Texas Tall (The Tylers of Texas 3)

“Oh, but there was no procuring. I hired the girl as a waitress. And I had no idea she was underage. She even showed me a fake driver’s license. When she fessed up later that she was just sixteen, I showed her the door. I’m guessing she left town. Taking her upstairs was your idea, not mine. Even if it can’t be proved she was underage, that surveillance camera caught you with your tidy whities down. Either way, I’d say you were in big trouble.”

Drummond could imagine the smirk on her painted face. He swore under his breath. If he thought he could get away with it, he’d be tempted to find the woman and strangle her with his bare hands.

“I’m counting on you. Keep me posted.” She ended the call on a maddeningly cheerful note.

Drummond could feel a headache coming on. The pounding grew worse as he recalled how he’d gotten into this mess. His wife, Louise, could be a real bitch when she was in a bad mood. Last August, after one of their nastiest late-night fights, he’d driven to the Blue Coyote for a drink. By the time he’d downed enough Scotch to cloud his judgment, the perky little waitress had begun looking pretty good to him. Friendly and willing, she’d met him out back on her break, took his money, and led him up the stairs. It was only afterward, as he was pulling up his pants, he’d noticed the surveillance camera mounted in a high corner, well out of reach.

Stella had probably paid the girl to target him. Whether she had or not, he was at her mercy now.

The voice of Glenda, the receptionist, startled him out of his thoughts. “Mr. Drummond, Ms. Tyler is here to see you.”

Drummond’s shoulders sagged. At any other time he’d have been happy to see his former law partner. But Tori Tyler couldn’t have picked a more awkward time to show up—especially if she was here to talk about her ex-husband’s case.

“Send her in.” Drummond straightened his bolo tie and arranged his features in a welcoming smile. Maybe he could at least learn a thing or two from her.

He heard the

familiar click of her high heels on the tile floor. An instant later, the door opened and Tori strode into his office. Dressed in tailored slacks, a white silk blouse, and a suede blazer, she took his breath away. She’d always had this effect on him. But even back when she was his junior law partner, and going through a divorce, he’d known better than to lay a hand on her.

The fact that he’d been half in love with the lady for years made his present situation even more painful.

“Hello, Clay.” She gave him a friendly smile, but she looked frayed. Drummond knew her well enough to sense that she was worried. And he could pretty well guess why. Will Tyler was her daughter’s father—and anything that affected her little girl affected Tori.

He rose, extending his hand. “How’ve you been, Tori?”

Her handshake was cool and cautious. She’d be representing her ex, of course. She and Drummond had faced each other in court countless times over the years, but this time it would be personal.

“I’ve been better,” she said. “Family crisis, as you’re no doubt aware.”

“I just read Abner’s report,” Drummond said. “Sit down. Tell me what’s on your mind.”

She took the straight-backed chair that faced his desk and pulled it closer. “It’s just . . .” She hesitated, very unlike the confident Tori he knew. “It’s Abner,” she said. “Will shot that man in self-defense. No question. But when Abner came out to the ranch on Saturday, to interrogate Erin and Will, he seemed to have a personal agenda. He was slanting his questions, making it look like Will had shot a man who was no threat to him.”

“Nick Tomescu. He was a tough-looking brute, all right. But Abner’s report says he had no history of violence.”

“I’m aware of that. But it was late at night. The man had a helmet on. And Will had just heard the radio alert on the biker who’d robbed the convenience store. He thought he was facing a criminal who’d already shot one person.” She shook her head, more emotional than Drummond had ever seen her. “What if it had been the robber? He could’ve killed Will and found Erin in the truck. Anything could’ve happened.”

“According to this report, the man had surrendered his gun.”

“But he had a knife, raised to throw. Clay, this case should never go to trial. It was self-defense, pure and simple.”

Drummond exhaled, feeling for her but mindful of his own dilemma. “For now, that will be up to the judge at the inquest. If the ruling is self-defense, Will’s trouble will be over.” But mine will just be starting, he thought.

“I heard there might be a jury,” Tori said.

“So did I. But evidently that’s not going to happen.”

“You’ve probably guessed that I’ll be representing Will.” Tori had pulled herself together, speaking calmly now. “I’m doing it because he’s Erin’s father, and she needs him. But even more important, Will is innocent.”

Drummond nodded his understanding. “What can I really do for you, Tori? The last thing I want is to hurt you and your daughter.”

“You can find out what’s driving Abner and why he’d be so determined to punish a man for doing what any father would.”

Maybe Stella’s got something on Abner, too, Drummond thought. But I’ll be damned if I’m going to ask him. “I’ll look into it,” he lied. “If I learn anything, I’ll call you.”

“Thanks.” She stood. “You’ve always been a friend, Clay. I know you have a job to do. But I hope you’ll at least keep me informed—and, of course, share any new evidence with me as the attorney for the defense.”

He watched her walk out, admiring her leggy stride and the way her slacks clung to her shapely hips. Tori was a magnificent woman and a longtime friend. She’d made a good case for her ex-husband’s innocence. But given what Drummond was facing, none of that could be allowed to matter. Whatever happened, he had to save himself from ruin. He had to make sure Will Tyler went to prison.