For Love & Bourbon (26 page)

A darkness crept into his eyes. “My thoughts exactly. And the sheriff’s too, for that matter. Marco’s filling him in on the IRA situation as we speak.”

Ava paled, but stood firm. “This has to be Ned’s doing. He wants to punish my father.”

He thought of the email, and it only steeled his resolve. “I believe so, yes.”

“So what’s the FBI gonna do about it? What’s to stop Ned from going after my brother or my grandfather?”

Or you, Cooper thought, but knew she would never worry about her own safety. “Your mother’s cell phone was stolen with her purse. We’ll start by tracking it with GPS and see if we can find out where it’s been taken. If we’re lucky, it’ll lead us straight to the killer.”

“If he’s stupid and doesn’t trash the phone,” Ava retorted, wrapping her arms over her torso. “Look, I don’t know if it means anything or not as she was pretty delirious, but Mama warned me to stay away from my father right before she died. I think she had an idea of what he was involved in. His dealings with Ned could be what got her killed, and she knew it.”

Cooper sighed. “I need to speak to your dad, see if he’ll admit to being involved with Ned.”

“And if he doesn’t?” Her voice broke as a shiver raced over her skin. “He’s lied before, what’s to stop him from lying now?”

“Someone close to him wasn’t dead before,” he countered. He hated himself when he saw those tears come back into her eyes. “Christ, I’m sorry. Come here.”

As he wrapped her in his arms, he pledged a silent vow to get retribution. The case had already become a personal one for him, but now it was tenfold. He knew Ava’s pain better than she could understand, and nothing was going to stop him from hunting down the man behind her mother’s murder.

“WAIT A
minute. Let me make sure I got this.” Cooper stared down at Beau, seriously losing his patience. “We gave you Intel on Ty’s connection to the IRA—including that email—to help aid your investigation into Sandra Brannon’s murder and now you’re telling us it actually
was
just a robbery?”

Beau’s neck flushed as his eyes shifted back and forth between Cooper and Marco. They stood inside the Sheriff’s station, a humble brick building in the heart of town. Inside the station was just as modest, with gray linoleum floors and cluttered metal desks.

“I don’t know what to tell you,” Beau told him flatly. “We apprehended a man just outside of town matching the description of the assailant. His driver’s license lists his address as a place on the outskirts of Louisville and he has a rap sheet a mile long full of robbery and assault charges. It’s likely he was traveling through and needed some quick cash and things got out of hand. He’s being questioned as we speak.”

“What about the weapon?” Cooper demanded, certain they had the wrong man.

“He probably tossed it somewhere along the way.”

Marco’s eyes narrowed. “Well, we need to speak to him before you jump to any conclusions.”

Beau shook his head. “He’s my suspect, and this is my case. I’ll handle it.”

Cooper threw up his hands, frustrated. “So why the hell did you come to us, then? If that man in there is the one who shot Mrs. Brannon, then he must be connected to the IRA somehow which makes it my case, not yours. So either you let me in there to speak to him, or I make trouble for you and trust me, you’re not gonna like it.”

It surprised Cooper to see a flicker of doubt and hesitation darken Beau’s face. His eyes darted around the room for a second before he spoke, his voice lowered. “Do what you want, fellas, but my hands are tied. What I personally believe happened doesn’t matter anymore.”

“What are you talking about?” Cooper asked.

Beau only stepped back, holding up his hands in a show of peace. “I’m sorry. I got an investigation to wrap up.”

Cooper stared daggers into his back as he walked away. Marco nudged him with an elbow before leading the way out of the station.

Once back inside their sedan, Cooper immediately grabbed his phone and dialed Horvath. He needed the full weight of the FBI for this one. Come hell or high water, he was going to talk to that suspect.

Horvath answered on the third ring, sounding agitated. “
What is it?
”

“Sandra Brannon is dead,” Cooper informed him, his gut churning uncomfortably.

“
I know.
” Horvath sighed. “
It’s a real shame.
”

“They’re claiming it was a robbery, but my gut tells me otherwise. Remember that email Ty got? It must’ve been referring to his wife. We just didn’t realize it until it was too late.”

“
It looks like a pretty clear cut robbery to me. And there’s no proof that email even came from Ned, kid. Don’t jump the shark here.
”

“Wait, what?” Cooper shot Marco a stunned look. “You can’t be serious.”

