Death of a Rancher's Daughter

by Susan P. Baker

  “What?” BJ cried out.

  “I know, Mom. See? I really was a terrible person.” Her eyes welled up with tears.

  “That's why you were scared of Rex?” The story was a lot more complicated than Sandra had hoped it would be. Impatience gnawed at her. “Why were you blackmailing him?”

  “Rex is the one who set the fire—”

  “Oh my God.” BJ wrapped her arms around herself. “I knew it couldn't have been Katy Jo.”

  Sandra stood, shaking her head. The bad seed. Two bad seeds, if Kathy Lynn could be counted with Rex.

  “He talked Katy Jo into saying she did it. He could be so persuasive. He told her nothing would happen to her because everyone liked her so much, but if he got caught, he'd get into terrible trouble.” She rubbed her lips together. “You know how he was always doing things, Mom, how he was always in trouble.”

  “Why did Katy Jo agree to do it?” Sandra was itching to do something, go for a run, shake off the restless feeling.

  “He was our little brother.” Kathy Lynn shrugged. “Our baby brother. She loved him.”

  BJ said, “Katy Jo had always been the one to take care of him when he was little. She used to carry him around before he could walk, scared the hell out of me. I was afraid she'd drop him. She'd pick him up and tote him around the house and feed him, like he was her little baby doll.”

  “We all spoiled him,” Kathy Lynn said.

  BJ shook her head. “More than spoiled him. We never disciplined him enough.”

  Sandra stared at the two Schindler women. That's why he had behaved like he had a sense of entitlement. If only she had been told this before the trial, Rufina's case would've gone differently. “Why did he set fire to Rufina's house?”

  BJ started to speak, but her daughter interrupted her. “He never liked Rufina from the time he was a little boy.” She turned to her mother. “You know he didn't. She'd try to hug him, and he'd wrestle away from her.” To Sandra, she said, “When Rufina's parents moved back to Mexico, and Rufina took over, she let him get away with a lot less than Rufina's mother or Mom and Dad did.”

  “That's no reason to burn down her house.”

  “I don't think he thought it through. He wanted her to move to Mexico, too. He got mad when I asked him about it and said he wanted her and her husband out of there. You know how stupid teenage boys are.” She sighed. “I guess teenage girls, too.”

  “So instead of telling your parents the truth, you blackmailed your brother?”

  “Uh-huh.” She stared down into her lap. “I was going to tell if he didn't do what I wanted. I made him give me part of his allowance. Once he got a job, I made him give me money.” Her face had grown pink.

  “I'm confused,” Sandra said. “Why were you afraid to come to me, to testify about anything you knew about Katy Jo's murder?”

  “Rex said he told Mr. Holt that he'd seen Rufina with the gun that night.”

  So that was why Holt had been so keen on prosecuting Rufina. Rex was going to testify against Rufina. He was going to be the witness who tied up the whole thing, that would make the prosecution's case a slam dunk. Sandra shook her head, trying to clear it. “Had he seen her with the gun?”

  “No.”

  The little shithead. Sandra had known narcissistic people before, and Rex fit right in with them.

  “Why did he hate her so much?” BJ asked.

  “Mom, you know how prejudiced he was. I always thought part of the reason he didn't like Rufina was because she was Latina, and she was your good friend, and later because every time he saw her, her appearance reminded him of what he'd done.”

  “How did my children turn out so different from each other?” BJ said to no one in particular.

  “This is a mess.” Sandra bent down on one knee. “Now tell me, honestly, did Rex kill Katy Jo?”

  Kathy Lynn's face screwed up, and she burst out, her hands flying around her, “I don't know.”

  “And you were scared of him because . . .?”

  “Because after I started my medication, I could see more clearly. I finally told him I was going to tell the truth.”

  “The truth about what he'd told you?”

  “About everything. He said if I did, he'd kill me, too.”

  “Too? Did you take that to mean that he'd killed Katy Jo?”

  “Either her or Rufina's husband.”

  Sandra's head was spinning.

