Crime Tells: Cady's Cowboy

by Jory Strong

  The sight of her tears froze him in place long enough for her to escape. And then he cursed himself for not grabbing her up and holding on to her until he could get her to understand that he loved her, that he was doing what came natural to him, he was only trying to make sure his woman stayed safe.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Cady’s heartbeat had slowed to a dull ache by the time she’d driven out of Adrienne’s neighborhood. Well, she’d known that Kix was going to be trouble with a capital H for heartbreak, but somehow…

  No regrets. I’m not going to have any regrets. That’s what I promised myself.

  He’d made her feel things she’d never felt, he’d given her the confidence to do things she’d only fantasized about doing. She wasn’t going to be sorry that she experienced any of it. She was just going to be more careful the next time.

  She could do caution again. She and Erin had always been reserved when it came to dealings with the opposite sex. So it was nothing new. A sob caught in her throat and the tears fell.

  Ranger stood up on the backseat and whined. Cady brushed the moisture off her cheeks. “I’m okay boy, from now on it’ll just be you and me on the case, along with a little bit of help from Lyric and Erin.”

  Thanks to Bulldog, the Montgomerys and the Maguires had grown up learning how to play whatever cards were dealt to them and there was no shame in folding when a hand went bad. But that didn’t mean you lost your courage and quit the game.

  She dialed Erin, wanting to hear her sister’s voice. “Are you out on a photo shoot?” she asked when Erin answered.

  “No, I’m at Crime Tells.” There was a pause. “Are you okay?”

  A long shuddering sigh escaped. “I’ll be okay.”

  “Kix?”

  “Yes.”

  “You want to talk about it?”

  “Not on the phone.”

  “What about if I meet you at the ranch and we go for a short ride?”

  “I need to do some research on the Net.”

  “Lyric’s here. Hold on.”

  A second later Lyric asked, “Did you and Kix have a fight about the appointment book?” Her voice conveyed just what she thought about that possibility.

  “No.” Then knowing that it was pointless to try and put off talking about what had happened, Cady said, “I thought we were working together, but we weren’t, not really.”

  “He used you?”

  Cady’s stomach cramped. She refused to think that she’d been used. That would make the pain unbearable. “No. He got a confession out of Angel Valdez last night, but he didn’t tell me about it until this morning at Adrienne’s…when he had to.”

  “What was his excuse for holding out on you?” Lyric’s anger flashed hot and volatile through the phone.

  Cady hiccupped a sob. “I didn’t stick around to ask him.” I didn’t want to risk having him lie to me and make it worse. Cady took a deep breath and tried to force the tightness out of her chest. If she could just focus on the case and get it behind her, then she could…move past this. Maybe afterward, when it wasn’t so raw, she could take things apart and understand why he’d done what he’d done, but right now, she just wanted to escape from the hurt.

  “It’s not important, Lyric. I’ll get over it. It just didn’t work out, that’s all…and besides, it’s not like there was a future for us. He’ll be heading back to Texas soon.”

  “Well, I think he’s a—”

  “Lyric,” Cady interrupted, not wanting to hear Lyric get going on the subject of Kix.

  “I was just going to say that he’s a fool. It’s not like you let very many guys close to you… He’s a fool and an ass for hurting you, and I hope his dick—”

  Cady’s soggy laugh escaped and cut Lyric off. Cady took advantage of it and said, “There’s a good chance that Adrienne will have her suspension lifted, but Alex hired us to find out who was behind it. Maybe it was just Valdez getting even with Adrienne’s cousin, but I think it’s more than that. There are some things I want to follow up on. Do you have time to do some research on the Web?”

  “Sure. No problem. Besides, I want to see your dog. Why don’t I dog-sit while you and Erin ride your horses?”

  Cady’s spirits lightened. News traveled fast in the Montgomery family. Erin must have seen Ranger and passed the information on to Lyric.

  “I got him at the shelter. They were just getting ready to take him to the euthanasia room.” Cady shuddered. “God, Lyric, I don’t see how you handle going to the shelter day after day.”

