The Missing Mccullen
Rita Herron
A loner seeks redemption…a single mother seeks the truth Defense attorney BJ Alexander is crafty, brilliant, and deeply scarred by the loss of her husband and child. Hired by the McCullen family, who believe Cash Koker to be their lost brother, BJ commits to the case—and vows not to become entangled with her devastatingly handsome client. Unfortunately, Cash is no stranger to hardship, and their mutual attraction is overwhelming. But nothing can prepare him when charges are mistakenly brought against him. Cash insists he's being framed, and it's up to BJ to find the truth. Because not only is Cash's life at stake, but so is that of a missing little boy…
A loner seeks redemption…a single mother seeks the truth
Defense attorney BJ Alexander is crafty, brilliant, and deeply scarred by the loss of her husband and child. Hired by the McCullen family, who believe Cash Koker to be their lost brother, BJ commits to the case—and vows not to become entangled with her devastatingly handsome client. Unfortunately, Cash is no stranger to hardship, and their mutual attraction is overwhelming. But nothing can prepare him when charges are mistakenly brought against him. Cash insists he’s being framed, and it’s up to BJ to find the truth. Because not only is Cash’s life at stake, but so is that of a missing little boy…
The Heroes of Horseshoe Creek
She’d vowed never to get involved with a client. Not to trust any man.
Except…how could she resist this sexy, strong man who would give his life for a little boy?
“How about you?” she asked softly.
Cash’s eyes darkened with pain, then flickered with something akin to desire. “I’ll be all right when we find Tyler.”
An image of her own son, pale and lifeless, taunted her. BJ looked down, battling tears. “Me, too. I just hope and pray…” She let the sentence trail off, unable to voice her worst fears out loud.
“Hey,” Cash murmured. “Don’t give up. I’m not.”
He was talking about Tyler. And she hadn’t given up on finding him.
But there was no bringing back her son. It was too late.
The grief she’d lived with since she’d lost him welled up and threatened to bring her to her knees again.
She looked up into Cash’s eyes and was moved by his tenderness. Desperate for his touch, for comfort, she pressed her hand over his chest. His heart pounded, strong and alive, beneath her palm.
She leaned into him, and he brushed her hair from her cheek. “BJ?”
“Shh, just hold me for a minute.”
He made a low sound in his throat as if he was struggling not to touch her. Then his eyes darkened, and he pulled her up against him.
The Missing McCullen
Rita Herron
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
USA TODAY bestselling author RITA HERRON wrote her first book when she was twelve but didn’t think real people grew up to be writers. Now she writes so she doesn’t have to get a real job. A former kindergarten teacher and workshop leader, she traded storytelling to kids for writing romance, and now she writes romantic comedies and romantic suspense. Rita lives in Georgia with her family. She loves to hear from readers, so please visit her website, ritaherron.com (http://ritaherron.com/).
Contents
Cover (#u2d20e5cc-11f5-58d0-87a9-79e2c388312a)
Back Cover Text (#ud987bde1-8626-5f24-a171-965b35b1a467)
Introduction (#u0ef32c9d-3aa9-5ccd-a969-a276ba389c14)
Title Page (#u31d1e175-8a00-59f2-9263-576c6b16970c)
About the Author (#ud7b150fc-2014-5e8e-bc49-82f5a6387a3a)
Prologue (#ulink_d6814b63-aec3-5fbd-9f97-6fbe5be99d6b)
Chapter One (#ulink_a9186a40-b40a-59c4-938b-334f3ffc7fda)
Chapter Two (#ulink_848f66b3-f203-57c7-ba0d-06de3d4b2650)
Chapter Three (#ulink_d9ba30bd-34a5-53c7-aa65-ac89477db5c5)
Chapter Four (#ulink_3893c30b-9f53-5893-84ab-ac155ab994cb)
Chapter Five (#ulink_38d5be8d-a3c0-57a9-a373-942b25845a1f)
Chapter Six (#ulink_a096fdfd-7f34-5e00-a829-a70dbab43e94)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-One (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-Two (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-Three (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twenty-Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
Prologue (#ulink_cb1e096d-9767-53ef-aaa2-adf0938bcdb1)
Ray McCullen faced his brothers, Maddox and Brett, with a knot in his stomach. For months they’d been searching for twin brothers who’d been kidnapped from their parents at birth.
