Texas Tall (The Tylers of Texas 3)

“I’m sure you will be. Please tell the court exactly what you saw happen on the night in question.”

Erin related the events, as she remembered them, hearing the radio announcement, hitting something in the road and blowing a tire, her father getting out, then seeing the motorcycle lights.

“Why didn’t you get out with him?” Tori asked.

“I wanted to. But he told me to stay in the car. He thought he might’ve hit an animal.”

“Is that why he took his gun, in case he’d hit an animal?”

“I think so.”

“When did he tell you to lock the door and get down?”

“When he saw the motorcycle coming. I’m pretty sure he thought it was the robber.”

“And did you get down?”

“Not all the way. I wanted to see, so I peeked over the window.”

“Tell us what you saw.”

Erin told the court what she’d seen happen. She did her best to keep her voice steady, but toward the end her throat began to quiver. Only now did she realize how truly scared she’d been.

“Think carefully, Erin,” her mother said, handing Erin a pen. “What exactly did the man do with the knife? Can you show us?”

“It happened really fast. I didn’t see where the knife came from, but he went like this.” Erin demonstrated with the pen, holding her arm up and back as if she were about to throw it.

“And did he throw the knife?”

“No. That was when my dad shot him.”

“Thank you.” Her mother took the pen. “Just one more question, Erin. Did your father know you were watching?”

“No. I was afraid he’d be mad, so I didn’t tell him. He didn’t find out till the next day.”

“So, when he told the sheriff you hadn’t seen anything, he wasn’t really lying. And he wasn’t trying to hide anything, was he?”

“No.” Erin shook her head. “My dad doesn’t lie.”

“Thank you, Erin.” Her mother gave her a little smile. “No further questions.”

Rising, Erin stepped down from the witness chair. As she walked back toward the aisle, she glanced to one side and saw the dead man’s sister, Stella Rawlins, staring at her over the rail. A chill crept through her body. The hatred in those fierce green eyes was like icy claws creeping over her skin.

She’d faced the court and made it through the questions without a stumble. But now, for the first time today, Erin felt fear.

* * *

“The people call Mr. Drew Middleton.”

Will heard Tori gasp. She thumbed through her notes, probably to see if his name had been added to the witness list. If it had, she could’ve been too busy to notice the update. She was clearly caught off guard.

Her body went rigid as Middleton walked in through the back doors, strode down the aisle, and took the witness stand. Her fingers gripped her pen as the bailiff administered the oath. Will studied her taut profile, unable to read her emotions.

“Mr. Middleton,” Clay asked, “please tell the court where you were on the night in question.”

“I was with Ms. Tyler.” He did not look at Tori. “We’d been to dinner in Lubbock, and I drove her home.”

“So it was a date?”