Son of Texas (Count on a Cop) Read online

  “Lencha, I’ve put up with your nonsense out of respect for Izzy. He was a good man, loyal to Silver Spur, but my patience is wearing thin, you old bat.”

  Everyone stood motionless, except Josie. She walked over and took the shotgun out of Lencha’s hands. “What are you doing?”

  “He needs to die.”

  Josie shook her head. “I know you love me, but this is not a way to settle anything. Please go home.”

  Lencha raised her arms, said something in Spanish, spit in Boone’s direction then stormed out.

  Eric led Boone to a questioning room and Caleb introduced Wes as the FBI agent.

  “Who the hell was that?” the agent asked.

  “Someone I love,” Josie answered shortly.

  Wes held up his hands. “Okay. No more questions.”

  “I’m sorry,” Josie apologized. “My family’s a little out of the ordinary.”

  “No problem. Got a few of them in my family, too, and I love every one of them.” He took a breath. “Who’s questioning Mr. Beckett? He’s not in a good mood.”

  “I’ll handle my grandfather,” Josie said.

  Caleb caught her arm. “You don’t have to. I can do it.”

  “He’s right, Miss Beckett,” Wes said. “It’s best if someone else does the questioning.”

  “I’m doing it,” she replied and walked out. She had to do this and no one was stopping her. This was between her and her grandfather and he was going to tell her the truth. But it crossed her mind that sometimes Boone’s truth was different from anyone else’s.

  As she opened the door, Boone was tearing into Dennis. “Your job ain’t worth squat now. Making me come down here like a common criminal. I own this town. I own you, you sorry bastard.”

  “In a good mood, huh, Boone?” Josie nodded to Dennis to leave and took the seat across from her grandfather.

  “You keep that damn witch away from me.”

  Josie nodded. “Lencha’s harmless.”

  “Yeah, right.” Boone leaned back in his chair. “Took my damn cigar. Agent has allergies or something. I want my damn cigar!” He worked his mouth as if the cigar was in place. Evidently the cigar was Boone’s comfort blanket—the only chink she’d ever noticed in his solid-steel armor.

  “In a minute. I promise.” She folded her hands on the table. “First, we’re going to have a talk.”

  “Now listen, girlie. I don’t know any Tracy Williams and I’m thinking of calling a lawyer.” He removed his big Stetson and slammed it on the table.

  “Do you want one?” Her eyes held his, knowing she had to give him that choice.

  “Nah. I can take care of myself. Always could.”

  “Okay. Answer my questions and you can be out of here in no time.”

  His eyes narrowed. “And you might be gettin’ too big for your britches.”

  Josie let that pass. “You own a deer cabin on County Road 249?”

  “Yep. Burned down little over a year ago. Been meaning to have it cleaned up but never got around to it.”

  She kept her eyes leveled on him. “That night I found Lorna and Mason in…”

  He groaned. “Not that again. You know, girlie, you can just keep beatin’ that ol’ horse, but once he’s dead he’s dead.”

  “That night I was angry at what they’d done to my father.” She kept talking as if he hadn’t spoken. “And all I wanted to do was get out of Beckett as fast as I could. I was throwing clothes in a suitcase when my cell rang. It was Tracy Williams. Her mother had called me a week earlier wanting to see if I could find her. Evidently Tracy was in Beckett to make a deal with a very powerful person and she was afraid for her life.”

  Josie paused, but Boone’s bored expression didn’t change. “Tracy told me where she was and she was frantic saying time was running out and begged me to hurry. Guess where she was hiding?”

  Boone shrugged. “Haven’t got a clue.”

  “On County Road 249 in your old deer cabin.”

  A shaggy eyebrow arched. “So that’s it. This girl was found hiding on my property and I’m somehow involved.” He frowned. “In what?”

  Boone hadn’t been told that Tracy was suspected dead. She decided to continue with the story, watching his expression and trying to judge if he was a very good actor or if he was telling the truth. With her grandfather, that wouldn’t be easy.

