Texas Forever (The Tylers of Texas 6)

“I don’t know. I didn’t see him. But I spent enough time with the sheriff to get some answers.”

“I’m listening.” Erin steeled herself as he turned the car up Main Street, in the direction of the highway.

“Luke’s being arraigned in the morning. His lawyer, a woman, has been assigned, but she has yet to show up. She’ll work with him to prepare the case for the grand jury, if it gets that far. I’m guessing she’ll want to talk to you.”

“And I’ll want to talk with her. What else?”

“The medical examiner determined that Will died sometime between eleven-thirty and noon. I’m guessing the lawyer will try to prove that Luke was somewhere else, but so far he has no alibi.

“The bullet is still missing. The medical examiner didn’t find it, and there’s no sign that it hit Will’s truck, which means that either the shooter took it, or it’s still at the scene.”

More bad news, Erin thought. A ballistics test could confirm that the bullet hadn’t come from Luke’s gun. That would go a long way in establishing reasonable doubt.

“Can I go to the place where Dad was shot and look for it?” she asked.

“Maybe. But if you find it, you mustn’t touch it. Otherwise the prosecutor could claim that it was planted at the scene.” Beau glanced at her as they turned onto the highway. “There’s one more thing, Erin. You’re not going to like it.”

“So far I haven’t liked anything I’ve heard. How can they hold Luke when they don’t have a scrap of solid evidence against him?”

“I asked the sheriff the same question. He told me an eyewitness came forward, someone claiming they saw Luke unload that big tire from his trailer and leave it in the road.”

Erin’s heart dropped. “That’s impossible.”

“Is it, Erin?”

“What are you saying, Beau?” she demanded. “You can’t believe that Luke would murder my father!”

“I believe what fits,” Beau said. “Luke left the ranch sometime after Will went to town—Carmen should be able to confirm the time. When the police picked him up on the freeway, fifty miles from here, he was headed back toward Blanco Springs. He claimed to have turned around in Plainview, more than a hundred and fifty miles away. If that was true, he couldn’t have shot Will and made it that far before the news came on TV. But what if he lied? What if he just went partway, waited somewhere, and then headed back, knowing he’d be picked up? It could’ve happened that way. He could have killed your father, Erin.”

The sense of betrayal burned like acid. “Luke would never do such a thing! I don’t believe you!”

“That’s because you love him. And love can make you see things in a different light. I’m saying this because I don’t want you hurt. You have to prepare yourself for the truth.”

“I know the truth. And I don’t believe that witness. Did the sheriff tell you who it was?”

“He did.” Beau glanced at Erin as the car slowed for the turnoff to the Rimrock. “It was your old boyfriend, Kyle Cardwell.”

* * *

“Your lawyer’s here, Maddox.” Through the bars the deputy cuffed Luke’s wrists before opening the cell and leading him to the interrogation room, where he chained the cuffs to a ring on the table. Luke bore the humiliating treatment with as much patience as he could manage. But he was all raging fury inside. He knew whose lie had put him here, and he knew why.

It would be all too easy to blame Erin’s innocent love for putting him here. If she’d kept her distance, Will wouldn’t have taken him to task that morning, and Erin’s jealous boyfriend wouldn’t have claimed to witness something that never happened. But even if he tried, he couldn’t fault her. Her love had been the sweetest, truest thing he’d ever known. And whatever happened, last night would remain the happiest memory of his life.

“Wait here,” the deputy said. As if he could get up and leave. Alone in the bleak room, Luke willed himself not to appear nervous. He could almost feel the eyes watching him through the one-way glass. His assigned lawyer would be a public defender, probably young and inexperienced. Well, he would have to make the best of that. He certainly couldn’t afford to pay anyone halfway competent. All he could do was pray for a miracle. Otherwise, he’d be spending the rest of his life behind bars, maybe even on death row.

What would happen to his grandmother if he went to prison? He had some money in a savings account. Maybe the lawyer could help him arrange for it to go to her care.

But now he was getting ahead of himself.

A click of the doorknob riveted his attention. The deputy opened the door to reveal a stocky figure, silhouetted against the light. Only as the door closed behind her and Luke saw her more clearly did he realize he was seeing a woman.

She appeared to be in her sixties, plump, with frizzy, dyed red hair. She was wearing a sleeveless, flowered sundress that showed her fleshy, suntanned arms and stretched tight over her ample bosom. Instead of a briefcase, she carried an oversized red leather purse.

She walked toward the table, her carved wooden cane thumping on the floor. Remembering his manners, Luke stood. The chain locking his cuffs to the table kept him from straightening to his full height, but at least he’d made the effort.

“No need for formalities. Sit down, Mr. Maddox,” she said, plopping onto the folding chair across from him. “My name’s Pearlina Murchison. You can call me Pearl.”

As Luke sat down again, she laid her purse on the table, opened the clasp, and slid a manila file out onto the table. He took a moment to study her. Her jowly face was freckled from the sun. Behind thick, tortoiseshell glasses, her blue eyes were sharp and alert. When she leaned closer, Luke could smell the strong stench of cigarette smoke.