The Missing McCullen

by Rita Herron

  “He ticked some other ranchers and employees off, but no one who’d kidnap Tyler, at least not that I can think of,” Cash said. “Although, a while back, Sondra mentioned that her father and another rancher had a falling out.”

  “Did she tell you any details?”

  “Just that the man accused her father of cheating him out of a small fortune.” He hesitated. “I tried to tell Jasper to look for Elmore’s enemies but he blew me off.”

  “Just tell me what you remember,” BJ said softly.

  “Not that much. I didn’t work for Elmore long at all. In fact, I’d forgotten about that conversation until just now.”

  “Maybe you forgot, but the rancher didn’t.” BJ’s pulse clamored. “What was his name?”

  Cash twisted his mouth to the side as if he was thinking. “Something like Hicks. No, maybe Nix.”

  “I’ll look into it. Anyone else have a beef with him?”

  “He fired me, but I wasn’t the first he let go.”

  Another leap of her pulse. “A hand who got involved with Sondra?”

  “Yeah. A dude named Ronnie made a pass at her a few months back. He was gone the next day.”

  “What was his last name?”

  “Thacker.”

  She made a mental note of his name. “Go on.”

  “He accused one of the ranch hands of stealing cattle from him. Threatened to press charges if he didn’t hightail it out of town.”

  “So why didn’t he press charges?”

  Cash shrugged. “Said he just wanted the trouble to go away.”

  “Did you see either man around the ranch after that?”

  “No. Although Sondra mentioned that Thacker kept calling her. But that was months ago.”

  A possible suspect. “You said Sondra was upset when she called you. Maybe they had a confrontation? He could have followed her, saw you and flew into a rage.” Stalkers were obsessive personality types. Their obsessions could become dangerous.

  “I suppose. But that seems a stretch.”

  She sighed. “Cash, work with me here. We have to come up with an alternative suspect if we’re going to clear you.”

  “All right. So the guy drugs me, then kills her and makes me look like the guilty one,” Cash said.

  It made sense. There was just one problem—the video camera footage of the man who looked like Cash. If he’d been part of a scheme to frame Cash, the killer had planned ahead.

  Which meant he hadn’t simply flown into a rage and lost control. His anger had built up over time and festered.

  That the murder was premeditated.

  Chapter Eight

  Cash’s blood pressure soared as he and BJ walked up the stone drive to Elmore’s humongous Georgian home. The man not only had money, but he liked to boast about his good fortune, and showcase it in the details of his home and the furnishings.

  Marble floors, custom woodwork, high-end leather couches, custom paintings, and decorated by a designer—there wasn’t a space inside that Cash had felt comfortable.

  Having grown up in foster care with nothing, at first he’d been irritated at Sondra’s comments about growing up in a glass house where she’d been afraid to move or touch anything. But after meeting Elmore and his staff, he’d understood. Sondra had been young, vibrant, and craved love. But she’d felt like a visitor in her own home.

  No wonder she hadn’t wanted to give up her baby. She was trying to create the family she wanted, not the one she had.

  “Should we wait on Maddox?” Cash asked.

  BJ shook her head. “Let’s talk to Elmore first. If he and Jasper are tight, he may not like idea of another sheriff working the case.”

  He might even hold back in front of McCullen.

  BJ rang the doorbell, and the housekeeper, Ms. Wood, answered with a stiff expression on her gaunt face.

  BJ introduced herself. “Mr. Koker and I would like to speak to Mr. Elmore, please.”

  Disapproval radiated from her pores. “I don’t think he wants to see you.”

  Cash tamped down his anger. He hadn’t expected Elmore to welcome him.

  “Sheriff McCullen is on his way,” BJ said. “You can either let us in now or when he arrives.”

  The woman cut BJ a sharp look. “Have a seat in the parlor. I’ll inform Mr. Elmore that you’re here.”

  She escorted them to a small room situated off the two-story foyer. BJ rubbed her arms as Ms. Woods disappeared down the hall. “Is it just me or is this place cold?”