  “When I got to the cabin, it was in flames, but I could see Tracy lying on the couch. I didn’t know if she was dead or alive and I had to get her out of there. The flames were fierce and hot and I ran to my car for my jacket to cover myself. I heard a loud sound and felt a piercing pain in my head, then there was darkness. I woke up on a street in Austin not knowing who I was or where I was.”

  She took a breath, determined to get through this. “My head was hurting and I was so hungry. I started walking and a gang of boys stopped me and pushed and shoved me, laughing and taunting and trying to pull off my clothes. I screamed and screamed and fought back. No one came to help me, except these men in long brown robes. They quoted scripture and predicted hell and damnation for the boys and they ran off. When they realized I had no memory, they said they would give me a home and protect me. I got into the bed of an old truck and we left Austin and traveled to the farthest part of the Hill Country. To hell! You can’t even imagine the torture they put me through. Because my skin and eye color were dark, I was beaten with a board or a rope until I was unconscious and during the day they worked me until my fingers bled. The horror and…”

  “Stop.” Boone briefly placed a hand over his eyes. “I don’t want to hear anymore.”

  “But you need to hear it all.” She leaned closer. “Do you understand why you’re here?” She didn’t give him a chance to answer. “The person who killed Tracy Williams also shot me. Tracy was meeting someone powerful in Beckett. There’s only one person powerful in this town. You.”

  “My God!” He paled. “You think I shot you!”

  “I’m asking you to tell me the truth. I need the truth, Boone.” Her voice wavered and she hated herself for that weakness.

  He reached across the table and took her hands and she didn’t realize her fingers were clasped so tightly until he pried them apart. “Look at me, Josie. Look into my eyes—the same eyes as your father.” She did as he asked. “I would never shoot you or hire anyone to shoot you. We got off on the wrong foot mainly due to my pride and pigheadedness, but I would never harm you in any way. You’re all I have left of Brett. I know I’m crude and offensive and do a lot of bullshitting. Most of it’s just talk. I would never hurt you, girl.”

  Ever since she’d met Boone she’d never known if he was telling the truth or not, but now she did. Her father’s eyes looked back at her, clear and honest—eyes she’d trusted all of her life. As she trusted Boone now. He had nothing to do with Tracy’s death or Josie’s shooting.

  He squeezed her hands. “Josie.”

  “I believe you.” She returned the squeeze and dropped her hands to her lap. “But I had to be sure.” She felt as if a gigantic weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She never realized how the thought of him shooting her had disturbed her. Ever since she’d met her grandfather, there had been a very fine line between love and hate. For the first time she knew where Boone’s loyalties lay and maybe they could work on diminishing the line forever.

  Her grandfather hadn’t shot her. That filled her with joy for a moment, then reality returned. Someone else had.

  “Who used the cabin?”

  “Lots of people. It’s not part of the Silver Spur. Henry Batson’s wife died and all his kids had moved away. He was too old to ranch anymore and I bought the land from him so he could move closer to his daughter in Houston. Everyone in Beckett probably spent a weekend there hunting. It was well-known I let people hunt the property free. But in the last couple of years, the cabin has become so run-down that I don’t think anyone used it. Then it burned to the ground and I was planning to have it bulldozed.”
r />   “Could you check with the vaqueros to see if they noticed anyone on the property?”

  “Yep. Can do.” He frowned. “So this Tracy girl is dead?”

  “Yes. We believe she’s dead. We’re waiting for the FBI to confirm it.”

  Boone stood. “Think I’ll go find my cigar and a stiff drink.”

  “Thank you,” she said, also standing.

  He eyed her for a moment. “Sorry I made you think that I would ever harm you.”

  “Maybe we can try for better communication.”

  “Maybe.” He reached for his hat and walked out.

  Caleb strolled in. “I guess we can cross Boone off the list.”

  “Yes.” She sank into the chair. “You heard everything?”

  “Mmm.” He sat across from her. “I can see you believe him so I’m not even going to ask if you’re sure.”

  Josie’s mind was in a whirlwind. “The next most powerful person would be Mason, but I keep remembering what he told you—that he couldn’t shoot me because I’m Brett’s daughter.”

