Rita Herron - Justice for a Ranger

He would find out sooner or later. A second later Joey caught up with him. “You’re on your way to the briefing?”

“Yes.”

“I’m going with you. I need to catch up on the details of the investigation.”

He frowned, held the door open for her, and they walked across the street to the courthouse in silence. As soon as they entered the conference room, which had been designated as a temporary office for the sheriff, the room quieted. Zane occupied the chair behind the desk as if he’d self-appointed himself head of command while Sloan was propped on the edge, looking like a relaxed hometown boy. A deputy stood by the window staring outside as if he’d been watching for Cole to warn his half brothers of his arrival.

Cole had seen pictures of both of them in the paper, had kept abreast of their careers, their commendations and awards. Both had been popular in high school. Zane, the valedictorian, Mr. JHS—Justice High School—and a quarterback on the football team. And Sloan had been a baseball star and won the state championship. They’d also been noted for their work in solving various high-profile cases.

But he had never met them face-to-face.

He was surprised at the way his stomach clenched. Both men resembled Jim to a degree, although there were subtle differences.

Judging from their solemn expressions they weren’t happy about meeting him. Fine, he was a necessary evil. Here to do a job, not make friends with his siblings.

Zane gave him a clipped nod of acknowledgment. “Glad you finally made it.”

Sloan’s look wasn’t as hospitable. “We’ve been waiting.”

Cole returned their greeting with a scowl. Then Joey entered the room, and the tension intensified to a deafening roar.

“What the hell is she doing here?” Zane asked.

Cole wasn’t surprised at their reaction.

Next to him, the last thing the Rangers wanted was a special investigator for the governor—and the daughter of a prime suspect—breathing down their necks as if the governor didn’t trust them to do their jobs.

But the governor obviously recognized that each of the participants had a personal interest in the outcome of the case. His half brothers and Joey included.

And the verdict was still out over whether or not any of them were on the same side.

JOEY PLASTERED her professional, detached face in place. No doubt her position here threw a kink in their family-run operations. The fact that she’d arrived with their illegitimate half brother hadn’t ingratiated her with the McKinney men, either.

But she refused to let these men intimidate her with their macho, own-the-town attitudes. She’d told the governor the McKinneys wouldn’t welcome her nosing into what they considered their investigation, but the case had drawn statewide attention, and the Rangers investigating one of their own, especially their father, meant lines could be crossed.

She smiled smoothly and claimed a seat at the conference table with the local deputies. “You know why I’m here. You’re too close to the people involved.”

“And you’re not?” Zane said sarcastically.

She shrugged. “My parents and I aren’t exactly tight. Besides, I’m a professional. The governor wants this case solved, and he’s the boss.”

“We’re professionals, too, and can handle the case just fine without you,” Zane said.

Joey folded her hands in front of her on the table. “Listen, I’m not going home until we’ve ended this investigation and someone is arrested for Sarah Wallace’s murder. So you’ll have to put up with me, boys.” She gave them a saccharine grin. “Besides, look on the bright side. I can run interference with the media. You don’t want a circus in town creating panic and trying your suspects before you make an arrest.”

Cole claimed the chair beside her, enjoying her spunky side. “All right, now that our happy little party is assembled, why don’t you fill us in on what you have so far? If I’m tracking in the woods today, I’d like to get started.”

Zane huffed and Sloan made a disgusted sound, but gestured toward the whiteboard on the wall, which held various facts, including the TOD for Lou Anne’s and Sarah Wallace’s murders.

“All right,” Zane began. “Sarah Wallace came to town to meet her sister, Anna, and share evidence she’d uncovered about their mother’s death. She used a prepaid cell phone, which we haven’t recovered yet, to phone Anna, but when Anna arrived, she found Sarah’s body in the hotel room. She was already dead, had been strangled like her mother. Later someone tried to kill Anna in the same way.”

“Why kill Anna?” Joey asked.

“Apparently the killer thought Anna knew something to incriminate him. Or her.”

Cole nodded. “Did she?”

“No. But later, Anna remembered a false bottom in one of their mother’s suitcases. Sarah had it with her,” Zane explained. “We examined it and found papers Sarah had hidden inside. The notes and papers indicated that Donna Hendricks might have intended to pay off Lou Anne for providing her with information about Leland’s alleged plans to fake the kidnapping and murder of his son. We’re getting a search warrant now to access Donna’s financial records, along with Rosa’s.”

“So you believe Lou Anne blackmailed Donna?” Cole asked.

Sloan nodded. “Lou Anne didn’t want more kids, so when she discovered Leland’s plan, she phoned Donna to tell her. She tried to blackmail Donna into paying her for the tip. We think Donna probably agreed, but Donna wanted Lou Anne to report Leland to the FBI.”

“Why wouldn’t Donna just go to the police herself?” Cole asked.

“Because she was bitter over losing the custody battle,” Sloan supplied. “Without evidence, Leland could have accused her of conspiring with him to pull off the kidnapping/murder. Or he could have accused her of orchestrating the entire plan herself and she’d lose any visitation rights with her children.”

“And no one would believe my mother because she was a drunk back then.” Joey understood the implied assumption. It was possible that when Lou Anne refused to go to the FBI, Donna had killed her.

“What about Rosa?” Joey drummed her nails on the table. “Why are you looking at her records?”

“She bought liquor and drugs for Donna,” Zane interjected. “If Donna wanted to hide money to pay off a blackmailer, she might have enlisted Rosa’s help.”

“Has Donna confessed to any of this?” Cole asked.

Zane grimaced. “No, not yet.”

“While Zane’s been handling the grand jury, I stepped in to help Sheriff Matheson,” Sloan said. “We were studying the papers Sarah left when the fire broke out in the jail. Then someone tried to shoot Carley.” Anger hardened Sloan’s face. “She’s in a safe house now, but she’s searching Donna’s financial records for more details.”

“So you’re focusing on my parents now?” Joey asked. Could one of them be a murderer? Had her mother or father killed Lou Anne, and now Sarah? Had one of them really shot the sheriff to keep her from finding out the truth?

Her stomach knotted again. “I thought Leland had an alibi for the night of Lou Anne’s murder?”

Zane’s boots hit the floor with a thud. “We discovered that he tampered with the surveillance cameras, so his alibi is shot.”

“What about your father, Jim McKinney?” Joey asked. “He was seen leaving the inn that night.”

The men traded an odd look.

“What are you not saying?” Cole asked.

Sloan twisted sideways and Zane clenched his jaw. “We haven’t ruled out Jim yet.”

“And Stella?” Joey asked. “She hated Lou Anne for her affair with Jim.”

Pain flashed into both men’s eyes. “Stella had a breakdown,” Zane said. “She’s in the hospital, despondent. I’m not sure how much more information we’ll get from her.”