They would be thirty this month.
He had good news and bad news. “I found one of the twins.”
Maddox balled his hands into fists. “You don’t sound happy about it.”
“Where is he?” Brett asked.
“The babies were left at a church about an hour from Pistol Whip. Apparently, one of them was adopted, but the other was sickly and wound up being placed in foster care. A nurse took him in for a while, and named him Cash Koker.”
“Where is he now?” Maddox asked.
Ray turned to the whiteboard where they’d listed clues regarding the boys’ whereabouts. He tacked a photo on the board.
“I used age progression software and a special program I have to locate doppelgangers. This is him.”
Maddox studied the photo. “He looks like a McCullen. Same stubborn jaw. Dark hair.”
“He’s got your high forehead and dark eyes, Maddox,” Brett said.
Maddox cleared his throat. “The DNA matched?”
Ray nodded. “Yeah, his was in the system, but I still want another test done for verification.”
“I agree,” Maddox said.
“Does he know about us?” Brett asked.
“I don’t think so.”
Maddox crossed his arms. “You said his DNA was in the system. Does that mean what I think it means?”
Ray gave a quick nod. “He has a record. Got into some trouble as a juvenile, then a couple of bar brawls in his twenties.”
“Hell, so did I. Is that it?” Brett asked.
Ray grunted. “Afraid not.” He tacked another photo on the board. This picture was a mug shot. “Our long-lost brother has just been arrested for murder.”
Chapter One (#ulink_ad840c3e-1a4d-5d71-ae49-f506e5bdfad7)
“I didn’t kill anyone.” Cash Koker flexed his hands on the scarred wooden table of the interrogation room, barely resisting the urge to punch Sheriff Jim Jasper in the jaw.
He’d answered these damn questions a dozen times already, but for some reason, the bastard thought he could browbeat Cash into admitting to murder.
There was no way in hell he’d confess to a crime he hadn’t committed.
The bloodstains beneath his fingernails mocked him. Blood that belonged to Sondra, the woman he allegedly had killed.
“Just look at her picture,” Sheriff Jasper said. “She was young and beautiful, but you took her life away from her.”
Cash swallowed hard as he glanced at the image. Sondra was twenty-two, with pale skin and blond hair that fell to her shoulders.
That hair was tangled and bloody in the photograph. Her throat had been cut, her eyes wide in shock and horror. Blood soaked her thin white blouse, and her hands, which she’d obviously used to fight her attacker.
“I didn’t kill her,” Cash said again. “I cared about Sondra. We were friends.”
“Friends?” Sheriff Jasper crossed his beefy arms and leaned back in his chair. Although he was only a few years older than Cash, the cocky man thought he owned the town. He also got around. Apparently women thought he was attractive.
Cash didn’t like anything about him.
“Sondra’s daddy said there was a lot more to it than friendship,” Jasper said snidely.
Cash chewed the inside of his cheek. Mr. Elmore was a paranoid, pompous, demanding jerk who was rich as sin but barely paid his ranch hands minimum wage. He couldn’t keep help because he was cheap and damn difficult to work for.
“In fact, Elmore claims that you knocked up his daughter, and that you denied paternity. He says you slit Sondra’s throat to keep her from filing for child support.”
Cash thumped his boot on the floor. “He’s wrong. I’m not the little boy’s father. You know as well as I do that a DNA test can prove it.” Although, he had grown attached to the spunky three-year-old.
“Then who is the father?”
Cash sighed. “I don’t know. Sondra never told me.”