  Cash grunted. “It’s not you. Elmore likes power and social status. He wants everyone to know he has money.”

  BJ raised her brows, but he quickly clarified his statement. “And no, I didn’t resent him for it. I felt sorry for Sondra. Maybe that’s why I befriended her. She might have grown up wealthy, but—”

  “She grew up poor in other ways,” BJ finished.

  Cash gave a quick nod. “She never could please her father.”

  Pain flickered in BJ’s eyes for a second. “I can understand that.”

  “Your father?” Cash asked, surprised.

  “My mother died giving birth to me. He shut off his feelings after that.”

  “You mean he didn’t have room to love you?” Cash asked gruffly.

  Footsteps echoed from the hallway, and BJ clamped her lips together as Elmore entered the room. He wore a three-piece designer suit and Italian loafers that probably cost a fortune.

  Elmore gave Cash a condemning look. “You have nerve showing up at my house, Koker.”

  “I didn’t kill your daughter, Mr. Elmore,” Cash said bluntly. “And I certainly didn’t kidnap or hurt Tyler. I’m here to help.”

  “Help?” Elmore said sharply. “I heard my daughter arguing with you on the phone that morning. She said she didn’t want to be with you, and you got mad and killed her. Then you took Tyler to get back at me.”

  “I don’t know what you heard, but you have it all wrong.” Although they had argued. “That morning when Sondra called me she was upset, but she didn’t tell me the reason.”

  “You’re lying to cover for yourself.”

  “I’m not lying,” Cash said. “And for the record, I’m not Tyler’s father. Sondra let you believe I was because she didn’t want you to know the real father’s name.”

  Elmore’s thin face went stone cold. “Of course you’d deny being his parent.”

  “Listen to me, Elmore, I love that kid. If he was mine, I’d gladly take responsibility for him. Unfortunately, he’s not,” Cash said.

  “We’re running Cash’s DNA,” BJ stated, cutting in. “We’ll know soon enough.”

  “It will prove what I’m saying,” Cash said. “Someone set me up, Mr. Elmore. If we work together, maybe we can discover who killed Sondra, and find Tyler.”

  “Have you heard anything about Tyler?” BJ asked.

  Worry creased the man’s forehead. “No.” He looked at Cash again, his voice earnest. “Listen to me. Just tell me what you want and I’ll give it to you. I may not have been the best father, but I want my grandson back.”

  Cash’s chest clenched. “I didn’t take him, Mr. Elmore. I swear I didn’t.”

  Elmore paled as if he finally believed him. “Then who the hell did? And why haven’t they contacted me with a ransom demand?”

  No one voiced the fear that was hanging over them.

  Because Tyler is dead, too.

  * * *

  BJ STUDIED ELMORE.

  In the case of murder or a child kidnapping, the first place the police usually looked was at the home situation. Family issues or financial problems drove people to do things they might never do. Elmore might appear wealthy on paper, but oftentimes people hid their debts.

  The
fact that Elmore’s relationship with his daughter wasn’t perfect raised her suspicions. Had something happened between father and daughter?

  “Mr. Elmore, Sheriff McCullen and I reviewed the camera surveillance that allegedly showed Mr. Koker entering the motel where your daughter was killed. The man in the camera footage is not Mr. Koker.”

  “It sure as hell looked like him!” he said with disbelief. “So what makes you think it wasn’t?”

  “This,” Cash said, pointing to his scar. “The man in the footage didn’t have it.”

  Elmore jerked his head toward Cash, then her. “Then who was it?”

  “I was hoping you might have an idea,” BJ said.

  Anger slashed his features. “How the hell would I know?”

  “You might have enemies who want to hurt you. Think about it.”

  He rubbed his chin with a shaky hand, then poured himself a finger of Scotch and downed it.

  “First, though, let’s talk about your daughter,” BJ continued. “Is there anyone she might have left Tyler with?”

  Elmore poured another drink, then swirled it in his highball glass. “Her best friend was from childhood. Diane Stuckey. But Tyler’s not with her. I’ve already checked and Sheriff Jasper checked with her as well.”

