by Lynn Shannon
“They were going well.” His jaw clenched. “My daughter should’ve stayed out of it. I warned her, but she wouldn’t listen.”
Bile churned in Megan’s stomach. Franny had been killed by Dan, but she’d been betrayed by her own father.
“Quentin kept the gun and tried to use it against you to get out of the business.” She adjusted her grip on the phone in her pocket. “But you didn’t let him, did you?”
“Nope.” His expression twisted, becoming sinister and cruel. “I tied him up and gave him a dose of barbiturates. No one—absolutely no one—threatens me.”
“Quentin should have known better.”
She swallowed hard, struggling with another wave of nausea. Heath’s callousness was disgusting.
“Turning on you was disloyal,” she added for good measure.
He nodded. “Exactly. After all I’d done for him. He deserved what was coming to him.”
Megan pushed a branch out of the way. How far was the road? How far away was backup? She needed to keep him talking.
“Who came up with the idea to frame Wade for Franny’s death?”
“Dan. Franny was getting close to figuring out who I was working with, but she hadn’t quite made it. She was focused on Brent and Sheriff Franklin. Dan stole Wade’s phone during the party. Afterward, he stopped by Franny’s house under the guise of neighbor complaints regarding loud music. He helped her clean up and found Wade’s phone in the cushions where he’d hidden it earlier in the evening. Franny called Wade, and before he got there Dan killed her. It was the perfect setup.”
A shudder ran down her spine. He was discussing his daughter’s murder as if he was organizing a Sunday picnic.
“Afterward, the whole thing with Quentin happened, and I decided the risk of exposure was too great,” he continued. “I told Dan to recruit Kyle.”
That explained why Kyle had no idea Heath was involved.
“Wasn’t it risky to recruit the sheriff’s nephew?”
“Naw. I knew from the rodeo days Kyle had a tendency to walk on the wrong side of the line. Besides, we never sold any drugs or weapons inside Medina County. We always sold them in other areas to prevent the sheriff from catching on.” He glared at her. “We were supposed to expand our operation once Dan was sheriff by manufacturing meth and shipping in other drugs. Between his control of the department and my political connections, we were set to be unstoppable.”
The corruption would’ve spread like a cancer, infiltrating every corner of the county and moving throughout the state. Megan’s stomach twisted at the thought. Still, she had to keep stroking his ego.
“You still can, I’m sure. The steps you took to protect yourself were perfect. No one thinks you’re a part of this.”
He nodded. “I made sure of it.”
“What about Skeeter?” she asked.
“That…” Heath growled. “That piece of trash deserved what he got. I couldn’t stand seeing him around town knowing he’d tried to separate my daughter from her family. He disrespected me.”
He was insane. His logic was off the wall. Megan mentally calculated how long she could hold up this charade. She had the feeling time was running out.
Lord, give me strength.
Her gaze shot to the weapon in Heath’s hands. “Is that the rifle you used to shot Skeeter?”
“No, I had to get rid of it, which really ticked me off. That rifle was my trophy. Every time I looked at it, I remembered shooting Skeeter. It was supposed to take out you and Luke too.”
Except he missed. It wasn’t wise to mention that mistake.
Megan licked her dry lips. “We played right into your hands by taking the saddles from the tack room. Spray-painting the message on the wall was a nice touch. But who was responsible for the fire? And June’s car accident?” Her steps faltered. “The attack on Wade in prison?”
“All me. Dan helped me coordinate them, but after the shooting in the woods, I knew it was only a matter of time before you linked it to Skeeter’s death. The plan was to frame Kyle and Sheriff Franklin for the thefts and the murders. That way we could speed up our takeover of the sheriff’s department.” He shoved her again with the muzzle. “Where is the journal?”
“Just a little further.”
Please God, I know You are with me. Help me think of a way to keep him talking, give me the right words.
She chewed on the inside of her cheek. “You were the anonymous caller. The one who called the sheriff’s department to report Kyle.”
