by Jane Godman
Brayden smiled. “I know.”
“The words themselves didn’t make much sense to me. He said Richie better stay away from him and anyone he knew. Then he said if Richie was still in touch with his friend with the stones he should give him a warning. He said real cops never retire. That was why murderers always had to watch their backs.”
“That was it?”
“Pretty much. The cop walked away and Richie dragged me back here. When I asked him what it meant, he wouldn’t tell me.” She shook her head. “But he acted strange from then on. Scared but also wired.”
“Wired? You mean he was excited about something?” Brayden frowned. He couldn’t find anything in Jack’s warning that would fire Richie’s enthusiasm. Quite the opposite.
“Yeah. The next day, he said the cop didn’t realize what he’d done. He thought he could frighten Richie, but instead he’d given him an idea.”
“You don’t know what that idea was?” Brayden’s mind was racing.
“All I know is, from then on, he was never off his cell. It was driving me crazy. Every time I wanted to go out and get stuff for the baby, he was talking to some guy in Colombia.” Brayden exchanged a glance with Esmée. “I know, right? He should have been focused on me and the baby. It got worse when Richie’s friend turned up, someone he knew from way back.” The corners of her mouth turned down. “He scared the crap out of me. I mean, the guy looked like he’d escaped from the zoo.”
Brayden was trained not to show emotion during an interview. Even so, it was difficult to contain the exhilaration those words provoked. Determinedly, he kept his voice casual. “Did you ever hear this man’s name?”
“Not his real name. Richie always called him Neckbreaker.” She picked up one of the baby toys. It was an ugly-looking thing. A huge, heavy rattle that seemed intended more to frighten the child than entertain her. “He brought this for the baby, even though she hadn’t been born then.”
“I’d be careful with that when Venus gets older.” Esmée regarded the rattle with a look of horror. “It looks like it could injure her if she hit herself on the head with it.”
“I know, right?” Lulu grimaced. “I wanted to throw it in the trash, but Richie wouldn’t let me. He said it was a bad idea to annoy the Neckbreaker.”
Since she didn’t have any more information for them, Esmée handed back the baby and they got ready to leave. “Let me know if you hear from Richie,” Brayden said as they reached the door.
“I’m not going to hear from him, am I? We both know that, Officer Colton.” As she closed the door, he glimpsed the fear in Lulu’s eyes.
* * *
“Remind me to take you along if I ever need to do any lion taming. Lulu would never have talked to me if you hadn’t been there to soften her up by feeding the baby,” Brayden said as he drove toward the Pour House.
“I felt sorry for her. Bringing up a baby on your own can be a lonely experience.” Esmée looked around at the bleak buildings. “At least, thanks to my mother’s hard work, both as an example and the savings cushion she left me, I never had to survive in a place like that.”
“I think you’re doing yourself an injustice.” Brayden pulled into the parking lot of the bar. “You wouldn’t have let life pull you down the way Lulu has. Even if you had to bring Rhys up in a tiny apartment, I know you wouldn’t have let him live in squalor.”
“I like to think I also wouldn’t have exposed him to a man with a friend called the Neckbreaker.”
Brayden grimaced. “Just when you think nothing has the power to shock you anymore, you hear about two slimeballs whose idea of a joke is a nickname linked to the way one of them killed a security guard.”
Together with Echo, they exited the car and walked toward the entrance of the Pour House. Esmée looked up at the run-down exterior. “I came here when I first arrived in Red Ridge. I wanted to get a feel for Demi’s early life.”
“What did you find out?”
She hesitated for a moment. Even though things had changed between them, the unspoken taboo about his family was still in place. Or was it? “It can’t have been easy for her. For any of you.”
He gave a snort of laughter. “The exterior hasn’t changed much, but the interior has had something of a makeover since we were kids. Back then it was more an old-style watering hole and pool hall. Rusty’s idea of Saturday afternoons with the kids was to bring us here and sit us at the end of the bar with a soda while he carried on with business as usual. We weren’t allowed to step down from our stools in case we got in the way of the paying customers.”
Esmée thought of Rhys, of how hard she worked to make sure he had the freedom to run, play and explore. She pictured four little kids forced to sit for hours in a grown-up atmosphere with nothing to do except watch, listen and long for more. Her heart constricted. “I guess, even now, it’s not the sort of place you’d come for a family meal.”
“You guess right. The core clientele are still cowboys, a few passing tourists who’ve come down off the Coyote Mountain trail and find it ‘quaint’ and local traders such as the guys from the tire shop. And the Pour House has always been the go-to place for Red Ridge’s unsavory characters. It’s a well-known fact that, on a Saturday night, you’d best have one hand on your wallet and the other on your bowie knife.”
“Is Rusty an informant?”
Brayden pushed open the door and they stepped from bright sunlight into the darkened interior. “I ask him a few questions now and then. Only when it’s unavoidable.”
His voice and attitude spoke volumes. Brayden could turn the same spotlight he had used on her right back on himself. His own start in life hadn’t been the easiest. Having met Rusty, she guessed it would have been easy for his son to pick up the same casual approach to morality. Instead, Brayden had turned out to be the opposite of his father in every way. Clearly, Rusty had acted as a role model for everything Brayden didn’t want to be.
