by Paty Jager
“He didn’t think she would have overdosed.”
“Why did he wait until now to have you investigate?”
“He’d heard something that made him think she was murdered.”
Ryan picked at the corner of the file on the table in front of him. “Did he give any specifics?”
“Only he thought his soon-to-be ex-wife was involved.”
This was getting interesting. Not only did Paula slander the woman but it seems she wanted her out of her life as well. “This is all good information for my investigation. I have one more question for you. Were you in the gallery with Paula moments before she was discovered dead? Did you enact Sidney Doring’s revenge?”
Baylor slammed his palms down on the table and glared at him. “I did not kill Paula Doring. I was in her gallery shortly before the body was discovered. She’d called me, saying she feared Sidney had discovered all her secrets and planned to use them against her in the divorce.”
“Why did she call you?”
“To see if I’d told Sidney about her past and her connection to the Rafael cartel.” Baylor slowly pulled his hands across the table toward him. “The Rafael cartel is the one that’s been eluding me for years. I’d finally established the Doring Gallery as one of the drop-off sites, but I was still working out where the drugs went from here.”
“So when you left the gallery Paula was still alive. Was she alone?”
Chapter Twenty-four
Shandra sat in Ruthie’s diner picking at a cinnamon roll and drinking her third cup of coffee. She was so wired from the caffeine her eyeballs felt like they were jittery. What could be taking so long? If the guy did it, she had confidence Ryan could get it out of the man.
She peered out the window for the thousandth time gazing at the corner where Ryan would appear when he came to fill her in. A flashy SUV drove down Second Street. Her gaze latched onto the black/purple color. As an artist she admired interesting colors. Shandra smiled. That would be a great color to make some of her smaller vases.
The morning sunlight spilled into the front window of the vehicle, highlighting the inhabitants. The person in the passenger seat was Juan Lida. The driver was also Hispanic. What would Juan be doing riding around in such a nice car? There was a small Hispanic population in this part of the state but none of them could afford a flashy SUV.
Shandra dropped a ten on the table, grabbed her bag, and hurried out to the sidewalk. The SUV had continued down Second Street. She peered around the corner and saw them turn to the right on Pine Street. Shandra put her long legs to use, striding long and fast down Huckleberry Street to try and catch a glimpse of the SUV when it crossed First Street.
The vehicle turned up First Street. To avoid Juan noticing her, she stepped into the alcove of Dimensions Gallery and watched. The vehicle drove by slow. Both men’s faces were turned toward Doring Gallery. What were they trying to see? The police tape still stretched across the front doorway. They made a left onto Huckleberry.
She stepped out of the alcove and watched as they turned to the left down Main Street. Were they circling the block? Peering down the alley? Shandra stayed on the corner until she saw the nose of the SUV turning back up First Street. She ducked back into her hiding spot and waited for them to drive by.
They didn’t drive by. The SUV parked beside the business located behind the Doring Gallery. If she stepped out to the sidewalk, Juan might get suspicious. She had two choices. Wait for Ted and Naomi to open their store and let her in, or call Ryan and have him drive by and see what the two men were up to.
The time on her phone made the decision. Ted and Naomi wouldn’t open the doors for two more hours. She found Ryan in her favorites list and dialed. Hopefully she wasn’t interrupting his interrogation.
The phone went straight to voice mail.
“Hello Ryan? This is Shandra. Juan Lida and another man are sitting in a flashy SUV on First Street watching the Doring Gallery. I’m in the doorway of Dimensions Gallery. Call me back, please.”
She hung up the phone feeling even less confident that she should be standing here keeping surveillance on the two in the SUV. Juan was Paula’s assistant. Did he know there were drugs in the shipments? Was he waiting for a chance to cash in on what was still in there? She hadn’t had a chance to ask Ryan if he’d found anything. Had Paula’s involvement in drugs killed her?
