The Lawman Read online

  Dexter nodded and patted Kyle’s shoulder with a gnarled hand. “Right.”

  Kyle looked at Leigh and Belinda. “You know, if Dexter was on the Enterprise, they could fix him right up.”

  “Kyle,” Joe began, “the Enterprise isn’t—” He’d been about to say “isn’t real,” until he caught Leigh’s frown. “—isn’t available,” he finished instead, gaining Leigh’s approving smile. Not that he sought that. God knows he didn’t care whether she approved of him or not. But there was no need to get into an argument with Kyle in front of this nice old couple.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Joe.” Belinda, plump and grandmotherly, had a musical voice and an angelic quality that would typecast her as a fairy godmother if such imaginary beings existed, Joe thought. And Dexter seemed like a nice old guy. Kyle obviously liked them, and Joe could see why. Kyle had struck out in the grandparent game. Joe’s folks were dead, and Darlene’s parents lived in a social whirl that left them little time for their only grandchild.

  “It’s nice to meet both of you,” Joe said. “I appreciate your making Kyle feel so at home.”

  “Funny things,” Dexter said, touching Kyle’s Spock ears.

  Joe braced himself for Kyle’s indignant response.

  Instead, Kyle giggled. “Dexter’s never heard of Spock.” He glanced back at his father. “I’m gonna have to teach him everything.”

  “While he teaches you how to make adobe,” Leigh added.

  “Right,” Kyle said, returning to his chair and zipping open his backpack. “Wait’ll I show you what’s in here, Dexter. All kinds of good stuff.”

  Leigh directed her gaze at Joe. “I take it we’re wanted in the main room? Chase said we’d have a little meeting when you got here.”

  “Just leave Kyle with us,” Belinda offered before Joe had a chance to ask. “I’m curious to see what’s in that backpack, myself.”

  “You’re sure he won’t be any trouble?” Joe asked.

  “Don’t be silly.” She waved him toward the door. “You and Leigh go talk about important matters with the others. We’ll be fine in here.”

  “Thank you. Kyle, I’ll be back soon, okay?”

  “Okay.” Kyle was digging in his pack and didn’t seem the least concerned about Joe’s whereabouts.

  Joe held the door for Leigh and followed her out. She passed close enough that he caught a whiff of wildflowers that made his pulse race. Was there anything about this woman that wasn’t desirable?

  “They’ll take good care of him,” she said when the door closed.

  “I have no doubt of that. It’s just—” He caught himself before he said anything stupid.

  She paused and looked up at him. “He’s very proud of you, Joe. He told us about all of your citations for bravery from the New York Police Department.”

  Joe blushed, which embarrassed him more than the mention of the citations. “He found them in a drawer when I was cleaning out the apartment before we left.” He damn sure didn’t want her to think he’d bragged to his son about his accomplishments.

  Leigh nodded. The corner of her mouth tilted up as she considered him for a moment longer. “Funny how such a brave guy can be so scared,” she said softly.

  “Now wait a minute. I—”

  She touched his arm, effectively silencing him. “We can hash that out later. Right now we need to get this powwow over with.”

  Joe wondered exactly what they’d hash out, especially considering the urges flowing through him every time he looked at her. As he followed her into the main room, he marveled at how his arm still tingled where she’d laid her fingers for only a second. If he believed in magic spells, he’d swear she’d put one on him. Darlene had often complained that she’d never known what he was thinking. He had the uneasy feeling that Leigh understood his every thought.

  When he and Leigh walked into the room, the other four were already seated, waiting for them. Ry and Freddy McGuinnes sat at opposite ends of a large leather sofa set at right angles to the fireplace. They weren’t looking at each other, and Joe guessed the bull-riding episode was still a problem between them. Lavette sat on the arm of an overstuffed leather chair, his arm possessively draped across the back. Ensconced in the chair was a delicate-looking woman with long curly hair the color of firelight. The baby asleep on her lap had a shock of black hair like Lavette’s.

  Lavette stopped talking to Ry as Joe and Leigh came in. “There they are. Probably been stuffing themselves on Belinda’s cookies.”