  “I do what I have to do. So do you have any background information on him?”

  “Not much. Just that he’s five years old and was already neutered.”

  “If you give me a copy of your adoption paperwork, I’ll do a little investigating.”

  “That’d be great. I can swing by the house and get it. I should probably leave Danny’s appointment book at the office, too, just in case Kieran needs it.” Cady nibbled her bottom lip. “Did he confiscate your master keys?”

  “It was a close call, but he got a little distracted meting out my punishment for…” Lyric snickered and Cady could just picture her sister rolling her eyes, “for being a bad influence on you, if you can believe that.”

  A fresh wave of pain rippled through Cady as she remembered Kix’s teasing threat of a spanking and what it had led to. She held her breath in an effort to keep the tears at bay. Erin was right. From now on, no cops, no detectives, no bounty hunters, no one involved with law enforcement. In fact, maybe no one at all for a while. She’d just spend more time developing her photography business, and maybe she’d ask Cole if she could help him put on some of his poker clinics, or even go with Braden to some poker tournaments. She would stay so busy that she didn’t even have time to think about K—about the opposite sex.

  “You still there?” Lyric asked.

  “Yeah, just thinking.” Then to cover the nature of her thoughts, she added, “Just so you’ll know, Danny might have been a member of the Animal Freedom Front. But I think he was probably in a cell that devoted itself to the anti-fur and anti-factory-farming cause, not animal research.”

  “Oh shit! Kieran is going to freak. I’ll be under house arrest when he finds that out. Special Agent Lucero is still on the scene!”

  Cady’s smile wobbled into existence. It was hard not to feel a rush of warmth at the way Kieran and Lyric were so perfect for each other. Until he’d come along, Cady had spent a lot of time worrying about Lyric. Now she hardly worried at all.

  Lyric didn’t take nearly the number of risks she used to. Oh, her sister still talked tough, still had an uneasy relationship with rules—especially the ones that she didn’t think should apply to her, but overall it seemed like Lyric’s wild edge had blunted—at least outside of the bedroom, or the kitchen, or the hallway…or anywhere Kieran and she happened to be when they sparked off each other and just about set the place on fire.

  “Then I guess the Crime Tells team had better wrap this up fast so you won’t get locked up,” Cady said, “and if it’s any consolation, I don’t think the AFF is behind it. So here’s what I’m thinking. Kix told me that there were at least eleven other trainers who’ve been suspended for drugged horses since the beginning of the year, and I know there have been three fires at the track. What I’m wondering is whether or not there have been any other strange events. I’m also wondering if any rumors about the track being closed have hit the Web.”

  “Good angle. You’re wondering if someone is creating a little mayhem so the place will shut down. I’m on it.” There was a slight pause. “Oh, hey, Erin said she’ll head out now and catch Joker and Ace while you swing by here.”

  “I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

  * * * * *

  No matter how hard he tried, Kix couldn’t get Cady out of his mind. Damn, he felt worse than a dog whose nose had been shoved into its own mess before being kicked out into the cold.

  His gut was roiling and his cons
cience was flaying him alive. Hell, all he’d wanted to do was make sure she stayed safe. But in the end, that’d turned around and bit him on the ass.

  He’d screwed up. He was man enough to admit it. He was man enough to apologize if she’d give him half a chance.

  But that was a mighty big if.

  His heart felt like someone had it in a vise grip. His thoughts were a movie reel that was stuck in the same loop, a close-up of Cady’s face with her trembling lips and pain-filled eyes, her body board-stiff as she hung on to her pride while her trust in him shattered like a fragile piece of crystal.

  Kix rubbed a hand over his heart. This wasn’t the kind of mess a man got out of with flowers or pretty words. This wasn’t the kind of trouble that went away with some loving. The vice gripping Kix’s heart tightened down a couple more notches as he got her voice mail again and hung up.

