Protected by the Lawman

by Carver, Rhonda Lee

  He wasn’t quite ready to tell her what he knew. “What do you have in your lap?”

  “Phyllis came by the station today and brought me lunch and more of my mail. Since Kora’s not in town Phyllis has been helping out. I didn’t want to bother her and ask her to read each letter. There’s a stack here.”

  He joined her on the couch. “I can help if you don’t feel like I’m intruding on your privacy.”

  “I wouldn’t mind at all, in fact, I planned on asking you.” She held out the stack for him. He took them and set them on the table. “But you first.”

  “Huh?”

  “Don’t play coy. We both know you’re not yourself.” Ria looked straight at him with a narrowed brow.

  He dropped back into the cushion of the couch and swiped his palm down his cheek. He was placed in a position that he didn’t care for. Since Tammy had given him the list of men she’d seen over the life of her short career, he’d been going back and forth from his desire to stay quiet or doing the right thing. “I found that girl I’d mentioned. Tammy.”

  “Willow’s daughter, right?”

  So, she really did listen when he talked about his work. That was a lot more than Katy ever did. She’d simply nod her head as if she heard everything he said. “She gave me information…” This wasn’t an easy subject.

  “Great.”

  “It was a list of the men she’d met as an escort.”

  “Does the list help in finding the killers?”

  “There weren’t many names on the list, most I don’t recognize, but there were a couple that I did.”

  “You did? Is it someone you’re close to?”

  “There’s one that...”

  “Why do I get the feeling that you’re about to tell me I know the man?”

  “You’re very perceptive.”

  “I’ve been told that a few times. So, is the answer yes?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then tell me who.”

  “I will, but only because I have a few questions that maybe you can help with, but you can’t say anything to anyone…yet. Not until I’m finished with questioning him.”

  She untucked her feet, her face turned pale. “I don’t know. If it means that one of my friends will be hurt…”

  “Ria, I understand how this could put you in a difficult spot—"

  “Oh no, it’s Troy, isn’t it?”

  “Yes.”

  Her shoulders dropped. “Phyllis’s Troy?”

  He nodded then realized she couldn’t see him. “Yes.”

  “This can’t be true. He loves Phyllis. He’d never cheat.”

  Phoenix laid his hand on her knee. “Cheating doesn’t always mean that a man, or woman, doesn’t love his or her partner. Deceit comes with a wide variety of reasons. You said yourself that they’ve had a lot of problems since their second child was born.”

  She clasped her hands together until her knuckles were white. “Yes, they have, but not enough troubles that he’d hire an escort.”

  “I’m sorry that I had to tell you this news. I know it’s not easy, and you probably want to tell Phyllis, but I need to speak to Troy first. I need the element of surprise on my side. Once you tell your friend I’m sure she will go in, guns blazing.”

  “She’ll be angry, hurt and ready to punch him, but you don’t think Troy had anything to do with Leandra and Mason’s deaths, do you?”

  He hesitated, managing his words carefully. “I can’t say yet, but I have to investigate every possible lead. After all, he knows a lot about you, the studio, when you’d be there working. There’s not a lot to go on right now. I’ve been the type who has stayed focused on the evidence that points at a person’s guilt and not enough on the parts of the case that provide reasons why they are not-guilty. I’m taking everything into consideration.”

  “When do you plan on speaking to him?”

  “I called his office. He will be in a conference tomorrow out of town. I’d like to cover my bases where he’s concerned so I’m heading there tomorrow.”

  “I’m going too.”

  “That’s not a good idea.”

  “These are my friends, Phoenix.”

  “Yes, but ask yourself if you being there will help the situation.”

  “Maybe I can convince him to be more truthful than he would be otherwise.”

  “Or he might clam up because he doesn’t want to talk in front of you.”

  “I know him. I can help. I want to help. After all, my best friend will be hurt in all this.”

  “Please tell me you don’t want to go just so you can wring his neck or hit him over the head with your cane.”

