What time are you thinkin'?"
"I'll probably leave here in about an hour. Things are quiet for me right now. I still have work to do, but I'm not in the mood and I can get it done this afternoon. I don't need to be back here until eleven-thirty or so."
"I may not be here, but feel free to take her out for a walk. Would you feel comfortable doin' that?"
"If you think I can, then sure."
"There are plenty of people around, and Sam will be around cleanin' things up if you need him, but I'm not worried. Queenie loves you. She'll be a perfect lady. Her halter is on the stand by her paddock."
"I remember. This is fantastic. Thanks so much."
"You're welcome, but I should be thankin' you. Don't forget to take her some treats. She'll be expectin' them."
"Wouldn't dream of it. Josh, I'm hearing something in your voice, like you're distracted, or worried. Is everything okay?"
He paused. He didn't want to lie to her, and he was surprised.
"Whatta you mean, Princess?"
"I'm not sure. You'd tell me if there was something wrong, wouldn't you?"
"Am I that transparent?"
"Uh, I don't know. Whatever I'm picking up, it wasn't obvious. More like a feeling."
"Damn. You and Queenie. You're both scary."
"Does that mean I'm right?"
"I got some disturbin' news, but I'd rather not discuss it on the phone. When we meet up I'll fill you in."
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, but like I said, I can't talk about it right now. Are you doin' anything later?"
"I'm glad you asked. Heath and Carly want to have you over for dinner tonight. Can you make it?"
"I sure can, and I'd really like that. It's about time I met them."
"Great. Is six o'clock okay?"
"You bet. I'm lookin' forward to it, and thank them for the invitation."
"Sure will. I told them everything, and they want to thank you personally for getting me out of The Horseshoe that night."
"I'm just glad I was there. I'd better get movin', Princess. There's somewhere I need to be."
"Sure, of course. If I miss you this morning, I'll see you tonight. Bye, Josh. Take care."
"Bye, Princess."
Ending the call, Josh glanced at his watch. If he left for the tavern he'd get there before Wanda, but the idea appealed to him. He could have a quiet poke around by himself. Not wanting to get held up by anyone wanting to chat, he decided to slip away. Though his truck was still hooked up to the trailer, his Jeep Cherokee was in the guest parking area. Hoping not to run into any clients, he moved quickly from his office, marched past the trailer, and turned down the front side of the barn. There were several cars near his, but no people. Climbing behind the wheel, he backed up, and headed down the driveway.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The Horseshoe Tavern sat near a lake at the end of a one lane gravel road lined by trees. Exiting the main road, Josh drove his jeep down the paved street that led to the turnoff. The area was ranch land. Homes were spread by acreage, cattle languidly grazed next to their equine neighbors in separate paddocks. The rural scene promised peace and tranquility, never suggesting a madman could be lurking in the shadows. Passing only one car, Josh had no fears that he'd been followed, though from everything Wanda had said he wouldn't be surprised if the police decided to place him under surveillance. Even with skimpy evidence, Josh had no doubt they were excited to have a suspect.
As he neared the tavern, he searched for an area in the trees wide enough to accommodate the jeep, and though he spotted several, the car would still be visible. The pub came into view, and with the lake on the right, and what appeared to be dense forest to the left, his only option was to drive to the rear of the structure. Moving slowly past the parking area he glanced back into the woods, and to his surprise he spied an opening. Rolling to a stop he lowered his window and craned his neck.
"Look at that," he muttered. "I'd call that an area worth explorin'."
The angle at which the trees had been cleared made it virtually invisible unless you were viewing it from behind the tavern. Slowly making a U-turn, he drove cautiously into the heavily wooded thicket. The rough trail offered barely enough room between the trees for his jeep, but in a matter of seconds he found himself in an area large enough to turn his jeep around and drive out. Pulling to a stop, he stepped out and stared at the clearing in wonder. Felling the trees and removing the stumps would have taken a great deal of work, then sending his eyes in the direction of the tavern, he discovered it was clearly visible through the trees.
"Someone went to a shitload of trouble to make this place, and it was all about watchin' the bar and the parkin' lot."
Working with Wanda had taught him a few things, and in spite of the recent storm, lowering his gaze he studied the ground looking for evidence of an observer. Leaves and brambles covered the forest floor, and finding a long, thin stick, walking at a snail's pace towards the tavern, he moved the debris aside. When he neared the last line of trees he let out a disappointed sigh, but lifting his eyes he discovered he had an elevated, unobstructed view of the building and surrounding area. Then it hit him. At night, dressed in dark clothing, he'd be invisible. Tossing the stick aside and dropping to his knees, Josh moved the leaves from side to side.
