“No, I don't think Brooks is in on it, but I think he may be involved, only in the sense that he may be the key to solving this.”
“You'll have to explain that one,” Wyatt said.
“Brooks wasn't saying, Bo will be away all night with no alibi, this is your chance to get him. He was being very complimentary to you. But in essence, what he was telling the other person, if they chose to interpret it that way, was that you would be away all night without an alibi. I think you need to find out who the person was Brooks was talking to.”
The sheriff's eyes narrowed. “That's true enough, but what would make you think that? I mean, it's a bit of a stretch to go from hearing that to assuming this person on the other end would do this.”
“But that's the second time it happened.”
Wyatt was trying to follow. “Again, you'll have to explain that.”
“Bo, do you remember when you were teaching Brooks how to break a horse?”
“Yes.”
“I was in visiting with Patsy and the other horses while you and Brooks were out working in the corral. When you stopped, he brought his horse in and was brushing him down. He got a call that night, too. He told the guy what he'd been doing, that you were teaching him how to break a horse. He said he was so exhausted he was going to go take a shower and fall into his bunk for the night. He said you'd probably do about the same, if you felt like he did. There again, he was saying wonderful things about you, about how good you were at breaking horses and how patient you were teaching him. That was all I remembered about that conversation, until I overheard him yesterday.”
Bo was thinking it through in his head. “So hearing the conversation yesterday somehow made you remember what he'd said earlier?”
“Yes. The day after that first conversation I overheard was the second time you, Sheriff Culler, came out saying there had been a burglary. You told Bo it was a good thing he had witnesses that gave him an alibi.” She turned to look at Bo. “Brooks' words the night before came back to me. I remember thinking at the time that I was glad you weren't as tired as he was, because if you would have gone home and gone to bed early you could have had a real problem.”
Maria, who had made coffee and was listening to the conversation, added a thought. “Alicia, that's what was bothering you last night. You said something wasn't right, but you didn't know what. That was it, wasn't it?”
“Yes,” Alicia admitted.
“Then you had a thought and were determined you had to get Bo to go out to eat last night.”
“It hit me that the last time I heard Brooks say something like that we were all glad you had a solid alibi for that night. This awful feeling swept through me, and I had to make sure you had an alibi for last night.”
Bo looked at her with a look of surprise. “So you talked me into going to Rocky's on a hunch, basically?”
“Yes, but I really felt strong about it. I'm sorry if I shouldn't have, but what if I felt that strong about it and did nothing, then the sheriff came looking for you today? How do you think I'd feel then?”
“But you were willing to chance my wrath if this would have turned out to be nothing?”
“Absolutely. I didn't even have to hesitate. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I had this awful feeling and did nothing about it, then had to watch you being hauled off to jail and charged with something I knew in my heart you didn't do.”
“But why didn't you just tell me why you wanted to go out for dinner, instead of keeping it a secret, making me wonder and worry about what was going on?”
“Because I didn't want to mention Brooks' name if it turned out to be nothing. He's a good guy and I don't believe for a minute he has any idea what's going on. I think he's totally innocent in this and will feel terrible if it turns out to be whomever he was talking to. And I also thought you would defend him and tell me I was crazy and refuse to go. I had to get you into town and make sure someone other than just me and Wyatt and Kayla and Maria saw us.”
Clint came to her defense. “Bo, I'm impressed with her. What she did speaks volumes about her feelings for you. I think she's right, too, or at least I commend her thinking process. If she would have told you about her hunch, can you honestly say you would have thought it to be a real threat and gone into town with her?”
Alicia could tell Bo and Wyatt were both thinking about Clint's words. Bo finally shook his head. “No, I can't say I would have listened to her and gone into town.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Wyatt said. “I probably would have told her that was crazy, and forgotten it.”
“And Bo would probably be in handcuffs on his way to jail now,” Clint said. He turned to Alicia. “Like I said, I commend you for your quick thinking. You know your man and found a way to get him into Rocky's. I don't know how you managed that, but I'm glad you did. I have to ask you, though, why Rocky's?”