  From her seat on the far end of the sofa, Freddy held out her hand. “Hi, Joe. I’m Freddy. Sorry about the disaster when you arrived. It should never have happened.” She flicked a glance toward Ry, who seemed not to notice.

  Joe walked over to shake her hand. “I’m getting used to that kind of thing when I’m around your husband.”

  Ry glanced at Joe and lifted an eyebrow but said nothing.

  “I’m sure glad I wasn’t there,” said the redhead.

  “That makes two of us,” Lavette said. “Joe, this is Amanda...and Bart.” The loving tone he lavished on those two names told Joe everything he needed to know about that relationship.

  Amanda smiled. “I’d shake your hand, Joe, but my arms are full.”

  “No problem.” Joe looked around for a place to sit. All that remained in the fireplace grouping was a love seat across from the sofa. If he and Leigh shared it, they’d be quite close together. Across the room stood a table and four chairs that were probably used for card games. Joe crossed to the table, snagged one of the wooden chairs and carried it over in front of the fireplace. Turning the chair around, he straddled it and crossed his arms over the back. A quick glance told him Leigh had taken the love seat. A second glance confirmed the amusement sparkling in her brown eyes. Let her be amused, he thought. Let her consider him a coward. It was better than trying to concentrate on this meeting with her sitting inches away from him.

  Ry leaned forward, hands clasped and elbows on his knees. “What do you know? All six of us in the same room at last. This is what we’ve needed to get the True Love on solid footing—all of us working on the problem. Amanda, what’s happening with the rodeo publicity?”

  Joe tried to listen to Amanda’s detailing of media coverage for the rodeo, which would take place in ten days, but his attention kept straying to Leigh. She was toying with a crystal she wore around her neck on a black silk cord. When she let it go, it nestled into the unbuttoned vee of her Western shirt, a cool talisman against creamy skin that would be so warm to the touch...so warm....

  “What plan of action do you propose, Joe?” Ry asked.

  Joe snapped to attention. He had to assume they’d abandoned the rodeo topic and had started on the sabotage. Ignoring the laughter in Ry’s expression, Joe gathered his thoughts. “You realize I’ve spent most of my time in uniform, not playing detective,” he said.

  “You’re still our best hope,” Lavette said. “If we call in the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, we’ll stir up a bucketload of publicity. You’ve had more experience than the rest of us, so you’re elected.”

  A sense of excitement in the pit of his stomach told Joe he’d take on the challenge. There was a secret to be discovered. He’d complained to Ry about not wanting a working vacation, but after a long, uneventful ride in the car with Kyle, he could use some activity. The bull had taught him that. His pulse quickened as he started mapping out a strategy for catching the saboteur. “I’m not very good on a horse,” he said, “and whoever investigates should probably be able to ride, so he can cover the entire ranch easily. Can somebody help me brush up on my riding skills?”

  “Amanda and I can’t,” Lavette said. “Our plane for New York leaves in the morning, and we’ll be gone a week.”

  Joe stared at them. “You’re leaving?”

  Lavette glanced down at Amanda. “The timing’s not great, but we can’t put it off any longer.” He looked back at Joe. “We got married in a quick Las Vegas ceremony last month
, and Amanda’s parents are going nuts because they’ve never met me. That’s one piece of business. The other is settling Amanda’s job situation. She’s going to try and convince her ad agency in New York to open a branch in Tucson and let her run it.”

  “Freddy and I will have our hands full getting the arena built for the rodeo,” Ry said. “But Leigh’s one of the best riders in the valley. She can teach you everything you need to know. She can also serve as your guide around the ranch.”

  The suggestion was inevitable, he thought. No matter which direction he turned, there was Leigh, singing her siren song. She was right about his being scared. He had no experience with the kind of emotions she fostered in him. She was too poised, too beautiful, too sexy. The more time he spent in her company, the better his chances of making a complete fool of himself.

  “Don’t forget that Joe brought his son out here for a vacation,” Leigh said. “It’s not fair to expect him to abandon that little boy so he can conduct our investigation.”