Leaning into the corner where she could watch the two men through the glass door and a side window in the gallery, she wished she’d eaten breakfast instead of waiting for Ryan. All that coffee on a near empty stomach was burning her stomach lining.
~*~
Ryan’s phone vibrated while talking with Baylor. He’d pushed the button sending the call to voicemail. Glancing at the recent calls, he noted it was Shandra. Did she get tired of waiting and head home? He hoped so. He punched the numbers and waited for her voice.
Shit! She wasn’t supposed to play amateur detective.
“Baylor, do you know if a flashy black SUV has anything to do with your operation?”
“It’s been seen hanging around when there is a shipment. Why?” Baylor buckled on his shoulder holster.
“It’s sitting a block down from Doring Gallery.” He wasn’t about to involve Shandra. The DEA op already thought she could be a suspect.
“They’re watching to see if there is any activity around the place.” Baylor shoved his revolver into the holster.
“One of the men in the vehicle is Juan Lida.” Ryan headed for the door. He had to get Shandra out of there and apprehend the two in the SUV.
Baylor matched him stride for stride as he ate up the sidewalk heading up Second Street.
“Why are you walking?” Baylor asked.
“Because it is less conspicuous. I have to get my informant out of there before I can move on the SUV.”
“It’s a civilian?” Baylor laughed. “You’d think a resort this size and famous would have a larger police force.”
Ryan crossed the street. He stared at Dimensions doorway and could barely make out a form lurking in the shadows. He stayed close to the store fronts and slipped into the alcove.
Shandra turned to him her eyes wide. “I’m glad to see you. They’ve just been sitting in the SUV down there.”
She nodded toward the inside of the gallery, and he noticed the good vantage point she had.
“How did you find them? You were supposed to be waiting for me at Ruthie’s.” He moved in closer to keep Baylor from seeing his informant. But the DEA agent had stayed across the street and was now crossing nonchalantly and walking in front of Doring Gallery.
“I was waiting for you and the vehicle caught my eye. Then I saw Juan in the passenger seat, and I became curious how a gallery assistant and not-so-talented artist would know someone in such a fancy car. So I kept an eye on them. They circled the block before stopping there.”
“What did I tell you earlier about getting in the way of my investigation?” He put a hand on her upper arm.
“I know, but this just felt like they were up to something. And he is still a suspect isn’t he?”
Her eyes peered into his, searching. For what he wasn’t sure.
“Yes, he’s still a suspect. In fact, even more than before. Baylor is a DEA agent. With his testimony I was able to get a drug sniffing dog here today. And I believe Paula’s death had to do with her gallery being a drop-off for drugs.”
Ryan looked up. “What the…?” Baylor was approaching the SUV.
“Do you trust him?” Shandra questioned softly.
“Not completely. There was a reason your grandmother put him in your dreams. But I don’t know if it was because he is the killer and an adept liar or because he has a clue to the killer.”
Shandra tugged on his sleeve, drawing his attention to her. “Why are you focusing on my dreams? They may not mean a thing.”
Her furrowed brow and confusion in her eyes, drew him closer. He wiped a thumb across the furrows. “For them to be so vivid
and you to see Baylor in them when you’d only drawn him…they mean something. Once you believe that you’ll probably pick up on what your grandmother is telling you.”
She shook her head. “Your belief in me is stronger than my belief in me.”
He glanced at the SUV. Baylor leaned against the driver side door and chatted. Was he giving away that Ryan was waiting them out? His gut soured.
“Shandra, go get in your Jeep and drive out of here.”
“But he’ll see me. My Jeep is still parked down by the bakery.”
“Go back to Ruthie’s and wait for me. Or have Treat give you a ride to your Jeep if he’s in there.” Ryan didn’t like the way Baylor had stopped leaning. He glanced toward the doorway where he and Shandra hid.
“Go now!” Ryan grasped her arm and pushed her away from the doorway and toward the restaurant.
She started to comment but stopped when she glanced over his shoulder.
“Go!”
