Keller County Cops Book Seven: Code of Vengeance (27 page)

Keegan glanced at him. "So it's done?"

"Yeah. The press knows." He drew his brows together. "Willa says they'll probably give us hell for a day or two, at least. Like they haven't already been driving us nuts."

"As soon as we get back to your house, I should go so you can get some rest." She turned left onto Main Street. "You look tired."

"I'm not." He rubbed his shoulder and winced. "Just forgot to take my pain meds."

"Oh, I see." With a frown, Keegan whipped the SUV onto his street. "Well, you should probably still lie down."

"Only if you lie down with me." Rick lifted his brows in challenge as she wheeled into his driveway. Luckily, no reporters lurked anywhere around.

She widened her eyes. "Really? You want me to stay?"

"Of course I do. We
are
engaged, you know." He pressed the garage door opener. Then in an effort to keep things light, he fired her a deliberate smirk. He really did want her to stay. She touched a place in his heart he'd thought was sealed up for good.

Her cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink. "Well, okay. I'll hang around for a little while, anyway. And I'll lie down with you -- but no funny business. You need your rest."

"You're right." As she slowly rolled forward into the garage, he gritted his teeth and eyed the car with the WHBZ logo that had just pulled up to the curb. "I do need to rest, because the shit's about to hit the fan."

Damn that Mindy Ravens.

"They were both inside his SUV when it pulled into the driveway. I'd swear to it," Mindy barked into the phone while staring at Sheriff Blaylock's tidy brick home. "Only... they're not answering the door, probably because of last night's report."

"I don't blame 'em," Maillet snapped. "But you have to find out if they're really engaged, or I'll leak the story about poor little
Cherry Delight
today."

"Give me a break, you jerk. Don't you dare."

"I'll do whatever I have to do to win this election."

"That's what scares me."

"It damned well should," he growled. "I'm your worst fucking nightmare. Now... knock on that door again and find out if they're really about to tie the knot, or else."

"Why would Willa have sent out that press release if it wasn't true?"

"Because she wanted a smoke screen. Something to counter that scathing report you aired. Hell, Blaylock's not that different from me. He's trying to save his campaign."

"All right. Fine. I'll knock on the door again, but don't hold your breath." Mindy gritted her teeth and ended the call. Her hands shook as she tucked her phone back into her purse. What was she going to do if the sheriff and his fiancée -- or whatever Keegan Riley was to him -- continued to ignore her? She had to find a way to get Maillet off her back.

The early June heat shrouded her in a blanket of uncomfortable humidity as she got out of her car and marched onto Blaylock's front porch for the second time this morning. Her knuckles were sore from knocking so long the first time and yet here she was again, making another futile attempt to get them to talk with her. She needed answers, and she needed them now.

"Sheriff, Ms. Riley... it's Mindy Ravens!" she shouted as she pounded on the door again. She used the flat of her hand this time, hoping to irritate them enough so they'd open the door.

No response.

She slammed the flat of her hand against the door. "Damn it, I know you're in there. Both of you! I saw you drive up and roll into the garage."

The thud of footsteps echoed from inside the house.

"I'm not leaving until I speak with you!" She rapped again, using her knuckles, and winced when pain streaked up her arm. Damn that Henry Maillet. She rubbed her sore hand. "We received your press release, but my producer wants more. He sent me here to question you about your engagement. Please help me... I
need
this interview."

The door swung open. Startled, she gripped the back of one of the white rockers flanking it to keep from losing her balance. Sheriff Blaylock put out his hand and urged her to come inside. She raised her brows in surprise.

"Don't you want to come in?" he asked in a sarcastic tone. "You've been pounding on my door like a madwoman for the past forty-five damned minutes."

"Yes, of course," she managed, still struggling to recover her equilibrium. Once she got her feet under her, she released her stranglehold on the chair and stepped past him into the house. Keegan Riley sat on the couch with her chin held high and a brand-new diamond ring sparkling on the ring finger of her left hand.
Damn. True engagement or not, they'd really gone all out.

Keegan came to her feet. "Good morning, Ms. Ravens."

