Thirty-Five and a Half Conspiracies (12 page)

“She can stay as long as she likes,” he said softly. “You know you don’t need my permission. It’s your house, sweetheart.”

“I may own it, but it’s
ours
. And I knew you would say yes, but in hindsight, perhaps I should have cleared it with you first.”

“No. It sounds like a spur of the moment situation. I’m glad she has you.”

“Me too.”

“I still don’t feel right leaving you alone tonight, but I’m glad you’ll have Neely Kate with you.”

“I’m worried about you too, but we both have our jobs to do tonight.”

“What job do you have to do?”

Oh crap. “Look up the courier, of course. And call your mother.”

“It shouldn’t take too long for you to identify him now that you have the belt lead. Maybe you and Neely Kate can have a girl’s night at home and watch some sappy rom-com.”

We were definitely having a girl’s night, but it wouldn’t be much like the one he was envisioning. “Yeah, we’ll figure something out.”

“I love you, Rose. I wouldn’t leave you alone overnight if I didn’t think this was important.”

“I know. And I love you too. Come back to me safe.”

“I should be home by tomorrow afternoon. I’ll let you know how the meeting goes.”

“Okay. Good luck.” After I hung up, I finished some more preparations for the soup and headed to the office.

I pulled up
The Henryetta Gazette
on my laptop, then searched for last summer’s Fenton County Rodeo. It took about three seconds to find photos of the winners. Sure enough, I found the guy in the pic Neely Kate had sent me: Sam Teagen, calf-roping champion. He stood in front of the camera, holding up his belt buckle with a cocky grin that told the world he was used to getting his way.

I plugged his name into Facebook next. His profile came up right away, and to my relief, his page seemed to be set to public. There were only a few photos of his friends, but there were plenty of pictures of his rodeo events. Surely that would be helpful. I copied down the links to the rodeo article and the guy’s Facebook profile and texted them to Mason.

All within ten minutes.

Mason was right. My task, like his, had been almost too easy.

I got up and checked on the potatoes. The water hadn’t even begun to boil yet, which meant I probably had a good half hour before it would be ready. The sun was close to setting, and my little dog had been sorely neglected, so I decided I’d take Muffy for a quick walk.

“Muffy, wanna go for a walk?”

She’d been asleep in her dog bed, but she perked up at the sound of her name and began to dance around my feet. I wrote a quick note for Neely Kate, grabbed my coat, patting the pocket to make sure I still had my Taser, and headed out the front door.

I loved my house at this time of day, when the land seemed to hover between day and night. My farm was far enough from town that the night sky lit up with millions of stars, but the daylight was always bound and determined to hang on as long as it could. I couldn’t see the horizon because of all the trees lining the highway, but parts of the red and golden glow made their way through the cracks in the foliage, making the bare trees look magical.

At times like these, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would have been like to grow up here—in a warm, cozy house with a loving mother. But Beverly Buchanan had taken that away from me. Her and J.R. Simmons.

How much would that man take from me?

Because I knew he wasn’t done. He still wanted more.

Something dark and fierce rose up inside me, a need to protect the people I loved—Mason, Neely Kate, even Violet—no matter what. While I hoped to God Mason was successful in Little Rock, I had a feeling that our success or failure would come down to the Lady in Black. I had the power to bring J.R. Simmons to his knees.

But I was going for his head.

Muffy bounded down the steps and started running circles in the front yard and sniffing the bushes in front of the porch. There was still enough daylight left for us to walk into the fields or the edge of the woods behind the barn. It was close to six o’clock, which meant we still had time to eat dinner, get ready, and meet Jed at the Sinclair station.

“Come on, girl. Let’s explore.”

Muffy understood the word
explore
as her cue to have free rein on the farm. She took off and ran straight for the barn. I followed along behind her, letting my mind mull over everything we’d learned today. I was still worried about Mason. The threat to his life was real, and if he’d found out something juicy enough to put J.R. away, the elder Simmons was bound to do something about it.

Would it be a job for one of his Twelve?

I still had a hard time believing that Skeeter had ever worked for such a despicable man, although I wasn’t sure why. Skeeter had made no secret of what he was—a criminal. And he didn’t apologize for it either, a trait I found equally disconcerting and enviable. He was a man following a dangerous path, yet he didn’t give two figs what anyone thought about him. How different would my life have been if I’d adopted that same attitude early in life? Of course, I was no Skeeter Malcolm.