  Kyle. Joe turned to look at Leigh. In the excitement of an impending investigation, he had forgotten about his responsibility to Kyle, but Leigh hadn’t. He couldn’t decide if she was taunting him with his insensitivity or shining a light to direct him. Either way, she was demonstrating her superiority over him. He gritted his teeth.

  “That’s easily solved,” Freddy said. “Leigh can teach both you and Kyle at the same time. He can go with you while you familiarize yourself with the ranch. We have a gelding named Mikey who is the gentlest, steadiest horse in the world. We’ll keep him reserved for Kyle.”

  Joe relaxed a little. Kyle’s presence would keep him from doing anything too dumb. “Sure, that’ll work. I wanted Kyle to see some of the country from horseback, anyway. I hear there’s bass in the pond. Maybe we can take a break for some fishing.”

  “That’s not a bad idea,” Ry said. “I’d like this investigation to be as subtle as possible. We’ve spread the word that you’re sick of police work so that the culprits, if they’re around, won’t be so suspicious of you.”

  “Oh, they’re around,” Joe said. “A mysterious cattle stampede, poisoned horse-trough water, a brushfire, booby-trapped corrals—everything you’ve told me points to an inside job.”

  Freddy laughed. “Present company excluded, of course.”

  Joe’s gaze made its way around the circle of faces. “At the beginning of an investigation, a smart cop doesn’t eliminate any suspects,” he said. He recorded the flash of angry fire in Leigh’s eyes, and he met it with steady assessment. The investigation had begun now, as far as he was concerned, and it might as well begin with Leigh. She had as much motive as anyone. As a good cop, he had to put emotion aside and admit he really had no idea what she was capable of. Yet.

  4

  RY TRIED to make a joke out of Joe’s statement...and failed. But after twenty years on the force, Joe was used to the kind of tension he’d just created. Unperturbed, he rose from the chair. “If somebody will tell me where Kyle and I are sleeping, I’d like to settle in there. Then I’m going back to the corrals and clean the glass out of my car.”

  “You’re in the John Wayne Room,” Freddy said sarcastically. “It’s the corner room on the front of the house. We took the double bed out and put in two twins.” She sounded almost resentful of the effort she’d expended on his behalf.

  Joe smiled to himself. The John Wayne Room. He might not be popular now, but if he uncovered the saboteur, he’d be a hero. Unless, of course, the perp turned out to be one of the Singleton sisters. That would be messy, but he couldn’t be responsible for the fallout. He’d been asked to do a job, and he intended to do it to the best of his ability.

  “I’ll show you where it is,” Ry volunteered as the gathering dispersed.

  “Okay.” Joe figured Ry wanted a chance to defend his wife and sister-in-law, and he wasn’t disappointed.

  No sooner had they stepped into the John Wayne bedroom than Ry launched into his protest. “Listen, Freddy and Leigh have nothing to do with the sabotage. I’ll vouch for them.”

  Joe leaned against the antique pine dresser set against one wall. “How can you?”

  “Because I know them, dammit.” Ry shoved his hat to the back of his head. “They would no more do these things than—”

  “That’s the kind of blind loyalty that muddies up clear thinking, McGuinnes. Didn’t you tell me some ancestor of theirs homesteaded this place?”

  “Yes, and I know what you’re thinking. They’d do anything to keep it from becoming a housing development. The truth is, they are doing a lot to keep that from happening. They’re hoping to make each of us love the place so much we aren’t willing to sell.”

  Joe’s eyes narrowed as Leigh’s sexual allure took on a deeper meaning. “Is it working?”

  “Well—” Ry scratched the back of his neck and glanced out the window. Then he turned back to Joe. “It’s a hell of a place. It gets into your blood, changes you. You’ll see what I mean in a few days.”

  “You mean, when Leigh’s had a chance at me?”

  Ry had the decency to look uncomfortable. “I’ll admit Freddy and I considered that you two might hit it off, but Leigh just laughs at us. She says a New York cop is the last man she’d fall for. Besides, you just killed your chances, by insinuating that she was a suspect.”

  “She is. So’s your wife.”

  Ry groaned.

  “Maybe you’d rather hire somebody else to conduct this investigation, somebody who’ll handle it the way you dictate.”