A smile stretched across Heath’s face. “Someone had to take the fall. Dan was supposed to drop off a huge shipment at Kyle’s house for law enforcement to find and then leave.”
Except Luke and Megan had arrived unexpectedly to interview Kyle, throwing the plan off.
“That was smart to set up Kyle.” She paused. “How could you be sure he wouldn’t flip on you?”
“Dan had already convinced Kyle he would get him out of any trouble if he was ever arrested.” Heath puffed out his cheeks. “But the truth is we planned to kill him after he was arrested. County jail can be a dangerous place you know. Of course, all of that went out the window when Dan was caught at Kyle’s.”
He scanned the woods and then glared at her. Heath’s patience was wearing thin. She had to stall him, but change tactics.
“The journal is near here.”
Megan stopped and glanced around as if looking for her spot. Her mind whirled, trying to think of a way to distract him and buy more time.
“Since Dan knows about the operation, he’s a liability. Surely you have a plan to take care of things.”
“You’d be right.” He chuckled. “The dummy ran straight for my house after he escaped. Dan’s tied up in a barn on the far edge of my property. Once I’m done with you, I’ll kill him. It’ll be framed like a suicide, of course.” He patted the rifle again. “This baby will be in his truck with him and the entire case will be neatly tied up.”
Megan’s skin crawled. He was twisted and sick. She parted some leaves on a bush, as if she was looking for the journal.
“And then?”
“Well, I’ve shot Sheriff Franklin. I’ll put out feelers for another sheriff, one who can be bought to look the other way. The rest of the plan will remain the same.” He chuckled again. “Once I eliminate you, I have a syringe full of barbiturates with June’s name on it. Everyone who is a threat to me will be gone.”
Heat rose in Megan, and her hands tightened on the branches. He wasn’t getting anywhere near her family as long as she had breath in her body. There had to be a way to stop him.
“How did June get Franny’s journal?”
“My stupid cow of a wife.” Heath’s mouth hardened and his eyes narrowed. “She thought she could turn on me. Karen was meeting with June at the mall in Woodville periodically. I installed spy software on my wife’s phone a long time ago. Amazing stuff. You can turn the phone into a listening device and I overheard their conversations. The last time they met, June convinced her tell Luke everything.”
“You put steering fluid in the brake line so my aunt would have a car accident while she was meeting with Karen.”
“Yep. I wanted to kill my wife too, but I couldn’t afford the attention.” He formed a fist and shook it. “I taught her a lesson, though.”
The implication was clear. He’d beaten Karen and terrorized her into silence. He’d probably been doing it for years. When Karen had gotten a glimpse of freedom, a helping hand from June, Heath had taken it away.
“After June’s accident, I locked Karen in the house,” Heath continued.
Yet, she’d used a prepaid phone to warn Megan. Did Heath know? It was possible he’d found out afterward. Karen had only called once. Megan winced thinking that Franny’s mother had been beaten for helping.
“Enough playing around. You’ve examined every bush in this area.” Heath raised the rifle. “Where’s the journal?”
She licked her lips, her gaze darting into the
woods.
“You’re screwing with me, aren’t you?” he snapped. “You have no idea where it is.”
Could she make a run for it? It was the only option she had left. Megan edged toward some thick underbrush. “I…”
“Don’t even think about it. You won’t make it ten feet.” Heath grinned. “I’m a hunter after all. Nice knowing you, Megan.”
A shadow flew out of the trees and tackled Heath with a fierce roar. The two shapes rolled across the dirt and crashed into a tree. A familiar voice let out a grunt.
Luke!
Thank you, God.
The slap of flesh hitting flesh accompanied another roll across the forest floor. Heath’s rifle was spit out of the fight and Megan dove for the weapon. She wouldn’t leave Luke to battle alone.
Her hand closed over the metal. She hauled it to her shoulder, thankful for the shooting lessons from her aunt, and placed her finger next to the trigger.
“Stop,” she commanded.
The men paid her no heed. Heath landed a punch hard enough to snap Luke’s head back. They went rolling again, a blur of fabric and fists. Megan couldn’t shoot Heath without fear of hitting Luke.
