Page 64
DOYLE
Doyle had imagineda lot of ways for this dinner to end in shambles, but he never once predicted being led out of Harriet’s house in handcuffs. Sadie tried to follow, but Harriet and Eleanor held her back with a smothering helping of doting after he told her in no uncertain terms to stay put and get ahold of McGovern. They needed to keep tabs on Caroline’s whereabouts. If push came to shove, the others would stage a prison break. The important thing was to get Caroline back on the ship.
“You can stop poking me in the back with your gun, Sheriff,” Doyle said. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m cooperating.”
“You’re lucky I don’t shoot you and pretend you tried to get away,” Amos said as he shoved him around the corner and down the street toward the Town Hall, parading him through the smattering of onlookers.
Doyle stopped protesting and resigned himself to the bruise he’d likely have on his back. Once Amos led him inside the building and slammed the cell door on him, he spoke again.
“So now that it’s just us, care to tell me why you think I murdered a man when we both know you don’t even believe he’s dead?”
Amos unlocked the handcuffs on Doyle’s arms and pursed his lips. “I don’t need to tell you anything.”
“I know my rights,” Doyle said, rubbing his wrists.
Amos laughed. “You ain’t got any rights in my town unless I say you do.”
“Fuck.” Doyle sat back on the hard bench, the only thing inside the rusted cell.
“It don’t take a genius to figure out Caroline isn’t the one at fault here when Sadie herself come in here telling me the same tall tales just a bit ago.” Amos sat at the dusty sheriff’s desk and put his feet up on the surface, leaning back in the chair.
He spent far more time in the mayor’s office than this one, Doyle realized.
“Look, I know it sounds incriminating,” Doyle tried appealing to him, “but I did not kill anyone.”
Amos sighed heavily. “The way I figure it is you didn’t want the competition from Eli. Your stories wouldn’t work on a woman who already had someone courtin’ her.”
“That’s ridiculous, not to mention complete conjecture.”
“We’ll see ‘bout that. I’m going to find Otto and some more men in the morning and go take a look around that ranch. If there’s a body there, we’ll find it. If not, you got nothin’ to worry about other than your woman getting some sense talked into her while she’s not under your influence.”
Doyle put his face in his hands. They’d find a body all right. He’d get hung for murder before the sun set tomorrow.
Time to light a fire under McGovern’s heels. But how to get rid of Amos?
It took effort to avoid splinters as Doyle settled back on the bench. He closed his eyes and lay still.
“Might as well head back to Harriet’s for dessert,” Amos muttered after a while, tapping on the desk.
Doyle grunted and stayed in place until he heard the double doors crash closed. Then he sat up and tapped on his wristband.
“McGovern,” he called, glancing around like someone might come out of the walls to catch him.
“Here,” McGovern appeared in the flesh at the door, nearly giving him a heart attack.
“Shit,” Doyle said, settling himself.
McGovern smirked as he sashayed over to the front of the cell. “Sadie excused herself at the house and told me everything. Good thing we gave her a wristband and taught her how to make a call in case of emergencies. The trouble you get yourself into, Doyle.”
“I can’t say you’re wrong,” Doyle agreed as McGovern searched for the keys, finding the giant metal ring on the sheriff’s desk. “How’d you manage to sneak in?”
“That fool of a sheriff couldn’t catch a cactus,” McGovern said as he swung open the cell door.
“I’m worried about Sadie’s safety. We need to get over there and somehow get a hold of Caroline.”
“Probably not the smartest idea to show back up there when you’re supposed to be in jail.” McGovern paused while swinging the key ring around his finger. “Maybe you should leave this to me and your woman.”
The vein on Doyle’s neck felt like it might pop. McGovern backed away with his palms out.
