Page 41 of Rancher to the Rescue

“What did they say? Were they understanding?” Prudence hated letting her clients down, and yet there wasn’t much that could be done.

“They’re deceased,” Lawler said with a reverence normally reserved for church service on Sunday.

Prudence’s stomach roiled.

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“I’m going to be sick.”

Adam couldn’t get around the island fast enough. Prudence spun around in time to empty the contents of her stomach into the sink. With her background, this ordeal must be bringing up all kinds of horrific memories. And, if not memories, then emotions.

He wet a paper towel as she rinsed out her mouth. With the faucet sprayer, he hosed down the bile as she took the offering from him and pressed the cool rag to her forehead.

Lawler waited patiently on the line as Prudence gathered herself.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

“Hey,” he said, “Don’t ever apologize for having feelings. Okay?”

She pushed her hair off her face, tucking a loose tendril behind her ear. Her cheeks flushed but he couldn’t tell if she was embarrassed or nauseous again.

“Mind if I grab a glass of water?” she asked.

He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. She took the offering and pressed it against her cheek, then her neck.

At least the baby was sleeping in the next room.

“Let me know when you’re ready to continue,” Adam said to Prudence. “Or, I can take it from here.”

“Thanks, but I need to hear this,” she said, walking back to the island. “Please, keep going.”

“Are you sure?” Lawler’s tone told Adam the story was about to get worse. Much more so.

“I can handle it. I was just caught off guard before,” Prudence said, opening the top of the bottle before taking a long drink.

“It never gets easier to hear something like this,” Lawler admitted. “I’ve been on the job as sheriff for a decade now and I can attest to the fact.”

“I can imagine,” she said, bringing her free hand up to cover her heart. “I’m ready now.”

“The scene is set up to look like a murder-suicide,” Lawler continued.

“What do you mean by ‘set up’?” Adam clued in immediately to the word choice.

“Exactly that. I think it’s been arranged to throw us off track. The connection between cases is Prudence and the baby,” Lawler said.

“Why do you think that?” Prudence asked, referring to the set up.

“There’s a suicide note.” Lawler hemmed and hawed on this next part. He didn’t seem too eager to share what it said.

“Who wrote it?” Prudence asked.

“Allegedly, Mrs. Ramsey,” he supplied.

“I’m guessing she explained why she killed her husband,” Prudence continued after taking another sip of water.

“According to the note, he was having an affair,” Lawler said. “In the times you were around them, did they seem like a happy couple to you?”

Prudence’s forehead creased. “Yes. Most people who went on vacation together were pretty excited to see me so they could leave and spend some time together. They weren’t any different.”