Cowboy Truth: Cowboy Justice Association #3

by Olivia Jaymes

  “Because there has to be a reason he hid those boxes. Frank was completely disorganized and totally ignored anything to do with police procedure. Shit, I had to put fucking rules in place when I took over.”

  “And you hate rules.” Ava was peering up at him from under her lashes as they both remembered last night’s conversation. His chest tightened as he momentarily relived their moments of passion. Making love to Ava was like nothing else he’d ever experienced.

  “I do. But he took the time to retrieve those files and carry them all the way up into the attic. The more I think about that the more it has to mean something.”

  “I hope it does. We’re at another dead end.” Ava sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. “We know Bill wasn’t above using some unsavory techniques to win. But is it motive for murder?”

  “There has to be more.” Frustration made Logan rub his aching temple. The more they learned, the less they seemed to know. One mystery solved simply led to a new one. “He must have done something really terrible to catch the vigilante’s attention. We have to find out what it is.”

  They stepped out into the hallway and the throbbing in his head tripled. Wade, Lyle, and Aaron were standing there, apparently waiting for Logan. Wade stepped forward.

  “You’ve been avoiding our calls,” he said. “We all need to talk. A lot has happened but we’re family. We should be there for each other. Let’s have lunch at the diner.”

  Feeling trapped, Logan tried to think of any reason he shouldn’t go, but failed to come up with anything that didn’t sound lame. He simply didn’t want to deal with this right now. It didn’t appear that he was going to be allowed to ignore it any longer.

  He threw his arm around Ava’s shoulders, knowing he was about to announce their relationship to the entire town. “Okay, but Ava comes too. I don’t have any secrets from her.”

  Logan knew he’d succeeded in shocking the three men but to their credit they covered it quickly. Wade nodded. “If that’s what you want. We just want to talk. That’s all.”

  Ava glanced over at him as they headed out of the station. Logan nodded to Drake who had been patiently waiting in the corridor. He would take care of anything that cropped up while Logan was gone.

  “Why am I going?” Ava murmured under her breath. “Don’t you think you should do this alone?”

  “That’s the last thing I should do right now, good girl.” Logan kept his voice low. “I’ve got too many of my own emotions. I can’t deal with theirs. Not today.”

  She nodded as if she understood and they stepped out into the midday sunshine. He’d keep it low key and friendly at lunch. He wouldn’t be railroaded into a family relationship he wasn’t ready for, or even sure he wanted.

  * * * *

  “I’m sorry, Mom. It’s not working out with me staying here. I don’t want you to have to lie to Dad about where I am.”

  Ava was in her room pulling clothes from the closet and drawers and shoving them into a suitcase. After the world’s most awkward lunch with Logan, Wade, Lyle, and Aaron, she was really wishing she drank more. Admitting they’d seen George sneak out the back entrance, the three brothers had quizzed Logan about what their uncle had said. She had to hand it to him. His expression had remained completely neutral and he’d refused to discuss the interview. The brothers had been frustrated but understanding.

  Now Ava could only hope her mother would be the same.

  “Where will you go?” Carol Hayworth had her hands on her hips. “I can handle your father. I’ve been doing it for years.”

  For only a split second did Ava consider lying to her mother. When she’d told Logan she was heading home to make an appearance so her mother wouldn’t be worried and they could come up with a suitable cover story, Logan had snorted and told her to pack her bag and move in with him. She hadn’t been sure he was serious but it became quickly clear that he was.

  “If we only have a few weeks, good girl, I want to spend as much time with you as possible. Let’s just not make a big deal out of it, okay?” he’d said.

  It was hard not to build it into more than it was but she was pretty sure no woman had ever lived with him before. It was…something.

  “I’m staying with Logan,” Ava stated, almost daring her mother to say something. Carol Hayworth’s brows flew up in surprise before schooling her features.

  “Do you think that’s a good idea? Logan’s a good man but I can see you’re falling for him. You’re going to end up with a broken heart. He’s not the forever kind.”

