by Lynn Shannon
She let out the breath she was holding in a whoosh. “I want to work the investigation together.”
“You aren’t a law enforcement officer.”
“I’m a member of Wade’s defense team and that gives me access to anything you uncover.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I also refuse to be left in the dark this time.”
Last night had given her a lot of time to think, and Megan realized she’d been running. Away from Wade’s conviction. From Luke’s decision to hide her brother’s drinking. From her own pain. It was time to stop and face things head-on.
“You hid things from me, Luke, and I don’t want that to happen again. I deserved to know Wade was getting into trouble.”
“And what would you have done?” He arched his brows, his tone maddeningly calm. “Quit law school? Run back home to take care of him? Wade was an adult who made his own choices. You aren’t responsible for his actions.”
“So what? You just don’t tell me at all.” The words tumbled out of her mouth, the pent-up hurt bursting out like a bull from its chute. “You stole the decision from me. You were supposed to be my best friend. How could you not tell me?”
“I was protecting you from something you couldn’t change.”
“But you don’t know that.”
She turned away and went to the window on the far side of the office. Sucked in a breath. Then another. Her hands trembled. Raindrops collected on the glass, running down the pane like tears.
“You robbed me of the chance to put things right before Franny’s murder. Maybe I could have saved Wade—saved us all—from this.”
“Or maybe you would’ve thrown yourself in front a train that was barreling down the tracks no matter what you did.” Luke came up next to her. “I’ve been through this with my own dad. He didn’t want the help either. My mother tried for years to get him straightened out and all she got for her trouble was a mountain of debt from putting him through rehab and a petition for divorce.”
“Wade isn’t your dad.”
His father, Patrick, had been addicted to alcohol and drugs for years. In and out of Luke’s life for most of his childhood.
“Maybe not, but Wade was heading down a path I’d seen before. I’d lived before. Law school was your dream. It was the first thing you reached out for and took hold of all on your own. Maybe I should’ve told you. I just…I didn’t want Wade taking you down with him.”
Her heart cracked at the pain in Luke’s voice. It’d be disingenuous to say his intentions didn’t matter. They did. She’d avoided this conversation because it was easier to believe there was nothing but anger and hurt between them. The fire had destroyed that notion as surely as it had the evidence. In two days, he’d saved her aunt’s life and now her own.
“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I never meant to hurt you.”
She closed her eyes. The air shifted as Luke turned to go, but she reached out and placed a hand on his arm, holding him in place.
“I’m sorry too. I should’ve given you a chance to explain things before I left. I was angry and upset, but you deserved better.”
His apology didn’t erase the hurt, but she’d underestimated how much it would soothe the raw edges of her wounds. She hoped hers would do the same for him.
“I want to start with a fresh slate,” she continued. “We work the case together and we share whatever we find without holding back. All I want is the truth.”
“Me too.”
His expression was strong and determined. It wouldn't be easy to let the past go, and give Luke her trust again, but she had to. Anger wasn’t getting her anywhere.
“Then we have a deal.” She dropped her hand. “And I suggest we start by talking to Sheriff Franklin. I want to see the case file for Franny Dickerson’s murder investigation.”
Seven
The Medina County Sheriff’s Department was a squat building attached to the courthouse, nestled in the center of town. Luke held the door open for her, and Megan swiped her palms against her jeans before crossing the threshold. A caution sign sat on the tiled entryway. Lemon floor cleaner mixed with the aroma of fresh coffee and the faint scent of old socks.
The receptionist desk was empty. Voices filtered out of Sheriff Franklin’s office. Megan paused. Was someone yelling?
Cindy, the sheriff’s niece and his secretary, came out of the break room. Her eyes widened. “Ah, Luke—”
Sheriff Franklin’s office door flew open, and Chad Dickerson stormed out. Franny’s younger brother, previously slender and hardened from bull-riding, had grown bulky in the intervening years. The oversized belt buckle holding up his Wrangler’s fought with his gut. The scent of sour whiskey preceded him across the room, and a several-day-old beard covered the bottom half of his face. A scar—probably caused from being on the losing end of a tussle with a bull—started at his hairline and marched down the left side of his face.