“They have more security and more cameras than anywhere I could think of. I kept hoping someone was noticing us or we were being seen on a camera somewhere.”
Bo grinned. “That's why you wanted to sit close to the dance floor instead of toward the back?”
She looked a bit sheepish. “Yes. I really much prefer in the back where it's quieter, but I was afraid the cameras wouldn't pick us up there.”
Bo smiled. “And that's why you were so chatty with the waitress, talking about her nails?”
“I'm hoping she remembers us.”
“And talking to the doorman before we left?”
“Again, hoping he remembers us.”
The sheriff had a big smile on his face as he looked from Bo to Alicia and back again. It was easy to see there were deep feelings between them. “Well, Alicia, I think you just made my job a lot easier. Rocky's does have as many security cameras as any restaurant in town. I'll get one of the deputies over there right away to see if they can find you on any of them. Do you happen to remember your waitress's name?”
“Sherri.” Bo looked impressed. “I wrote it down while I was in the restroom. I didn't want to forget it.”
Clint chuckled. “Alicia, have you ever thought of becoming a private investigator?
She laughed. “Need some help? That sounds fun.”
Bo quickly put a stop to that thought. “No, she's about to open a business in a couple weeks. She doesn't have time for anything like that.” All of them got a chuckle out of Bo's quick response. “Besides,” he added, “I'm not sure my nerves could take that.”
Now the sheriff had to laugh. “Breaking horses is fine, but having Alicia work as a private detective would be too hard on the nerves?”
“Damn straight,” he growled. He let them all have a good laugh, then got serious again. “Back to the problem at hand, do we need to get Brooks in here so you can ask who he was talking to?”
The sheriff shook his head. “Not yet. If he isn't part of it, he may not think the other guy is, either. He apparently is a friend of his, and he may call him and warn him in some way. We can always get his phone records if we need to, but for right now I don't want anyone to mention this at all, or at least his possible involvement. I don't want this other guy tipped off at all.”
Everyone agreed. He turned then to Alicia. “Do you know anything about who this may have been? Did you hear any name at all?”
“Not that I can remember. I've thought about it a lot, but I don't remember hearing a name.”
Clint addressed the sheriff. “You know I'm going to be investigating this. I suggest we work together so we don't waste time by both of us doing the same thing, and finding the same things.”
The sheriff agreed, and they planned their next moves. Clint offered the first suggestion. “The first thing I'd like to do is get a warrant and check Brooks' cell phone records. We have the dates of the two phone calls Alicia overheard, so if we check for a call with the same person, both in the evening on those dates, I think that's a good place to start. I can do that if you want, but I have a feeling you
as the local sheriff will be able to get a search warrant to get that information a lot quicker than an out of town private detective will.”
“I think you're probably right. I'll get the warrant, but I'll share the information with you.”
“When will someone share whatever information you get with us?” Alicia asked.
Clint had to chuckle. “As soon as your alibi has been confirmed we'll let you know that, for sure. Beyond that, that's up to the sheriff, but I imagine it's going to depend on what he finds.”
The sheriff agreed. “He's right. We'll keep you updated if we can, but there are some things we can’t discuss about an ongoing case.”
“I'll wait to hear from you,” Bo said. “I take it you should be able to confirm our presence at Rocky's last night fairly quickly?”
“We should have that confirmed by tomorrow,” the sheriff answered.
They talked a little more, asked a few more questions, and promised they'd be in touch. Bo saw the sheriff and Clint to the door, keeping his arm around Alicia's waist and keeping her close to his side. After they left, he turned to her. “Now, as for you, young lady,” he said.
The stern, serious voice he used had Alicia, Wyatt and Kayla, as well as Maria, all looking at him, eyes wide. “I don't know how to even begin to thank you for what you did.” He pulled her into a big hug and kissed the top of her head.
“You just did,” she whispered.