  “I need to tell y'all something else.” She put her hands over her face for a moment. “The other night I was on the phone with him. I told him I was coming to Fredericksburg to talk to you, Miss Salinsky. He yelled and screamed and hung up on me. Later, after I got dressed, I left Kerrville and was on my way here, and he zoomed up behind me in his truck and bumped the back of my car.” She ran her fingers across her lips.

  Sandra shook her head. BJ, one hand in Kathy Lynn's, the other at her throat, stared at her, too. A few moments passed. A motorcycle roared down Main, a bird twittered, and the wind blew Sandra's hair across her face. Kathy Lynn drew a deep breath, and her shoulders dropped. She put her other hand over her mother's, glancing from BJ to Sandra.

  “My Mustang can take the curves on Highway 16 much better than Rex's pickup.”

  Sandra's cell phone rang. She glanced at it before answering. Erma was on the other end. “We have a verdict.”

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Sandra hurried into the courtroom as the jurors were filing into the jury box. Except for the judge, all the other court participants were in place.

  Mel grabbed Sandra's hand as she swept by her. Sandra gave it a shake. Erma crossed her fingers, her arms resting on the counsel table. Sandra mumbled under her breath, “Pull your hands down, Erma, so no one can see you do that.” Rufina sat with her head bowed, her hands in a pose of prayer. Sandra touched her shoulder and whispered, “Rufina, switch chairs with Erma so you'll be standing between us when the verdict is read.”

  Rufina nodded and shuffled around Erma. Sandra leaned down. “Everything's going to be fine. You'll see.”

  Holt's cheeks were rounded in a smug expression. His associate entered just as the Deputy Cortez announced the judge. “All rise.”

  Sandra dropped her arms to her sides. Erma and Rufina stood at the same time. A squeak at the back of the room indicated the door opening. That would be BJ and Kathy Lynn and any onlookers who heard the verdict was about to be returned.

  The inside of Sandra's mouth tasted like a dirty nickel. She slowed her breathing. While the judge settled into position, Sandra glanced at the juror's faces. Most of them would not look at her. But, the woman she'd argued to, the woman they'd pinned their hopes on, winked. Did that mean a not guilty verdict?

  “Be seated,” the judge muttered.

  “Did you see that?” Sandra whispered to Rufina and Erma. “Our juror. Did you see her just now?”

  They shook their heads. Erma held Rufina's hand. Rufina took a deep breath and shuddered. From behind them, Kathy Lynn said in a low voice, “Good luck, Rufina.”

  Sandra bit her lip. Her pits were damp, as was the back of her neck. She brushed her hair behind her ears.

  “Jurors, I understand you've reached a verdict.” The judge's eyebrows drew together. “Is that correct?”

  Juror number three, who they'd figured out earlier was the presiding juror, stood. “Yes, Your Honor.” He held the charge.

  “Tender the charge to the bailiff, if you will.” The judge peered over his glasses, his face grim.

  The bailiff took the charge and carried it to the judge. The judge flipped to the back page. He looked down at the paper and back up at the jurors. His eyes ran back and forth, across the two rows of jurors. He looked down at the paper again.

  Sandra's breath wouldn't come. Her heart raced. She hooked one of Rufina's fingers with one of her own and squeezed.

  The judge leaned over and handed the charge to the clerk. The clerk stamped the first and last pages of the charge and wrote something on it
. She glanced at the judge.

  The judge nodded. “Would the defendant please stand?”

  The three women at the defense table stood.

  “Would the clerk read the verdict, please?”

  The clerk recited the cause number and the style of the case.

  Her heart continuing to thump hard, Sandra felt like Rosie the Riveter at work. She gritted her teeth.

  The clerk glanced at Mr. Holt. Her eyes swept across the occupants of the defense table. She held the paper out before her. “We, the members of the jury, find the defendant, Rufina Barboza, not guilty.”

  A cacophony of deep inhalations arose from the defendant's side of the courtroom. Brushing the unintended tear off her cheek, Sandra finally expelled the breath she'd been holding. Rufina threw herself into Sandra's arms and hugged. Mel said in a very soft voice, “Mom. We won.” Erma and BJ hugged over the bar.