He caught his breath.
An empty cigarette pack.
Then he found the butts.
He'd hit an evidence gold mine.
Hearing an approaching vehicle he looked towards the gravel lane. A black sedan with tinted windows and government issued license plates told him it was probably Wanda, but wanting to be sure before revealing himself he waited until the car rolled to a stop in the parking lot. To his surprise, a tall man with crew cut and a marine's physique stepped from the driver's seat. Thinking he must be one of the detectives, Josh ducked behind a tree,
but a moment later Wanda appeared from the passenger's side. Relieved, he stepped out and made his way down the low bank and jogged towards them.
"Hey, Wanda."
Turning around, Wanda waved, but the man swiveled. Josh smiled. Mr. Crewcut had been trained.
"Hi, Josh. This is my Captain. Captain Lewis, this is Josh Brady."
"An honor to finally meet you, Captain," Josh said, extending his hand. "Thanks so much for allowing me to work with Wanda. It's been fascinatin'."
"She spoke highly of you, but I didn't okay anything. If she wants a male friend by her side when she's out for a drink, that's up to her."
"Ah, right. I understand, sir," Josh said knowingly, then looking at him intently, he added, "Captain, I think I just stumbled into something important."
"And what would that be, son?"
"Behind those trees is a clearing, and you can't see the entrance unless you drive past it and look back. It's obviously manmade, and it's the perfect observation point for the tavern and this parking area."
"Huh. That is interesting."
"There's more. I found an empty cigarette pack and some butts by those trees. It's a perfect lookout point."
"Did you touch them?" the captain asked briskly.
"No, sir."
"You did good! Would you two excuse me? I need to take a leak, and it seems like those woods over there would be the perfect place. Wanda, take your side-kick and look for signs of that break-in."
"There was a break-in?" Josh asked. "When?"
"I'll leave you to fill in him, Wanda," the captain declared. "I'll be back in a few minutes."
"Come on, Josh," Wanda said with a warm smile, clearly delighted by Josh's find, "let's take a look around the back."
"What's goin' on? Why is the captain here?" Josh asked in a hushed whisper as he joined her.
"He wants to save your bacon just as much as I do."
"You're kiddin'? How did that happen?"
"Once he realized leaving an incriminating scarf sitting on one of your saddles made absolutely no sense, he had to admit you couldn't possibly be that stupid. The funny thing is, when I thought about it, if you were the perp, putting it there would have been a stroke of genius."
"I'm confused. Why would that have made me a genius?"
"Obviously you wouldn't if you were the guilty party."
"Oh! Like a double bluff. See? I just don't have a duplicitous mind."
"Exactly. Well, here we are. The back of the tavern."
"What's this about a break-in?"
"That's what the captain will say if anyone drives up, and it will also explain our presence if I have to write a report. We received an anonymous tip."
"Why would a captain respond to a break-in? Isn't that below his pay grade?"
"For sure, but we happened to be close by when the call came and he decided to take it."
"You mean, a call actually did come in?"
"Of course. How could we respond to a call if it didn't come in? Anymore questions?"
"I'm speechless, so no, except where do we go from here?"
"I'd like to get inside and take a look around, but I'll have to kick the door in."
"You can do that?"
"If I have to, and it looks that way."
"You're actually gonna boot that door open?"
"Not until you step back."
"Be careful."
"Nothing to it."
"Is this far enough?"
"Looks good. Do you see any cameras?"
"Uh, nope. None above the door or the posts."
"I'm not surprised. If he doesn't have them inside the tavern, he's not likely to have them out here."
Suddenly, and with lightning speed, Wanda swung her body sideways to the door, lifted her leg, and slammed her foot against the wood just above the lock.
"Damn," Josh muttered as the door burst open. "That's impressive, like, seriously."
"Like I said, nothing to it," she quipped. "Make sure you don't touch anything, and I mean anything. In fact, here," she said, reaching into her pocket and handing him a pair of latex gloves.
Stepping inside, the only light came from the open door, and pausing, Wanda raised her hand.
"Stop. It's easy to trip over something in a situation like this."
"How do we turn on the lights?"
"Your body is blocking the doorway. If you take a cautious step to the side, I should be able to see the switch. If I can't I'll use my flashlight. Thank you. Yep, there it is!"
Stepping to the wall next to the door frame, she flipped the knob and the room came into view. A small desk and chair sat in a corner, various supplies on shelving, a filing cabinet, and crates of beer and wine were stacked against a wall. The concrete floor sported a worn rug, and moving it with her foot, Wanda found nothing suspicious underneath.