“
This is all just an unfortunate tragedy. I don’t want you getting involved—let the local boys handle this one. Keep your focus on the rest of the Brannon family. Especially Ty.
”

Cooper rubbed his temple, not believing what he was hearing. “You want me to believe that this is all just a coincidence? That Brannon’s wife being murdered has nothing to do with Ned?”

“
That’s exactly what I’m saying. Now let it go. Stay put and wait for further instruction.
”

Horvath hung up before Cooper could respond. He set aside the phone, then slammed his hands against the steering wheel.

Marco shook his head. “We both had a feeling this thing goes higher up. I think we just got our answer.”

Cooper scowled. “They got to the goddamn sheriff, who came to us because he
knew
something was off, and now we’re being given orders to stand down. What the hell is going on here?”

“Something bigger than us, buddy.” Marco patted him on the shoulder, mustering up a sad smile. “Look, I hate the injustice of it as much as you do, but we gotta trust Horvath. If they’re manipulating this thing to look like something it isn’t, then there must be a good reason for it. Who are we to stand in the way of that?”

“The least they could do is fill us in.” Cooper let out a rush of breath and brushed back his hair. “Then I wouldn’t feel so helpless. What am I going to tell Ava?”

“Sometimes these things are on a need-to-know basis, and unfortunately we’re pretty low on the totem pole.” Marco stared out the windshield, looking pensive. “And as far as Ava’s concerned…tread lightly there, Coop. Ask yourself if she’s worth losing your career over.”

Cooper eyed his partner angrily. “That’s not what you said a week ago.”

“Her mother wasn’t assassinated by the IRA a week ago,” Marco reminded him. “All I’m saying is she’s going to expect you to work a miracle, and unfortunately your hands are just as tied as the sheriff’s in there.”

“Her mother warned her that Ty was dangerous,” Cooper told him, recalling what Ava had said to him earlier that day. “She must have known the IRA was coming for them.”

“Maybe she did.” Marco rubbed the dark stubble on his chin and sighed. “Either way, there’s nothing more we can do at this point but wait.”

Cooper’s head fell back against the seat, frustration eating away at him. “I know you’re right, but that doesn’t mean I accept it.”

“We’ve always just been pawns in a greater game, my friend.”

Cooper rolled his head to meet Marco’s eyes. “I don’t want to play anymore.”

Marco offered him a knowing grin. “But you will, because you have to know how it ends.”

Too much of anything is bad, but too much

good whiskey is barely enough.

~ Mark Twain ~

A
s night fell, Ava finally walked up the front steps of her home with her brother at her side. Adam held her hand tightly, not willing to let go even as they stepped inside and closed the door.

For a long moment, they stood in the quiet stillness that would never again fill with the aroma of their mother’s cooking or the sound of her laughter. Ava breathed in deeply, wanting to savor the last lingering scent of their mother’s perfume. Soon it would fade completely, just like the warm, inviting presence she had always given the home. They would do their best to keep her memory alive, but in time even that would be gone.

Squeezing Adam’s hand, she walked into the kitchen. Her grandfather was sitting at the dining table, a half-empty bottle of Lucky Fox 101 at his side. He looked up as they entered, his eyes bloodshot and wet with unshed tears. His mouth stiffened as he got to his feet and met Ava halfway into the room, wrapping her in his arms.

When he released her, he immediately went to Adam and offered him the same embrace. “This has been a tragic day for us all.”

Ava sniffled, though her eyes were dry. “I can’t believe she’s gone.”

“None of us can,” Joe said, shaking his head sadly. “But we must go on.”

She looked down the hall toward her father’s office. “How’s Daddy?”

Joe sighed. “Shut up tight in that room of his since he came home. Won’t speak to me.”

“Has he eaten anything? We can’t just let him wither away in there.”

“Give him time, dearie. He’ll come around.”

Adam shifted his weight, looking restless. “Have you heard anything from Beau?”

Joe nodded, a violence coming into his eyes. “Said they caught the bastard, thank the Lord. What I wouldn’t give to get my hands on him.”

Ava’s eyes widened. “They caught him? Is he connected to the IRA?”

“Beau says the lad’s from the city, an ex-con likely traveling through town looking for a quick buck.” He paused, eyeing his grandchildren with concern. “I told ye both, Ned cannot hurt ye here. Yer letting yer imaginations get carried away. Our girl was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. It can happen to anyone.”

“But it didn’t happen to anyone,” Ava snapped, feeling her defenses rise. “It happened to
her
. Daddy warned me to stay away from Ned, and before Mama died she told me to stay away from Daddy. None of that is coincidence and don’t you
dare
tell me I’m overreacting.”