Justice Inked (Cowboy Justice Association 7) (33 page)

D
are shoved his phone back into his pocket. They’d finished a late dinner after ordering pizza for the four of them plus Deputy Billy outside guarding the house. Rayne and Sophie were loading the plates into the dishwasher while Tim and Dare argued about who had the best team in the NFL. It had almost been friendly between the two men and Rayne was proud of Dare for trying to be nicer to the young man. Of course, the fragile peace was broken when Dare’s cell interrupted reminding him that there was still a case unsolved.

“I have to get back to the office. They’re talking about doing the two autopsies tonight. I’m sure I’ll be late. Will you be okay here?”

Nodding, Rayne dropped a kiss on his lips. “We’ll be fine. Deputy Billy is on duty and honestly, I’m in for the night. I’ll watch some television and then go to bed.”

Dare’s attention turned to his sister and her beau. “About time for you to get going, isn’t it, Tim?”

Sophie rolled her eyes and pressed closer to Tim’s side. “Relax. Tim and I are going to watch a movie, and then he’ll go home.”

Muttering under his breath, Dare nodded and snagged his keys from the counter where he’d tossed them earlier. “I’ll call and check on you a little later. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you need anything.”

Rayne walked with him to the door and helped him on with his jacket. The temperature had fallen quite a bit after sundown. “We’ll be fine but you be careful. I’ll see you in the morning.”

He gave her a smile that was just for her. “I’ll try not to wake you when I get home.”

It felt private and intimate, as if they were a couple that slept together every night. It was…nice. Her heart contracted in her chest and she let herself gaze into his blue eyes, getting lost in their depths until he reluctantly pulled his gaze away. “I better go. They’ll get started without me.”

He walked outside and stopped to say something to Billy before climbing into his truck and driving away. Sad that he was leaving but happy that she would still be here for his return, she headed back into the kitchen to finish the dishes.

Sophie closed the dishwasher with a flourish. “All done. You’re really the guest here.”

“I like to help. Standing around letting people wait on me would seem strange.” She leaned her hip against the counter. “So what movie are you guys going to watch?”

“Anything you want. I don’t have a preference.”

“
Fast and Furious
,” suggested Tim with a grin. “Damn, I love that movie.”

Rayne was fine with it so they all three settled into the living room – Tim and Sophie on the couch and Rayne in the easy chair – and watched the film. About halfway through her mind began to wander and she went into the kitchen to grab a soda. Popping open the can, she dug into her purse on the counter and pulled out a copy of the tattoo drawing that had led Dare to the abandoned gold mine.

She pulled out a chair and settled at the kitchen table, studying the second half of the drawing, a circle that looked slightly like a dart board. If the first half of the design meant something, what did the second half mean?

“Are you okay?”

Sophie was standing in the doorway, her forehead wrinkled with concern. Rayne lifted up her soda can as if to make a toast. “I got thirsty. Don’t you like the movie?”

Giggling, Sophie sat in the chair across from Rayne. “I love it. At least I did the first dozen times I saw it. It’s Tim’s favorite movie so we watch it a lot.” She reached out her hand and turned the paper so she could see the design. “What’s this? Did you draw it?”

“It was the tattoo design that Patrick Moulson wanted but never ended up getting. The first half here,” Rayne pointed to the pot of gold, “turned out to be the logo of the mine company where the two bodies were found. But the second part is still unknown. It has to have some meaning but I don’t know what.”

“Um, ladies,” Tim stood in the doorway, wearing his jacket and shifting from one foot to the other. “I was thinking maybe I should take a soda out to Billy. He’s been sitting there all by himself and he must be thirsty.”

Rayne blinked a few times, her brain trying to shift gears from studying the drawing to a seemingly everyday request. “Of course, that’s a good idea. Just grab one from the refrigerator. It’s a sweet thought and I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.”

“You’re so thoughtful,” Sophie cooed, reaching out to brush his hand as he walked by them. Tim quickly retrieved a can and shuffled out of the kitchen. Her smile turning to a frown, Sophie held the paper close and examined the design. She pointed to the quasi-dart board symbol. “Is this what you’re questioning? This right here?”

“Yes, we don’t know what it means.”