  “I can’t promise that I won’t want to, but I’ll refrain myself. Please, Phoenix. If you were in my shoes, wouldn’t you want to be there?”

  “I probably would, but I’m investigating this case. I tell you what, I’ll take you as long as you promise you’ll sit back and not say a word unless I see it as beneficial. You need to allow me to do all the talking. Even if you have to bite your tongue.”

  “Fine.” She crossed her arms over each other as if she were cold. “Why? I can’t seem to wrap my head around why Troy would risk losing his family. His life. What’s the enticement?”

  “You’re asking the wrong man, sweetheart. As bad as things got between Katy and me, not once did I think of cheating. People have their reasons and sometimes it doesn’t make any sense. I know you have loyalty to Phyllis, but if you decide to tell her later, make sure that you’re telling her for the right reasons. This could very well destroy their marriage.”

  “Are you suggesting I don’t say anything?”

  “No, I’m only stating the facts.”

  “If a friend knew Katy was cheating, would you want him to tell you?”

  What could he say? No matter which way he spun this, it would come to her caring for her best friend. He respected her devotion, and in her shoes, he’d do the same. “Let’s speak to him tomorrow and get more details, but in the meantime, can you tell me about Troy?”

  She settled herself into the cushion. “If you’re asking if there’s reason to think he’s involved with the murderers, the answer is no. I’ve known him as long as I’ve known Phyllis. He’s a good man.” She blew out a long breath through tight lips. “I would have never believed he would do this to her.” Her eyes misted.

  Would she cry? Damn, he couldn’t take it if she did.

  His hand was still on her knee and he didn’t realize he was massaging her leg until he felt her muscle tighten.

  “We’ll know more tomorrow.”

  She scooted to the edge of the couch. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to go lie down. This is a lot to wrap my head around. You can ask me any questions about him when I have time to soak this in. Is that okay?”

  “What about your mail?”

  “We can do that later. There’s probably nothing important.”

  He watched her get up and leave the room, feeling as if another weight had been laid upon his shoulders. Phoenix didn’t like to see her hurt. He could have kept the news from her, but having her input about Troy told him a lot about what he’d find tomorrow. Although cheating didn’t make him a bad guy, it also made him a suspect until Phoenix could rule him out. There were several factors here. Tammy had just turned eighteen, and although legal, she was still a kid. He didn’t like the idea of a man taking advantage of her in a natural setting, but in this case, she was getting paid for entertainment purposes, making Phoenix even angrier. As Sheriff, it was important for him to remain unbiased so that he could see both sides of the fence. He knew Tammy, watched her grow up and he wanted to help her get her life in order.

  He looked down the hall where Ria had gone into the bedroom. He hoped he was making the right decision allowing her to tag along tomorrow, but the alternative was her staying in Abbie without him. Although he trusted his deputies, he wanted to keep her close. Ria along could be an asset. Nothing could scare a man straighter than when he
realized he was on the edge of losing his family. If someone had known Katy was cheating, Phoenix would have wanted to know, but his case was different. They didn’t have kids, had only been together for a few years. From what Ria said about Phyllis and Troy, they had been high school sweethearts, now with two young kids, and both seemed to be good parents. Phoenix had no clue why a man would risk it all, and hopefully tomorrow they would find some answers that would get him one step closer to finding the killers, and securing Ria’s safety.

  CHAPTER 15

  “DO YOU PLAN on telling Phyllis?” Troy looked like he could be sick. His dark hair was disheveled. Dark circles lined his eyes.

  “What are you hiding? And why, Troy?” Ria leaned on the edge of the table in the cafe. “Tell us.”

  “Okay. I will, as long as you promise not to tell Phyllis.” His voice shook.

  “I can’t promise that.”

  She felt Phoenix’s warm hand on her arm. He was sitting next to her. “We’re not making any promises,” he added. “But I’ve learned that telling the truth is always the best medicine. If you screw up, you step up and make things right.”

