Whirlwind (The Champions 1)

But he wasn’t blind to the consequences. A deal with Brock Tolman would be a devil’s bargain—everything a man could want for the price of three things—his conscience, his freedom, and Lexie’s love.

* * *

With Lexie and Ruben both hauling bulls, it had fallen to Tess to drive into Ajo for supplies. Val had taken over cooking lunch and dinner, though she refused to get up early for breakfast. She’d given Tess a long list that included delicacies like bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, hoisin sauce, and a wine with a name Tess couldn’t pronounce, let alone find on the shelves of Ajo’s single, large grocery store, which specialized in basics like Ritz Crackers, canned beans, and frozen pizza.

Tess had taken one look at the list, stuffed it into her purse, and bought the usual items. Val would just have to make do.

She was walking out to the truck, pushing a loaded cart, when her cell phone jangled. Fumbling with her free hand, she pulled it out of her purse and took the call.

“Tess?” It was the sheriff calling. “We must have a clear signal today. I can hear you fine.”

“You can hear me because I’m in town,” Tess said. “What’s happening? Have you heard from the medical examiner?”

“I have a report from the autopsy and the crime lab. Since you’re in town, why don’t you stop by my office?”

“Sure. Let me load my groceries, and I’ll be right there.”

The sheriff’s office was only a few minutes away. Tess’s spirits darkened as she drove. Callie’s death had haunted her for the past ten days, but with so many other concerns, she’d done her best to put the tragedy aside. Now she was about to learn what the investigation had found. But with so many unanswered questions, she sensed that no conclusion would give her peace. All she felt sure of was that Callie shouldn’t have died the way she did.

The receptionist was at lunch, but the door to the sheriff’s office was open. He rose to greet Tess as she walked in. “Sit down. I’ve got everything right here.” He motioned to a folder on his desk. “This might not be the way they do things in the big city, but I know what a blow this death has been to your family. I’m willing to share everything we’ve learned.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that.” Tess sat on the edge of a folding metal chair, facing the desk. Her palms felt sweaty. She wiped them on the sides of her jeans.

The sheriff cleared his throat and opened the folder, holding it in a way that kept the pages from her view. There were bound to be photographs. If she asked to see them, would he show her? Or would she be better off without burning those images into her memory?

“The coroner believes your stepmother’s death was accidental,” the sheriff said. “There were no obvious signs of foul play—no sign that a weapon was used or that another person was on the scene. And there was no indication of rape—no bruising, tearing, or semen. But we have yet to make a final determination.”

Tess held her tongue, but she was screaming inside. There had to be an answer—a reason why Callie had been found lying dead at the bottom of the deep, dry arroyo. And clearly, that answer wasn’t here.

“The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the back of the head, likely from striking the rocks at the bottom of the arroyo. She would have died instantly.” The sheriff appeared to be reading, skipping the less relevant parts of the text. “There was a trace of alcohol in her blood, but not enough to make her drunk.”

“Callie liked having a cold beer in the evening.”

“That would explain it. However—” He looked up from the pages. His eyes, peering from under bushy brows, fixed on Tess. “However, a few elements were found that can’t be readily explained. We’re hoping you might be able to shed some light on them, to help close the case.”

“I’ll try.” Tess’s pulse was a drumbeat in her ears.

“First, and I hope this won’t embarrass you, your stepmother was found fully dressed, except that she wasn’t wearing a bra. I know a lot of women go braless, but in her case . . .” He trailed off. Tess understood. Callie was a size 38DDD. She needed the support of a bra to be comfortable.

“I’ve never known her to go without a bra,” Tess said. “Maybe she had to get dressed in a hurry. I’ve no other explanation.”

“Next, I understand she wasn’t a smoker.”

“That’s right. She hated the smell. No one was allowed to smoke in the house. Why?”

“Traces of cigarette smoke were found in her hair and on her clothes. You say she didn’t smoke. But she must’ve been around someone who was smoking.”

“I can’t explain that,” Tess said. After speaking, she remembered that the hired boys smoked in and around the bunkhouse. But she wouldn’t bring that up yet. Not until she knew more.

“Another thing,” the sheriff said. “When her shoes were examined in the lab, one of them was smeared with something that turned out to be rancid bacon fat and mold. Could she have picked that up in the house?”

Tess shook her head. “Callie kept that kitchen spotless. Nothing would’ve been allowed to go rancid or moldy.”

“What about the bunkhouse?”

“The boys have a microwave for snacks and a camper-sized fridge. But they don’t really cook. They take their meals in the kitchen. What about the box of rat poison? Was it tested for fingerprints?”

“Hers were on it. Nobody else’s. I’m inclined to think she was trying to get rid of it when she fell—the fact that she had it suggests that her death wasn’t a suicide.” He closed the folder. “You understand that we’re a small county with limited resources. The doctor who acts as coroner is a general practitioner and quite elderly. His main job was to determine the cause of death, which was readily apparent. If you want a more thorough examination, including a tox screen, we could send the body to the state lab.”