  Sandra released Rufina and peeked across the aisle. Holt looked like rigor mortis had set in. Sandra’s eyes skirted to the jury. Several of them had her in their sights. When their eyes met, they smiled. Juror number twelve gave her a thumbs up. Sandra's heart raced again, but this time because her faith in her fellow Texans was restored. She acknowledged the jurors before turning her attention back to her side of the courtroom.

  After a few minutes, the judge slapped the counter in front of him. “Settle down. Would either side like to have the jury polled?”

  “No, thank you, Judge.” Sandra's voice was so loud it echoed.

  “No, Your Honor,” Holt said in a firm, but quiet voice, his face pale.

  The judge recited the required words to adopt the verdict and instructed the jury they were free to discuss or not discuss the verdict. He released Rufina from her bail. Moments later, he rushed away like a man on a mission. The clerk walked over to the jurors, slips of paper in her hands, and told them to exit the courtroom.

  Sandra stepped across the aisle and shook Holt's hand, which was customary behavior. “You did as well as could be expected with the evidence you had.”

  “Congratulations.” Holt dropped her hand. “I can't take the time to talk. I'm going to speak to the jurors briefly, and I have some additional business regarding this case to attend to.”

  Sandra raised her eyebrows.

  “Don't worry. It doesn't concern your client.”

  “Mr. Burgess?”

  “Yup. I hate to admit I'm as convinced as you that he was involved.” He strode to the courtroom door, before turning back. “Safe travels back to the coast.” The young assistant who had been in court the last few days gathered their files.

  BJ and Kathy Lynn and Mel and Erma surrounded Rufina in a group hug. Sandra started to join them, but some movement from the back of the courtroom caught her eye. Jared. In a few long strides, he reached her, came past the bar, and wrapped his arms around her.

  “Congratulations!”

  He smelled like crisp, cool, country air and a bit of mesquite. She let him hold her against him for a few moments. Nothing ever felt so good. Relief overwhelmed her. She hadn't realized until then how much she'd been afraid of letting everyone down.

  He released her, brushing his lips across her temple. “You did a great job.”

  She laid a hand on his chest and peered into his eyes. Still not sure what she was going to do about him, she wanted to relish the time they'd have together before she returned to Galveston, before spring turned into summer with its heat and humidity. “I was so scared. The evidence wasn't there to convict, but still, I was so scared.”

  Rufina wrapped her arms around Sandra, hugging her again. “I will forever be in your debt, Sandra.” She sobbed into Sandra's chest.

  Sandra rested her chin on top of Rufina's head, her arms around Rufina's shaking shoulders. “You're fine, Rufina. Everything is okay now.”

  “I will never forget you.” Rufina clutched her tighter.

  Sandra hugged her back. “Hey, I'm not disappearing into the night. I imagine I'll be coming to Fredericksburg every once in a while.” Her eyes met Jared's. “When I do, I'll come by the ranch. You'll be there, won't you?”

  Rufina stepped back and grasped Sandra's hands. “I thought of going to Mexico, to be with my family—my parents—Efrain, but I think I will stay here.”

  “Good. BJ will want you by her side for the rest of your lives.”

  “Yes. Billie J and I will keep running the ranch as we have been.” Her smile sparkled in the fluorescent light as she let go of Sandra. She glanced at Jared before walking back to the other women.

  “Are you and the other ladies planning on having a big celebration?” Jared guided her to where the others stood.

  “We hadn't planned anything. But now I'm thinking we just might.”

  “Sandra,” Erma said, “BJ is taking us all out to dinner. Afterward, let's pack up and get the heck out of Dodge at the crack of dawn tomorrow.”

  “I guess that answers your question,” Sandra said to Jared. “Is Jared invited, BJ?” If he wasn't, she wasn't going.

  “Sure,” BJ said. “The whole world is invited.” She turned to Rufina. “Amiga, call Efrain and ask him to come to the restaurant.”

  “Where're we going?” Jared slid his arm around Sandra's shoulders. “I'll need to go back to my office first and can meet y'all there later.”

  “Will's. Where else?” BJ's grin was so enormous, the wrinkles in her leathery face looked more like pleats.

  “Where else?” Sandra poked Jared in the side. “I need to pack up our stuff at your office, too.”

  “Will's...my favorite place,” Jared said. “At least it has been for a while now.”