Jasper grabbed him by his shirt collar and practically yanked Cash across the table. “Listen to me, you good-for-nothing piece of trash. Lester Elmore is a respected rancher around here. He doesn’t lie.” He shoved another picture in front of Cash’s face. “Neither does the evidence. We’ve got Sondra’s blood under your nails, and a video cam clip from last night showing you entering the motel where she died.”
Cash shifted, his mind racing for answers. The last thing he remembered was meeting her at the bar, because she’d been upset. He’d had a drink and they’d walked outside.
The rest of the night was a damn blank.
Hours later, he’d woken up in a motel room beside Sondra’s dead body. He’d been in shock, panicked, and had called an ambulance. He’d also called Sondra’s father.
It hadn’t occurred to him that the man would accuse him of murder.
“You could ease your conscience by telling me what happened,” the sheriff growled. “Or let me guess—you had a lover’s quarrel, and she threatened to cut you out of the kid’s life. Am I getting close?”
Cash went stone still. Nothing he could say would convince this man that he was innocent.
Worse, the evidence was damning. Given it, and the fact that Elmore owned half the town, they could lock him away and he’d never see the light of day again.
“You are way off base,” Cash said matter-of-factly. “I told you—we weren’t lovers.” In fact, he would never have gone to a motel with Sondra. They didn’t have that kind of relationship. “Why aren’t you looking at Elmore? He probably had enemies.”
“Elmore is not the problem,” Sheriff Jasper snapped.
“But I didn’t do anything,” Cash’s mind raced. “You should be looking for someone else with a motive. Sondra said some guy named Ronnie was bothering her.”
Sheriff Jasper raised a brow. “Stop trying to put the blame on someone else, and tell me what you did with Tyler. If Elmore gets his grandson back, he might go easier on you.”
Cash’s pulse jumped. “What the hell are you talking about? You don’t know where Tyler is?”
The sheriff shoved him backward so hard the chair legs clacked on the floor. “Don’t act dumb, Koker. If you took that kid, you’re going down for kidnapping and murder.”
Panic streaked through Cash. Someone had kidnapped Tyler?
* * *
Three days later
BJ ALEXANDER HAD made a lot of mistakes in her short career as an attorney. She just hoped coming to Cash Koker’s defense wasn’t one of them.
But her father and Joe McCullen had been friends, and now that Joe was dead, her father had asked her to help his sons find out more about their long-lost brother.
Possible long-lost brother, she amended.
She slipped from the safety of her small sedan, letting the warmth of the summer day chase away the chill inside her as she studied the sheriff’s office.
The building was a one-story, ancient brick structure with mud caking the brick. She’d called ahead and Sheriff Jasper had filled her in on the arrest.
Cash Koker had been locked up for murdering a young woman named Sondra Elmore. Apparently, Cash had once worked for Sondra’s father on the Wagon Wheel Ranch.
Cash insisted he was innocent.
Like she hadn’t heard that before.
A year ago, she’d represented a man named Davis Turner, who claimed he’d been framed for murder. After losing her ex-husband and son, she’d been in a bad place. Vulnerable.
Davis was charming, convincing, and seemed compassionate. She’d broken the cardinal rule of not getting involved with a client and had allowed their relationship to become personal.
She had gotten him acquitted in record time.
Two days later, she realized he’d played her. She’d overheard him talking to his mistress on the phone. He’d admitted he was guilty.
Worse, he was a free man because of her, and he couldn’t be retried for killing his wife.
She’d hated herself for being so naive. Hated that she may have put another person in danger by helping a killer walk.
She wouldn’t make that mistake with this case. If she took it.
Despite her father and Joe McCullen’s friendship, that was a big if.
Cash Koker had to convince her he was innocent.
Resolved, she opened the door to the sheriff’s office and entered. A tiny older woman with gray hair sat at a reception desk. Her name tag read Imogene.
BJ identified herself. “I’m here to meet with Cash Koker.”