Chad spotted her and his eyes narrowed into slits. Megan’s heart skipped a beat.
“You,” he bellowed, charging toward her. “It’s your fault I’ve been dragged down here.”
“Don’t,” Luke warned, stepping into his path, his tone low and authoritative. “Not one more step.”
“Screw you, Tatum. First her brother kills my sister, and now she’s accusing me of somethin’ I didn’t do.”
Luke angled his body, protecting her. The stance brought back memories of the first time she’d met him, defending a woman against her abusive husband. The fight had earned him the scar along his lip and a place in her heart.
“Megan didn’t accuse you of anything.”
“I’m not gonna let you run my name through the mud, after everything else,” Chad continued, as if Luke hadn’t spoken. “No one in this town wants you here. If you and June were attacked, maybe it was a message.”
“Chad,” Sheriff Franklin’s voice boomed across the room. “I’ll handle this.”
“You’d better.” Chad fixed his gaze on Luke. “Tatum, it ain’t good for your job to be hanging around with the family of a murderer. Disloyalty doesn’t sit well.”
Luke parted his jacket so the ranger badge flashed. “Are you threatening me?”
“No one is threatening anyone.” The chief deputy, Dan Carter, pushed past the sheriff and grabbed Chad by the arm. “Come on. Let’s talk in the parking lot.”
Chad pulled away. He ambled toward the door, stopping long enough to cast a glance in Megan’s direction. The hostility glittering in his dark eyes made her blood run cold.
“See you around, Megs.”
The door slammed behind him like a gunshot. Luke placed a hand on her arm, the warmth of his touch a sharp contrast to the chill racing through her body.
“Okay, show’s over, people,” Sheriff Franklin barked out. “Get back to work.”
The deputies jumped into action. The sheriff gestured for Luke and Megan to follow him before turning on his heel and heading into his office. It was large enough for a conference table and bookcases. Mounted deer heads lined one wall.
Sheriff Franklin rounded his desk and stood behind it. Pushing sixty-five, he resembled an aging bulldog—barrel chested with thick jowls and slight underbite.
“What’s going on with Chad?” Luke asked, after he shut the door behind them.
“The bartender from Harry’s called, claiming Chad was making threats against June and Megan. I pulled him in for questioning.”
“And?”
Sheriff Franklin shrugged. “Chad says he was at home during the attack on Megan and in the hours before June’s accident. I’ll go to the ranch and confirm it with his father.”
The sheriff gestured to the visitor chairs before taking a seat in the cracked and worn leather one behind the desk. “Listen, Luke, Chad is a hothead whose mouth works faster than his brain, but I don’t believe he has the wherewithal to plan a murder.”
Megan agreed. Chad had said stuff in the past and done nothing. From the way Luke’s posture stayed ramrod
straight, however, he didn’t believe the threats were all bluster.
Someone knocked on the office door and the sheriff barked permission for them to enter.
Dan strolled in. The chief deputy had started out as a cop in Dallas before coming back five years ago to his home roots in Cardin. His dyed black hair was plastered in place with shiny gel, the color a sharp contrast to his sallow skin, and an e-cigarette poked out of the front pocket of his uniform. His gaze raked over Megan, and she resisted the urge to pull her jacket closed.
“Glad to see you weren’t seriously hurt this morning, Ms. Hunt.” Dan tucked his hands in his pockets and jingled some change. “I read the reports from Lieutenant Granger who took your statement. Quite a close call.”
“I was lucky Luke was there.”
“Two women in one week.” Dan grinned. “Must be a record, Tatum.”
“Not one I’m happy to have.” Luke glanced at Megan. “I’d rather there be no attacks at all.”
