“I wish your mother could hear you. She would beat you over the head with her cast-iron skillet.”
Tate gave her a predatory look. “I wish she was alive, too. She would tell you something, too.”
“What?” she snapped.
“That you don’t stand a chance.”
Chapter 14
A loud knocking at the front door woke her from the alcohol-induced sleep she had fallen into after Tate had finally left her bedroom last night. Hastily pulling on her robe, she opened her bedroom door and was startled when she saw Tate standing in his bedroom doorway. He placed a finger against his lips, silently telling her to be quiet.
“I have to see who it is,” Sutton whispered.
Once he nodded, she padded barefoot to the window beside the door, peeking out. She saw a large figure that she didn’t need to see his uniform to recognize. She turned back to Tate who was staring at her from the hallway.
“Knox,” she silently mouthed.
At his nod, she opened the door, motioning the sheriff in before closing it behind him.
“Morning,” she greeted him, though his attention was on Tate as he came farther in the room.
“Did you leave the house last night?” he asked Tate without returning her greeting.
“No.”
The sheriff turned his attention to her. “Were you here with him all night?”
“No. I went out for drinks with Cheryl. Why?”
“Helen Stevens was shot and killed last night. She was found in her car that was parked in the carport. One of her neighbors heard a shot then found her. It was around eight-thirty. Were you here at that time?”
“No, I was still at King’s. I didn’t get home until after twelve. Why do you think Tate could have done it?”
“The state police think Tate was trying to rob her or take her car. They think he accidently shot her when she put up a fight.”
“That’s bullshit, and you know it,” Tate snarled. “I’m not an amateur. If I shoot someone, it damn sure wouldn’t be an accident.”
“Are you saying you deliberately shot her?”
“Don’t be fucking stupid. I didn’t leave the house last night, and I wouldn’t attack a woman and kill her for her car. If I wanted to get out of town, Greer or Dustin would help me. Hell, even Cash would.”
The sheriff ran his hand over his bald head. “I’m going to take you in. Someone is running around town, killing people to make it look like you’re responsible.”
“If you take me in and the shootings stop, it’s going to make me look even guiltier. The shootings will stop, and they’ll get away while I’m locked up. That shit isn’t going to happen.”
“Tate, if you were in jail, that woman may still be alive.” Sutton bit her lip. Was she indirectly responsible for someone’s death because she had given him a place to hide?
“Maybe. Maybe not. We don’t know for sure. The two shootings could be connected, or I could just have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, and he didn’t want to take the time to finish me off. Increase your deputies’ shifts and tell everyone in town to be careful,” Tate advised.
Knox nodded. “I think whoever is doing it has their own agenda, too. But if one more person gets hurt, I’m taking your ass in, and when I come to get you, I won’t be knocking on the fucking door.” He pointed a finger at her. “You don’t leave him alone at the house again.”
“I won’t,” she promised.
“I’ll try to find out if Lyle and Helen had anything in common. Hopefully, I can turn up something.”
“Thanks,” Tate said. Sutton could tell it was laced with reluctance.
Knox gave him a sharp nod.
After he left, she brushed past Tate, going to her bedroom.
“What bug crawled up your ass? I’m the one in trouble.” Tate leaned against the bedroom doorway, crossing his arms over his chest.
“If I didn’t give you a place to hide out, that woman may still be alive.”
“I doubt it. Whoever shot her must have known what time she was supposed to come home. They were waiting for her.”
“You think she knew her murderer?”
“Yes.”
Fear that someone was randomly killing the townspeople had Sutton thinking of packing up and returning to California.
“So, you think it was just a coincidence that I was in town when the shooting happened? Or do you think they could have seen me and decided to use the opportunity?”
“They would have to know I’m hiding out here. Do you remember who you saw at King’s? Did anyone leave after you got there?”
Sutton thought back to last night carefully. “No, I really didn’t pay any attention to who was there. Do you want me to call Cheryl and ask her?”
“No, she might get suspicious. Wait until she calls you. She loves to gossip. She’ll think you don’t know and will call. Then you can feel out if she noticed anything strange.”