Page 41 of Homicide in Water Creek

King ran back to his desk to grab a sheet of paper. He held it up and shook it. “The driver’s log shows he didn’t stop in Fort Bridger.”

“Then how?” Her hand went to her hip, and she waited as he worked something out in his head.

“I don’t know, but somewhere he had contact with the killer. This leaves me with more questions than answers. Why was she coming here? How did someone know she was coming here? Did her car break down, forcing her to take a ride with the wrong person? Was she just an innocent victim of a psychotic person? Is the driver lying about his log?”

“There are a lot of questions, so you have to work the case, King.” She shook his arm to get his attention. “First, you get to the car and look for anything that might tell you what she was doing. Maybe there’s a suitcase in it with more answers. She had to have luggage if she was traveling. Who found the car?”

“An astute county cop who noticed it had been sitting there for weeks.”

“Why would they leave a car on the side of the road for weeks?”

“It’s not on the side of the road. It’s at a small storage facility off the highway. Apparently, the rental plates piqued his curiosity. When he ran the plates, he discovered our BOLO for it.”

“Remind me to buy him a cookie.” Jacks was joking, but it drew a grin from the otherwise stoic man in front of her. “Go to Fort Bridger. This is the break you’ve been waiting for, King.”

Grabbing his coat from the hook by his office door, he paused. “You’re right. I can’t leave the car there unguarded since Fort Bridger only uses county cops. I’ve gotta call Maverick and get him back in here.”

Jacks stepped in front of him and held his waist until he focused on her. “I’m going with you then. You’ll need help. Unless you want to take Maverick so you have a second cop as backup?”

King shook his head. “If I’m not here, Maverick needs to be here.” His eyes softened, and he brought his hand up to caress her cheek. “But, baby, I’m not taking you with me. This is my mess to clean up. You’ve already put enough of your time into it for no reward.”

Jacks slid her arms around his waist and hugged him, her head resting on his chest. “Not true. I get to spend time with you. Please, King. You know you’re going to need help. As it is, you’d better let Devyn know she might get a call. Maybe let Sheriff Nash in Wellspring know you’ll be gone, too. You have no idea how long this might take.”

Devyn Briar was the school liaison for Water Creek and the two surrounding counties. She used to be a deputy with the force, but a few years ago, when she was shot in the line of duty, solved a sex trafficking and meth ring, met the love of her life, and adopted a little girl, she decided risking her life wasn’t something she wanted to do daily. That said, she still helped the department when they were down a man, so Jacks knew she’d jump in to help Maverick until King returned.

King sighed as he rubbed her back tenderly. “I hate it when you’re right. Jackson needs you at the ranch, though.”

She stepped back. “Granddaddy has Keene watching the men. The place won’t fall apart. I just need to grab a couple of things from the house on the way. We’ll let them know we’re on official business, but they can reach us by cell. You call Maverick and Devyn while I lock things down out front.”

King grabbed her shirt as she darted past, holding her in place. “Last time I checked, I’m the sheriff.”

She spun around and arched an eyebrow. “I’m well aware you’re the king, but even the king sometimes needs a little help from the Jack.”

A sly smile filled his lips. “Well-played, but you know what will happen if we tell them we’re going away together, possibly for a night, right?” She started to open her mouth. “Even if we’re working.”

“I don’t care what they think anymore, King. I’m an adult, and so are you. Grow a pair and be a man.”

Jacks spun around and strode toward the front of the office to grab her things as he laughed brazenly from behind her.

“You damn well know I’ve got balls, baby.”

It was her turn to laugh. “And I’m looking forward to a replay of last night. That can’t happen until we sort out this mess, so chop, chop.”

“You’re a bossy little thing,” he said, grabbing his hat.

“That’s what you love about me,” she teased, turning to catch his eye before she winked.

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King 0

As expected, when they arrived at the ranch, King had to put Keene and Jackson in their place. He figured they’d eventually realize neither he nor Jacks cared what those two old cowboys thought anymore, but they didn’t have time for that discussion. Instead, he explained that Vonita’s likely destination was Water Creek, which gave both men pause. They both understood that if Vonita was coming to Water Creek, that meant trouble. There was no other answer. Not that he was in the mood to deal with Hollywood bullshit, but for whatever reason, she’d been thrust back into his life, so he had to deal with it.

King had never held any love for the woman who birthed him. Hell, he’d never known her as anything but the woman no one wanted to talk about. She was the famous woman on television who played the perfect sitcom mom, even though, in real life, she’d destroyed his father and ruined his granddaddy’s life.

If anyone thought, even for half a second, that finding Vonita dead in his town was anything more than an inconvenience for him, they were wrong for that entire half a second. Was it awful that she was killed? Yes. No one deserved to die that way. But if someone thought leaving her body in his town would somehow turn him into a quivering mess, they were wrong. It had the opposite effect. It pissed him off and jammed him up, two things he didn’t like in police work. Then again, maybe their goal was to jam him up. Maybe they thought leaving his mother in Water Creek would mean bringing in an outside team to investigate.

“Maybe the killer never meant for her to be found,” he muttered.