  “Did she talk to Sondra the day Sondra was killed?” BJ asked.

  “Diane said she called Sondra, but Sondra didn’t answer.”

  “I’d like to speak to her.” BJ would follow up. If Sondra had confided having problems with her father, Diane wouldn’t have divulged that to Elmore.

  “I’ll have my secretary text you her number.”

  “Thank you.” BJ shifted. “We’d also like to look at Sondra’s phone and her computer.”

  “Sheriff Jasper has her phone. He examined her computer and returned it already. It’s in her quarters.”

  The doorbell dinged, and a minute later, the housekeeper escorted Sheriff McCullen and Deputy Whitefeather inside.

  Maddox introduced himself and his deputy.

  “You’re Joe McCullen’s oldest, aren’t you?” Elmore said.

  “Yes, sir.”

  Elmore shook Maddox’s hand. “I’m sorry about your daddy. He was a good man.”

  Maddox’s mouth tightened. “Thank you. I’m also sorry for your loss. I intend to find the person who killed your daughter.” He removed an envelope from his pocket. “I have search warrants for your house and for your daughter’s living quarters, her phone, car and computer.”

  A vein pulsed in Elmore’s forehead. “You want to search my house? Just what are you looking for?”

  Maddox squared his shoulders. “Anything that will lead us to her killer.” He gestured toward Cash. “It’s possible that Tyler’s birth father had motive to take the boy. It’s important we find out who he is if you want to bring your grandson home alive.”

  * * *

  CASH BRIEFLY ENTERTAINED the idea that Elmore had fought with Sondra and killed her in a fit of rage. But so far the evidence they had uncovered suggested her murder had been premeditated.

  Unless Elmore had killed her in the moment, then hired people to frame Cash afterward. He could have paid someone to alter the camera timing and make it appear that “Cash” had been conscious when he’d entered the motel. He could also have paid someone to stage the scene.

  Cash tried to envision a scenario of what had happened. If Elmore had argued with Sondra, he would have probably pushed her, not slit her throat with a knife. That type of crime was more violent, implied anger and a cold viciousness.

  It just didn’t seem likely, any way Cash tried to justify it. Elmore was a rich, snotty son of a bitch who hated Cash, but in spite of their differences, the man had loved his daughter. Slashing his Sondra’s throat was too damn bloody for a man like him.

  Elmore’s hand shook as he gestured to Maddox. “Go ahead and search. More than anything, I want to know who took my daughter and grandson from me.”

  Cash frowned. Did he know more about Tyler’s disappearance than he was letting on? Was he suggesting that Tyler was...dead?

  “Is there something you aren’t telling us?” Maddox asked. “Do you have any idea who did this, Mr. Elmore?”

  Elmore rubbed his forehead with two fingers. “No.” He glanced at Cash. “When Sondra’s friend Diane didn’t have him, I assumed you took Tyler.”

  “Mr. Elmore,” Maddox said. “Consider for a second that Cash had nothing to do with this. Think hard about who’d want to hurt Sondra or you.”

  Elmore sank into his desk chair. “I’ve had trouble with a few ranchers over the years.” He gave Maddox a pointed look. “Your father and I had our differences, too. But we went by the Cattleman’s code of ethics and were civil enough not to stoop to sabotage. We certainly would never go after each other’s family.”

  “Sondra said you accused one of your ranch hands of stealing cattle,” Cash said.

  Perspiration beaded on Elmore’s forehead. “Yes, a man named Biff Lenox. It was after your father discovered the cattle-rustling ring. I thought Biff was working with them,” he said to Maddox.

  “Did you have proof?” Maddox asked.

  “No, or I would have come to you, Sheriff.”

  “What happened when you confronted him?” Maddox asked.

  “He denied it. But he disappeared the next day and never came back.” He sighed. “Frankly, I was happy to see him go.”

  “You put out the word that he was a thief?” Cash asked, remembering the way he’d felt when Elmore had blackballed him.

  “I didn’t want any of my friends to be taken advantage of,” Elmore stated.