  Her mother’s voice was gentle and Ava knew she was only trying to help. “I’m not going into the details of our relationship but he’s made a commitment of sorts to me. While I’m here in town anyway. It’s good enough.”

  Her lips twisted, Carol shook her head. “It won’t be in the end, sweetheart. I know you say you don’t want to get married, and that’s fine. But I do think you want a man to love you. I think you want that very much.”

  Ava looked away and zipped her suitcase closed. “I do want that. Logan has feelings for me.”

  “Is it love?” her mother asked softly. “Do you love him?”

  Ava wasn’t ready to put a name to how she felt. “It’s too soon for that.”

  “If Logan is the one, well, there isn’t anything I could say that would keep you from going. Your father is going to have trouble with this but I’ll deal with him.”

  Ava finally looked up. “I’m sorry you have to do that. I know Dad is going to be livid.”

  “That is an understatement.” Her mother chuckled. “I’ll fix his favorite for dinner and make sure he has two beers after work instead of one.”

  “You know how to handle him, I guess.”

  Her mother waved away the praise. “I did exactly the same thing when I told him you were going away to college. Then I did it again when I told him you weren’t moving back to Corville after graduation.”

  “I guess I’ve been nothing but trouble,” Ava conceded. She’d never fully appreciated how much her mother had had to go to bat for her in the past.

  “You’re a daughter any parent would be proud of, sweetheart.”

  Before Ava could respond they heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Mary stuck her head in the bedroom, an inquiring look on her face.

  “Good. You’re here. I’ve been looking for you.” Mary stepped into the room, ignoring her own mother. Her foot was tapping on the floor and her arms were crossed over her chest. “I just talked to Lyle. He said you were at lunch with him and Logan.”

  Nothing good could come from this conversation.

  “I was. Is that a problem?” Mary had strange ideas of what was proper and what wasn’t. Ava wasn’t in the mood for a lecture at the moment.

  “Logan wouldn’t tell Lyle or his brothers what Uncle George said. I bet he told you. We want to know.”

  Mary had that crappy arrogant expression on her face that Ava hated. Mary Ellen Hayworth Bryson had way too much self-esteem. She expected everyone to do things her way.

  “I don’t know anything so your trip has been wasted.” Ava wasn’t about to tell them she’d watched the interrogation on a monitor and had been sworn in as an honorary deputy. She picked up her suitcase from the bed and set it on the floor, extending the handle. “I have things to do so if you’ll excuse me.”

  Ava started to pull her suitcase on wheels toward the door but Mary stepped in front of her.

  “You must have some theories about who the killer is. You said you were helping Logan. He must have said something. Does Logan think it’s Uncle George?”

  Logan had already told her he didn’t think it was George. But he did think George knew things about Bill Bryson’s business that could lead them to the killer. He’d said that much at lunch to the brothers.

  “He already told Lyle and the others that he didn’t suspect George.”

  “Do you suspect George? Who do you think did it?” Mary asked, her gaze intent. Ava sighed in frustration. M
ost of the time Mary didn’t want to talk to Ava. Now she couldn’t get out of the house because her sister wouldn’t let this go.

  “I don’t really have any suspects.” It was clear that George hadn’t told anyone that Bill’s killer was also the vigilante. “I’ll call you tomorrow, Mom.”

  Ava went around her sister just managing to squeeze her suitcase through without hitting the wall or Mary’s legs. Mary followed her as Ava headed down the stairs.

  “Do you think it’s someone in the family?” Mary persisted as Ava paused at the bottom of the stairs.

  Tired of being questioned, Ava shrugged. “It could be anyone. Anyone on the streets you see every day. Or it could be someone you’ve never met in your life.”

  “Why would someone kill a person they’d never met?” Mary scowled, obviously frustrated with Ava’s stonewalling.

  “Every heard of a serial killer?” Ava asked. “They kill people they’ve never met all the time.”

  “Do you think a serial killer shot Bill?”

