WANTED (7 page)

“I was, too,” Billy volunteered. “A lot of the boys were. But they wouldn’t have come here often unless they were going to my dad’s office. We weren’t allowed in the staff’s rooms.”

That didn’t mean it hadn’t happened. A lot of rules had been broken here. “How about suspects who weren’t residents? How many fit the height description?”

“Travis Weston,” Billy and Wyatt said in unison.

Mercy, the circumstantial evidence just kept coming. But circumstantial wasn’t going to hack it in this case, because they had volumes of it already. What they needed was to pinpoint a single, solid suspect so they could focus on stopping him.

She moved back from the Ranger, and both Billy and Wyatt followed her to the other side of the hall. “If that turns out to be Webb’s blood,” she whispered, “and none is found on the floor, then the investigator will likely conclude that the attack started in this room.”

Wyatt glanced around, obviously considering that. “And then Webb went to his office, where Sarah finished the job?”

“Maybe.” It was impossible to tell without testing both areas of spatter, something she was itching to do.

“There were traces of blood here on the floor.” Billy motioned from his dad’s office to the stairs. “It appeared that he was dragged.”

Not good. “The drag marks from his office could have obstructed or even destroyed the ones leading from Stella’s room to his office.” It was a wide hall, but two people dragging a body would have taken up most of the floor space.

Wyatt mumbled some profanity. “So, you’re saying that maybe Sarah didn’t have an accomplice for the actual murder, just someone after the fact to help her dispose of the body.”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. And whatever investigator they name could likely say the same.”

That, in turn, would implicate not only Travis but Kirby, too. Along with Wyatt and the majority of his brothers. Anyone could have helped Sarah drag her husband from the office and out of the building.

“There were no surveillance or security cameras, right?” she asked.

Wyatt shook his head. “And the visitors’ log is missing. Which points to an outsider. Like Travis.”

Kirby, too. But she kept that to herself. Wyatt already knew anyway.

However, Wyatt had a point about this maybe being an outsider.
If
the missing visitor’s log was indeed connected to the murder. After all, the children who lived there wouldn’t have signed in and out. But someone like Travis would have, and if he’d visited Rocky Creek at the time of the murder and if his name had been in the log, he would have made sure it disappeared. Which meant it wasn’t just missing.

It’d likely been destroyed.

“What about this tape or recording your mother mentioned?” Wyatt asked Billy. Wyatt turned to her. “Sarah’s been coming in and out of a coma, and she mumbled something about a tape.”

“Still no sign of it,” Billy insisted. “But she keeps talking about it. In fact, it’s the only thing she has said so far. She opens her eyes, asks me about the tape, and then slips back into the coma.”

That also got Lyla’s attention. “What specifically does she say about the tape?”

Billy lifted his shoulder. “Only those two words—
the tape.
”

So, not enough to tell them what the woman meant, but it had to be important for her to use what little conscious time she had to bring it up.

The Ranger’s phone rang, the sound shooting through the hall. Seconds later, Wyatt’s phone rang, too. And so did one of the CSIs’.

That put Lyla on instant alert, and she watched and waited as Wyatt looked at the screen. “Declan,” he answered a moment later.

She couldn’t hear what his brother said to him, but she had no problems hearing the Ranger. “Get out!” he shouted. “Someone just reported a bomb in the building.”

“It’s probably a hoax,” Wyatt added. But he took her by the arm and got them running back toward the stairs. Billy and the others were right behind them.

“The evidence,” Lyla reminded the Ranger. This could be an attempt to get them away from that blood spatter so that someone could tamper with it.

“I’ll secure the building once everyone is out,” Ranger McKinnon assured her.

They barreled down the stairs, with Wyatt still gripping on to her arm, but he stopped when he got to the front door, and he looked out. Only then did Lyla realize this could be a trap to lure them out into the open.

“Stay behind me,” Wyatt insisted, and he drew his gun.

He maneuvered them to the porch and then made a beeline for his SUV. The others scattered toward their vehicles, as well. However, they’d barely made it inside the SUV when there was the horrible sound that shook not just the truck but the ground itself.

The sound of the blast.

“Get down!” Wyatt ordered, but he didn’t wait for her to do that. He pushed her onto the seat and followed on top of her, shielding her with his body.