  Sandra tried to ignore the warm feeling caressing her insides at his statement. The relationship might not last, but she was going to squeeze every happy moment out of it while she could.

  Mel hugged Sandra's neck. “Way to go, Mom. You're the best role model ever.” She eyed Jared.

  Sandra choked back a sob. She needed to leave before the dam burst. She didn't know why she felt so weepy, but, hell, who could control their feelings twenty-four seven? She kissed Mel on the cheek. “You're the best daughter ever,” she whispered into Mel's ear. “By the way, this is Jared. I think you may have heard about him.”

  Mel nodded and looked sideways at him. “It's your office we've been using, but where have you been?”

  “Keeping out of the way.” He grinned, the smile wrinkles at the corners of his eyes crinkling. “Great to meet you.”

  Erma cupped her hands at each side of her mouth. “All right, everybody, let's take this mutual admiration society to the bar at Will's. I'm ready for a drink.”

  “Erma, call Patricia when you can and tell her about the verdict,” Sandra said.

  Mel touched Sandra's elbow. “I need to call my dad if I'm riding home with y'all instead of flying out of San Antonio tomorrow.”

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Hours later, when Sandra was lying against Jared's bare chest, Jared turned on his side. “So tell me, what do you think actually happened the night someone killed Katy Jo?”

  “You're fantastic at post-coital conversation.” She muffled a giggle.

  He snorted. “Yeah, sorry.” He ran his fingers up and down her arm.

  She snuggled against him, reaching for his other hand. Soon she'd be gone. She wanted the night to last but knew she needed to go back to the ranch before morning and pack up. Mel needed to get ready for school on Monday. Erma and Sandra needed Sunday to catch up at the office before Monday morning.

  “I do have my suspicions about what happened, of course. Pretty much what I implied in argument. You were there.”

  “For most of it, but not all.”

  “We'll probably never know for sure, but I believe Rex put Elgin up to it. Why, I'm not one-hundred percent sure. Unless Rex did it himself.” Sandra shifted a bit to the side, so they were face-to-face.

  Jared, his forehead drawn up almost in a knot, asked, “You think Rex would kill his si
ster?”

  “That's right, I forgot, you don't know what Kathy Lynn told me while the jury was out.”

  “Something totally unexpected?”

  “Enough so if the jury had found Rufina guilty, we would have been able to get a new trial.” She sighed. “There may be more than she told, but now it's Mr. Holt's problem, not ours.”

  “I'm getting more confused by the minute. So who killed Katy Jo? And why?” He raised his eyebrows.

  “I'm guessing Elgin.” Her eyes met his. “Hold on. Here's what I think, now that I've talked to Kathy Lynn. I think Elgin wanted to marry BJ to combine her ranch with his and have the largest ranch in the Hill Country. I'm also wondering, after Erma's cross of him, whether he had financial problems and that was part of his motivation.

  “So that night, Rex, who it turns out was the real culprit in the fire that killed Rufina's husband—”

  “No way!”

  “Yep, according to Kathy Lynn. Rex never liked Rufina because he was jealous of her relationship with his mother, and because he doesn't like Latinos—Mexicans, if you will.” She pulled his arm tightly around her. “He didn't like Rufina bossing him around. He was a spoiled punk with a sense of entitlement. It was one thing for Rufina's parents, who were there before he was born, to look after him and tell him what to do, and another when Rufina took over.”

  “So he set fire to Rufina's house.”

  “He may have been showing off for his sisters, but ultimately, it caught fire. The fact that he was responsible for burning down the house, killing Rufina's husband, and scarring Rufina for life weighed heavily on even his blackened soul. He was reminded of it every time he saw her.”

  Jared rolled over and got out of bed. “How about a glass of wine, and you can finish this story in the kitchen.”

  Sandra let her eyes walk over his body as he pulled on some boxers. Shame she had to go home. “Coffee, for me. I have to drive back to the ranch.”

  She went into the bathroom, where she cleaned up. When she came out, she dressed while Jared took his turn. He returned in a navy-blue terrycloth bathrobe. They walked to the kitchen barefoot. Sandra perched on a bar stool while Jared made coffee.