  Ava dragged her suitcase into the foyer, Mary on her heels. “As I said, it could be anyone. Hell, I once wrote a book where a family member killed a bunch of random strangers to cover up the murder of his brother. It put the cops off the scent. I also wrote a book about a business rival killing off his competition one by one. Now I need to get going.”

  Ava looked pointedly at Mary who was standing in front of the door. Her sister stepped aside. “So you think the person who killed Bill will shoot a bunch of other people to cover it up?”

  Ava wanted to smack her sister. “That’s what you got from what I said? I was simply telling you there are a multitude of reasons someone can be murdered either by a loved one or an acquaintance. Don’t put words in my mouth.”

  Mary turned to her mother who was watching the play by play with an amused smile on her lips. “Mom, Ava is being difficult.”

  Carol Hayworth nodded. “She is. You are too. You keep asking the same question over and over because you don’t like her answer. She says she doesn’t have a suspect.”

  “I don’t believe that,” Mary wailed indignantly. “She must.”

  “You’re calling your sister a liar then?” her mother asked calmly.

  “Well, no,” Mary sputtered. “Not exactly.”

  “What exactly are you calling me?” Ava asked. “I really and truly, cross my heart, don’t have any suspects.”

  Mary’s shoulders slumped, a glum expression on her face. “I was just trying to help my husband.”

  Ava liked her sister much better when she acted like a normal human being. She patted Mary on the back and tried to give her an encouraging smile.

  “If it makes you feel any better, I don’t think Lyle had anything to do with his father’s murder.”

  Mary nodded. “Thank you. It does, actually. He would never do anything like that. He’s a gentle man.”

  A patient man too to put up with her sister’s bossiness and obstinate temperament. If he hadn’t killed Mary by now, then he probably wasn’t going to murder anyone else.

  “He is,” Ava agreed. “I really do need to get going. I have a lot of work to do on my new book.”

  Ava rolled the suitcase down the driveway and stowed it in her trunk. She and Logan needed to solve this murder before it started tearing the Bryson family apart. Possibly even this town.

  A thought flitted through her mind as she drove away. As long as it stayed unsolved she had a reason to stay in town and with Logan.

  Well, crap.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Logan dropped the last filthy box onto the living room floor. A cloud of dust rose making Ava sneeze and cough. She wrinkled her nose as the scent of mildew and plain old grime assailed her nostrils. This was going to be a nasty job.

  “Here,” Logan held out some rubber gloves. “I have a pair for both of us. This is going to be dirty work.”

  “I’m not sure the spaghetti was worth it,” she said dubiously. “It was good but this is kind of disgusting. What if there are bugs in there and they jump out when I reach in?”

  Ava shuddered at the mere thought. She hated creepy crawlies of any kind. Logan had made a wonderful dinner of spaghetti with a rich meat sauce and crusty garlic bread but now she realized it had all been a bribe. She was cheaply paid labor who could be bought off with a home cooked meal.

  “I shook the boxes and nothing came out.” Logan’s lips twitched as if he was trying not to laugh.

  “You lying sack of crap. You so did not shake those boxes, did you?” She narrowed her eyes and tried to look mean but he just threw his head back and laughed.

  “Honey, bugs would probably be scared to death of you. I know I am.” He patted her on top of the head. Hating it when he patronized her, she knocked at his hand and stuck out her tongue. “If you do a good job, we can have ice cream later.”

  “We darn well are going to have ice cream later,” Ava grumbled. “A big bowl. With chocolate sauce.”

  “I don’t have any chocolate sauce.” Logan had a mile-wide grin.

  “Then you’ll get in the car and go get some,” Ava retorted, throwing a large cushion down onto the floor and sitting on it crisscross.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Logan didn’t look in the least contrite. If anything he looked downright delighted. “Shall I get whipped cream too?”

  He leered when he asked the question and she rolled her eyes. “I’m not going to be in any mood when I’m covered from head to toe in hundred year old dust and mold.”