Her eyes adjusted to the gloom, taking in the horseshoe-shaped bar, the pool tables under their covers, the old-fashioned jukebox in the corner and the tables set around the edge of the room. A poster on the wall advertised a party room with a stage area and karaoke. Those Saturday nights Brayden had mentioned probably got pretty wild.
“Can’t you read?” Rusty’s voice crackled like sandpaper from somewhere at the rear of the bar. “We don’t open till noon.”
“I thought you said your door was never closed to family?” Brayden leaned over the bar and snagged two bottles of soda. He used the metal opener that was fixed to the wall, then handed one bottle to Esmée, before taking a slug from his own.
“Well, if it isn’t my favorite son.” Rusty’s cheery grin didn’t match the bags under his eyes or his graying stubble. He carried a giant cup of coffee and the smell told Esmée it was a strong one.
“If you’re saying that it must be because you owe Shane more money than you owe me.”
Rusty was unabashed. “He’s better at keeping a tab than you are.”
Esmée watched the exchange, reflecting that Rusty was one of those men who, when he was younger, must have relied on his looks to get him by. There was a resemblance between him and Brayden, but Rusty wore his masculinity as a badge. Strutting, flirting, preening...he tried his charm on everyone he came in contact with. Four kids each with a different mother? That was either carelessness or a desire to prove his virility. Possibly, in Rusty’s case, it was both. From what Brayden had said, he hadn’t learned from his mistakes when each new baby came along. Just patted them on the head and treated them all the same, letting their mothers do the hard work.
Rusty’s gaze rested on Esmée and a gleam came into his eyes. “You here to interview me about Demi?” His grin widened as he opened his arms suggestively. “I’m all yours.”
“I can see how worried you are about your daughter, Mr. Colton.”
Brayd
en made a choking sound. “We’re not here to talk about Demi. I want to ask you about Richie Lyman.”
Rusty laughed and made a walking motion with his fingers. “Word is he finally got up the courage to leave Lulu.”
“I’m interested in a man he was seen hanging around with before he left town. A big guy. Richie introduced him to Andy Coulson.”
“You mean the boxer?” Rusty shook his head. “That guy wasn’t just big. He was huge.”
“Did you get his name?” Brayden asked.
Rusty gave him a sidelong glance. “I’ve been in this business long enough to get a feeling for people. Sometimes you don’t ask.”
Everything they had heard about Roper Keene so far told Esmée Rusty’s instincts were right. She wanted to jump in with a dozen questions of her own, but Brayden was in charge here. Although impatience was eating her up, she had to leave it to him. Luckily, he was asking all the right things.
“Have you seen this man since Richie left town?”
“Yeah. He’s been in here a few times.” Rusty took a moment to sip his coffee. “I know what you’re going to ask next. Last time was a couple of days ago.”
“Did he meet with anyone interesting?”
“I know where this is going, Bray, but I can’t help you. The Larson twins wouldn’t soil their hand-stitched, designer boots in a dive like this. The big guy spoke to a few people. Some of them could have been Larson goons, but I couldn’t swear to it.” Rusty seemed genuinely regretful.
“Okay. That’s been helpful. Thanks.” Brayden finished his soda and placed the empty bottle on the bar. He made a move to turn away and then paused. “Do you have any idea where this guy is staying?”
“No, but I know one thing for sure. It’s not in town.”
Brayden sighed. “That’s what I thought. If he was staying in Red Ridge, I’d know about it. He’s unmistakable.”
Chapter 14
Before Brayden went into the K-9 team meeting he asked Lorelei Wong to set up Esmée in an office with a laptop. “Even though we now have a name for the suspect, it’s worth doing this search in case his image comes up in connection with another crime. He may use an alias, or there may be a facial composite on file if he is wanted but the police department who issued it don’t have a name for him.”
She leaned back in her chair, smiling up at him. “Tell the truth, Officer Colton. This is a babysitting exercise. While I’m in here, you know what I’m doing.”
He grinned. Casting a quick glance around, he leaned over and snatched a quick kiss. “You got me.”
He said the words lightly, but their meaning struck deep. You got me. It was true. He belonged to her. Completely. So much was going on, but he needed to do something about that. Like maybe tell her?
Brayden left Esmée and went into the meeting room. Most of his colleagues were already there and the last few arrived a minute or two later. The well-trained dogs, familiar with this routine, settled next to the seats of their partners. Finn Colton took up his usual position, leaning against a desk at the front of the room.
“Okay. We don’t have much new information on the Groom Killer case. Ballistics reports indicate the person who shot Jack Parkowski was right-handed, the same as with the other victims.”
“Same as Demi Colton.” It was the voice from the back of the room.
Brayden felt his anger rear up, but it died down just as fast. The thought of Esmée close by calmed him as much as Echo’s soothing presence. It was as if he had developed a new immunity to the Gage barbs. He would always defend his sister, but petty comments no longer had the same effect on him. Esmée and Rhys had brought a new dimension to his life. The thought sent a thrill of excitement through him. He had no idea what it meant, or where it was leading. He only knew he was enjoying it.