  “He wanted to for Lorna, so Ashley’s paternity would never be revealed. But from his expression that day I could see that he couldn’t. He couldn’t fake that.”

  “So there’s no need to talk to him?”

  “At this time, I don’t think so. Nothing in Tracy’s life points to anyone in Beckett.”

  “This still doesn’t make sense. What are we missing?” She tried to keep the despair out of her voice and failed.

  “Josie…”

  “Got something.” Eric charged in. “Tad Hoffman’s in a Corpus jail on drug-possession charges.”

  “Great.” Caleb got to his feet. “This could be the break we’re looking for. He might know who Tracy was meeting in Beckett. I’ll see if I can talk to him.”

  Josie reached for the list Mae had given her. “Eric and I will check out Tracy’s friends. Maybe one of them remembers something.”

  The afternoon was busy as they tracked down several people. Caleb was waiting to talk to Tad. He was in court and an officer would call as soon as Tad was back in his cell. Josie contacted two of Tracy’s friends and neither wanted to talk. With a little pressure all she got was that Tracy was coming into some money and acting strange. They said she stayed to herself a lot. The other guy on the list was in jail with Tad.

  As Josie worked with Eric, a lot of good memories surfaced, memories of their relationship. Besides being handsome, he was a good police officer, dedicated and loyal. He was also patient and understanding, just as he was now. Not pressuring her because he cared about her. And she cared about him and loved him. Warm, fuzzy feelings filled her heart.

  She glanced at Caleb, who was talking on the phone in Dennis’s office. She loved him, too. But it was different. How, she wasn’t sure. Then in a moment of clarity she realized she’d been holding on to Caleb because he was all she had. She needed him to get through each day. She needed that warm glass of milk because she was so afraid of the blankness of her mind and what it would reveal. With Caleb, she could handle it. But now she had her memory back and the fear wasn’t so great. Once they found the shooter her fear would disappear completely and her attachment to Caleb would be gone.

  Then she could concentrate on her future—with Eric.

  When she’d started the journey back, she’d never imagined that two men would occupy her heart. But soon she’d be able to let Caleb go. She prayed they’d find the shooter and she could resume her life.

  Without doubts. Without fear. Without Caleb.

  BY FIVE O’CLOCK they still didn’t have anything concrete. Caleb was trying to arrange a phone conversation with Tad, so he wouldn’t have to travel to Corpus. Josie decided to call it a day, wanting to go home and talk to Lencha. There wasn’t much else to do. It was all so frustrating. Everything hinged on a conversation with Tracy’s boyfriend.

  She walked into Dennis’s office. Caleb hung up the phone. “No luck?”

  “He’s still not back in his cell. The lawyers are trying to work out a deal in court. The officer said it should be soon, but he said that an hour ago. If I don’t hear anything in the next hour, I’m heading for Corpus.”

  “Not much use me going with you,” she said.

  “No. They’ll only let one of us see him.”

  She bit her lip. “You really think he might know something? No one else seems to.”

  “She lived with him so he knows more than the rest. Getting him to tell us could be a different story.”

  “I’m just so afraid we’ll never find the truth.” She couldn’t stop the tremble that ran through her.

  He stood and came around the desk. “The shooter is already nervous and soon we’ll catch him. It’s just a matter of time. I’m just hoping we can put this together before he tries again.”

  She knew he was right and he and Eric were doing all they could to catch this person. So she had to stay optimistic.

  “I need to go home and speak with Lencha to make sure she’s not planning some nefarious act for Boone. I’ll wait for you.”

  “That’s a good idea.”

  She glanced around the office. “Did Dennis leave?”

  “Rhonda’s been up with the baby and he’s gone home so she can get some rest. There wasn’t much he could do here with me commandeering his office. He said he’d be back in a couple of hours.”

  “With both of them in their forties, it has to be hard with a baby.”

  “Yeah. They’re having to adjust their lifestyle, but it’s clear they’re both besotted with the little girl.”

