by Lynn Shannon
“What about the Dickerson family, huh?” he asked, continuing as if she hadn’t spoken. “Did you think about them before starting this little crusade of yours?”
The barb found its mark, and Megan cringed. She didn’t want to cause anyone pain, especially the Dickerson family.
“I know the game you’re playing.” He sneered. “But Luke can’t change the facts. Your brother is a murderer, plain and simple. I’m not going to stand by and let you convince people otherwise.”
Was that a threat? It certainly felt like one. She forced herself to meet his eyes. The hatred she found in their dark depths sent shivers down her spine.
She jutted her chin up. “I said I want to leave.”
“Get away from her, Dan, before I physically remove you myself.”
Megan turned her head. Luke strolled toward them, his hands balled into fists, his muscles rigid. His entire focus was on the chief deputy and the fury in his gaze was downright terrifying.
Dan jumped back, lifting his hands. “We were just having a friendly conversation.”
“Stay away from her.” Luke put himself between her and the other man. “We aren’t out to get you, despite what you think. But if I see you near Megan again, I will make it my mission to ensure you never become sheriff in this county. Are we clear?”
Dan’s cheeks heated, and he took another step back. “You don’t frighten me, Tatum.”
Luke’s mouth flattened into a hard line. “Threaten her again, and you’ll find out just how scary I can be.”
Twelve
“He threatened her?” Lieutenant Vikki Rodriguez asked, leaning forward in her chair. “The chief deputy?”
Luke nodded sharply. “Yes, ma’am. He did.”
The memory of Dan’s words made his stomach churn and his body temperature rise. He’d dropped Megan off at the ranch and come straight to his boss. The implications of the events in Cardin could not be ignored.
Vikki’s dark lips went pale as she pressed them together. Lieutenant Rodriguez, head of the Company A ranger division working out of the Huntsville, had spent a large portion of her career as an investigator in the sex-crimes unit. She understood violence against women and the insidious forms it took better than most.
The faces of the others gathered around the conference table were equally grim. Weston sat on Luke’s left, his bulky form barely able to squeeze into the chair. Grady sat on the other side of the table, his attention focused on their conversation even though his cell phone rested on the table. His pregnant wife, Tara, had a doctor’s appointment today, and Grady was waiting for her call.
“What did Sheriff Franklin say when you reported it?” Weston asked.
“He showed no interest in gathering the facts regarding the incident.” Luke kept his voice calm and his posture relaxed, but discussing the conversation with Sheriff Franklin sent a fresh wave of anger pulsing through his veins. “He also said Dan was under a lot of pressure and I must have misinterpreted the conversation.”
“Is it possible you did?” Lieutenant Rodriguez asked.
“No, ma’am. Megan specifically told him she wanted to leave, and he was blocking her from doing so. The chief deputy was attempting to intimate and scare her.”
“I trust you, Luke, and your impressions.” She held his gaze. “But considering the relationship between you and Megan, it would be irresponsible if I didn’t ask the question.”
“Understood.” He forced his shoulders to relax. “My investigation is hitting some nerves in Cardin and things are getting messy.”
“Clearly. Do you think Chief Deputy Carter is involved in the Dickerson murder in some way?”
“I’m not sure. Medina County is small and people are already talking. Dan wants to be the next sheriff, and it could simply be he’s sensitive about how he’s perceived. However, based on my conversation with Pastor John, there could be more to it. If Chad is involved in Franny’s murder, then it’s possible Dan knows and is covering it up.”
She brushed a strand of black hair off her forehead, tucking it back into the knot at the nape of her neck. “Do you have any evidence that’s the case?”
“Not directly, but an entire box of evidence is missing. The initial interview Chad Dickerson gave after his sister’s murder is also gone. It’s my intention to leave this office and head straight over to the Dickerson ranch to interview Chad. That alone may create some heat, not just from Medina County but potentially from the mayor, the governor, and so on.”
“Heath Dickerson has his fingers in a lot of pies.”