Wyatt saw the special look in both their eyes and decided they needed some alone time. He took Kayla's hand and led her to the door. “We're going over to Kayla's for a little while. We'll be back later tonight, after dinner, and talk. In the meantime, you two enjoy the evening.”
Kayla tried pulling her hand free. “Wyatt, wait. Where are we going?”
He tried to catch her eyes, but she was looking back at Bo and Alicia. He repeated himself. “Like I said, we're going to your place for a bit, but we'll be back later tonight and talk with them then.”
“But Wyatt, this is great news. We have lots to talk about. You never said anything about doing anything special tonight. Whatever it is, it will wait. Don't you see? There's a good chance the sheriff and Clint are on the verge of breaking this case open and Bo will be off the hook.”
“Yes, I do realize that,” he said, pulling her toward the door again. Bo knew what Wyatt was doing, and he gave him a subtle thumbs up that neither of the women saw. Wyatt nodded and practically pushed Kayla out the door. She was still objecting as they made their way toward his truck. Bo couldn't hide his chuckle when he saw Wyatt physically pick her up and place her in the truck. He reached across her and fastened her seat belt. When he talked to her a few seconds before he went around to the driver's side, Bo was pretty sure what kind of warning he gave her.
Alicia looked up and followed Bo's line of sight out to Wyatt's pickup. “What's so funny?”
“I'm not sure Kayla was ready to leave yet,” he said with a bit of a chuckle.
“Maybe not, but I'm kind of glad they left. I mean, I'm anxious to talk to them, but right now I just want to cuddle up to you and—”
“I know,” Bo said, interrupting her, “Me, too. And Wyatt knew that. That's why they left. He was trying to give us a little time alone to enjoy the moment.”
“And she didn't know that. Maybe I should call her and tell her why he made them leave.”
“No, you won't, either,” he said. “A couple needs to learn how to get each other's attention and work things like this out between themselves. I wouldn't want them interfering in our relationship, and I won't allow you to interfere in theirs.”
“I guess I won't, if you put it that way. I never thought of it as interfering.”
He picked her up and carried her to the couch, where he sat down and settled her onto his lap. “Honey, I need to tell you something. I'm very impressed with your detective work, and I owe you many thanks for talking me into going to Rocky's last night. But what touched my heart the most is how you got me there.”
She knew what he was talking about right away. “I had to, Bo. I love you.”
“You've proven that to me,” he said softly, with a kiss to her head as he hugged her close to him. “You didn't know that phone call was related to this whole mess.”
“No, but I couldn't take the chance that it wasn't, either.”
“I think we both learned something today about trust.”
“I know. I was thinking the same thing. I'd trust you with my life, but in a way it's harder to trust you with smaller things that don't seem as important. Now I see how important that is. I'm so glad you trusted me last night.”
“I am, too. You're right, though. It's very important that we both trust each other more, no matter how unimportant it may seem at the time.”
She nodded her head as she leaned against his chest. After a couple minutes of simply enjoying each other, he lifted her chin so she was looking at him. “Again, thank you, Alicia. I love you.” He moved his hand to the back of her neck so he could gently hold her while his lips met hers in a kiss that demonstrated his love for her.
* * *
Wyatt got in his pickup and headed out the lane. Kayla was upset, and he knew it. He tried to explain his actions before the situation got out of hand. “Kayla, I felt it was important to—”
“You thought. Did it ever occur to you that I might think, too? I think that was extremely rude. You never said anything about going to my place before. Don't you think it would have been nice to stay and congratulate them, tell them we're happy that this is about over? Isn't that what friends would do?”
Wyatt answered in an eerily soft and calm voice. “No, I don't think so. I think what they needed right then was for—”
“Well, I do. I think it was rude of us to leave without talking to them.”
Wyatt was still talking in a quiet, but authoritative tone. “Kayla, stop and listen to me for a minute.”
“I don't care how much you think you're right, I disagree.”