Lyla caught just a glimpse of the explosion as it ripped through the building and sent a spray of bricks and debris right at them. It pelted the SUV, but somehow the window held.

Cursing, Wyatt took out his phone while he kept his gun ready. “You need to get the fire department and bomb squad out here now,” he said to whoever he’d called. No doubt one of his brothers. “Someone just blew up Rocky Creek.”

Lyla lifted her head a little, praying that some part of the building was intact. And it was. But it wouldn’t be for long.

The blast had made a gaping hole in the center of the bottom floor, but it’d also created a fire, and it was spreading fast. The fire department could likely save some of it if they got there in a hurry. But the smoke and the blast would almost certainly destroy or compromise any evidence inside.

“We’re getting out of here.” Wyatt moved back behind the steering wheel and started the engine.

He spun the SUV around and hit the accelerator. Lyla looked behind them at the wreckage, and her heart sank. Not for the lost evidence, but for how close they’d come to dying.
Again.
They’d barely made it out of that building before the blast.

Wyatt hit Redial and then the speaker on his phone, and she heard Declan answer. “Who phoned in the bomb threat?” Wyatt asked.

“Anonymous call to the marshals’ service from a disposable cell. Did everyone get out all right?”

“I think so. Who knew about the evidence that’d been discovered?”

“I’m checking on that now. You’re thinking that was the motive?”

But Wyatt didn’t answer. His attention was fixed on the road ahead, and when Lyla followed his gaze, she spotted the truck.

Not the justice of the peace.

But judging from Wyatt’s profanity, it was someone he recognized. And didn’t want to see. His grip tightened on his gun.

“I’ll call you back,” he said to Declan. “Travis Weston just showed up at Rocky Creek.”

Oh, mercy. Travis was their prime suspect in this mess of an investigation.

Lyla studied the man, but she didn’t think she’d ever met him. Tall, wide shoulders, and even though his hair was iron-gray, he didn’t look old.

He looked formidable.

Wyatt brought the SUV to a stop because he had no choice. There were deep ditches on each side of the road, and Travis had parked his truck at an angle so they wouldn’t be able to get by.

“Stay down,” Wyatt warned her.

But he didn’t take his own advice. With his gun ready, he stepped from the SUV and took aim at Travis. “What do you want?”

Travis pulled back the side of his coat to reveal a gun in a shoulder holster. “Marshal McCabe, I understand we have a score to settle.”

Chapter Seven

The last thing Wyatt wanted was this confrontation. Yeah, he would love to interrogate Travis and force him to talk, but he sure as heck didn’t want to do that with a bomber in the area.

Especially since Travis or one of his cronies could be the one who’d set the explosive that’d been used to blow up Rocky Creek.

Wyatt kept cover behind the open door of the SUV, and he aimed his gun at Travis. “Why are you here?”

“A little bird told me this is where I’d find you. Since I didn’t figure your ranch hands would let me near you, I decided to take a little drive so we could have a chat.”

“Better make this conversation fast,” Wyatt warned him. “Pretty soon this place will be crawling with cops and firemen. And Ranger McKinnon will want to
chat
with you, as well.”

“The Ranger can wait. This is between you and me.”

Wyatt first checked on Lyla to make sure she was staying down on the seat. She was, though she had that look of terror on her face again. He hated that there was nothing he could do about it. Two attacks in one day weren’t going to give her any peaceful memories.

He tipped his head to what was left of the building behind them. “Your handiwork?” Wyatt asked Travis.

“Hardly.” If he was insulted by that, Travis didn’t show it. “I’ve got no reason to blow up things.”

“Really?” And Wyatt didn’t bother to take the sarcasm out of it. “Because I’d think finding new evidence would make you do something desperate. And you’re here. Makes me wonder if you wanted to see your handiwork in action.”

Travis shrugged as if he didn’t have a care in the world. But obviously he did, otherwise he wouldn’t be here. “If I was guilty of anything, I’d be desperate. But I’m not.”

“You sure about that?” Wyatt pressed. “Because it seems pretty desperate to me that you’d drive all the way out here just to talk to me.”

“I consider it a necessary chat. I’m here to tell you to call off your lawmen dogs. I got people digging through my bank records, looking for a connection to some idiot who apparently took shots at you.”

“Nicky Garnett,” Wyatt supplied. “But, of course, you know that because he’s your hired gun.”