With a guttural growl and one swift movement, Luke whipped a knife out of his boot, straddled Heath, and held the blade to his throat. The other man froze.
Megan let out the breath she was holding and edged closer. Dark liquid coated the side of Luke’s face and stained his shirt.
Blood. It was blood.
“I’m covering you, Luke.” Her voice trembled. “Cuff him.”
He slapped the cuffs on Heath, before hauling the criminal to his feet.
Luke lifted the knife in his hand. The pearl handle glimmered in the moonlight. “June’s gift saves the day again.”
Flashlights flickered and men called out.
“Here,” Megan cried, putting the rifle on the ground. “We’re here.”
Half a dozen troopers swarmed. One took Heath from Luke and another collected the rifle.
Megan ran to Luke. She gripped his chin and turned his head. Blood was caked to his hair.
“How bad is it?”
“I’m okay, Megs.” He gently grasped her wrist. “The bullet nicked me. I passed out for a couple of minutes, but I’m fine. There’s a lot of blood because head wounds do that.”
He was there. Solid muscle and warm skin. Alive. Her body shook as silent sobs racked her, so deep she couldn’t catch her breath.
Luke’s expression went from concern to full-blown terror. His hands traced the line of her back, his gaze scanning over her.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
“N-n-n-noooo.” She sucked in a shuddering breath. “I saw you lying on the ground with all that blood around you and… I thought…” She gripped his shoulders. “I warned you. You’re not bulletproof.”
“Oh, babe.” Luke gathered her against him, rocking her, his hands running through her hair. “It’ll take more than a lunatic with a rifle to separate me from you.”
She raised her face to look at him, tears dripping off her chin. “I don’t want to be without you.”
His eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “You won’t, Megs. You won’t.”
Twenty-Three
Nine months later
In a few minutes, the first guests would arrive for her aunt’s housewarming party, and Megan wanted everything perfect. She straightened the picture frame and backed up to examine her work.
“A little to the left,” Wade remarked, pausing as he poured ice into a giant cooler. His eyes twinkled with amusement.
“Stop trying to trick me.” She swatted his arm. “And hurry up with that ice. You’re going to drip water all over the floor.”
Megan turned away, and a cold rush swept down her back. She screeched and jumped, pulling at her T-shirt. An ice cube clattered to the floor.
She spun on her heel. Wade was already backing up across the kitchen, his hands raised in surrender, but his shoulders shook with laughter.
“I’m sooooo gonna get you back for that,” she declared, stalking him, her own chuckles bubbling up. She grabbed a piece of ice from the bag.
June strolled into the room, her yellow dress fluttering around her legs. Her hair was styled and light makeup accented the flecks of blue in her eyes.
“Protect me, Aunt June.”
Wade leaped behind his aunt and used her as a shield. It only increased Megan’s laughter. Her brother towered over the older woman by three heads.
Megan raised her ice cube. “Come here and take it like a man.”
“Stop that, both of you.” June scowled, although it held no heat. Her lips twitched. “You’re acting like a pair of six-year-olds. And Megan, if you get water on me and ruin my hairstyle, I’ll be furious.”
Wade’s grin broadened, and he did a victory dance. Megan dumped her ice cube in the sink and, once her aunt had moved out of the way, sprayed cold flecks of water in her brother’s face. He scooped her up for a bear hug and she squealed again.
The doorbell rang.
“Put me down, you oaf, and finish putting the ice in the lemonade.” Megan kissed her brother’s cheek before he released her. “I’ll get the door. It’s probably Luke.”
“Thank goodness. I can’t wait for him to fire up the grill. I’m starving.”
Megan half ran to the door. She paused when the light reflected off her engagement ring and took a heartbeat to admire it. Luke had reset the original solitaire diamond in a new setting, and it was the perfect representation of their relationship. A foundation of friendship and love refreshed into something stronger and even more beautiful.