Sophie looked up at Rayne, her eyes wide with shock. “I think I might know. I’ve seen it before.”

Excitement raced through Rayne’s veins and she grabbed Sophie’s hands, squeezing them between her own. “Oh my God, I wish we’d shown you this before. Where have you seen it?”

“There’s an old cave about twenty miles from here. You take the main road out of town for fifteen miles then turn right at the Carlson’s old red barn and follow that dirt road for another five miles. It’s a huge rock formation. You can’t miss it. Honestly, the only reason I know it is because that’s where some of the high school kids in this area go to drink beer and party. This symbol is painted on one of the rocks. If Dare knew I had been out there drinking he’d have a stroke.”

A rush of euphoria had Rayne so light-headed she had to close her eyes for a moment. “We have to call your brother. He’ll want to go out there right away.”

She dug in her replacement purse while Tim rejoined them in the kitchen, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jacket. “Listen, I couldn’t help but overhear. Why don’t I have Billy call Dare on the cop radio? That way you’ll be sure he’ll answer and if he wants backup or something he can organize it right away.”

Rayne paused the search for her phone but shook her head. “He can do that if he wants but I want to talk to Dare as well. He might have questions for Sophie.”

“Don’t.” Tim’s command was abrupt and in a completely different tone than his normally easygoing manner. Her heart stuttered and a nervous chill ran through her body. She looked up from her handbag just as Tim pulled a gun from his pocket, pointing it directly at Sophie. “Step away from your purse and put your hands up. Don’t make me hurt her.”

Rayne raised her hands and took a few steps back. A sob erupted from Sophie and she pressed her fingers over her mouth. “Tim, what are you doing? Where did you get that gun?”

Tim reached into his back pocket and pulled out a set of handcuffs, which he tossed to Rayne. Pointing the gun at Sophie’s head, he didn’t bother answering any questions.

“Put the cuffs on Rayne, sweetheart. Behind her back, if you please.”

Rayne’s pulse roared in her ears but she took a few breaths to try and stay calm. She needed to keep her wits about her and not do anything stupid. Stupid was how people ended up dead.

“How did you get the gun?” she asked as Sophie snapped the cuffs on her, the metal cold against her flesh. “Did you have it when you came here? I don’t remember seeing it.”

Tim gestured for Sophie to go back and sit at the table. “It’s Billy’s gun and handcuffs. By the time he wakes up with a headache we’ll be out of here.”

At least Billy wasn’t dead, but that was small comfort when there was a gun pointed at her heart.

“And where are we going?” Rayne asked, although she had a pretty decent idea.

Tim smiled as he held the gun on the two women, looking as if he didn’t have a care in the world. He probably didn’t since she and Sophie had just solved his problem about the drawing.

“To the cave, of course, but you knew that didn’t you, Rayne? You’re a pretty smart lady and quite talented. Too bad I don’t have time for some ink.”

“What is wrong with you?” Sophie whined, tears still coursing down her cheeks. “Why are you doing this? Tim, it’s not too late. We can call my brother and work all this out.”

“Honey, that’s the last thing we’re going to do. And I’m doing this for the money, of course. Lots of it. Duke and I will be rich and we can leave this piece of shit town behind.”

“You’re one of the bank robbers,” Rayne said, her fingers gripping the kitchen counter behind her as if holding it would keep her sanity in check. How many times did a human being get to cheat death? Someone had already tried to burn her to death; now Tim Wallace had a gun and she was probably just collateral damage. “But I don’t understand why you needed the drawing. You are the one that broke into my shop and home, correct? And mugged me?”

Trying to fit the puzzle pieces together kept her mind preoccupied and not thinking about how much fucking trouble she was in at the moment. Things didn’t look good for her or Sophie and a wave of responsibility ran over Rayne as she gazed at the sad and terrified young woman. She had to get them both out of this alive and as unscathed as possible.

She needed a plan but subterfuge wasn’t one of her strengths. She’d spent most of her life dealing with people as straightforwardly as possible.

Tim nodded in agreement. “I am, although I had help from Duke. I mugged you while Duke broke into your place. It was easy to trail the sheriff since I was dating his little sister.”

