Jenna Kernan - Eagle Warrior

Was it possible that her father had not told her about the money?

He had other questions, chief of which was what in the wide world had Karl Hutton Hooke done to receive a bank check for two hundred thousand dollars with his name written on it?

The answer seemed obvious. Her father had been paid to kill the Lilac Copper Mine Gunman. That meant that Karl Hutton Hooke was a hitman and whoever paid him had not wanted the mass gunman to stand trial. It also meant that there was a whole mess of money missing.

Jack escorted Morgan back inside and together they checked the house. Only her father’s room had been disturbed, but Andy had even gone so far as to slice the pillows and mattress.

“What a mess,” Ray said from the doorway.

Morgan directed her question to Jack. “What was he looking for, Detective Bear Den?”

Chapter Four

“Not sure what he was looking for, Morgan,” said Detective Bear Den. “Did your dad have anything of special value?”

Both Jack and Ray watched Morgan who seemed to be considering the question while lightly rubbing her fingertips over her lips. The small gesture sent an unexpected shot of longing straight to Ray’s groin.

He lifted his brows in surprise. He didn’t go for this sort of woman, the “attached with child, daughter of a murderer who might be involved with some very bad people” sort. But there it was, Ray Strong making the worst possible choice, as usual.

His attention now became speculative. What kind of a woman was Morgan in bed?

“He had some of those state quarters,” said Morgan. “Turquoise jewelry. Not a lot.”

She convinced Ray. If he was a betting man, and of course, he was, he would say dear old Dad had forgotten to tell his girl that he’d had a payday that might just get her and her daughter killed.

They all moved inside and gathered in the kitchen in a loose circle between the dinette and the worn Formica counters.

“You have somewhere you can stay tonight?” asked Jack.

Morgan drew Lisa in beside her, and her daughter hugged her mom around the middle. Morgan stood in bare feet still wearing the cocktail outfit that looked garish in the drab little kitchen.

“Lisa could stay at her best friend’s. The Herons live right next door. But I... I think I’d better stay here.”

“You have someone to call, maybe help you clean up?” asked Jack.

“I can help,” said Ray.

Morgan’s face scrunched up in a way that told Ray that he was less than smooth in her eyes.

“That’s not necessary,” she said, her smile all tight and dismissive now. That made Ray want to remind her who had removed the vermin from her house.

“I’ll have an officer escort you and Lisa to the Herons’,” said Jack.

Jack left them and called from the door into the yard. Ray clasped his bloody hands behind his back and gave Morgan a half smile that he hoped made him look less threatening. Jack returned with a young man that Ray knew.

“Ms. Hooke, this is Officer Wetselline,” said Jack, sounding all professional now. “He’ll walk you over to the Herons’. Maybe you want to wait over there until we finish up here.”

She nodded her head and took hold of Lisa’s hand. “I’ll be back.”

Ray watched Morgan go and wondered what she’d look like in tight jeans and a thin white T-shirt. Ever since he’d started watching her, he couldn’t stop these images from creeping into his mind. Why her? He didn’t date women with children but he liked Lisa and Morgan had the sort of appeal that seemed deeper than physical. She was such a dedicated mom and supportive daughter. Many women would have distanced themselves from a father who committed such a reprehensible act. Not her. According to Kenshaw, she visited her father, often. Respectable, upstanding, devoted, yeah...not his type.

Jack snapped his fingers in front of Ray’s face, bringing his attention away from Morgan. Jack filled Ray in on his conversation with their shaman.

“He wants you here on site with Ms. Hooke.”

“What? How am I supposed to pull that off?” asked Ray.

“I’m going to suggest Morgan not be alone. That her father’s arrest might have repercussions for her and Lisa.”

“You’re not going to tell her about the money?”

“You said that Peck asked her about the money,” said Jack.

“That’s the first thing I heard when I came in. But she thinks we’re talking about state quarters.” The image of Morgan being dragged backward by that cowardly little branch manager made Ray want to punch him in the face all over again.

“I can ask her a second time, suggest that her father might have some additional money.”

“Don’t suggest. Tell her the truth. Her father might have been paid to shoot Ovidio Sanchez. He cashed a huge check the day before he went to jail and that pecker Peck was in her home, looking for the loot.”

“This could be very dangerous for her. So I’m going to recommend strongly that she consider hiring a bodyguard. Then I’m putting your hat in the ring.”

“I’m no bodyguard.”

Jack seemed to know where his mind was going. “You couldn’t get to him, Ray. There wasn’t time.”

Ray never missed a beat as he skipped to Iraq and the night that none of them would ever forget.

“But I could have let him ride with Mullins. Mullins wanted him. But I stuck him with Tromgartner.” The prank had not been funny. Instead it had cost his best friend his life. If only that had been all.

“I didn’t get to them either,” said Jack. In fact, Jack had held Ray back and let go only to grab his brother Carter. Then he’d run them both out leaving Hatch behind.

Ray blew out a breath. Jack scratched at the stubble on his jaw and smoothly changed the subject.

“She doesn’t seem to know anything about the money.”

“Who knows what she knows,” said Ray. You would think a detective would be more suspicious.

“Let me talk to her when she gets back and you wash the blood off your hands.”

“This is a mistake. Kenshaw should call Dylan Tehauno. He’s clean-cut, responsible. And he’s not crazy. That’s for sure.”

“Maybe she needs crazy to protect her from bigger crazy.”

Ray sighed. He’d never felt less prepared for a job.

“One thing I know,” said Jack. “Morgan Hooke will be in danger until that money is found.”

Ray couldn’t dispute that because it was true. Her father had made a mistake going to a bank so close to home. Maybe it didn’t matter. That kind of money would bring trouble even if trouble had to travel long distances.

“Fox guarding the hen house,” muttered Ray.

“Yeah, well that hen got plucked a long time ago.”

Ray was interested in this conversation. “Who?”

“Don’t know. No rumors even.”

Ray frowned. In a small place like this, there were always rumors. “See if you can find out.”

“Because?” asked Jack.

“Because I’m curious, is all.”

Jack raised his eyebrows. “Really?”

He sounded so shocked it pissed Ray right off.

“Yeah.”

“Not your type, Ray.”

“I know that, Jack.”

“Fine, I’ll see what I can find out.”

Jack followed his officer, leaving Ray in Karl Hooke’s empty bedroom. Ray ducked into the bathroom to wash his hands and then returned to set Karl’s room in order. First, he righted the dresser. Jack returned as Ray was sliding the mattress back in place.

“Where would you put it?” asked Jack.

“Not in the room beside where my granddaughter slept.” As if he’d ever have a granddaughter, Ray thought, which he wouldn’t. He was actually shocked he’d lived this long.

“You think Kenshaw knows?” asked Jack.

The two shared a hard look. He understood what Jack was asking. Detective Jack Bear Den wondered if their shaman knew about the money when tribal law enforcement did not. Ray knew Kenshaw had some information because he’d asked Ray to find out if Morgan knew who hired her dad. That meant Kenshaw either knew or suspected that Morgan’s dad did not act of his own volition. Did Kenshaw also know about the money?