  There was a moment of silence and Ria wondered if he would confess to anything. She heard the squeaking of the chair as he shifted. “Yes, I had a lapse of judgement for a short time and I thought about giving in to the temptation. Things have been bad between Phyllis and me, and a buddy told me what he does when things get rough. He set up the entire thing for me through one of his friends and by the time I was faced with the opportunity, I couldn’t follow through.”

  “Why?” Phoenix asked.

  “One, the girl was just out of high school. And she has a substance abuse problem. We ended up spending the hour discussing her problem and the alternatives she has in life. I didn’t sleep with her. I swear I didn’t. I have wanted to tell Phyllis so many times, but I was afraid. If she finds out, she’ll leave me. I don’t want to lose her, but it might be too late.”

  “You should have thought about that before you even considered doing this,” Ria said.

  “Troy, which buddy suggested you meet a prostitute?” Phoenix had his hand still on her knee.

  “He’s a surgeon at the hospital. Bob and I are old buddies.”

  “Do you have a number for him? I’d like to speak to him too.”

  “Yeah, I’ll help in any way I can.”

  “One more question. Tell me why I shouldn’t think you’re involved in the deaths at the studio,” Phoenix asked point blank.

  “My God, man. I’d never be involved in anything like that.”

  “Maybe if you were being blackmailed.”

  “Wrong. I saw the victims’ pictures in the paper and never have I met either one, through my medical office or for personal reasons. I might be a real shit right now, but I’m not a murderer.”

  As Phoenix got the information, he kept his hand on Ria’s knee. He probably thought it’d keep her from reaching across the table and wrapping her hands around Troy’s neck, but the truth was she didn’t have a desire to wring his neck like she thought she would. Although he should have never contemplated the idea of cheating on Phyllis, he hadn’t, and he did deserve an ounce of credit for backing out at the eleventh hour. And he’d cared enough to try to help Tammy out of her situation. That didn’t mean Ria wasn’t angry with him because she was and would be for a while. She knew what it felt like to have someone she loved cheat on her, and she didn’t want that for her friend. When it came down to it, she wasn’t sure how Phyllis would take the truth, but she deserved to know and she should hear it from Troy who had a lot of explaining to do.

  After they left the café, Ria was quiet as they drove to the local Sheriff’s station so Phoenix could see a detective he had business with.

  Once they were parked outside of the building, he didn’t get out, but she heard him turn in his seat.

  “Are you going to lecture me because I didn’t sit back and let you do all the talking?” she asked.

  “No.”

  “Thank you, but I owe you an apology. This is your job. You’re skilled at questioning possible suspects.”

  “Listen, I knew after one sentence out of his mouth that he got caught up in this at a weak moment. Once I realized that, I thought I’d leave it up to you to verbally thrash him.” He chuckled. “Do you think he’ll come clean with Phyllis?”

  “I believe so, or just as I warned him, I will tell her. I do believe he should be the one who confesses though. He needs to explain everything.”

  “You handled the situation well.”

  “You mean because I didn’t use my cane over his head? I think it could have gone either direction. He’s like a brother to me and it hurts me that he’d consider ruining his future with his family.”

  “Maybe she’ll forgive him and they’ll work harder on their marriage. It takes two to make the machine run smoothly.”

  She tilted her chin toward him. “Seriously?”

  “What?”

  “Are you saying that his misbehavior is simply because they are going through a rocky time? Like Phyllis is to blame too?”

  “Retract your claws, darlin’. I’m saying that sometimes it takes something huge to jar two people into realizing what they have. Obviously, the guy loves his wife, but no marriage is without each partner’s guilt in some way.”

  “That’s exactly how I think a man would see things.”

  “Come on, Ria. This has nothing to do with my gender. You’re protective over Phyllis, which I know she is of you too, but you truly believe she’s completely blameless? Katy cheated, but I played a role in the demise of our relationship.”