  Josie tucked a wisp of hair behind her ear. “I’m glad they’re happy. After losing one baby and having to give up another, they deserve some happiness. I remember we were planning to give Rhonda a baby shower, but…”

  Caleb put an arm around her shoulder. “Go home and get some rest. I’ll call you as soon as I hear from the Corpus police.”

  They walked out and Eric met them. “I’m going to Lencha’s,” she told him.

  “I’ll phone the guard,” he replied and quickly dialed a number. As Eric hung up, he added, “I’ll stop by later.”

  She smiled. “I’d like that.” Everything was happening just as Dr. Oliver had told her. She was rediscovering her emotions for Eric. And she wasn’t fighting it.

  Caleb walked out with her. “Go straight to the house and don’t leave without telling one of us.”

  “Yes, I…” Her voice stopped at the sound of thunder. But it wasn’t a storm. The sky was clear and sunny. Soon the noise became clearer. The thunder of hooves. Horses. Caddo and about twenty vaqueros rode down Main Street. Each held a rifle.

  “What the hell?” Caleb muttered.

  The posse stopped and Caddo galloped forward. Today he rode the paint with a saddle and he raised the rifle high. “Prima, need help?”

  Josie frowned at him. “Caddo, what are you doing?”

  Caddo flashed a grin. “Orders. Big PaPa says protect prima.”

  “Boone sent you?” She could hear the incredulity in her voice.

  “Sí.”

  Josie was stunned and very surprised that the Old West tactics warmed her through and through. But this was typical Boone. Her grandfather.

  “Caddo, I don’t think—”

  “It’s very good idea,” Caleb broke in.

  At her puzzled look, he added, “No one is going to try anything with these hombres guarding you, and frankly I like that.”

  Josie shrugged, not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth. Her grandfather’s heart was in the right place for a change. A squad car drove up and Josie walked toward it.

  “I’ll call you later,” Caleb said.

  She nodded and closed the door. All the way to Lencha’s house the posse followed. People stopped and stared. Cars ran off the road and she was very glad when Lencha’s house came into sight.

  Caddo galloped to her when she got out, the horse dancing around until Caddo spoke harshly to him.

  �
�No worry,” he said. “Caddo keep you safe.”

  “Thank you,” she replied and hurried into the house.

  Caddo barked something in Spanish and the cowboys spread out around the house. Josie never felt so safe in her life.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CALEB WATCHED until the horses were out of sight. He went back into the station knowing Josie was safe—for now. He kept going over the whole scenario and something was missing because not one clue was bringing the principal players together. Something had to connect Tracy with a person in this town. He’d keep looking until he found it.

  “Did I just see a groups of cowboys on horseback?” Eric asked, hanging up the phone.

  “Yes. Boone’s answer to protecting Josie.”

  Eric lifted a blond eyebrow. “Does Dennis know about this?”

  Caleb glanced at his watch. “He hasn’t returned yet. Must be having problems at home.”

  “Yeah. The baby’s been fussy lately and not sleeping. Rhonda is completely worn-out.”

  “My brother has two kids. Being a parent is a full-time job.” And Caleb knew that Jake and Elise loved every minute of it.

  “Yeah.” Eric picked up a pencil and twisted it. “Can I ask you a question?”

  Caleb knew what was coming and for a second he started to say no. His involvement with Josie was none of Eric’s business. But then, he had to admit that it was.

  “Sure.”

  Eric studied the pencil. “You and Josie seem close.” He glanced up. “What I’m wondering is how close.”

  Caleb met his gaze squarely. “I was taken with Josie since the first time I met her cowering in a hospital room. She was completely demoralized by what the cult had done to her, but they couldn’t destroy her beauty or her spirit. Once I gained her trust, she began the long road to recovery. It was a struggle for a long time, but I was there for her and helped any way I could. Her personality started to emerge. She loves to dance and she’s addicted to chocolate. Watching her is like glimpsing one of your South Texas sunsets—breathtaking with so many facets that you can never get enough.” He paused. “Yes. I’ve fallen for Josie, but I know her life is here and not with me. I only want Josie to be happy.”