“You don't really know what I think because you haven't let me get it out yet. I'm warning you right now, listen to what I'm trying to tell you, or you'll be listening to what I've been trying to tell you while sitting on a sore bottom.”
“Oh, you're going to bully me now? I have to see things your way or you'll—”
“Kayla!” His loud voice instantly silenced her.
“I know you're becoming upset at work and you had a bad week. I'm sorry about that, and I even understand how that can affect your attitude. I will support you in any way I can, but bad week or not, I will not allow this kind of attitude. You haven't even stopped complaining long enough to hear what I've been trying to tell you.”
“Sorry.”
“Are you ready to listen now, or would you like to argue a little more? If you prefer that, go ahead. We'll get your spanking over with sooner rather than later, but you'll be sitting on a sore butt while you listen to what I've been trying to tell you.”
Her eyes opened wide. “Sooner rather than later?”
“Yes. You earned a spanking when I told you to stop arguing and listen to me or you'd be doing it on a sore bottom. Now, it's your choice. Would you rather have it now, or after we talk?”
“After we talk there won't be a need for one, when we discover it was all a misunderstanding. I don't know what could be so important that would make it okay to leave our friends right then, but maybe there's something I missed. So let's talk first. Then after we sort out the misunderstanding, there won't be a need for anything further.”
“Unbelievable,” he muttered as he pulled her over his lap. He had her jeans unfastened and down to her knees before she had a chance to comprehend what was happening and find her voice.
“Hey, you can't do that,” she yelled as he pulled her panties down to join her jeans.
“I don't know why you'd think I can't do it,” he said. “I already did it, and it wasn't even too difficult, although your hand grabbing for them didn't make it any eas
ier.” He laid his hand on her bare bottom. “Now, maybe instead of talking first we should do them both at the same time. Maybe then I'll be able to get your attention and you'll listen to me.”
He started the spanking, and she immediately started yelling. “No. No, I'll listen now. I'm sorry. I didn't know you wanted me to listen.”
“Unbelievable again,” he said a bit louder this time. “What has gotten into you tonight, Kayla? You fight everything I do tonight, won't listen when I try to explain something to you, and now here you are, over my knee getting your bottom spanked, and you decide lying to me would be a good thing to do? Lying to me is never a good thing to do, and you know that, don't you?”
He stopped spanking her long enough to give her a chance to answer him. When he didn't get an answer, he gave her two harder smacks, both on her sit spots. She immediately responded. “Ow! No, stop.” She tried to wriggle off his lap, but he held her down firmly.
“Are you going to answer me or should I give you the rest of your spanking there?” He gave her a few moments to respond, then started spanking again, using firm strokes, all to her tender sit spots.
It didn't take long for her to start yelling, and shortly afterwards, crying. Once she was crying, which he knew meant she was finally able to release the stress she had in her, he spoke again. “Kayla, I'm still waiting for an answer. You know lying to me is never a good thing to do, don't you?”
This time she answered right away. “Yes. I'm sorry.”
He stopped the spanking, but kept his hand on her bare, and now very warm, bottom. “Then why did you tell me you didn't know I wanted you to listen to me? I told you to listen or you'd have a sore bottom.”
“I don't know. I really don't. But I'm sorry, and I'm ready to listen to you.”
“Kayla, we're going to finish this spanking in a minute, but there's one more thing we need to discuss while I have you here, and I want you to listen to me this time. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
She answered so softly he hardly heard her, but at least he knew he indeed had her attention now. “Kayla, I have a feeling your attitude tonight stems from your work, and your unhappiness there. I understand that, but like I said, I won't allow it. It's harmful for you, and for our relationship. If you're upset about something like that you need to come to me. Tell me about it. We'll talk about it. I may be able to do something to help you. Even if I can't, talking to me about it, sharing it will help. Not coming to me and talking about it will probably result in your attitude staying what it is, at least until it ends right here again, with you over my lap getting a spanking. Do you hear what I'm saying?”
Life at the Ranch Page 16