“Yes, Lieutenant, he does.”
“That doesn’t make him, or his son, above the law.” Her chin jutted up. “Luke, proceed with your investigation and follow the evidence. Whatever we need to do to support you, we will.”
“Wow.” Grace tucked her hands into the pockets of her thick wool coat. “Dan sounds like a real peach.”
“Oh, he is.” Megan’s breath fogged in the cold air and grass crunched under her feet. Jax hobbled alongside her, and she slowed her steps so the old dog could keep up. “Did you find out anything from the background check?”
“Nothing big yet. Dan worked for Dallas Police Department for fifteen years, mostly in narcotics. Married once and divorced. No kids. Mother and father are both deceased. From what I can tell, he was on the fast track. He’d closed a couple of high-profile drug cases and was about to make captain, but then he resigned and moved to Cardin.”
Megan adjusted her scarf. “Because Sheriff Franklin offered him a job?”
“Could be. Sheriffs hold office for six years in Texas and Dan moved here five years ago. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sheriff Franklin wooed him here under the promise that Dan would succeed him. Still, I want to be sure, so I’m digging. Have you found anything in Franny Dickerson’s case file?”
“No. Everything I have so far looks straightforward. Of course, there is an entire box missing so who knows what else has been removed. Luke’s meeting with his boss and then going to interview Chad. Maybe something will come out of that, although I’m not holding my breath.”
They reached the fence line and stopped. In the pasture, several horses grazed. A brilliant Texas sunset painted the sky with soft pinks and pale purples. Jax wandered farther down to sniff the grass.
“I’d forgotten how beautiful it is here.” Grace rested her arms on the fence. “I always loved visiting when we had breaks from law school.”
Megan pulled an apple from her coat pocket and clicked her tongue. Her aunt’s horse, Cinnamon, picked her head up.
“Come on, girl. I have a treat for you.”
The gorgeous brown quarter horse ambled over. Grace stroked her neck while Megan fed her the apple.
“I love the white blaze on her nose,” Grace said. “She reminds me a little of your old horse, Fiona.”
“Yeah, but she has the personality of her daddy Remnant.” Megan wiped her hand on the leg of her jeans. “Spunky and just a touch wild.”
“Well, Cinnamon certainly seems happy with her mini-vacation here. How many horses does Luke have?”
“I’m not sure. I haven’t been down to the barn at all.” Megan shoved her hands into her pockets to warm them. “Thanks for taking over my cases for the last week, on top of what you are doing for Wade. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I’d had to juggle everything. If I haven’t said it lately, you’re amazing.”
“I know.” Grace linked her arm in the crook of Megan’s elbow. “But it’s always nice to hear.”
They laughed. Megan whistled for Jax, and they headed back to the house.
Inside, Nancy was humming to herself and working on the computer. She smiled when they walked in. “You’re just in time. In exchange for a cup of hot cocoa, I need an honest opinion on this website.”
“Deal.” Megan removed her coat and hung it on a peg, along with her scarf. “Nancy designs websites for the local businesses in Cardin.”
They gathered around the compute
r. Onscreen, images of coffee beans and scrumptious-looking desserts scrolled against a background with a script logo.
“Oh, this is for the Wake Up Cafe. I keep meaning to go down there and visit with Rosa and her mother.” Megan had been lying low since many townsfolk were upset about the investigation. “The website looks amazing, Nancy.”
“You don’t think it’s too dark?”
“Not at all,” Grace replied. “You’ve balanced it well with the logo colors and the images. Megan and I should hire you to update our site.”
Nancy blushed and handed them each a steaming mug of cocoa topped with tiny marshmallows. “Of course, I’d love to it. Anytime.”
“She’s so sweet,” Grace said as they walked through the living room toward the office. She took a sip from her mug and her eyes widened. “And this has to be the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had. I might never leave here.”