Yet I couldn’t deny that we were alike in some ways. He’d told me once that I was more like him than like Mason or Joe. While they saw the world in black and white, we saw it in shades of gray. At the moment I thought we might have something else in common too—my thirst for vengeance was growing. I wanted to make J.R. Simmons pay for all the pain he’d caused the people I loved.

I was determined not only to make him pay, but to make him suffer.

And that part scared me more than a little.

Muffy sniffed around outside of the barn, then ducked into a hole by the double doors. I lifted the metal bar that held the doors closed and swung one of the sides open. As I followed my dog into the barn, I remembered how long Mason had spent in there searching for clues. No wonder it had taken him hours. Between the hayloft, the tack area, and the remains of a storage area, there were plenty of hiding places.

Muffy was rustling around in a pile of leftover hay in the back corner, probably ferreting out a mouse. She’d found a few in the house, and there were plenty out here for her to chase.

“Muffy, come back here,” I called out into the darkness. “Leave that poor creature alone.” Too lazy to walk over to the tack area to flip on the overhead light, I pulled out my phone and turned on the flashlight. Muffy didn’t heed me, so I stepped around the old pickup truck that had likely belonged to Dora’s grandfather to get closer to her. It was then I noticed that the back door facing the woods was standing wide open.

There was no way Mason would have left it that way.

My blood pressure elevated, and my blood whooshed in my ears, making me read every creak and groan as a possible disaster.

“Muffy,” I said in a low, direct tone. “Come.”

Her rustling stopped, and she trotted toward me as I gripped the handle of the Taser in my pocket. She stopped at my feet, then hunkered down and growled at something behind me.

Oh, crappy doodles.

I considered bolting out the back door, even though I had no idea what was behind me. But part of me was tired of running. I was tired of letting people use fear to push me around. And this was my home—my safe place. A deep anger rose up as I prepared to turn around and face whatever monster stood behind me.

So it seemed more than fitting that the man I saw when I spun around was the one who’d helped shape this mess I was in.

I narrowed my eyes and pointed my Taser right at Joe Simmons.

H
e held up his hands
. “Whoa! Don’t shoot.”

Muffy still stayed at my feet, releasing a low warning. I was following my dog’s instincts on this one. She usually ran to Joe, tail wagging, and covered him in licks. The fact that she was on edge wasn’t lost on me.

I held my Taser up in a defensive stance. “I just caught you trespassing on my property, so give me one good reason why I shouldn’t.”

“I’m here protecting you,” he said in exasperation. He was wearing jeans and his familiar winter coat.

But Muffy was still growling, so I kept my hand up. “That’s the biggest crock of bullshit I’ve heard all day, and I’ve heard quite a bit, so try again. I’m giving you to the count of three to tell me, and then I’m pulling the trigger.”

I could barely see his face. I still had my cell phone clutched in my left hand, but the flashlight was pointing down at the floor, casting long shadows on his face.

“Rose, I’m the damned chief deputy sheriff.”

The ire in his voice only pissed me off more. “Do you have a warrant to be in my barn?”

“No, but—”

“
One
.”

“I swear to God, Rose. I was walking the back end of your property and I heard noises in your barn, so I came to investigate. Just like when I found you in your shed last June, remember?”

There was a wistfulness in his voice that plucked at one of my heart strings, making me soften. Then I remembered the rest.

“Yeah,” I said, my voice hard and tight. “You started to lock me in there—”

“I thought you were a trespasser!”

“—and then you hid a gun in there to make me look like a murder suspect.”

“I was trying to protect you from Daniel Crocker!”

“You had me arrested last Friday, Joe!” I spat out. “You stood in front of my house and let that evil woman arrest me!”

“I did it to protect you.” His voice broke.

I shook my head violently. “Don’t you
dare
tell me that!” I shouted, keeping my Taser aimed as I took a step toward him. “Don’t you pull that patronizing
bullshit
on me!”

Surprise flickered in his eyes, and he took a step backward. “My father … he forced me into it.”

“That’s right. Your daddy told you to jump, and you asked how freaking high. But I guess I’m expendable.”

“No.
You’re wrong
.” Anger permeated his words. “I was
protecting
you. I still am.”

“Are you kidding me? When you go to bed at night, does that explanation make it easier for you to sleep? Or do you not even spare a thought for me?”

“Don’t you dare try to trivialize my feelings for you.” His voice shook with his fury.

“I am not a child, Joe Simmons, so don’t you treat me like one. I almost got beat up in the county jail before Carter Hale had me moved to solitary confinement! How is that protecting me?”