“I haven’t worked with Nicky in ages, and he was never my hired gun. I just used him as a bodyguard a time or two. Call off your dogs,” Travis repeated.

“Not until they find whatever’s needed to put you behind bars.” In the distance, he heard the sirens. Soon, both Travis and he would have to get off the road so the fire department could get to the scene.

“Marshal, I figure it won’t be long before you’re a wanted man,” Travis taunted. “If you’re not already. And I’m not talking about your pretty face and how the women fawn over it, either.”

“Is there a point to this?” Wyatt snapped.

“There is. You bent some rules, huh? And the truth is, that so-called new evidence inside Rocky Creek was just as likely to implicate Kirby, Stella, you or any of your brothers as it was me.”

Wyatt hoped that wasn’t the case, but it could be. Especially Stella, since the blood had been found in her former quarters.

“If you’re not behind these threats, then who is?” Wyatt asked. “And don’t name Kirby, Stella or anyone else related to me. I want the name of a real suspect.”

“Hey, I can give you two. Sheriff Zeke Mercer and his business partner, Greg Hester.”

They certainly weren’t new names to Wyatt, and this wasn’t the first time Wyatt had heard of them being associated with Webb’s murder. They had already been questioned, of course, but there’d been no red flags.

“Why those two?” Wyatt pressed.

Travis made a sound to indicate the answer was obvious. “What better person to help cover up a crime than the sheriff, and Zeke was the first lawman on the scene after Sarah reported her husband missing.”

“But Webb and Zeke were close friends,” Wyatt pointed out.

“Friends don’t always do friendly things,” he mumbled. “The way I remember it, Zeke was mighty riled when he learned Webb was doing business with me.”

“Riled because the business was illegal, like gunrunning?”

“Or maybe just ’cause it was cutting in on the illegal junk Zeke had Webb doing for him.”

Wyatt tried not to look too surprised. “You’re saying Zeke’s dirty?”

“Hell yeah. I’m the one everybody suspected of doing something wrong at my own ranch, but doing something wrong is a heck of a lot easier if you’re wearing a badge.”

Wyatt huffed. “You want me to believe that Zeke set up the gunrunning at your ranch?”

He gave Wyatt a flat look. “Now, for me to admit to that, I’d have to admit I knew it was going on. And even if I learned it after the fact, I’d have to try to explain why I didn’t report it. So, Marshal, I’m not admittin’ anything.”

“Then you’re wasting my time.” Wyatt started to turn and leave.

“No. Not if you hear what I’m saying, and I’m telling you to look at somebody other than me. Trying to pin Webb’s murder on me is just plain dangerous. Not just for you but for your new bride, Lyla Pearson.” Travis’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah, I heard about your marriage already.”

“That little bird you got is awfully chatty,” Wyatt growled. And soon to be silenced, if Wyatt found out who it was. He didn’t mind the marriage news being spread around—he wanted that—but Wyatt didn’t want the same for Lyla’s and his whereabouts.

“I figure you broke a few more laws to make those vows happen,” Travis challenged. “Again, that’s dangerous.”

Now it was Wyatt who narrowed his eyes. “Is that a threat?”

“It’s a warning for both of you.” Travis turned to get back in his vehicle.

“The Ranger will want to talk to you,” Wyatt reminded him.

“He knows where to find me. I’ll be out at my ranch.”

“Tell everyone that Lyla’s out of this game,” Wyatt called out to the man. “She has nothing to do with this investigation.”

Travis stopped, spared him a glance. “Now, who would I tell that to? Just because you married her, it doesn’t mean she’s your wife. At least, not in the way that truly matters. And it doesn’t mean she’ll get a free pass on this.”

The man smiled before he got into his truck.

Wyatt wanted to punch that smile right off his face. But he had enough to do without adding a fistfight. Too bad, since he knew he’d win. He never lost fistfights.

Travis drove out in reverse to get back onto the main road. Wyatt had to jump in his truck and do the same.

“You think he set that explosive?” Lyla asked the moment they drove away.

“Maybe. Or maybe he’s just a jerk.”

Unfortunately, Wyatt might not even get a chance to question him. But Ranger McKinnon would, and Wyatt hoped the lawman was good enough to spur some kind of confession.

But there was another possibility here.

Billy.