She jogged down the street, and he returned his attention to the SUV. Baylor was backing up as the driver of the vehicle stepped out. He had a hand in his jacket pocket and the pocket was held away from his body. The driver had a gun on Baylor.
Ryan pulled out his phone and pressed the button for the local P.D.. “I need back up on First Street near the Doring Gallery.” He replaced the phone and backtracked down the street and around the block to arrive on First Street behind the SUV. If Juan looked in the side-view mirror he could warn the other man, but it appeared his attention remained on the two men on the sidewalk.
From his vantage point walking up behind the vehicle, Baylor was arguing with the driver.
When Ryan spotted the police vehicle round the corner, he took up a stance and called out, “Police, put your hands in the air.”
The driver tried to get back in the SUV, but Baylor shoved the door closed and grabbed the man’s arm, wrenching it behind his back. Ryan cautiously approached the passenger side.
“Lida, put both hands out the window,” Ryan called.
“I am only visiting with a friend,” Lida said from inside the vehicle.
“Then put your hands out and I’ll believe you aren’t up to anything.” Ryan could see the man’s face in the rearview mirror. His gaze caught Ryan’s, and he put his hands out the window. Ryan caught movement in the back seat. There were more than two!
He ducked as a shot shattered the glass. The tinted windows hadn’t allowed him to see more than the two in the front.
“Get out now or I’ll put a round into the back!” Baylor shouted as Ryan moved to the rear fender, ready to shoot or take down whoever came out of the back. Officer Blane was crouched behind his car door with a shotgun pointed at the front of the SUV.
The backseat doors opened at the same time and two men stepped out of the back. The man on Ryan’s side had an automatic rifle. Before the man leveled the barrel, Ryan let loose with a round kick, knocking the weapon from the man’s hands. The suspect started toward him but stalled at the sight of Ryan’s Glock pointed at the man’s head.
“Turn around and put your hands behind your head.” Ryan heard a similar scuffle on the opposite side of the vehicle. Once the man was handcuffed, Ryan slammed the back door and yanked open the front.
Lida made an attempt to hide a .45 between the seat and console. Ryan grabbed the weapon and pulled Lida out of the SUV. He waved Blane over. “Lend me your cuffs.”
All four men were cuffed and stuffed into the back seat of the police car. Ryan rode shot gun with Blane. Baylor said he’d lock up the SUV and wait for his people to search for evidence.
As soon as the four were in a holding cell, Ryan punched in a number.
“Hello?” The relief in Shandra’s voice in that one word gave him hope they might become more than friends.
“There were four men in the SUV. I have them in custody. You might as well go home, I’ll be busy here for the rest of the day.” He had been looking forward to spending time with Shandra but his job came first—always.
“Will you be done by dinner time?” The invitation in her voice put a smile on his face.
“What time would that be?”
“Seven. My place.”
“I’ll be there.” He hung up looking forward to a nice dinner and good company.
~*~
Good thing I’m still in town. Shandra dropped another ten on the table at Ruthie’s to pay for the breakfast she could finally swallow after Ryan called and headed out the door. There were a couple items she wanted to pick up at the store for dinner tonight. First she had to get her Jeep. Walking down Huckleberry Street, she noticed a lot of commotion as she passed First Street. There was a dark van pulled up behind the SUV, a dark car in front of the SUV, and half a dozen people all around and inside the vehicle.
The man, Baylor, was giving directions. She hadn’t decided if she liked the guy or not, so she kept on walking. At the bakery, she stepped in and purchased shortcakes. Everyone liked strawberry shortcake.
She unlocked the passenger side of her vehicle and placed her purchase on the passenger seat. When she turned from closing the door, she spotted Naomi watching the people investigate the SUV. She must have seen all the commotion and came out to take a look. Shandra started to raise her hand to catch her friend’s attention when Naomi pivoted and hurried back to her gallery.
