Texas Forever (The Tylers of Texas 6)

Beau gave her a knowing look. “What makes you so sure, Erin?” he asked gently. “Is there something you aren’t telling me?”

“Only because I haven’t had time,” she said. “You need to hear it all.”

She told him from the beginning, how she and Luke had fallen in love over Will’s objections, and how Will had ordered Luke to leave her alone. “That was when Luke decided it would be best for all concerned if he were to leave,” she said. “After Dad left for town, Luke finished his chores, packed his gear, left notes for Dad and for me, and drove away.”

“And where were you all this time?”

“She was with me,” Rose said. “We left early to build a fence around my grandpa’s grave. When we got back to the ranch, it was about noon. By then, both Luke and Will were gone. Later, when the sheriff talked to the cowboys, two of them claimed they’d heard Luke and Will arguing in the barn—though it seems Will was the angry one.”

“And because Luke was on the road, he has no alibi for the time of the murder,” Erin added. “But he didn’t do it, Beau. You’ve got to believe me.”

“All right, I’ll believe you—for now. Has Luke been charged?”

“I don’t think so. Roy said they were just holding him.”

“What about evidence?” Beau asked. “Have they recovered the bullet?”

“Not as far as I know,” Erin said. “But they’re not telling me much, and I can’t talk to Luke.”

Beau sipped his coffee. “I take it you’re asking for my help.”

“You’re a federal officer. The sheriff will listen to you.”

Beau nodded. “Fine. I’ll do what I can to get Luke released. But the best way to clear him would be to find the real murderer.”

“You can help us there, too,” Rose said. “For starters—show Beau the picture on your phone, Erin.”

Erin already had the photo on display. She slid it across the table to Beau and told him where and how she’d come to take it. “Sky thinks it might belong to his cousin, a woman named Marie Fletcher.”

“I remember her, all right,” Beau said. “Years ago she took a potshot at Jasper and almost killed him, but she was never arrested for it. Last I heard, she was doing time in Gatesville for armed robbery.”

“We’re hoping you can call the warden and find out whether she’s still there,” Rose said.

Beau finished his coffee. “I can do that. But even if she’s out, why would she set up an ambush and murder Will? She barely knew him.”

“That’s a good question.” Erin rose and began clearing away the cups. “But she’s the only lead we have. What if she was being paid—you know, like a hit man?”

“It’s possible. I’ll call the prison as soon as the office is open. If she’s still behind bars, we can throw out that theory. For now, I wouldn’t mind a shower and a change of clothes. Then, as soon as it’s light out, I want a look at the crime scene.” He stood, stretching his arms and flexing his back.

“One more thing before you disappear, Beau,” Rose said. “I’ve talked with Luke. He strikes me as a fine man—and certainly not a murderer. Anything you can do to help clear him will earn my gratitude as well as Erin’s.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Beau walked out of the kitchen, picked up the suitcase he’d left in the dining room, and carried it down the hallway. Watching him go, Erin felt the dark weight of doubt. Beau’s line of work—dealing with drug traffickers—would make anyone cynical. He’d seen the worst side of humanity, and he’d learned to expect the worst of people. What if he hadn’t believed her when she’d told him Luke was innocent? What if he was so intent on justice that his real focus would be on proving Luke’s guilt?

Leaving Rose in the house, she went outside to help with morning chores. No matter what danger or tragedy hung over the ranch, there were still animals needing food and water, barns that needed cleaning, and cattle that needed to be rounded up and culled for early market. Sky would see that the work ran smoothly. And his wife would see that the routine bills were paid and the ranch books were kept up to date. But Erin knew that the big decisions would be up to her. The Rimrock was her responsibility now. She would have to use what she’d learned, from Will, from Jasper and Sky, and even from her grandfather, to run it like a Tyler.

By the time the chores were done, Beau had come outside. He beckoned to Erin and to Sky, who was helping out before joining the hands on the high pasture. “I made that call to Gatesville Prison,” he told them. “Marie Fletcher was paroled early on good behavior three weeks ago.”

“Good behavior?” Sky shook his head. “That doesn’t sound like the Marie I know.”

“There’s more,” Beau said. “It seems she’s AWOL. She was supposed to stay in the area and report to her parole officer every week to start with. The warden says she hasn’t shown up once, which means she’s most likely on the run.”

“Did you tell him we’d seen signs of her?”

“Not yet. I wanted to talk to you first. If she’s here, what do you think she wants? Revenge?”

“Against me or Lauren, maybe. But not against Will. That doesn’t make sense—unless, as Erin suggested, somebody was paying her for a hit.”

“What about Stella?” Even saying the name gave Erin cold chills. Being kidnapped by Stella Rawlins had been the most terrifying experience of her life—and it was her father who’d come to her rescue. Would that give Stella reason enough to want Will dead?