Cowboy Truth: Cowboy Justice Association #3 (36 page)

Helen had even been able to join them. Ava was determined to make sure Logan and Helen never lost touch again.

The woman had been right about the location of Logan’s mother’s remains. After an extensive search they’d found her by the lake where she used to meet Bill Bryson. After DNA had confirmed her identity, they’d buried her in a lovely grave at the top of a hill. Since then Logan seemed to be more at peace than she’d ever seen him. The demons that had driven him were finally gone.

“I just want you to be happy.” Logan’s handsome face was perfectly serious.

He showed her that every day of their lives. He’d even offered to move to Portland for her but she’d known she was doing the right thing returning to Corville. Her mother, especially now with all the family strife, needed her.

“It was your idea to even get married,” Ava teased. “I would have lived with you in sin.”

“You’re too much of a good girl to live in sin. Besides, I wanted you firmly tied to me. For life.”

“After what we did on our honeymoon, I don’t think you can call me a good girl anymore.” She tugged at his tie. “Speaking of being tied down…what are you doing later after the reception, bad boy?”

His eyebrow rose. “I have to wait that long? I’ll never survive.”

Sliding her arms around his waist, she smiled up at her husband. She loved him more every day. “We can’t duck out early. We have our whole lives to play bedroom games. Christina and Jack only get married once. Although I do think weddings make you frisky. You were like this after Tanner and Madison’s wedding.”

Logan lifted her up out of her shoes and laid a smoking hot kiss on her lips. She marveled at how he could still make her dizzy with desire as if it was the first time. “I’m like this every night or haven’t you noticed?” She had noticed, as a matter of fact, but she sure wasn’t complaining. “The wedding didn’t have a damn thing to do about it. I love you.”

He said it every day, just as he had promised. They took turns making breakfast and rubbing each other’s shoulders. In a few short months, they’d built a true partnership.

“I love you too. Can we go now?”

Logan laughed and tapped her on the nose. “Anything you want, good girl.”

It wouldn’t always be this easy. They were both strong people with definite ideas of how things should be done. They’d already butted heads a few times. But even when they disagreed, the love and respect they felt for each other never wavered.

Neither of them had been looking for love and forever, but they’d found it in each other. They’d faced the secrets of the past and found a truth all their own.

Deep abiding love.

Epilogue

L
ogan pulled into the parking lot of the roadhouse and swung out of the truck. It was the first decent spring day of the year and he sure as shit didn’t want to spend it indoors. As soon as this meeting was over he was heading straight home so he and Ava could take a ride out on the bike. Between work and the weather they hadn’t ridden for months.

Getting used to “writer Ava” had been something of an adjustment. She would stay up until all hours, barely eating and sleeping when she was close to finishing her book. He’d been compelled to step in and make sure she took care of herself and at first she’d been more than a little steamed. Once she realized he was doing it out of love things had been better. She still got snippy with him but she didn’t hold a grudge. Logan was learning when to back off as well. She’d get this wild-eyed expression when she was writing and he knew now to throw chocolate and step out of the room.

“My month just isn’t complete until I see your ugly asses,” Logan said with a grin. “How did I get so lucky?”

Pulling out a chair, he sat down and reached for one of the soda cans in the middle of the table. Everyone but Reed appeared to be there and before Logan could even ask about him he was flying in the front door, a harassed look on his face.

“Sorry I’m late. Shit, I need a vacation.”

“You never take a vacation.” Tanner slid a soda down to Reed. “When was the last time you had some time off, anyway?”

Reed shrugged and popped open the can. “I don’t remember. I never know what to do on my days off. What do you do?”

“Come here and meet with you guys,” Jared laughed. “Logan was just telling us how much he loves us. It made me feel all warm inside.”

Logan flipped Jared the bird across the table. “Fuck you, asshole.”

Griffin pounded on the table. “Can I call this meeting to order?”

“Let’s get to it,” Seth agreed, looking happy and relaxed now that the baby was sleeping through the night. Bennett Elvis Reilly was growing by leaps and bounds and turning into the cutest kid Logan had ever seen. He had Seth’s coloring and Presley’s outgoing personality. The boy would probably grow up to be president.

Tanner leaned back in his chair. “It’s been a quiet month for me. In fact we’ve had nothing but quiet months since the vigilante was caught. Logan, can you give us an update on the case?”

All eyes swung to him and Logan took a drink of his soda before answering. He’d had months to get used to talking about it but it still didn’t come easily. “They’re still pursuing the insanity plea although I’ve heard rumblings it’s just the starting point for negotiations to get the death penalty off the table.”

“I can believe he’s insane.” Reed’s brows were pulled down. “It isn’t normal to kill people with delusions of being some kind of hero.”

“He’s not insane,” Griffin snorted. “Crazy like a fox maybe. He hid his crimes. He knew he’d done wrong. I do feel sorry for him. He watched his father murder his mother. That has to fuck with you. I can see why he felt the justice system let him down. But he’s not crazy.”