Wyatt didn’t like the timing of the man’s visit to Rocky Creek and the discovery of that blood evidence. Had Billy known all along it was there, because his mother had told him? If so, Billy could be using it to try to clear his mother’s name and pin the murder on Stella. After all, Billy had said his mother might be coming out of the coma soon, and he wouldn’t want her going to prison for the rest of her life.

“What about the other two Travis named, Sheriff Zeke Mercer and Greg Hester? Are they really suspects?” She shook her head. “I don’t remember anything about them in the files I read.”

“Because there wouldn’t have been much to read. Webb and the sheriff were friends, and Greg Hester has been in business with Sheriff Mercer for the past decade or more. They’re cattle brokers.” And both very well-off. Brokering has made them rich men.

Unfortunately, rich men could buy hired guns like the ones who’d been out at Lyla’s place. They could also hire someone in the medical field to steal an embryo and make sure it got in the person who could do them the most good.

Even though Wyatt needed to keep watch, he glanced at Lyla to make sure she was okay. She wasn’t. There wasn’t just the fear and the adrenaline on her face this time, but no doubt the realization that she’d made a huge mistake going through with this sham of a marriage.

She drew in a long breath, then another. “Travis made it sound as if our marriage wouldn’t get me out of danger.”

He had. And Wyatt wasn’t sure what Travis had meant. But he’d find out.

“Keep watch around us,” Wyatt told her, and while he did the same, he took out his phone to call Declan.

“What did Travis want?” Declan immediately asked. “Are you all right?”

“We’re fine. He just told me to back off. No fists or bullets exchanged.” Wyatt didn’t spell out Travis’s warning, but Declan no doubt picked up on it. “He said we should look at Sheriff Mercer and Greg Hester. Anything come up about them recently?”

“Not that I know of, but I’ll check.”

“Thanks. But maybe Travis is just blowing smoke.” Or setting bombs.

“Is it true?” Declan said before Wyatt could continue. “Did you really get married to the new director of the San Antonio CSI?”

“I did. Her name is Lyla Pearson.” And while Wyatt needed to explain why he’d done what he had, he didn’t want to do it over the phone. “We’ll talk soon.”

“Better be sooner than soon,” Declan warned. “Stella and Kirby know. Saul, too. In fact, he was just talking to me about it when you called.”

Well, good news did travel fast. That was good,
if
it stopped the danger. Saul was the head marshal, and Wyatt’s boss, and he was also someone Wyatt would have liked to have told in person. Later, he was sure his boss would have a ton of questions, as would Wyatt’s own family.

“What’d you need me to do?” Declan asked.

Wyatt mumbled a thanks to his brother for not pressing him on the marriage details. Because there were plenty of other things on their plate. “Ranger McKinnon needs to know about Travis’s visit to Rocky Creek. He was there the same time as the explosion, which automatically makes him a suspect in the bombing. See if the Ranger will let Saul interview Travis.”

Saul was maybe someone that the Rangers and governor would trust to do a simple interview. That way, Wyatt or one of his brothers could observe and even feed their boss some questions. That wouldn’t necessarily happen if the Rangers ran the show.

“Billy needs to be questioned, too,” Wyatt added. Even though Wyatt had no idea why Billy would destroy evidence that might help his mother’s case. Unless... “Maybe you can find out if Billy had some kind of rift with his mother before she went into that coma.”

“I’ll try. Where you headed now?”

“The ranch.” Wyatt paused. “Lyla’s with me.”

“Good.” Declan paused, too. “Look, I don’t know the reasons you married her, but there could be a problem. Saul’s already gotten a phone call from the governor about it.”

Whoever was behind this had some serious contacts. Something that Wyatt needed to give some additional thought. “What’d the governor have to say?”

“Well, he wasn’t pleased.” Declan mumbled some profanity. “He wants Saul to find out if the marriage is real. And if it’s not and if you did this to somehow manipulate whoever will be doing this investigation, then the governor wants you arrested for obstruction of justice. Not just you but Lyla, too.”

Now it was Wyatt’s turn to curse.

“So, my advice is this,” Declan went on. “When you get to the ranch, you introduce everyone to your new bride. And make it convincing.”

Oh, that should be fun. Lying to his family while pretending to be a happy couple.

“The best way for you two to stay out of jail is to convince everyone that you’re real honest-to-goodness newlyweds,” Declan added. “Put Lyla in your bed and keep her there.”