She turned the handle and swung open the door. Nancy and Hank greeted her with broad smiles.
“Come in, come in.” She stepped back. “Hank, would you like any help with those?”
“No, darlin’, I’ve got it.” He adjusted the grocery sacks in his hand. “Just point me in the way of the kitchen.”
“Go on straight back. It’s where the old one used to be.”
In the redesign and rebuilding of June’s house, she’d kept most of the old floor plan. There were some major improvements, like a spacious living room and an up-to-date office, but it retained the cozy quality that made it home.
Megan turned in time to see Luke strolling up the walkway. He was handsome in his cowboy hat and boots. She ran down the porch steps to greet him, and he caught her in his arms. Her heart soared as their lips met.
“Hello, wife.” Luke brushed his lips against hers again. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too.”
He’d been working for the past week on a serious case in a nearby county. It was the first separation since their wedding and honeymoon two months ago, but it wouldn’t be the last. Luke’s job as a Texas Ranger occasionally called him away, but his work was important and Megan was happy to support him.
“This place looks amazing.” Luke’s gaze drifted over the front porch and the flowerbed filled with sunflowers. “I love what you’ve done with the landscaping.”
“Wait till you see the inside.”
She tugged on his hand. Nancy already had a glass of pink lemonade and was getting a grand tour from June. Hank and Wade trailed behind the women.
“Gorgeous.” Nancy craned her head, taking in the high ceilings. “Every room is stunning.”
“Wade had a big hand in it.” Megan’s chest swelled with pride. “He was here every day, working alongside the contractors, to ensure the house was built to June’s specifications.”
“I couldn’t have asked for a better foreman,” June said, wrapping her arm around Wade’s waist.
He beamed. “Construction suits me. I’ve got another project starting up next week.”
Megan said a silent prayer of thanksgiving. Having her family together, and happy, brought her constant joy.
The oven buzzer rang and June grabbed a pot holder. “That must be my quiche.”
Luke leaned over and whispere
d, “Your aunt made a quiche?”
She bit her lip to keep from laughing. “It’s your mother’s fault. She read all those cookbooks and talked about recipes while June was in the coma. It seems to have rubbed off.”
The two women had their heads together, staring down at the quiche and talking. Wade and Hank disappeared to grab some extra chairs from the back of his truck.
“Want to take a quick walk with me before everyone arrives?” Megan asked. Her stomach was jittery and her hands went clammy. She let out a breath and willed herself to act normal. “The quick phone calls we’ve had the past week haven’t been enough.”
“I know. Let’s go.”
They ducked out the back door. The air was warm and balmy, the lingering rays of sunlight casting pretty shadows through the trees. In the distance, Cinnamon grazed. Luke took her hand, interlocking their fingers together, as they strolled across the yard.
“How’s your case going?” he asked. “Any progress?”
“Some.” Megan had kept her law partnership with Grace and expanded by opening a second office in Cardin. Business was better than ever. “How about you?”
“Caught the bad guys.” He grinned. “That makes for a good day. I stopped at the post office to pick up our mail and ran into Brent. He sends his regards.”
“How does he like being the chief deputy?”
“It suits him. Sheriff Franklin was smart to extend the position. I suspect he’s only delayed his retirement long enough to prepare Brent to take his place.”
Thanks to his bullet proof vest, Sheriff Franklin had survived being shot by Heath. He’d stayed on as sheriff and, along with the state police, cleared his department of corruption. Dan, Heath, and Kyle were all sentenced to prison, although Kyle received a lighter sentence for cooperating with the district attorney.
“Hey, I don’t know if I told you, but my dad is coming tonight,” Luke said.
Over the last eight months, Luke and his father had built a fledgling relationship. Time, Patrick’s sobriety, and a lot of prayer had gone a long way to healing their wounds.
“That’s great.” She kept her pace easy, even though all she wanted to do was sprint across the yard to the hay bales leaning against the barn. “Karen Dickerson is coming tonight too. She and June have become really good friends. Karen’s even joined the Bible study group on Wednesdays.”