A tough-looking man in a sheriff’s uniform, probably in his midthirties, appeared in the doorway. He might have been handsome if his scowl wasn’t so off-putting.
He hitched his thumb toward the back. “You the attorney gonna represent that scumbag in there?”
BJ stiffened. It sounded as if the sheriff had already convicted Cash.
Did he have concrete evidence proving Cash was guilty?
* * *
CASH HAD TO get out of this cell.
He’d been here all weekend, shut off as if he was one of the most wanted people in Wyoming.
Dammit. He hated to be confined. Small spaces triggered bad memories of being locked in the closet when he was a kid in foster care.
He lurched up from the cot and paced the cell. He’d racked his brain all weekend, struggling to piece together what had happened Friday night. Had someone drugged him?
Was he with Sondra when she was murdered? How did he end up in a motel with her?
And what about Tyler? Where was that precious little guy?
Panic seized him at the scenarios that flashed through his head. He’d had his share of bad knocks in foster care and knew the dark side of the human mind. Knew the depravity that existed, and how difficult it was for a little kid to defend himself against those bigger than him.
He bit the inside of his cheek, battling despair. Maybe the sheriff had it wrong. Sondra had been upset when she’d called him to meet her. She could have dropped Tyler with a friend for safekeeping.
If so, wouldn’t that person have come forward when news of her murder was revealed? Surely Elmore and the sheriff had posted an Amber Alert by now and had people searching.
If Sondra’s killer had kidnapped Tyler, though, there was no telling what he’d do to the little boy.
Elmore had money. He’d probably made enemies. If someone wanted to get back at him, killing Sondra and kidnapping her child was the way to do it.
Cash dropped onto the cot and lowered his head into his hands. He’d called the lawyer in town, but got the message machine. So far no one had shown up.
Hell, for all he knew the man was in Elmore’s pocket.
The door connecting the sheriff’s front office and the cells screeched open. Cash braced himself for another interrogation.
The sheriff stomped toward him, but he wasn’t alone this time.
A young woman with hair as black as coal and skin like ivory followed him. Cash couldn’t help himself—his gaze swept over her, from those sexy black stilettos, to the curves hidden beneath her stuffy suit, to the wary look in her startling green eyes.
His body instantly hardened. After all, he was a man. And any man would appreciate her femininity.
Although whatever reason she was here, she didn’t look happy about it.
He lurched up from the cot and raked a hand through his hair, well aware he looked scruffy and hadn’t showered in days. Even though he’d washed his hands, the scent of Sondra’s blood still lingered on his skin, and he wore drab prison clothes.
Jasper’s boots shuffled on the concrete as he approached. When he reached Cash’s cell, he halted, keys jangling in his beefy hand. The woman stood beside him, her dainty chin lifted high as if she was assessing Cash.
“Koker, this woman claims she’s your lawyer.” Sheriff Jasper looked at him as if Cash was an animal who needed to be put down, not have representation.
He narrowed his eyes. “My lawyer?”
The woman cleared her throat. “Mr. Patton had a stroke. My name is BJ Alexander.”
Damn, her husky voice made Cash’s body tighten even more.
“Sheriff Jasper, I need to talk to my client in private,” she said. “Open the cell, please.”
Jasper scowled at her, but jammed the key in the cell door and opened it. For a brief second, something akin to fear flickered in the woman’s eyes.
She might be tough, but she was afraid of Cash.
That didn’t sit well in his gut.
He would never lay a hand on a woman, at least not in violence.
But that damn sheriff had probably already convinced her he was guilty.
* * *
BJ SCRUTINIZED CASH. The man looked rough. Hair a little too long. Eyes deep, dark. Distrustful.
Body...well, hell, he was built. Broad shoulders. Tall. Muscles everywhere.
Which meant he was strong enough to overpower a woman.
The McCullens had just learned they had two brothers who’d been kidnapped at birth. They thought Cash was one of them.
Since she’d spoken to them, she’d done her research.