“You and Archimedes both.” Megan paused to run a hand over June’s tabby cat. He’d taken over the recliner in front of the fireplace and was living his best life. “Nancy and Hank are both fantastic. I was nervous about staying here with them, considering a lunatic attacked me and burned my aunt’s house down, but they insisted.”
“They care about you. And speaking of people who care about you, how are things with Luke?”
“Nice try there, counselor. I see what you did with that transition.”
“Thank goodness, because it wasn’t all that smooth.” Grace chuckled. “I can see there are feelings between you and Luke. It’s as plain as the noses on your faces and obvious to anyone with eyeballs.”
Megan’s cheeks grew warm. She wasn’t going there.
“Things between us are fine. Luke’s taking the case seriously and looking at every angle.” She pointed to the binder on the table in the office. “That one is yours. It’s a copy of the entire case file. At least, everything we’ve been able to find.”
Grace opened it and her expression grew solemn. “Is this Franny?”
“Yeah.”
The young woman was front and center in the photograph. Her hair was cut in a pixie style, accenting her gorgeous cheekbones and beautiful eyes. Every time she looked at it, Megan’s heart twisted painfully.
“It was taken on the day of her murder, at her birthday party.” She swallowed hard. “She didn’t deserve what happened to her, Grace.”
“No. But we’ll fight for her. We’ll catch the person responsible.”
“What if we can’t? You and I have been through this before with other cases. The burden of proof to overturn a conviction is high. If the courts are convinced Wade is the killer, then how can we bring the real one to justice?” Megan sat her cocoa down on the table. “I want to believe things will work out, but I’m terrified they won’t.”
“That’s where faith comes in.” Grace touched the cross hanging from her necklace. “We do our very best and then we give the rest to God.”
“I don’t know if I can. So many bad things have happened—my parents’ death, Franny’s murder, my aunt’s accident, Wade’s conviction—I just can’t see where having faith has helped. It feels…random.”
“God doesn’t promise bad things won’t happen. He only promises to be with us when they do. It can feel like things happen without a reason, but our perspective is limited and judgments based on it don’t help.”
Grace’s words struck a chord deep inside her, in a part of her heart she’d been ignoring for a long time. Like with Luke, Megan had closed off her relationship with God after Wade’s arrest. She’d been holding on to the hurt and the anger. But it was time for a change.
Megan took a deep breath. “I don’t know how to take the first step.”
“Let’s start with prayer.” Grace held out her hands for Megan to take. “And see where that gets us.”
Luke’s truck bounced over a cattle guard as he entered the Dickersons’ ranch. He turned to the right and headed down to the foreman’s house, parking next to the old-fashioned windmill.
Chad was already outside. In one hand, he wielded a chainsaw running on idle. The other twirled a glass of whiskey. His shaggy hair was tucked underneath a dusty ball cap, the bill frayed at the corner, and he wore a pair of work jeans and a flannel shirt.
Luke came to a stop a safe distance away. “It’s not a good idea to mix a chainsaw with alcohol.”
“What’s it to you?”
He shrugged. “It would be nice if emergency services didn’t have to come out here because you cut your foot off.”
Chad laughed. “Ain’t happened yet.”
He set the glass down on the porch railing, revved up the saw, and chopped through the block of wood. Sawdust flew and Luke was forced to take a few steps back. The scar along Chad’s face caught the light. He’d been favored to win Nationals until his accident. The bull broke his femur and his arm, gave him a concussion severe enough to cause traumatic brain injury, and ruined Chad’s chances of the fame he so desperately craved.
He released the power button on the chainsaw, and the decibel level lowered as the motor drifted into idle.
“I was wondering how long it would take before you came around, Tatum. News travels fast in Cardin, and rumor has it you’re trying to get my sister’s murderer out of prison.”
“No, I’m trying to find out who attempted to kill June and Megan. Where were you this past Saturday from six in the morning till noon?”
The attack on Megan had happened around eight, but Luke wanted to make sure he covered a wider time frame.
Chad swirled the whiskey in his glass. “I was here.”
“What were you doing?”