“None of us are happy about what’s going on,” Sheriff Franklin said. “I want to get to the bottom of it.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that. Given Wade’s claim of innocence combined with June’s voice mail, her car accident, the attack on Megan, and the arson, I think we need to consider the possibility that all of these incidents are connected.”
“Well, that’s a jump if I ever heard one.” Dan leaned against the desk. “June’s car accident hasn’t been ruled as an attempted murder, and I doubt it will be considering there was no sign of foul play. Granted, the timing of her voice mail is suspicious, and I can see why it could cause questions, but there is zero evidence thus far that the two are connected.”
“What about the attack on me today?” Megan lifted her chin. “And the fact that my aunt’s house was burned to the ground.”
“First of all, we can’t be sure the arsonist even knew you were in the house. Your vehicle was parked in the garage. It’s possible you surprised him, and he pushed you down the stairs out of fear.” Dan adjusted the nameplate on his uniform. “June is a private investigator. Digging into people’s business is what she does for a living. These attacks could be tied to one of her other cases.”
Unbelievable. He was twisting the facts to suit his own agenda. “My brother is innocent of Franny’s murder.”
“Megan, I can appreciate the pain your family has been through, but your brother confessed.” Dan’s tone was patient and he spoke slowly, as if she was hard of hearing or emotionally overwrought. “It’s not unusual, after a few years in prison, for someone to change their tune and claim they’re innocent.”
Heat pulsed through her veins. Her gaze shot to the sheriff, but he remained silent.
“Be that as it may,” Luke said. “I want to see Franny Dickerson’s case file.”
The tips of Dan’s ears turned pink. “Are you questioning my integrity?”
Yes. Megan screamed the answer in her head but kept her lips sealed. Arguing would get them nowhere.
“I want the truth.” Luke’s tone was professional, but he addressed his words to the sheriff instead of Dan. “And I want to catch the person responsible for nearly killing June and Megan. Not to mention attacking my stepfather.”
“And I don’t?” Dan snapped. The red spots spread across his earlobes and into his cheeks. “That’s insulting.”
Sheriff Franklin stood. “Dan, why don’t you give us a minute?”
His gaze swung to his boss. “You’re dismissing me? Are you serious?”
“Yes.” The sheriff drew himself up to his full height. “I am.”
Dan’s expression turned dark, and for a moment, Megan thought he would refuse. Sheriff Franklin leaned over and whispered something in his ear. Whatever it was, the chief deputy deflated like a balloon. Wordlessly, he left.
Before he closed the door behind him, Megan’s gaze snagged his. Pure hatred flashed in Dan’s eyes.
A pinprick of fear touched the back of her neck.
The tension in the sheriff’s office dropped by five grades when Dan left the room. Luke took a deep breath and forced his posture to relax. He’d never liked the chief deputy. Something about the man made his hackles go up.
Sheriff Franklin sighed as he retook his seat.
“Please excuse my chief deputy. Dan is a good cop, and he’s taking the challenge to his work personally. Before all of this, there was no reason to question our findings on the case. Wade’s confession fit with the facts and was rock solid.” He paused. “Megan, I want you to know, I wouldn’t have arrested your brother if I hadn’t had probable cause.”
“Thank you, sir. That means a lot.”
“I’m also going to be honest with you. I still haven’t seen anything that points to a wrongful conviction, but the coincidences of these attacks makes revisiting Franny’s murder a reasonable course of action. Luke, I’m happy to have your assistance on this.”
He gave a sharp nod. Luke didn’t technically need the sheriff’s permission, but having his cooperation made things a lot easier.
Sheriff Franklin adjusted his weight in the chair and it groaned in protest. “I’m retiring at the end of this year. Dan wants to take over my position, and in order to do so, he’ll need the Dickersons’ support to win the election. Reopening Franny’s case will get some pushback, and I want all of it on me.”
It didn’t surprise Luke that the sheriff was protecting his own. Robert’s integrity was a large part of the reason he’d never questioned the events around Wade’s conviction until now.