Shandra climbed into her Jeep and headed to the grocery store. She planned to impress Ryan with her cooking and ply him with beer or wine, whichever he drank when off duty, and try to find out more about the case.
Chapter Twenty-five
Ryan’s phone rang as he started the bumpy ride up Shandra’s drive.
“Hello?”
“Where are you at? We haven’t heard from you in a while.” Bridget’s bubbly voice made him smile.
“You know I’m working a case at Huckleberry.” His senses went into double-time. “What has Cathleen said to you?”
“Nothing. Just it was reported that you had an interesting chat with a woman outside the police station today.” The singsong in her voice reminded him of the old kissing chant his sisters sang when they found out he liked a girl.
“Who told her—” It had to be the dispatch at Huckleberry. They probably know one another. He couldn’t have his own life as long as he was in Idaho. That was why he’d gone to Chicago.
“Well, who is she? Is it the same person you told Conner you’d bring as a date to the wedding?”
“Listen, I just pulled up at her house. We’re having dinner. How about I call you tomorrow and give you the info on how it all went.” He hung up and smiled. He’d never tell his little sister all about his dates. By the time she figured out he wasn’t calling he’d have had a nice evening.
He parked in front of the house and slipped out of his shoulder holster, locking it in his glove box. Sheba came bounding around the side of the house. Now that he knew the dog wasn’t a threat, he stopped and enjoyed her comical crouching approach.
“Hey, girl. Where did you learn your moves?” He scratched her wide head and looked up when he heard footsteps approaching.
“Come on around back. It’s such a nice summer day, I’m barbequing.” Shandra pivoted.
He followed her attractive denim backside to the back yard.
A patio created with what appeared to be local rock made a picturesque setting behind the log home. A hammock hung between two pine trees, a porch swing sat to the side of the picnic table, and a smoking charcoal grill sat at the end of the table. A cooler sat on the ground at the other end of the table.
“This could be a photo in a magazine.” He admired the way it all blended with the mountain behind.
“I have to admit, I added this area to the house. There was a lawn with lots of flower beds. I don’t have a green thumb and don’t have a lot of time for outside chores, so to make this area useful and appealing I added the patio.” She smiled and opened the cooler. “Beer or wine?”
“Beer, please.”
; She held up a dark and light ale.
He pointed to the dark. She handed it to him, pulling out a fruity wine cooler for herself.
Ryan took a seat on the porch swing. It was the first relaxing moment he’d had since arriving in Huckleberry. He had to admit, he enjoyed watching Shandra turn the meat on the grill and move in and out of the house bringing side dishes.
“You don’t have to wait on me. I could have walked into the kitchen and filled my plate.” He wanted her to sit and visit, but he could sense she was intent on making the meal special.
Finally, she said, “The meal’s ready. Come have a seat.”
He sat down to perfectly cooked T-bone steaks, baked potatoes, steamed vegetables, and a broccoli salad. “This looks wonderful. The last time I had a home barbeque was over a year ago at my sister’s house.”
Shandra sat down across from him and smiled. The twinkle in her eyes made his heart speed up.
“You’re welcome. I couldn’t let a beautiful day like today fade away without enjoying it all the way to the end.” She offered the steak plate to him.
“This is what I needed after today.” He planned to share the information with her about the men in the SUV, but he also wanted to see how interested she was in the men.
She dished up the sides onto her plate and thoughtfully started cutting the steak. Finally, she lifted her gaze to his. “Thank you for calling me as soon as the situation was under control.” Her eyelashes fluttered down then back up. “I heard a gunshot while sitting in Ruthie’s.” She reached over and touched his hand. “I was thankful when you called.”
The touch and her concern elevated his attraction to her. As if it wasn’t already to its peak.
“You’re welcome. I had a feeling you hadn’t left town.” He turned his hand and captured hers.
“I couldn’t without knowing the men were caught and you were fine.” She slid her hand out of his and took a bite of her steamed vegetables.
“They are part of a drug cartel Baylor is after.”