  Hell, now he had no idea what she was doing or where she was. Now he had no way of keeping her safe.

  He felt damned helpless and he didn’t like it.

  Kix gritted his teeth and forced his mind back to the case. It was time to wrestle this thing to the ground and tie it up like a cow for branding. The sooner he got that done, then the sooner he could turn his full attention to the most important thing in his life—his relationship with Cady. And come hell or high water, if he had to kidnap her and keep her prisoner in one of the Kicking A line shacks until she’d agreed to let him back into her life and her heart, then that’s what he’d do!

  * * * * *

  Lyric’s expression was fierce as she watched Cady’s truck disappear from view. If she weren’t married to a cop, she’d seriously consider finding Kix and doing some major bodily damage to him for hurting Cady.

  Yeah, Cady and Erin both had the “stiff upper lip” thing down pat, but she had never been fooled by either of her sisters—not that they’d exactly been risk takers who let themselves get hurt very often, especially when it came to the opposite sex. Lyric shook her head. She loved Erin and Cady dearly, wouldn’t trade either one of them for a pot of riches or a custom-built Harley, but sometimes it was hard to believe that they were raised in the same family.

  Oh, she knew where they got their wariness from, that was easy to see. It came from watching the way every one of their male cousins left a trail of heartbreak in their wake. Seeing that kind of thing wasn’t exactly the way to develop a lot of trust when it came to romantic relationships. But dammit, why’d this have to happen the first time Cady finally decided to go for the gusto!

  Lyric clenched her hands. One minute alone with Kix, that should do the trick. A quick feint with her fists while her knee got him in a place that was guaranteed to make an impression. He’d think twice before hurting Cady again—if Cady would even let him close to her.

  Lyric sighed…not if, but when. Cady was too softhearted to give Kix the cold shoulder and dick-twisting that he deserved. Knowing Cady, when Kix finally caught up with her, she’d listen to his explanation, tell him that she understood and she didn’t hate him, then she’d wall up the pain and use it to keep the next man who came along at a safe, no-way-am-I-letting-you-close distance.

  Damn, what really bit was that Kix and Cady had seemed so right together. Hell, Lyric would have bet the entire pot on it.

  Lyric turned her attention to the gorgeous shepherd that had positioned itself near the front door as though he was waiting for Cady to get back. Well, at least Cady had Ranger now. Dogs were great to cry all over and confide in. No embarrassment, no worry that secrets would get blabbed. Yeah, a dog could be a real lifesaver. She punched in the number for her contact at the shelter. Now to find out a little bit more about Cady’s new companion.

  A few minutes later she had what she wanted—a name, Jackson Ford, and a phone number. She didn’t waste any time calling.

  Three rings and a man’s voice answered. “Jackson.”

  “I’m calling about Ranger.”

  “Why are you calling about that goddamn dog?”

  “A friend of mine saw him at the shelter and was thinking about adopting him.”

  “Goddamn dog is a lethal weapon. Fucking shelter shouldn’t even have him up for adoption. I’d have taken him into the backyard and shot him myself if the neighbors wouldn’t have called the cops. Fucking idiots, all of them. When I signed the papers the gal with the knockers said they’d put him to sleep.”

  “Why’d you want him put to sleep?”

  “Goddamn dog went for me. Son of a bitch would have killed me if he’d had any fucking brains. Lucky for me I had a two-by-four handy. Stupid shit grabbed the board instead of my arm.”

  “Where did you get Ranger?”

  “Fucking idiot son of mine brought him home with him. I told him not to bring the goddamn dog up here. I got a couple of Rotts already and it was a pain in the goddamn ass keeping the dogs separate. Last fucking thing I want is to get my ass hauled into the police station for disturbing the peace or dog fighting.”

  “So he’s your son’s dog?”

  “Not anymore. Fucking idiot is in Elmwood. I told him the goddamn dog wouldn’t be here when he got out. In for forgery and passing bad checks, fucking idiot. Got no brains or balls to get picked up doing pansy crimes like those.”