He ran a hand over his head, his eyes darting from me to the old truck next to us. “I was scrambling … I hadn’t thought about you dating Mason—”

“It wasn’t Mason who got me into trouble. It was killing Daniel Crocker. Guess what? The county jail is full of people who loved that man. Thank God Carter showed up when he did!”

“Why in God’s name did you hire Carter Hale?” he demanded, his anger returning. “Why didn’t you hire Deanna Crawfield?”

“The attorney I had when I was accused the first time?” I asked, incredulous. “Why do you even care?”

“Do you have any idea about Hale’s reputation?”

“You mean that he’s
good
? That he has a shot in hell at helping me stay out of jail?”

“Rose! It will never come to that. Do you really think I’d let you go to prison for something you didn’t do?”

I took two steps toward him. “I don’t know, Joe,” I said, my tone cold and hard. “I never thought you’d just stand aside and let me get arrested.”

He stood in place, his hands raised up to his shoulders. “I’m sorry about that. You have to believe me.”

I held the Taser to his chest and stared up into his eyes. Anger billowed up inside me like an atomic mushroom cloud. “That is where you are wrong. You swore to me you would never let this happen. You swore to me that you loved me, that you would protect me. But you have broken that promise at every turn, Joe Simmons. I loved you. Even after we parted, a small part of me still loved the old you—Joe McAllister—who stood for justice and doing what was right. But that man isn’t real.” A lump burned in my throat. “He never was. It was all a lie.”

He shook his head. “No, Rose. That’s not true. You made me want to be Joe McAllister.”

“You liar,” I choked out, fighting back tears, angry with myself for letting him hurt me all over again. “Mason says you’ve gotten away with despicable things your entire life.”

“I told you that myself,” he said, sounding broken. “When I told you about Savannah. But I’ve changed. I swear. You
know
that.”

“Where’s my journal?”

His eyes became guarded. “What?”

“My journal. The one you stole right out of my hands. Where is it?”

He closed his eyes for a couple of seconds before opening them again. “He was going to kill you for it.”

“So you were protecting me. Again?”

He released a sigh of frustration. “Believe it or not, yes.”

“Well, guess what? I
don’t
believe it.” I shook my head in disgust. “The one thing that could have saved all of us, and you handed it right over to him.”

“I mean it, Rose. I’m sure he told Beverly Buchanan to kill you once she had it in her possession. My father isn’t one to leave unfinished ends.”

“If he had the journal, why arrest me?”

“I was trying to buy us more time.”

“More time for what?”

“To figure out how to keep you protected. If I didn’t do it, he would have had you killed that very night.”

“Let me get this straight. You had Mason fired. You stole the journal containing evidence that would have toppled your father, and you had me arrested, all in the name of protecting me. Forgive me if I’m not that blind and stupid girl you kissed on my front porch last summer.”

Fear filled his eyes, and he reached a hand out toward me, but I took a step back. “When you put it that way, I know it sounds bad, but I have a plan.”

“Why didn’t you just warn me? I could have gone into hiding.”

His jaw tensed. “He would have found you.”

“And now? Is he trying to kill me now?”

“No. He’s waiting for the court to seek its justice.”

I released a short laugh. “Aww … justice, J.R. style. Forgive me if I don’t wait for
that
to be meted out.”

“Rose, listen to me. I mean it. I have a plan. Just let it all play out.”

“Fine. I’d love to hear your plan. What is it?”

He swallowed, and I could see he was mulling it over, but then he said, “I can’t tell you.”

“So I’m supposed to trust you when you say you’ll make sure I don’t go to prison for the rest of my life? After everything you’ve done?”

“I know it’s a lot to ask …”

“You’re damn
right
it’s a lot to ask.” Bitterness drenched my words.

His eyes narrowed. “You’ve changed.”

“
Are you serious?
”

He stared at me, dumbfounded.

“I don’t need you to save me, Joe Simmons. I’m not some helpless princess waiting for some man to come along!”

His shoulders stiffened. “Then what the hell is Deveraux doin’?
He’s
trying to save you.”

“We’re trying to save
each other
, you imbecile!”

His mouth parted.

“You just don’t get it! I’m not a
child
. I’m not some precious doll you can set on a shelf for protection, then take out and play with whenever you feel like it. I’m a grown woman, and I have a brain in my head. A pretty stinkin’ good one. Mason sees that. He encourages me to think for myself. To make my own decisions. I don’t need someone to take care of me. I need a
partner
.” I took a deep breath and lowered my voice. “And you and me, we were never partners. Not really. You were always big strong Joe who knew what was right for poor hopeless, stupid Rose.”