  “It starts already.” Logan sighed dramatically.

  “What starts?” Ava tentatively reached into the box and pulled out a stack of files sending another cloud of dirt into the air. She choked and coughed, glad to see Logan did the same.

  “You move in and next thing you know you’re making excuses about sex,” Logan declared. He was trying to look serious but she could tell he was picking at her again, trying to get a rise.

  “Excuse me?” Ava sniffed. “I am not making any excuses. I only hope you can perform after working all day and then tonight too.”

  She watched as his astonished expression turned to pure male arrogance. “Don’t you worry about a thing,” he drawled. “I’ve got the stamina to please my woman, demanding as she is.”

  She turned back to the files so he wouldn’t see her hot cheeks. Whenever he talked like that she got all warm and flustered. He shouldn’t be so sexy…or annoying.

  “Where do we start?” she asked, hoping to change the subject. Logan grinned, knowing what she was trying to do.

  “Anywhere I guess. We’ll end up looking through all the files anyway.”

  He was right. Luckily there were only two boxes. Still it would probably take hours to go through them all. Maybe she should put on a pot of coffee.

  Logan settled on another pillow next to her and she flipped open the first folder, scanning the contents. It was a complaint regarding painted graffiti on the outside of a local business – Stenson Construction – dated 1989. The owner, Garth Stenson, had made a complaint about writing on his building. The report stated that Sheriff Frank Jesse had taken the statement and concluded it was teenagers.

  Ava looked at the pictures that were stuffed into the folder. They’d faded with age but she could make out the words clearly painted in bright red on the cream colored exterior wall.

  “Some things never change.” Ava shoved the pictures back into the folder. “I guess there will always be troubled youth in this world.”

  Logan’s eyebrow arched. “Troubled youth? Do you mean like me?”

  “I wasn’t referring to that,” she denied. “You had a good reason for what you did.”

  “But other kids don’t,” he concluded. “You know better than that, good girl.”

  “I know.” Ava sighed. “I didn’t mean it the way it sounded.”

  Logan set his file aside and beckoned for the folder with his fingers. “What are you looking at?”

  “Vandalism. Some teenag
ers spray painted a business.” She put the three photos in his outstretched palm. Logan studied them and then looked up.

  “Why do you say it’s teenagers?”

  “Because that’s what the police report said.” She handed that over.

  Logan continued looking at the pictures and then the report before shaking his head. “Teenagers didn’t do this.”

  “How do you know?” Ava frowned and looked over his shoulder. She wished she could see through his eyes. He had that inscrutable cop-look expression again.

  “How many teenagers who go around painting graffiti use the words unscrupulous and traitorous in everyday language? In fact, how many teenagers have an opinion about a man who sells real estate? Did teenagers in 1989 buy and sell a lot of homes? No, this was done by an adult. Teenagers would have used a bunch of misspelled four-letter words.”

  He held up the picture for her closer inspection. “So Sheriff Jesse was wrong?”

  Logan tossed the photos into the folder. “He was. What else is in that file?”

  They scanned through the documents and it was more reports of vandalism, including broken glass and slashed tires. “Whatever happened to the Stenson agency? They’re not on Main Street now.”

  Logan shook his head. “They went out of business I believe. I know the Stenson family moved out of town at one point.”

  “You think Bill Bryson did these things to get rid of competition?” If she was thinking it, she was pretty sure Logan was too.

  “It’s kind of a coincidence. Let’s keep digging and see if we find more of them. I have a feeling I was right. Frank hid these files for a reason.”

  Ava set the file aside and reached for the next folder. She was eager to find out more. Something had been going on in Corville when Sheriff Frank Jesse was in charge and it was time to get to the bottom of it.

  * * * *

  Logan and Ava had only gone through about ten files but it was easy to see that Sheriff Frank Jesse had been corrupt. Whether he’d actually taken bribes from Bill Bryson to cover up his dirty dealings Logan didn’t know, but it was clear Frank had turned a blind eye, covering up the evidence.