Tanner had no intention of allowing Bree to admit any illegal doings to Whitaker. He didn’t trust the man not to lose sight of the bigger picture—finding the murderer—and arrest Bree just out of spite.
It would take a while for Whitaker to follow up on everything Tanner would present. Tanner didn’t expect to be reinstated today, although he was hoping the wheels would be turning enough that maybe he’d be back tomorrow.
But today both he and Bree had the day off. Too bad it was cold and rainy out, or else he’d spend it convincing Bree to move in with him permanently at the ranch and hauling the rest of her stuff.
He wanted her there. He’d never met someone who belonged at the ranch and loved it as much as he and Noah. If it were up to Tanner, Bree wouldn’t spend another night away from him for the rest of their lives.
So much for trying to take it slow for her sake. At least he hadn’t dragged her off in front of a county judge to get married.
The thought had crossed his mind.
“What do you want to do today?” she asked, smiling over at him from the passenger seat. “My vote is for going back to bed and—”
She gasped and gripped the door handle as a car cut in front of them on the rainy road, way too close.
Tanner let out a low curse. Not only had the guy cut him off, he was now hitting his brakes. Tanner slowed down, then tried to go around him, but the guy swerved again so they were trapped behind him.
“What the hell?” Tanner muttered.
The driver continued to tap his brakes, forcing Tanner to slow further behind him. He flipped on his blinker and pulled to the side of the road. Tanner pulled off also.
He reached over into the glove compartment and pulled out his backup firearm that he had a concealed-carry permit to keep inside his vehicle.
“What just happened?” Bree’s green eyes were huge.
“Stay here. I’m going to talk to this guy and see what the hell is going on.”
He reached over and gave her hand a squeeze before opening the car door and stepping outside. At least the rain had reduced itself into a mist.
The door of the car in front of him opened and Tanner stopped, firearm ready but pointed at the ground. Then Tanner saw who it was.
“Ryan?” Tanner relaxed his grip on the gun. “You nearly gave me a heart attack. Why the hell did you almost run us off the road?”
Even through the low light and heavy mist, Tannercould see the tension radiating through Ryan Fletcher. It was unlike the lawyer to be so discombobulated. Every time Tanner had seen him in the courtroom, he’d been completely unflappable.
“Tanner, thank God I caught you. Sorry for the vehicular dramatics. I just didn’t know how else to get in touch with you.”
Tanner tucked his Glock into the back waistband of his jeans. “How about a telephone. That would work.”
“I couldn’t call. There couldn’t be any trace of a call.”
Now Tanner was getting concerned. “What’s going on?”
“You can’t go in to the sheriff’s office. They’re going to arrest you.”
Tanner shook his head. “No, it’s all been taken care of. We found some other evidence. Doesn’t clear me outright, but it at least provides another link between the two dead guys besides me.”
“I just came from Sheriff Duggan’s office. Now there arethreedead guys. Another body showed up this morning. Stabbed in the back again.”
Damn it.“Well, I have a pretty ironclad alibi for last night.” Bree would be able to provide a statement that he’d been with her for the entire night.
He rubbed his hand over his face. Except shewouldn’tbe able to attest to that in all honesty, would she? She had no idea how long he was gone from the bed before she came out and found him on the couch. She’d be willing to say he’d been in bed with her all night, but there was no way he was going to allow her to lie and commit perjury for him for that.
Tanner gritted his teeth. “I’m assuming this third victim is tied to me also, if they are threatening to get a warrant?”
“They’ve already got the warrant, Tanner. Judge issued it immediately based on the evidence. And the guy is tied to you and me both. Owen Duquette.”
Tanner’s curse was low and foul. “I wanted that bastard in prison, but I didn’t kill him.”
