Texas Tall (The Tylers of Texas 3)

“Well, how did it go?” Hearing Stella’s voice was like feeling a rattlesnake crawl across his foot. “Did you put the fear into those Tylers?”

Abner stifled a groan. “I gave it a shot, but Tori was there. When I threatened to arrest Will for obstruction, she demanded that I show a court order to put the barn site off-limits—something no judge would give me. All I could do was leave.”

“That bitch!” Stella muttered, then continued. “But you told them your son-in-law was murdered, didn’t you?”

“I told them I suspected it. They’ll be wondering about that for a while.” Even though it isn’t true, Abner reminded himself. It had taken the retired surgeon who served as part-time county coroner about five minutes to determine that Ralph had been kicked in the head by a horse. Whether it was the blow that killed him or the smoke he’d inhaled while unconscious would have to be determined by a full autopsy. Either way, as he’d already told Stella, the boy’s death hadn’t been murder.

“Well, you’d better keep pushing those Tylers,” Stella said. “Will Tyler murdered my Nicky. Don’t give that bastard a moment’s peace.”

Abner ended the call, pulled onto the shoulder of the road, and emptied his bladder in the barrow pit. At least, so far, there was no evidence to prove Ralph had started the fire. But he was sick of being Stella’s errand boy. When he’d held Vonda’s baby son in his arms, he’d realized he needed to be a better man, and a better example to his family. But how could he walk away from Stella when she knew enough to destroy him?

Still thinking about her, he climbed back in the SUV and headed for his office in town. It wasn’t like he’d done anything seriously illegal. But in exchange for interest-free loans, which he always paid back, he’d traded department information with the woman. And he’d looked the other way while she carried on her so-called business transactions. That night when he’d met Ralph on the road, he’d suspected his son-in-law might be running drugs for Stella. But he’d played dumb and let the boy go, partly for Vonda’s sake, but mostly because he hadn’t wanted to get crosswise with Stella. Maybe his sins weren’t bad enough to get him sent to prison. But if word got out, his ass would get fired on the spot, and he’d never work in law enforcement again.

Now, with Vonda and her baby in the house, and two more mouths to feed, he needed his job more than ever. But the thought of what Stella would ask for next, and what she’d do if he refused, was keeping him awake nights.

Since her brother’s death, Stella was becoming more and more demanding—like today, when she’d ordered him to drive out to the Rimrock and harass the Tylers just to make trouble. It was as if she’d become obsessed with punishing not just Will, but the whole family.

Abner had no love for the Tylers. But enough was enough. If Will’s upcoming trial ended in acquittal—which it could, given the true evidence and a fair-minded jury—Abner feared that Stella’s fury would push her over the edge. He dreaded what she might do—and what she might demand of him.

Somehow he needed to get clear of this mess. But how? Walk away, or try to arrest her, and the woman would use what she knew to take him down, or worse. Stella had trapped him—just as she’d trapped Hoyt Axelrod, Slade Haskell, Lute Fletcher, Garn Prescott, and poor, stupid Ralph.

All of those names were inscribed on tombstones now, or soon would be.

Was his name destined to be next?

* * *

Still unsettled by the clash with Abner, Tori walked back to the house. The dry November breeze bit through her thin cotton shirt, raising goose bumps on her skin. In her race to catch up with Will, she’d left her jacket in the house. Now her teeth were chattering.

Behind her, Will, Beau, and the crew of ranch hands had gone back to clearing away the barn debris. They’d be at it all day, until dark, then back on the job by sunrise.

Will had looked exhausted this morning, she thought. The strain of the ranch’s money problems, the coming trial, and now the loss of the barn, all had to be wearing him down. But she knew better than to fuss over the man and insist he rest. Will wouldn’t stand for that. He’d be out there pushing till he dropped. Some things never changed.

Natalie’s white SUV was parked next to the porch. Seeing it, she remembered that her friend had promised to come by this morning and check Tesoro’s shoulder wound.

She found Natalie in the kitchen, drinking coffee while Lauren finished a breakfast of bacon and eggs. Jasper had gone, and Erin was nowhere in sight.

“Your daughter’s getting her coat,” Natalie said. “Do you want to come out to the shed with us?”

“If it won’t take too long.” Tori had planned to drive into town to check her house and take care of some legal matters. Even with Will’s case pending, there were other clients who needed her. She couldn’t fall behind on the work that was her livelihood. “Lauren, you’re welcome to go in and rest on my bed.”

Lauren rose, gathered up her dishes, and carried them to the sink. “I’ll rest better at home after a shower and a change of clothes,” she said, loading the dishwasher. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine driving back to town.”

Erin burst into the kitchen, wearing her fleece-lined denim jacket. “I hope Tesoro’s okay. He looked fine when I went out to feed and water him before breakfast.”

“Even if he’s fine, we’ll need to check the wound and change the dressing,” Natalie said. “Did you wash your hands, Erin?”

“I did. Let’s go.”

Tori slipped on the old work coat she wore around the ranch. “Be careful, Lauren, okay?”

“I will.?

?? Lauren found her coat and purse and headed for her car. Tori hurried through the back door after Erin and Natalie, who’d brought her black leather medical bag.

Until his shoulder healed, young Tesoro couldn’t be allowed in the paddock with his roughhousing friends. A stall-sized enclosure at one end of the hay shed had been blocked off for the palomino foal and his mother, Lupita. The buckskin mare raised her head and nickered at their approach. “I bet she’s lonesome,” Erin said. “She doesn’t understand why she and Tesoro can’t be with the other horses.”

“Smart thinking, Erin.” Natalie set her bag on the ground outside the enclosure. “How did you figure that out?”