"No trap doors here. This is solid."
"Anything?" the captain asked as he strode in, his head barely missing the top of the door frame.
"Nothing looks out of order, sir," Wanda replied. "We're about to go into the bar area."
"I'll mosey around here and see if the intruder left any trace. Whoever it was had one heck of a kick."
"You can say that again," Josh remarked with a grin. "I wouldn't like to be on the receivin' end of it, that's for sure."
The captain looked at him stone-faced.
"I didn't mean to say anything out of turn," Josh added hastily.
"Just breaking your balls, son," said the beefy man with a chuckle. "Can't help myself sometimes. Go and keep Wanda company, and check the facilities. Amazin' what people stash behind the towel dispensers."
"Really?"
"Nah, just doing it again, but check anyway. You never know."
Not quite sure what to make of him, and feeling unnerved, Josh hurried into the tavern. The bar stools were sitting on top of the counter, and Wanda was on her hands and knees studying the floor.
"What are you searchin' for?"
"I noticed this wire," she replied without looking up, "but now I realize it's not a wire, it's a cable."
"A cable? Must be for the television set."
"No. The TV is above the bar and you can see where the cables and wiring go through a hole into the back room. This is something else."
"But he doesn't have cameras in here."
"So he claims. I'm going to follow it and find out exactly where it leads and what it's for. You trace it back the other way."
"I can already tell you the cable leads behind the bar," he replied, carefully lifting the hinged panel and surveying the shelves under the counter. "There's some kind of black box here, and that's plugged into an outlet. Maybe a nanny cam?"
"Possibly, but this cable is going into the hallway that leads to the exit. Come with me, Josh."
"I don't know much about this stuff, but can't you get equipment that's wireless? Why go to all this trouble?"
"That technology probably wasn't available when he put this in, or it was very expensive. This is crazy. Am I nuts, or is it feeding back into the room behind the bar?"
"Sure looks like it, but why bring it all the way around here? Why not just thread it through the wall underneath the television?"
"Good question, and there has to be a camera in there," Wanda said grimly. "I sure hope it's not aimed at the door I kicked in."
"Damn."
Walking swiftly back to the room, they searched along the baseboard for the cable, but found nothing.
"I don't understand," Wanda declared. "What the hell? Any ideas?"
"None. I wonder if it's an old antenna of some kind that goes up to the roof, and he just never bothered taking it out."
"Then what's the box under the counter for?"
"Oh, yeah. Good question. Where did your captain go?"
"He'll be poking around outside, but mostly keeping watch in case Derrick Parker shows up."
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Why is he doin
g this? You said he's by the book. I find it hard to believe he's goin' out on a limb like this because he thinks I'm innocent and he wants to catch the bad guy."
"Um, well…"
"Wanda! What aren't you tellin' me?"
"I'll tell you if you swear you'll keep it to yourself."
"Sure. I swear I won't breathe a word."
"He does believe you're in danger of being falsely accused, but he's also supporting me because he and my dad are really close. They met when they were in the marines. When they served in Iraq my dad saved his life."
"What?"
"Yeah. Pretty heavy. When dad found out who my new captain was, you can imagine how excited he was. The station is aware my dad and the captain know each other, but that's it. It would make the situation difficult for us both if anyone found out."
"Wow. I'm feelin' pretty blessed right now. Thanks for tellin' me."
"When I have to, I can talk to him like I can talk to my dad and he doesn't take offense. In fact, he says when I go to the mat for something I remind him of how my dad used to be when he'd get worked up."
"I promise not to tell a soul."
"Thanks, Josh. Now I need to make sure that cable isn't attached to anything in this room. I can't leave until we do."
"Then let's get to it."
For twenty minutes they searched everywhere except behind the bottles of beer and wine. The crates weren't just heavy, they were solid and pressed up against the wall. Even if the cable exited behind them it couldn't have been attached to anything, and they scrutinized the front of the boxes to make sure one of them wasn't hiding a camera. Finally giving up, they walked outside to meet up with the captain, but he was wandering around the slope that led down to the lake.
"Wait for me by the car," Wanda said as she headed off to speak with him. "I won't be long."
"Hey, Wanda, it wasn't a total bust. I found that cigarette package."
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said with a wink, then turned and walked away.
Leaning against the black sedan, Josh's analytical mind clicked in. There was something bothering him about the room, but he couldn't put his finger on it. When his phone rang he welcomed the distraction, and looking at the screen he broke into a smile.
To Catch A Cowboy (Hunks and Horses Book 2) Page 14