"Hello, Keegan. Sheriff," Mindy replied, flashing him a fake smile and keeping her tone cool. "Congratulations on your engagement."

"Thank you." Blaylock stepped close to Keegan and slid his arm around her waist. "We're very happy."

"Yes, we are." Keegan leaned close and pressed her hand to the center of his broad chest.

Mindy dropped her gaze to the glittery piece of jewelry winking at her from the woman's left hand. "Wow. That's a gorgeous ring. You two must've gone shopping this morning."

"Yes, we did," the sheriff snapped, his stormy eyes drilling holes in her. "Except you already know that. You saw us at Hansen's, and then followed us back here."

"No." She scowled. "I just got lucky and spotted you at one of the lights on Magee Street. My producer sent me here to follow up on the press release Willa sent out today."

"Without your little flunky?" Blaylock glanced around as if searching for Bob or Paul.

Mindy narrowed her eyes. "Yes, I'm alone. I'm looking for fodder for a story, not an on air interview. I don't need a cameraman for that."

"The press release gave you the story, so you didn't need to come here," the sheriff said, a dangerous glint in his eye. "Keegan and I are engaged. That's pretty much it."

"That may be what you want everyone to believe, Sheriff," she threw out, her heart thumping, "but do you really intend to marry her? Or is your engagement merely a scam to help you win back the hearts of your constituents after that scathing story I aired last night?"

"Excuse me, Ms. Ravens?" Keegan dropped her hand off Blaylock's chest.

Mindy studied the other woman's tense body language. "You heard me. You two have only known each other for a few days. At least, no one I've spoken with has ever seen you together before the incident at the coffee shop, and certainly not out on the town. Going on dates, enjoying each other's company, falling in love."

"Haven't you ever heard of love at first sight?" Keegan turned to face the sheriff, and her features softened. Damn if she didn't look like a woman in love. Or was that lust?

Mindy smirked. "Of course I have. Love at first sight is one thing. However, marrying after knowing each other less than a week is another."

"We're not getting married
today."
Blaylock pulled Keegan closer to him. "In fact, we haven't even set a date yet. We're going to take our time and just enjoy being together."

"Why the need to buy a ring so quickly, then?"

"Why not?"

"Touché, Sheriff." Mindy couldn't help laughing at his smart comeback. "Still, neither of you are spring chickens. You've both been around the block enough to know you don't have to rush into anything."

"We're not rushing. We just know we want to be together, so we don't see any point in playing games. We're both too old for that." Keegan sent her fiancée a grateful look, smiled, and then wrapped her arm around his waist, too. They made quite the handsome couple. The older, worldly-wise sheriff and the pretty court artist. "Like Rick told you, we're going to take our time. We'll set a date when we're ready."

"How big an age difference is there between you two?" Mindy asked Keegan, changing tactics. "I mean, you and I have both mentioned that neither of you are fresh out of the box, but the sheriff turned forty on his last birthday, I believe." She turned to him. "Didn't you,
Rick?"

"Yeah, I did," he said with a dark scowl. "Not that it matters. Neither does the age difference. We're both mature adults, and we can do whatever we want."

"True." Mindy sighed. They had certainly erected a unified front. What the hell was she going to do?

The sheriff released his fiancée. "Why are you really here, Mindy? And why'd you do that vicious story last night? I mean, you've always had an aggressive streak, but this is the first time I've ever seen you deliberately trash someone's reputation using nothing but circumstantial evidence. You usually don't report
anything
until you have all the facts."

"I--"
Shit.
She didn't know what to say. He'd read her like a book, and she had no defense.

He stepped closer. "Someone put you up to this. Was it Maillet?"

"Thank you both for being so candid with me," she said, popping out the words in bullet fashion. She needed to exit stage left before he backed her into a corner. "I think I have everything I need, so I'm going to go. I have to get back to the station."

"Wait. I'm right, aren't I?" Blaylock grabbed her elbow. "Maillet sent you here to grill us. He also paid you to dirty me up, and you used Keegan to do it."

"Let go of me." Her heart in her throat, she jerked away. He'd hit the nail on the head.