“I can’t say I recall.” His lips spread into a slow grin. “The doctors told me the injury to my brain could make it hard to remember things.”
The little punk was getting a kick out of this. Luke’s fingers twitched. He abhorred violence, but his patience was thin with bullies and those that took enjoyment from others’ pain.
Chad lifted the whiskey glass and took a long drink. “Maybe you should ask my dad. He might remember better.” His smug smile widened, and he pointed to something behind Luke. “There he is now. You can ask him yourself.”
A four wheeler kicked up dust as it came to a screeching stop. Heath Dickerson climbed off. His snakeskin boots matched the giant belt buckle at his waist, and the bolo around his neck swayed with every step.
He glared at his son, who was still holding the alcohol and the idling chainsaw. “Turn that contraption off.”
Chad obliged and promptly drained the last of his drink. The ice clicked against the glass.
Heath swung his glare to Luke. Crow’s-feet gathered at the edges of his eyes and grooved lines bracketed his hard mouth. “What are you doing here?”
“He’s questioning me about June’s accident and the fire at her house.” Chad smirked. “Apparently, I’m a suspect.”
“My son had nothing to do with that. He was with me.” Heath’s jaw tightened. “You have some nerve, Tatum. Dan called and said you might be coming by, pointing fingers and asking us questions.”
Luke kept his tone casual, even as his stomach sank to his feet. His worst suspicions about the chief deputy were coming to fruition. “I’m not pointing fingers. I’m running an investigation.”
“What a load of baloney.” Chad rolled his eyes. “Megan’s got you running around doing her dirty work. Is the bedroom action really that good, Tatum?”
Luke stiffened. It took every ounce of his willpower and training to keep from crossing the yard and punching Chad in the face.
“Son, get in the house,” Heath snapped. “Now.”
The younger Dickerson swaggered up the porch steps. The screen door slammed shut, but Luke could still feel the weight of Chad’s gaze on the back of his neck.
“If you need to talk to Chad or any of our employees”—Heath reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card—“call our attorney and set up an appointment.”
“M
y investigation would go a lot faster if I had your cooperation.”
“I didn’t fall off the turnip truck yesterday, Tatum. I know exactly where you’re going with this, and you aren’t going to pin these attacks on my son. Nor am I going to allow you to sow the seeds of doubt about Wade’s guilt.”
Heath bared his teeth and his expression grew dark. “That man murdered my little girl, and while there is breath still left in my body, he’s staying in prison to rot.”
Luke’s pulse kicked up a notch. Did he suspect the wrong Dickerson? Chad had made threats against Megan and June in the past, but Heath had his own axe to grind with the Hunt family.
Was it possible they were working together?
Right now, he didn’t have enough evidence either way. He plucked the business card from Heath’s outstretched hand. “I’ll be in touch.”
“I know you plan on taking over your stepfather’s ranch and making Cardin your permanent home. It’ll be hard to find another job in this county should you ruin the good thing you have going here.” The older man stepped closer, dropping his voice. “Don’t risk your career, Luke. She ain’t worth it.”
Like father, like son. Chad had tried the same tactic in the sheriff’s office and the innuendo was getting on Luke’s last nerve. “I’m a state officer. I’d be careful about making threats.”
The corners of Heath’s mouth lifted, but he didn’t back up. “I’m merely giving you a friendly piece of advice. You’d be wise to heed it.”
Luke met his gaze. “Did you know Franny was considering marrying Skeeter?”
The question was designed to catch Heath off guard, but not one flicker of surprise flashed in his expression.
“That’s a lie.” Heath’s jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed. “My daughter made a mistake by getting involved with that nobody, but she saw the error of her ways. I won’t listen to anyone speak badly of her.”
“I mean no disrespect.”
“No, I suppose you don’t.” Heath clapped a hand on his shoulder, the force of the slap a little too hard to be considered friendly. “But you do answer to God. Let my daughter lie in peace, Luke. It’s all we have left.”