CMM01 - Without Any Evidence Read online

  Just as they sat down to breakfast, there was a knock on the door. It was the Mexican police.

  “Señor Booth, there has been some trouble at your son’s office. It appears that he may have been involved with some very bad people.”

  “What do you mean,” Wade asked as he stepped back from the door to allow the two policemen to enter the foyer.

  “There is no easy way to tell you this. There seems to be evidence that your son may be dead. His office has been ransacked and it appears there was a fight. There is a lot of blood.”

  Wade slumped down into the chair that sat in the entry. Putting his hand over his face, he started to cry softly. “Are you sure it’s Jerry’s blood?”

  They weren’t sure, but they had each been paid enough money to make them believe anything they were told. “Yes, we are sure. We will keep looking for him and let you know if we find him, but I’m afraid I wouldn’t count on him turning up.”

  Carly stepped out of the cab at the resort as Ted and Julie were starting to load their luggage into the limo. They had decided to go home and wait for news.

  “Wait,” she yelled as she ran across the drive. “I think you may want to go with me out to Mr. Booth’s house.”

  “Why would we want to do that after what he’s put us through?” Ted asked as he opened the door for Julie. They were tired and they didn’t see how staying around was going to accomplish anything. They wanted to get home and meet with their lawyers to see what their next course of action would be.

  Opening the opposite door and leaning over the roof, Carly said, “Because, things have changed. I’ll fill you in on the way out there.”

  Ted climbed into the facing seat of the limo and closed the door. He opened the window between the back seat and the driver and told the driver where to go then closed the window again.

  “Okay, why exactly are we going out to the Booth ranch?”

  “Because it’s almost Christmas and Santa has just delivered a very special present for you.” she said almost laughing out loud. “Jerry has disappeared and the police think he may be dead.”

  She knew she should probably be acting more solemn since she had just told Ted and Julie Simon that their son-in-law might be dead. But she knew he was alive. She trusted Miguel and she knew he wasn’t a killer. She knew that whatever had happened to Jerry he would be taken care of, if not well, at least well enough. She didn’t know all the details and she didn’t know where he was. Miguel had made sure she only knew what she had to know to get the job done. She wouldn’t be able to testify to anything, even if she were ever called into court, which she was fairly certain would never happen.

  “What are you talking about? What happened to him?” Julie said with her hand over her mouth as if she was hiding a smile as well.

  “The police seem to think he may have been involved with some very bad people. His office was torn up and there was a lot of blood that they say is Jerry’s. They told Wade that he shouldn’t count on seeing Jerry again.”

  “How is he handling it?” Ted asked, seriously concerned about Wade.

  After all, Wade hadn’t done anything to them. Not really. He loved his son and his grandchildren and was only doing what a loving father and grandfather would do. Or at least that’s what they told themselves.

  The limo pulled up in front of Wade’s house and as soon as Teddy and Bella saw Ted and Julie they were out the door and running across the yard to greet them. Wade couldn’t help but notice how much the kids loved them.

  Miguel and Rosa were standing in the door of the house as Carly stepped out of the limo. She cautiously walked over the Miguel.

  “Rosa, this is Carly Malone. She’s the detective that has been working on Claire’s case. Carly, this is my little sister, Rosa.”

  They nodded to one another as people will do when they aren’t really sure what to say.

  “What’s going to happen now, Miguel?” Rosa asked Miguel pleadingly.

  “I’m not sure, but I think the kids should go back home with the Simons. At least for the school year. Maybe they can come visit us during the summer.”

  Wade agreed with Miguel. “Yes, they should be in Nashville.” As much as he loved having Teddy and Bella with him, he knew they should be raised with Ted and Julie in the states.

  Julie walked over where everyone was standing. She surprised Wade when she hugged him and said, “Wade, you know you are welcome in our home anytime?”

  “And we’ll bring the kids down to spend summers. Maybe we’ll even buy a home here and spend time here with them,” Ted said shaking Wade’s hand.

  Looking at Carly, he went on, “Detective, we can’t thank you enough for all your help.”

  “I didn’t really do anything. After I heard how wonderful it was in Santa Antonio, I just couldn’t resist coming for a visit. It was all just a fluke that it all happened at the same time.”

  “Well, whatever the reason for you being here, thank you.”

  Julie and Ted ended up staying for dinner and staying at the ranch that Christmas. No one talked about Jerry or what might have happened to him. They all had their suspicions, but nothing was said out loud.

  Miguel followed the Simons’ limo to the airstrip with Carly. They had invited her to fly back with them and she had accepted.

  Miguel slowly got out of his truck and walked around to open Carly’s door.

  Carly knew she’d probably never see Miguel again, so she decided there was something she had to know. She let her apprehensiveness go, she reached out to him as he stood in the open door of the truck. She pulled him close and wrapped her arms around him. Miguel put his hands on each side of her neck and face and brought it to his. They kissed for the first time since all this began. And it was every bit as wonderful as they each had imagined.

  “It’s probably a good thing that I’m leaving,” said Carly. “This could be dangerous for both of us.”

  “Well, I don’t know about dangerous, but it could definitely be interesting,” Miguel whispered. “If you ever change your mind and want see what could happen, you know where to reach me. You know, this town could use a good cop like you.”

  “I’m not sure I’d fit in with the police here. But I’ll definitely keep it in mind.”

  Carly, Ted, Julie, Teddy and Bella got into the plane and headed back home to Nashville and their lives. Julie and Ted now had two children to raise and Carly had a stack of cases on her desk that weren’t going anywhere fast.

  Besides, Bogey needed someone to feed him.

  About the author:

  Paula Underwood Winters is co-owner of Published by Westview, Inc. To find out more about Paula or either of these businesses, go to www.publishedbywestview.com