That was a lot of words at one time for Griffin. He was compact in his speaking.

“After talking with him, I don’t think he’s insane either,” conceded Logan. “I think he knew what he was doing. He just needed to feel justified.”

Tanner scratched his chin. “Have you heard any more about the unsolved murders in Denver when Wade was attending school there?”

Logan shook his head. “No. They’re looking into him as a possible suspect. Not that it will matter even if they get the evidence and an extradition order. He’ll never see the light of day.”

Bryson Development had been sold to a large corporate entity to help pay Wade’s legal bills which were going to be ungodly huge. Logan had taken his share and donated it to the only battered women’s shelter in the county. He certainly hadn’t wanted anything to do with that blood money. Lyle and Aaron were planning to move their families out of town due to the intense publicity. They couldn’t go anywhere without people whispering behind their backs.

Ava would lose her sister but it was probably for the best, at least for now. Mary had been playing her parents off of one another and it wasn’t healthy for anyone.

Seth slapped Logan on the back. “You did good, buddy. With hardly any help from us. I kind of felt left out.”

“You had Presley and Bennett to worry about. You can help next time.”

“Kind of ironic that it ended up being you,” Seth mused.

“Did you think I wouldn’t bring him in if I caught him?” From the look on Seth’s face that was exactly what his friend thought. “I wish you had been there. All of you. This was a joint effort. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

Reed threw back his head and laughed. “You couldn’t have done it without Ava. She’s a damn good investigator. Good looking too.”

Reed was just trying to yank Logan’s chain. He’d taken a lot of shit these past months about being roped and tied. “Ava has officially retired. No more police work.”

“Does she know that?” Tanner chuckled, a smile playing on his lips. “She seemed pretty gung ho last time I saw her.”

“Retired,” Logan said flatly. “I’m serious about this. I don’t want her to get hurt.”

The rest of the time passed quickly as they traded information about some minor drug dealing before the meeting broke up. Logan had made it to his truck when a hand came down on his shoulder.

“You did good,” Reed said. “Just for the record. I always knew you’d bring the vigilante in.”

“Never doubted me for a second, huh?” Logan’s lips twisted into a smile.

“Not at all,” Reed assured him. “You’re a good lawman. Maybe one of the best. You always knew you’d bring him in.”

Logan had known it. Not once had it ever crossed his mind to turn the other way.

“It’s over now.” Logan unlocked his truck and pulled the door open. “I don’t know about you but I’m looking forward to things getting back to normal around here.”

Reed nodded to where Griffin was climbing into his truck. “No one more so than Griff. He likes it quiet and boring in his little town.”

Reed and Logan waved to Griffin as he grinned and backed out of the parking lot pulling close to where they were standing.

“Either of you in the mood to go fishing? I’m headed out to the lake.” Griffin jerked his thumb toward the bed of the truck. “I’ve got plenty of supplies.”

Shaking his head, Logan declined. “Sounds like fun, but I’ll have to take a rain check. I’m on duty today. But you should take this guy.” Logan slapped Reed on the back and his friend groaned.

“Aw, shit. Fishing with Griffin? Do I have to?” Reed was just busting Griffin’s balls, and the man didn’t appear to take any offense.

“Some fresh air will do you good. You can follow me in your truck.” Griffin gunned the engine of the massive vehicle.

“You need to learn to relax. Who better to teach you than the Grand Master himself?” Logan teased.

Reed flipped him the bird but didn’t argue as he climbed into his own truck, pulling it behind Griffin’s. As they sped down the road, Logan didn’t feel an ounce of regret that he wasn’t going with them. He had something much better to go home to.

Pointing the truck toward Corville, Logan knew he’d found the right balance between dedication to the job and building a life and family. He would always put the woman he loved first. It had taken him awhile to get here but now that he was, he couldn’t imagine living any other way. He was a husband and hopefully someday a father. Ava was his family. She’d kept her promises.

The End

Cowboy Command

Cowboy Justice Association

Book One

Sometimes you have to die to be born.

One minute Katie is eating lunch with her sister, the next she barely escapes a car bomb meant to kill her. If that wasn’t enough, someone sets fire to her home and burns it to the ground. Luckily, Federal agents are going to give her a new identity until she can testify against the man who wants her dead. They change her name to Presley, her hair color to brown, and her shorts and sandals to jeans and cowboy boots. She’s not thrilled about being sent to a small town in Montana to hide, but she wants to stay alive.

Sheriff Seth Reilly is doing a favor for an old Army buddy. He’s promised to watch over a woman whose life is in danger, but he didn’t plan on her being so young and beautiful. He’s tempted, but she’s a bundle of trouble. Seth likes his women calm and sedate. Presley is the kind of woman who would keep him up at night and make him crazy. Too bad he’s starting to enjoy it.