The door opened, and Brent stuck his head in. “You wanted to see me, sir?”
“Come in.” Sheriff Franklin waved him toward an empty chair. “Lieutenant Granger is the lead investigator on the recent fires.”
Luke relaxed as his friend took a seat. Brent had taken their statements earlier this morning after the escape from June’s house.
The sheriff turned to Luke. “Lieutenant Granger also assisted Chief Deputy Carter on the Franny Dickerson murder. I’m assigning him to work with you. Any questions you have can go his way.”
Luke nodded. Having his friend coordinate these cases was better than he could’ve hoped for.
“Did you have any other suspects in Franny’s murder beside Wade?” he asked.
“One. But it won’t help you much. Skeeter McIntyre died two years ago in a hunting accident.” Brent frowned. “A year before her death, he and Franny had been dating seriously. Skeeter didn’t take their breakup well. Friends reported he hadn’t given up hope on them getting back together, but Franny wasn’t interested. Their relationship caused the rift between her and her family.”
Megan sat up straighter. “What rift?”
“It wasn’t a big one,” Brent quickly clarified. “The family disapproved of Skeeter and felt his sole interest was in Franny’s money. They pressured her to cut off the relationship, and when she refused, Heath restricted her financially. Franny moved to the lake house and started working here in the evidence room. After a few months, the relationship with Skeeter soured and she broke it off. Things with her family improved.”
“Did you rule out Skeeter because of Wade’s confession?”
“No, he had a rock solid alibi. Skeeter was working at his uncle’s property in Fort Worth that weekend. Over a dozen ranch hands confirmed it.”
Luke would double-check the alibi, just to be sure, but it seemed unlikely Skeeter was involved in Franny’s death.
“Wade mentioned Franny kept journals,” Megan asked. “Did you recover any from the lake house?”
“No, and the Dickersons don’t have them either. I’d hoped the journals would give us some insight into anyone she was having trouble with.” Brent ran a hand over his bald head. “Do you think June found them?”
“There’s no way to know for sure, but there wasn’t a trace of them inside the vehicle with her.” Luke frowned. “Is it possible the killer took them after killing Franny?”
“I suppose it is, although there wa
s no indication the lake house was searched. We also never recovered the murder weapon. Wade claimed he threw it in the lake. We dredged it and came up empty.”
Was it possible June had found the murder weapon? Luke made a mental note to review the items recovered from her vehicle one more time.
“Who called in the murder?” he asked.
“A ninety-year-old neighbor. She was walking her dog around the lake and saw the front door hanging open. The lower level of the house was a wreck from the party. None of the neighbors heard gunshots, probably because the music was still blaring. The coroner put the time of death in the early-morning hours. Franny had alcohol in her system, but not enough to be intoxicated.”
“Do you have any idea why Franny was seeing Pastor John?”
Brent shook his head. “I was surprised by that. Wade’s interview was the first I’ve heard of it. None of her friends mentioned it.”
Interesting. Why had Franny kept it a secret? And why had she told Wade? Right now, they had a lot more questions than answers. Luke needed to bring himself up to date on Franny’s case and fast. “I’ll need to look at everything you have on the murder.”
“Of course.” Sheriff Franklin tilted forward in his chair. “Most of the staff has the day off tomorrow, since it’s Sunday. Why don’t you come back Monday morning? I’ll have Cindy pull the boxes for you. You can look through everything, decide what’s important, and she’ll make copies.”
“You don’t have the case stored electronically?” Megan asked.
Sheriff Franklin frowned, the movement causing deep lines in his jowls. “Unfortunately, we had a computer virus two years ago that took out our entire system. We lost everything, and with the county struggling financially, it wasn’t feasible to hire computer experts. Thankfully, I required everything to be backed up on paper, so we have everything, but the older cases haven’t been re-digitized yet.”
“And thank goodness you did, Sheriff.” Brent shook his head. “I can’t even begin to imagine the crisis we would’ve had if there hadn’t been physical copies of the case files.”