“I never thought you were stupid.”

“But you thought I was incapable of managing the world on my own.”

“You
were
incapable! You’d been sheltered for so long you were clueless about how the world worked. You kept stumbling from one pile of trouble to the next.”

I shook my head, suddenly exhausted. “I’m not that girl anymore, Joe. I haven’t been that girl for a long time.”

“That’s not true!”

“Part of me will always be the woman you met. But I’m not that naïve anymore. I’ve seen too much—a whole lot more than you even know—and I’ve grown up. I don’t need someone to pull me out of the holes I fall into. I need someone to crawl out of them with me.”

He didn’t respond.

“
You
need someone you can control, and
I
am uncontrollable.”

“That’s not true.”

A wry smile lifted my lips. “Which part?”

He started to answer and then closed his mouth.

“You say you hate your father, but you’re more like him than you know.” I took a step back. “Now what are you doing here? Looking for more evidence to use against me? You’re not wearing your uniform, but I guess that doesn’t matter. You wouldn’t officially report it, anyway. You’d give it to your daddy.”

Anger burned in his eyes, and he took a step toward me. “You are being incredibly stupid right now, Rose. Whether you believe it or not, I
am
trying to help you. This is the only way I know how to keep you safe until I can do what needs to be done.”

“Fine,” I said, waving my left arm in an arc. “Why don’t you enlighten me, Joe. Tell me what I’m supposed to do right now.” I moved closer until just a few inches separated us. “If you were the puppet master, what would you have me do?” I lifted my eyebrows. “The sky’s the limit.”

“Look, I know you find it hard to trust me right now—”

“What do you want from me?” My voice came out softer and more pathetic than I’d intended.

He started to speak, but then stopped, his eyes full of pain. “You know what I want, but I want you to want it too. And you damn near hate my guts, so that’s not a possibility right now. But maybe you’ll give me another chance when this is over … when I’ve had the chance to prove to you that I’ll do anything to protect you.”

“Hell would have to freeze over first.”

“So you’d rather play house with that uptight prick?”

I held the Taser up again and shoved it into his chest. “You’re the one who showed me how to use this, so you know I can do it. Now get the hell off my property.”

Joe shook his head in disgust. “You couldn’t have me, so you ran to him. You don’t love him. You just found a place-filler until you could have me back.”

“Get the hell off my property!”

“You can dish it out, Rose, but you sure as hell can’t take it.”

“You expect me to stand here in
my own
barn and let you insult Mason? Would you have liked it if I’d let him insult you when you and I were together?”

“I’m pretty damn sure he did. He shoved a wedge between us. And I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to seeing him suffer like I have.”

“
You
shoved a wedge between us, Joe.” Then a new thought hit me like a lightning bolt. “Oh, my word. You’re doing this for revenge.”

Confusion flickered in his eyes.

I gasped as the idea sunk its teeth into me. “If you can’t have me, then no one can. Maybe you’d rather see me rot in jail than spend the rest of my life with Mason.”

“
No!
How can you think that?”

It didn’t seem like the man I’d loved, but I wasn’t sure what to believe of him anymore, and I was tired of trying to figure it out. All I knew was that Mason and I were in danger, and all roads led to J.R. Simmons. And by letting his daddy’s conspiracy unfold, Joe had chosen his side. “If Mason dies because of you—” I waved my hand between us “—because of this, I will never forgive you. Do you hear me? Not only will you not have me, but you will have an enemy for life.”

“I can’t be held responsible for what happens to him. I’m doin’ the best I can to keep
you
safe.”

“And what exactly are you doin’?”

“I can’t tell you. But your arrest … Mason’s dismissal from his job … all of it and more are part of my plan. You just have to trust me.”

“Same damn song, thirty-second verse. How am I supposed to trust you when you won’t even trust me with the truth?” I asked in disgust, shoving the Taser at him again. “Now get the hell off my land.”

“I’m still going to protect you, Rose.”

“
Protect me?
” I laughed bitterly and held out my hands. “Do your worst, Joe.”

He wisely kept quiet and walked out the back door, heading in the direction of his house.

A war raged inside me. The woman who would always love the Joe I’d met that hot Saturday on Memorial Day weekend wanted to believe he was telling me the truth. But the woman I’d become, the jaded and rough-around-the-edges woman, didn’t trust a word that had come out of his mouth.

I suspected the answer was somewhere in the middle. Only I didn’t have time to puzzle it out.