Cash had grown up in the foster care system. At twelve he’d been placed in a ranch home for troubled boys. He’d learned ranching skills, and as an adult had worked on several spreads across Wyoming. He’d moved half a dozen times, though, which made her wonder if he was searching for something, or if he’d been asked to leave.
The head of the ranch for boys had described him as sullen, brooding, angry. Said he needed guidance from a strong male.
Guidance he’d never received.
Two of his employers claimed he was an excellent rider, a natural cattleman and that he’d kept to himself but done a good job. After a season or two, he’d left of his own accord, saying it was time for him to move on.
He was a drifter. Probably had a new woman in every county he moved to.
All the more reason she should maintain her professional demeanor. She wouldn’t fall prey to his charms like she had with Davis.
Although at the moment, Cash looked beaten—not like a womanizer. The disdain in his eyes was palpable.
“Sheriff, please show Mr. Koker to an interrogation room so we can talk.” At least they would both be more comfortable. Sitting on that tiny cot beside Cash Koker was not an option. Sex appeal radiated from him in waves. There was also an air of danger about him that put her on edge.
The sheriff grunted in compliance, then gestured for Cash to hold out his hands so he could cuff them.
A muscle ticked in Cash’s jaw, but he did as the man ordered. Jasper led him to a small room with a plain wooden table and two chairs. Cash’s expression was grim as he sank into the chair. Handcuffs clanged as he spread his fingers on the table. Calluses and scars marked his hands and arms, a telltale sign that he did manual labor.
The sheriff cleared his throat. “You want me to stay?”
BJ shook her head. She couldn’t show fear or any emotion. “No, I’m fine.”
Jasper worked his mouth from side to side, one hand on his holster. “Yell if you need me.” He squeezed Cash’s shoulder so hard the prisoner’s jaw tightened. “Touch her and you’ll be sorry.”
A frisson of nerves prickled BJ’s spine as the sheriff left the room and Cash turned his rage toward her.
A jagged scar curled beneath his hairline on the right side, making him look frightening and sexy at the same time. She envisioned him riding a bull or galloping across rugged terrain, and her heart stuttered.
She gripped the edge of the table, silently cursing herself. She could not allow herself to think of him as attractive.
“All right, lady,” he said gruffly. “What are you doing here?”
BJ forced herself to remember that he had no clue he was a McCullen. She’d expected the McCullen men would want to meet him, but they’d had trouble with a half brother named Bobby, and were cautious.
After all, Horseshoe Creek Ranch belonged to all of Joe McCullen’s sons, which meant that Maddox, Brett and Ray would have to share land with the lost twins.
They intended to find the truth about Cash’s character before they disclosed their relationship.
“I came to decide if I want to represent you,” BJ said. “To do that, I need to hear your version of what happened the night Sondra Elmore died.”
He arched a thick brow. “Why? You gonna believe me?”
BJ leaned forward, snagging his gaze with a cold look. “Sarcasm is not your friend right now, Mr. Koker. The truth might be, though, if you want to tell it.”
Shoulders squared, she gathered the file, ready to leave. The last thing she intended to do was work for some ungrateful jerk who didn’t want her help. “If not, I’ll leave you alone and you can rot in that cell.”
Chapter Two (#ulink_9f6e31d4-1efe-55de-9879-955fbbd62eee)
BJ folded her arms across her chest. “You have ten seconds to decide how this will go before I walk out that door.”
Anger flashed across Cash’s face, along with distrust—and the realization that he did need help. That he might have to suck it up if he wanted to fight these charges.
“Just sit down,” he growled.
BJ shook her head. “I don’t take orders from you, Mr. Koker. If I accept your case, I expect respect. But first, you have to convince me that you’re innocent.”
Tension rippled between them. He shifted and stared at his fingers again, obviously torn. Or was he trying to concoct a convincing lie?
“All right, Miss Alexander,” he said. “Please sit back down.”