“Same as almost ninety percent of the population.” Brayden’s response drew a general murmur of approval from his colleagues.
“We do have another case that’s developing fast. Bray, can you bring the team up to speed on your investigation?” Finn stepped aside to let Brayden move to the front of the room.
Brayden quickly and succinctly outlined what he knew about Roper Keene and his links to both Jack Parkowski and Richie Lyman. “This is speculation, but Jack spoke to Richie about ‘his friend with the stones’ and Richie told Lulu those words gave him an idea. Soon after that Keene appeared in town. It’s possible that Richie, now working for the Larson twins, got back in touch with his old friend and told him he had some high-powered new contacts who could help him dispose of the Angelika diamonds.”
There was a general groan around the room. “Pinning anything on the Larsons is like trying to catch smoke with a spoon,” Nash Maddox said.
“Although Richie has been missing for a month, Keene was seen in town a few days ago. Clearly, he still has a reason to stick around. And he’s our suspect in the arson attack on Andy’s Liquor Store. We need to find out where he’s staying.”
Elle Gage raised a tentative hand. The rookie K-9 cop was the sister of Bo Gage, first victim of the Groom Killer. Unlike Lucas Gage, she didn’t express an opinion about Demi’s guilt or innocence, preferring to get on with the job. “This is about the attack on Andy’s store.” She paused. “I was wondering about something.”
“Go ahead.” Brayden was prepared to listen to any theory that could lead them to Keene.
“Andy said in his statement that Richie introduced him to this guy and they planned to torch the store, right?” Brayden nodded. “If it was a plot to kill Jack Parkowski, he wasn’t guaranteed to die in the fire. I wonder why Keene, who’d killed before, didn’t try a more foolproof method.”
“That’s a good point.”
Brayden’s mind raced through the details. Richie wanted Jack dead. Keene wanted a partnership with the Larson twins, who, if Brayden was right, were offering to mediate in the sale of the diamonds. Andy wanted to dispose of his losing business. Jack had been standing in everyone’s way.
Although he had never been able to find the proof he needed, Jack knew enough about Richie and Keene and their links to the heist to make their lives very uncomfortable. The Larson twins were always careful to avoid police scrutiny. If they were planning to get rid of the diamonds, they wouldn’t be happy if Keene or Richie drew attention to themselves. Yet Jack could have blown the whole thing wide-open with a word to the cops.
Why hadn’t Keene gone for his tried and trusted method of breaking Jack’s neck? Or use the gun they knew he had in his possession? Brayden supposed the answer to that question lay in the future Keene saw opening up ahead of him. Even taking out the cut he’d have to give Richie and the Larson twins, the Angelika diamonds would be worth billions. Keene would want to be able to enjoy his money without the possibility of a murder conviction hanging over him.
That was why he planned to make Jack’s death look like an accident. But he hadn’t needed to do anything. The Groom Killer had done the job for him. Keene must have been unable to believe his luck. But how did Esmée fit into all this?
Brayden was still pondering that question when the door opened and Frank Lanelli came in. Finn beckoned him over and the two men exchanged a few words. When the dispatcher left, the chief addressed the team.
“A 911 call has just come in from a couple of hikers. They’ve found a body in the woods near Lifeless Creek, at the base of the Coyote Mountains.” He turned to Brayden. “I want you to lead on this. The body is in bad shape, but indications are it could be Richie Lyman.”
* * *
Esmée did her best to keep up with Brayden and Echo as they exited the building at a run. “I know you have to do your job, but I don’t want to see a dead body that is described as being in bad shape. I don’t want to see any dead body.”
“I need to get out to the scene and we don’t have time to take a detour to Sarah’s house.” He cast a gl
ance in her direction. “You can wait in the car when we get to Lifeless Creek.”
“When Neckbreaker Keene could be on the loose in those woods? I don’t think so. I’ll be glued to your side.”
“Then you’ll have to be glued to my side with your eyes closed. Unless—” He shielded his eyes as a vehicle pulled into the parking lot. “It looks like the answer to our problems has just arrived.”
The man who got out of the car and walked toward them was tall and muscular with sandy hair and blue eyes. A corgi bounced jauntily at his side. When Echo saw the other dog, he gave a bark of delight and bounded forward. The two canines greeted each other with obvious pleasure. First, they bumped noses before progressing to the other end of the body and performing a thorough rear-end inspection. Then they ran around each other, jumping for joy and yapping like puppies.
“Can dogs have friends?” Esmée asked. It certainly looked that way.
“Sure they can. Stumps and Echo are best buddies,” the other man said as he reached them. “Quinn called me. She said something about dinner and cake, but I thought she must have the wrong family?”
Although Esmée had already guessed who he was, Brayden’s next words confirmed it. “Esmée, this is my brother.”
Esmée studied Shane Colton with interest. Although he had suffered the trauma of wrongful imprisonment, she knew the private investigator was on the payroll of the Red Ridge PD. Although he was only a year younger than Brayden, she couldn’t immediately see any resemblance between them.
Brayden turned to Shane. “I don’t have time to explain it all now, but Esmée is in danger and I have to head out to the location of a body.”