  “How long did your son have Ranger?”

  “Goddamn idiot got him right after he got out of the joint the last time.”

  “When was that?”

  Ford didn’t make any effort to cover the receiver as he bellowed, “When’d Junior get out the last time?”

  A woman’s voice yelled, “January.”

  “Fucking idiot hasn’t even been out a year.”

  “Any idea where your son got the dog?”

  “Got him from some friends down in San Diego. Stupid shit, nobody ever gives you something for nothing. Dog’s a goddamn lethal weapon.”

  “Do you know who the friends were?”

  “No. I got my own problems. I don’t need any more. He knows better than to bring his friends around here.”

  Jackson Ford hung up, but the conversation had only intensified Lyric’s curiosity. Elmwood. She’d never visited a prison before… Then again, she’d better run it by Kieran first. Not that she needed his permission, but he was a cop, and she did care about his reputation.

  * * * * *

  Kix’s heart rate jumped when the cell phone rang, but slowed when he saw it was Kieran. Damn, against all logic, he’d been hoping it was Cady.

  “You’re living dangerously,” Kieran said as soon as Kix answered the phone. “And as a personal favor, I’d appreciate it if you’d start running if you see Lyric heading your way. I don’t want my wife arrested for assault and battery.”

  Kix chuckled weakly. “News travels fast.”

  “And the family loyalty runs deep. I assume you held back telling Cady about the Valdez confession because you were trying to keep her safe?”

  “Something like that.”

  “Not that I disagree with your thinking, but that kind of thing doesn’t go over too well with the Montgomerys or the Maguires.”

  “Any idea what Cady’s up to?”

  Kieran snorted. “I’m not exactly on the short list of people the Montgomery sisters trust with information right now. For some reason, even my own wife seems to think that lawmen will stick together. She wouldn’t tell me anything and when I tried to persuade her, that dog of Cady’s came at me like a police dog. The sight of all those teeth just about killed a great hard-on.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” Kix said, glad for the warning and the knowledge that at least Cady had some protection. “Anything from the ME?”

  “Yeah. The Meyers case is going over to homicide. The ME found tranquilizers in him. Thinks he was out cold when someone shot the coke in him.”

  “What about his phone records?”

  “Nothing. Looks like he used the phone to talk to his girlfriend and to call his workplace. That fits if he’s a member of the AFF. Probably used payphon
es and disposable cells for any of his important calls.”

  “Damn. You have any contacts in the San Francisco PD?”

  “This is off the record, same way that I got it. The only person Valdez called last night was Luke Johnson. Sounds like it happened late, after your visit. You might want to give Detective Giancotti a call. Word is that he’s going to do the preliminary investigation on Valdez’s death. Right now it could go either way—suicide or murder. I assume the confession you got is out in the open?”

  “Yeah, I couldn’t hold Adrienne off. She wants her suspension lifted. She’s probably meeting with the race officials right now.”

  “Too bad she wouldn’t sit on it for another twenty-four hours. Maybe you could have used it to flush out whoever killed Meyers and probably killed Valdez.” Kix sighed. “I’ve got to head to the captain’s office. Another heads up, the Meyers case is going to Butler in homicide, the tie-in with the track is more complex than he’s going to like. He’s not going to want to look past the coke and the possibility that it was a rival drug dealer.”

  “That might work to my advantage right now. I need to get this thing wrapped up.”

  “The quicker, the better—and much appreciated on this end. A Montgomery wife on the warpath is not a pretty situation to face at the end of the day.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  There was something about being with horses that brought Cady’s world back into balance. Between riding Joker and crying and talking, she felt calmer and more centered than when she’d gotten to the ranch. “This was a good idea, thanks for putting up with me.”

  Erin laughed softly. “All for one and one for all. So what’s your next move?”

  “I keep thinking about what Russell said last night. If you lump Adrienne’s problem together with three fires, some of the other suspensions, and the protesters out front, then the motive almost jumps out and hits you in the face.”