“You jerk,” Sophie spat, her eyes red-rimmed and her face pale. “Why would you do this? What’s in it for you?”

“Money, my sweet, although dating you wasn’t the hardship I thought it might be. You were perfect for keeping tabs on the sheriff and you were a decent fuck as well. I’m tired of living paycheck to paycheck and being a joke in this town. I want what other people have. You were just a means to an end.” Tim grinned and brandished the handgun. Hatred and anger burned in Rayne’s gut as Tim smirked in victory. If her hands had been free she would have happily slapped the crap out of him for hurting Sophie. “Now it’s time for you to be a good little girl and get in the utility room.”

“What?” Sophie was shaking her head and another sob tore from her throat. “I’m not going in there.”

“Actually, you are. I noticed that the room locks from the outside. They probably put the door on backwards but it will come in handy today. With no windows and a solid wood frame it should keep you out of the way until I retrieve the money and get out of town.”

“You think the money is in the cave?” Rayne asked, hoping to distract and delay as she pulled at the metal cuffs. If she could keep him talking Dare might show up before Tim left. “How did you not know where the money was? That doesn’t seem like good planning.”

Scowling, Tim stepped closer, the muzzle of the gun only a few feet from Rayne’s heart.

“The money started out at the mine house but then Patrick got paranoid and moved it. Ernie and Milo confronted him about it but Patrick just said he was making sure nothing happened to the money.”

A thought hit Rayne and she shook her head in disgust. She should have known before now. “You asked me about dating Dare before anyone knew. But you knew because you were following me.”

“True,” Tim conceded. “Although Duke helped too. I knew Dare was going to be an issue after last night but I didn’t think I’d get a lucky break this quick. He’ll be gone for hours for the autopsies.”

Tim grabbed Sophie’s arm so hard she yelped and tried to twist away, but he was so much larger and stronger he was easily able to overcome her struggles and toss her into the utility room. Rayne assumed she was next but instead he slammed the door shut and locked it, a satisfied grin on his face. He slid one of the chairs under the knob with a grunt before banging on the door. “You be a good girl in there. I hope you’re not afraid of the dark.”

The sounds of heartbroken sobs could clearly be heard through the door and Rayne had to restrain herself from kicking Tim in the groin. Sophie was learning a hard and terrible lesson about men today and she wouldn’t forget it very soon.

“You just used her and now you’re tossing her away.”

Tim leaned forward as if to tell her a secret. “Just between you and me I kind of liked her. But I knew she could never deal with this. She’s too much like her tight ass brother, all law abiding and shit. Now you, my dear Rayne, you’re something completely different. You’re a woman that understands nuance. I’m not sure what you see in that Gomer of a sheriff.”

Rayne could spend the next twenty-four hours extolling Dare’s virtues but that wasn’t what Tim wanted to hear at the moment, so she tried to ask him more questions.

“There were only four bank robbers, but you’ve talked about five people. Were you there at the bank?”

Tim just laughed and reached for her, his fingers digging into her arm. She had to bite her lip to keep from crying out in pain, but she didn’t want to scare Sophie on the other side of the door who couldn’t see what was happening.

“I think we’re done with the question and answer period of the evening. It’s time to go.”

He practically dragged her to the front door, pausing there to hold the gun to her temple.

“Don’t make a fucking sound. No screams for help, nothing. If you want you and Sophie to come out of this alive you’ll do exactly what I tell you. I’m not a murderer but I can be.”

She nodded, pressing her lips together as sweat began to pool at the base of her neck. Keeping her gaze away from Tim’s face, she was able to control her breathing enough that she didn’t shake with fright. Wanting to believe what he said was true, she didn’t try and pull away or scream. For now, she’d play along and wait for an opportunity to escape.

Swallowing hard, she let him escort her to his truck, shoving her into the passenger seat. He swung into the driver’s side and fired up the vehicle, kicking up some dust as he pulled away. She craned her neck to peer into Billy’s car and saw him slumped over the wheel unconscious. She prayed Tim was correct and the young deputy would have nothing more to remember this than a nasty headache.

Her arms and shoulders ached and her heart pounded against her ribcage. It made her sick to think she’d defended this man to Dare.

It was all about survival now.

Chapter Thirty-Seven