  Ry settled his hat over his eyes with a heartfelt sigh. “No. I’ll just get used to sleeping down at the bunkhouse until this is cleared up. Freddy has already suggested I might want to take my belongings over there. In fact, I think she suggested I sleep in Romeo’s pen.” He glanced at Joe. “I’ve invited our neighbor Eb Whitlock over for dinner tomorrow night so you can get a look at him. Now, there’s a suspect worth your time. I know for a fact he wants this place.”

  “So, we have your top hand, Duane, who needs the ranch as a continued source of employment and a place to raise his experimental herd. We have Belinda, who is fiercely protective of Dexter and wants him to live out his days at the True Love and we have our neighbor, Whitlock. Anybody else?”

  Ry managed a smile. “Would you believe a bushy-haired stranger?”

  “Nope. Our perpetrator is somebody very close by.”

  “I’d sure like to convince you that Freddy and Leigh are innocent.”

  “They’ll have to do that for themselves.”

  “They will. And for the sake of my marriage, I hope it’s fast.” He started for the door and turned back. “Let me know when you’re ready to go down and clean the glass from your car. I’ll give you a lift.”

  “You’re not going to con Leigh into doing it?”

  Ry grimaced. “After what just happened, I’ll be lucky if she agrees to give you a riding lesson tomorrow, even if she’s the logical one for the job. Besides, the more you’re around her, the sooner you’ll eliminate her as a suspect. But to be on the safe side, I’d probably better make up a list of the mean horses. Don’t let her put you up on any of those, or you’re roadkill.”

  “Sounds like this will be a challenge.”

  “That’s a slight understatement. Did I mention that these two women are quite...independent?”

  “You didn’t have to. I got the picture the minute I arrived.”

  Ry shook his head. “All this because of a freak elevator accident. I checked with a few people who know elevators, and that kind of thing almost never happens. With all the safety precautions these days, the odds against it are tremendous. If I didn’t know better, I’d say fate had a hand in it.”

  A shiver rippled down Joe’s spine. “I don’t believe in fate,” he said firmly.

  * * *

  LEIGH KEPT TRACK of Joe’s whereabouts for the rest of the day so she wouldn’t have to run into him. She wanted to abandon the riding lesson the next morning
, too, but the thought of Kyle kept her from doing it. She figured Kyle would be afraid, and she didn’t trust Joe to deal sensitively with that fear.

  So by breakfast the following morning, she’d resigned herself to spending a few hours in Joe’s company. Wanting the experience to get off to a positive start, she approached Joe and Kyle as they ate breakfast in the dining room. She noticed that Kyle had on a Star Trek T-shirt today and his Spock ears still poked out under the brim of his Western hat.

  “Ready for a ride, cowboy?” she asked him with a reassuring smile.

  Kyle looked up from his plate of scrambled eggs, and his blue eyes were troubled. “Hi, Leigh,” he said in a subdued voice. “You won’t make me go, will you?”

  She shot a quick glance at Joe. His expression was tense. “Make you? Of course not.”

  “If he’d just go down to the corrals with us, I’m sure he’d want to try it,” Joe said.

  “I don’t like the corrals, Dad.”

  “It’s the bull you don’t like, Kyle,” Joe said. “The bull will stay in his pen, right, Leigh?”

  “Yes. And Romeo’s normally very tame. It’s the ropes they tie around him that upset him.”

  “There, you see?” Joe pushed back his chair. “Let’s go check out those horses, buddy.”

  Kyle’s lower lip quivered. “No, Dad. Please.”

  Joe blew out an exasperated breath. “Kyle—”

  “Excuse me, Joe,” Leigh interrupted. “Even if Kyle decides to go, I can see he’s not quite finished with breakfast. I’d hate to take a cowpoke out on an empty stomach.”

  Joe opened his mouth to say something, but Leigh barreled on.

  “Do you know anything about engines? The truck’s making a funny sound. It’s parked right out front, so maybe while Kyle finishes his eggs, you could take a look.”

  Joe gave her a glance of disbelief but he got up from the table. “We’ll be back soon, Kyle.”