The ash on Stella’s cigarette had grown to a smoldering inch. It fell in a shower of sparks to scatter unnoticed on the tabletop. Stella’s gaze was sharp and knowing, as if she’d already seen through the
lie and was weighing the truth behind it. Marie was just beginning to realize how smart the woman was, and how ruthless. A surge of fear almost took her breath away.
“You know that perjury is a crime, don’t you?” Stella said after a long moment’s silence.
“Only under oath. I’m hoping it won’t go that far.”
“The sheriff will have you sign a sworn statement. Are you prepared to do that?”
“Under the right conditions.”
“Of course.” Stella leaned back in her chair and took a long drag on the stub of her cigarette. “How much?”
Marie forced herself to breathe. “That’s the wrong question. I don’t want to be paid. I want a chance to earn what I’m worth. Lute told me you had a lot of . . . uh . . . business connections.”
“Lute was a little turd. He got what he deserved.”
“Maybe so. But I’m older than Lute and a helluva lot smarter. I want to be part of your organization. I want a piece of the action.”
Stella dropped her cigarette butt on the floor and stubbed it out with her boot. “Are you smart enough not to double-cross me like Lute did?”
“I’d have to be crazy to do something like that.”
Stella rose with a weary sigh. “All right, I’ll think about it. But before I take you on, you’ll need to prove yourself. My lawyer will be here tomorrow morning. We’ll go to the jail and Abner will take your statement. Something tells me he’ll choose to believe you. Arresting my brother was . . . let’s say, awkward for him. After Nicky’s out of jail, I may have another job for you. One question—can you drive a semi truck?”
“I don’t have a license, but my ex-husband was a trucker,” Marie said. “He taught me how. I used to ride along and spell him when he was too drunk to drive.”
“Good.” Stella walked partway down the hall toward the office where she kept her purse, then glanced back at Marie. “Clean up that cigarette mess. Then get some sleep. I’ll want you down here to meet with the lawyer at nine.”
Marie got a wet paper towel from the restroom. “Bitch,” she muttered as she scooped up the cigarette butt and wiped away the ash. Stella was still treating her like a slave. But that was about to change. Play her cards right and before long she’d have Stella Rawlins on her knees!
CHAPTER 14
Sky was headed to his quarters for a quick lunch break when Beau hailed him from the back door of the house. “Come on inside. Bernice made sandwiches, and I’ve got some news you’ll want to hear.”
After pausing to stomp the dust off his boots, Sky followed Beau into the kitchen, washed his hands at the sink, and sat down at the table. Beau passed him a plate with two beef and tomato sandwiches and then got him a cold beer from the fridge. Sky had been running on coffee since before dawn. He was ravenous, and there was nothing better than Bernice’s homemade sourdough bread. He wolfed down the first sandwich before he asked, “Now, what about that news?”
Beau pulled out a chair and sat down across the table. He’d been working on the firebreak and, like Sky, was grimy with sweat and dust. “Actually I’ve got two stories for you,” he said. “They’re both pretty juicy. Which one would you like to hear first?”
“How the hell should I know?” Sky took a swig of beer. “Just tell me so I can get back to work.”
“Getting prickly, are you?” Beau grinned. “All right, here goes. I got a call from my new best friend Abner an hour ago. Our tattooed bartender has been cleared of all charges and turned loose.”
“I had a gut feeling he didn’t do it,” Sky said. It had been more than a gut feeling, but this wasn’t the time to go there. “So why did they let him off?”
“A witness signed a sworn statement that a biker gang from Oklahoma broke into the bar looking for Coy Fletcher. One of them, who just happened to be wearing gloves, stole the gun and evidently used it.”
“A witness, you say?”
“Abner didn’t give me a name, but it’s not like he needed to. Lord, Sky, how’d you survive growing up in that family?”
“Almost didn’t. That’s why I left.” Sky didn’t like where his thoughts were taking him. Marie’s story was believable except for a few questions. Why hadn’t the bikers just shot Coy and left him at his camp? Why toss the Glock near the bog when they could keep it or sell it? And why hadn’t they taken Coy’s rifle and Jasper’s shotgun? Maybe he should ask Marie those questions. But what would he do if he didn’t like her answers?
“So what’s your other story?” he asked.
“This one’s a shocker,” Beau said. “I just heard it on the radio driving in. It seems our neighbor, Congressman Prescott, has been financing his campaign with drug cartel money. Somebody phoned in an anonymous tip, and it played out. The funds were traced back to an offshore account under a fake name.”
“You’re sure it’s Prescott they were talking about?” Sky’s thoughts flashed to Lauren. Did she know? Was she all right?