  “Phyllis never cheated on him. Never considered it. After having the baby, well, she feels off. A lot of women who juggle career, family, and home will tell you the same thing. You lose yourself. Several of my clients come in for therapy to relax, sometimes the only time they will get the chance.”

  “Maybe I don’t understand all about a woman’s feelings, but I know it must be hard. There’s no arguing that point. Yet, men can feel left out when everything else is a priority.”

  “What are you trying to do here? Take sides? A man for a man?”

  “No. I just don’t think there’s anything ever clear-cut in a relationship. I’m not defending the guy, but he deserves a little credit for coming to his senses. In the final hour he realized what he was putting at risk and he chose to do the right thing. Good he figured it out and wants to make things better.”

  “There’s a marriage counselor to help with a difficult marriage, not an escort,” she huffed.

  He reached over and took her hand. “You’re right, but this isn’t our fight.”

  “True, but…”

  “What, sweetheart? You can talk to me.” He soothed her by caressing his finger over the backs of her knuckles.

  “Phyllis suspected that he was cheating and I convinced her how crazy the idea was,” she admitted, feeling a tug in her chest and stinging in her eyes. “He was distant, different, smelled of a woman’s perfume…all those signs we’re told to watch for. How will she forgive him? How will she see that what he did wasn’t a betrayal, but an eye-opener? Doesn’t anyone take relationships seriously any longer?”

  “They’ll work it out.”

  “Will she forgive me for not telling her? Am I making the right decision?”

  He was quiet.

  “What are you thinking, Phoenix?” she asked.

  “I think he’s an idiot to even risk losing his family over temporary gratification, but what I’m hoping is that you’ll see there are good men out there, Ria. Men who cherish their relationship. Men who’d rather take their last breath than hurt someone they love.”

  “I believe you. I’ll never understand. Phyllis is a beautiful woman. Sure, she admitted that things had gone from five stars to a one star in the bedroom with Troy, but that was because of their jobs and they just had a baby.” It tore her apart to know her friend was facing this issue
. She’d been there for Ria when Jamie cheated. It would be only right that Ria be there for Phyllis when she heard the news.

  Because Phoenix didn’t want Ria sitting outside alone, he led her inside to sit in the lobby of the station as he went to speak to his friend. Although she was probably at the safest spot she could be, he made sure she had her cell in her hand in case she needed anything. She found his concern sweet. He was one of the good guys, but why did she feel that she could easily overlook any wrong he did?

  She could because she was falling for him. Heart and soul.

  How did this happen?

  ~~~**~~~

  Phoenix reached for a paper towel and dried his hands as a short, stocky, balding man stepped up to the sink to wash his hands. He turned on the water and scrubbed his hands, continuing to look at Phoenix through the mirror.

  Irritated and curious, Phoenix dropped the towel into the wastebasket and met the other man’s gaze. “Can I help you?”

  “You’re Sheriff Cade, right?”

  “Yeah.” Phoenix had a memory like an elephant, and he was certain he’d never met the man before.

  “We’ve never had the pleasure.” He shut off the water then dried his hands off. Phoenix caught a whiff of smoke from the man.

  “Nope, ‘fraid we haven’t.”

  The man stuck out a beefy hand. He was missing his pointer finger. Phoenix accepted his hand. “Are you Chief Brody?”

  “I’m flattered, Sheriff.”

  He’d heard a lot about the Chief. He’d worked his way up from the beat and became a hero after he caught two Irish mob men. He had lost his finger after one of the men had cut it off then shot Brody in the side, but he still brought the bastards down. “What brings you to the city, buddy?” Chief Brody narrowed his gaze.

  “I’m investigating a case and wanted to speak with Detective Marx. Too bad I just missed him.” And too bad his buddy’s name was on the list Tammy had given him. It proved to Phoenix no matter how much a man thought he knew someone, there was always room for error. He didn’t know how this connected the dots of the case, but instinct warned him he was getting hotter. No one could be trusted, not even the man standing before Phoenix wearing a grin that rubbed him the wrong way.