Blaylock grinned, the action a veil for the flat anger lurking behind his eyes. "I know he's behind this. What I want to know is
why.
You make good money as a news anchor, so unless you have a mountain of debt, I can't imagine you needing the cash."

"I'm not going to justify that suggestion with an answer."

"Oh? Why, Mindy? Are you a gambler?" He got in her face. "Do you like to play poker?"

"I've never set foot in a casino." She lifted her chin. What she'd said was true. She'd worked too hard and been forced to do too many things she abhorred -- including stripping -- to get where she was today. She'd never jeopardize that by throwing good money after bad.

He backed off and studied her. "For some reason, I think you're telling the truth."

"I am. I had to work too hard to become a news anchor to wreck my career by showing my face in one of those gaudy dens of iniquity."

"Isn't that a little holier than thou?" Keegan barked laugh. "Please. You certainly don't hesitate to destroy people's lives on your news broadcast. To me, that's just as bad, if not worse, than playing a few hands of Texas Hold 'Em."

"We all have lines we won't cross," Mindy said, her soul bitter. She turned toward the door.
And that's only one of mine. I'll never strip again, either.
Or
sleep with that bastard Maillet.

Keegan folded her arms. "Even so, Rick is right about what you did. You have no real evidence that I did anything wrong -- maybe because I never did -- but you still didn't hesitate to rub my face in the dirt and use my connection to Dirk's murder to hurt Rick's campaign."

"What did Maillet promise you if not money?" The sheriff stepped between Mindy and the door, blocking her exit with his broad body. "Tell me, please."

"I want to know, too." Keegan crowded close to Mindy from the other side. "Hell, after last night's report, the least you can do is tell us the truth."

"Come on, Mindy. Spit it out." Blaylock's eyes frothed with intent.

Mindy's breathing quickened. She didn't know what to do. She'd been looking for an out, and maybe this was it. If the sheriff knew the truth, then perhaps he could stop Maillet from releasing the story about her past. If not, however, and Maillet learned she'd spilled the beans, he'd send her stripper story to every media outlet in the southeast, and that would ruin her career.

Keegan gripped Mindy's arm. "Did he threaten you? Promise to hurt you physically?"

"Or did he resort to blackmail?" Blaylock tilted his head. "Tell us how he pressured you."

"Damn both of you." Tears welled in Mindy's eyes as she pulled free of Keegan's grasp, and she dashed them away. Her whole body trembled. She longed to run for the door, but they had her hemmed in. Keegan had widened her stance and looked ready to fight. Hoping to catch her off guard, Mindy shoved her. "Get out of my way."

"Stop it." The sheriff caught her arm. "Just tell us the truth, and we'll let you go."

"Fine!" she finally shouted, sick to death of hiding her secret and covering for Maillet. Another tear trickled down her cheek. "He didn't exactly blackmail me, because that involves money, doesn't it? But he knows something about me -- something I don't want anyone else to know -- and he threatened to make it public. I had to go along to save my career."

"That's extortion." Blaylock cursed.

"What does Maillet know?" Keegan drew her brows together in puzzlement. "I mean, how bad can it be? You're a rising star. Smart, beautiful, talented... and with a good education and a growing resume."

"Ha. Don't let my resume fool you." Mindy released a caustic laugh. "Do you have any idea what I had to do to get that good education? How low I had to sink in order to drag myself off rock bottom?"

"Not really. Since your star rose so fast, I've always assumed you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth that resulted in a lot of connections."

"Either that," Blaylock added with a frown, "or you slept your way to the top. Is that what you did? Slept with someone to get the anchor job?"

"Hell, no," Mindy snapped, anger flying in to absorb the hurt racing through her. "I stripped to pay my way through college. At a little club over in Biloxi. I'm not proud of it, but it's a part of me now. I've paid my dues, damn it. I deserve a little happiness."

"Seriously?" Keegan's mouth dropped open.

The sheriff just stared at Mindy. "Damn."

A fresh spate of tears flooded the reporter's eyes, and she swiped at them. "That's right. I called myself
Cherry Delight,
and I was quite a hit for a while. Paid my way through college, and then I quit. Moved to New Orleans, impressed the folks there with my degree, and got a job writing ad copy. Later, I filled in at the anchor desk."