  “Did you mention this to Jasper?” Maddox asked.

  Elmore shrugged. “No, it happened a while back. I didn’t think it was connected to Sondra or Tyler.”

  “I’ll look into him,” Maddox said. “He might have gotten pissed and come back for revenge.”

  Elmore stroked one finger over his gold tie clip. “If he hurt Sondra or Tyler, that bastard is going to pay.”

  “Let me handle it,” Maddox said. “My deputy is going to look around your house. I’d like to see Sondra’s living quarters.”

  “Jasper already went through the house and Sondra’s things,” Elmore said defensively.

  “Just humor me,” Maddox said. “He might have missed something.”

  Elmore motioned toward the hallway. “The guesthouse is out back past the pool.”

  Deputy Whitefeather headed upstairs to check Sondra’s old room and Cash followed Maddox and BJ to the guesthouse.

  As soon as they entered and Cash saw Tyler’s toys scattered across the den, a pang caught in his chest. Tyler had loved the wooden animals he’d carved for him, especially the horses.

  It was hard enough losing Sondra. What if he never got to see Tyler again?

  * * *

  BJ PRESSED A hand to Cash’s arm as they stood in the entrance to the guesthouse. “You should stay outside, Cash.”

  “She’s right.” Maddox gestured to the patio. “Since you’re a suspect, I can’t have you inside the victim’s home. The DA could argue that you influenced the search. Plus we don’t want your fingerprints or DNA on anything here.”

  Cash’s jaw tightened. “I won’t touch anything.”

  “I’m sorry,” BJ said. “But Maddox is right. If we find evidence, we don’t want the DA or a judge to throw it out because you compromised the scene.”

  Cash’s chiseled jaw went rigid, but he stepped back onto the patio beside the pool.

  Maddox moved through the room to search it while BJ did the same. She checked the kitchen while he examined the desk in the den. Two used wineglasses sat on the counter, suggesting that someone had joined Sondra for a drink the day she died. Unless she made a habit o
f leaving dirty dishes for days?

  “If Jasper searched in here why didn’t he send those to the lab?”

  “Good question.” Maddox bagged them. “I’ll check with Jasper to see if his people found prints or DNA.”

  BJ peeked inside the dishwasher. Half-full. The cabinets were neat and orderly, the pantry filled with kid’s cereal, a box of macaroni and cheese, Goldfish, pudding cups, and a stack of energy bars that she assumed were Sondra’s.

  The fridge held a carton of milk, yogurt, various cheeses, orange juice, salad fixings, condiments, hot dogs and a leftover pizza box with two slices of cheese pizza.

  Silverware and kitchen utensils were in the drawers. A box of matches from a honky-tonk named Cowgirls. Receipts for clothing at a women’s boutique. A bill from a martial arts studio for lessons for Tyler.

  BJ hoped to find a day calendar or journal, something to provide information about what Sondra had been doing the day she died, or about Tyler’s father. No luck.

  Maddox looked up from the desk. “Nothing in here. I’ll search the bedroom.”

  A cookie jar shaped like a bear stood on top of the refrigerator. If Sondra wanted to hide something, it was the perfect spot.

  BJ grabbed a paper towel so as not to contaminate it with her fingerprints, rose on her tiptoes and pulled it down, then dug inside. Disappointment filled her when she found chocolate chip cookies, but nothing else.

  Frustrated, she stepped into the bedroom. Maddox had donned plastic gloves and was searching the dresser, so she went to the closet, a walk-in that held more clothes than BJ had owned in her entire lifetime.

  Although she expected expensive ball gowns, designer shoes and purses—and there were a few of them—most of the items were casual clothes, jeans, sweaters and T-shirts she probably wore to play with her son. BJ dug in the pockets of the woman’s coats. A pair of gloves and lip gloss.

  “I found her computer,” Maddox said as he booted it up. “Now I need her password.”

  “I’ll ask Cash and see if he knows.” She stepped outside. “Cash, do you have any idea what Sondra’s password is?”

  He frowned. “Her birthday? No, wait, try Tyler’s birthday.”