A tiny smile of victory twitched at her mouth, but she masked it, maintaining her neutral expression. He had said please, though, so she slipped into the chair facing him.
“Now tell me—has Tyler been found? Is he okay?”
“I’m afraid there hasn’t been any word on the boy,” she said quietly.
Cash pressed his knuckles over his eyes. “You have to find him.”
“Do you know where he is?” she asked in a tight voice.
“No.” His gaze met hers, suspicion flaring. “Are you working for Elmore?”
BJ frowned. “Why would you ask that?”
“Because Lester Elmore never thought I was good enough for his daughter.” A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Did he pay you to get dirt on me so he could railroad me to prison for killing his daughter?”
BJ locked stubborn gazes with him. “For the record, I’ve never met the man, and he didn’t pay me to do anything.” She let that sentence sink in for a brief second. “In fact, I can’t be bought by anyone, so even if he had offered, I would have turned him down.”
“Really?” Koker’s mouth curled in a sardonic grin. “You mean I’m looking at a real-life honest lawyer?”
She gave him a flat look. “Believe it or not, yes.”
She removed photos of the crime scene and spread them across the table. Cash zeroed in on a shot of Sondra Elmore drenched in blood, and his face paled.
“Did you kill Sondra?” BJ asked.
A tortured look darkened his eyes. “No.”
BJ waited, hoping he’d elaborate, but he didn’t.
She tapped a picture of a bloody hunting knife the sheriff had found at the scene. “This isn’t your knife?”
Cash cursed. “Yes, it is, but I didn’t kill Sondra with it.”
“Then why was it lying on the floor beside her?”
“I have no idea.” He leaned his head on his hands and inhaled several deep breaths. “Think about it. If I had killed her, you think I’d be dumb enough to leave a weapon behind with my fingerprints on it?”
No. But she had to ask.
Still, this man was a stranger to her. She wasn’t certain she could trust her instincts, either, not after the mess she’d made with Davis.
* * *
THE PICTURE OF Sondra covered in blood made Cash’s stomach roil.
The lawyer cleared her throat. “You knew Sondra well, didn’t you, Cash? You were friendly?”
He gave her a scathing look. “We were friends. Period.”
“According to the sheriff’s notes and his interview with Mr. Elmore, you were more than that.”
Cash shook his head. “Not true.”
“You weren’t lovers?” she asked bluntly.
Cash shifted. “I answered that already. We were just friends.”
“They why did her father think you two were involved?”
He made a low sound in his throat. “Sondra may have implied that we were.”
The lawyer tapped her manicured nails on the table. A reminder that his were ragged and had been bloodstained, that the cops had forensics that would work against him.
Even though he’d washed them, in his mind’s eye, he could still see Sondra’s blood.
“I see,” she said wryly. “And you allowed her father to believe a lie?”
“I didn’t like it. I told her that.” Cash shrugged. “But I didn’t dispute it.”
“You two argued about the issue?”
“Not really. She begged me not to say anything and I agreed.”
Cash rolled his fingers into fists. If he admitted that he and Sondra had argued the afternoon she died, he’d give this lawyer a motive.
“Why did Sondra allow her father to believe you were the boy’s father? And why would you let her do that?”
“Elmore’s a paranoid jerk who warned all of his employees, including me, to keep their hands off of his daughter. He wanted to keep her in some kind of bubble, but she was rebellious.”
The woman raised a brow. “Rebellious as in she dated the hands to make him angry?”
“Sometimes.”
“If she was so rebellious, why didn’t she just move out?”
Cash shrugged. “First of all, Elmore controlled her trust fund. But I think she was secretly hoping her father would come around and accept Tyler.”
“She dated you to get back at her father?”
“I told you, we never dated,” he said firmly. “She was too young for me.”
“But she got pregnant and told Elmore you were the father.”
Cash heaved a weary breath. God, she was a professional interrogator. “Yes. But the boy wasn’t mine. Do the DNA test and you’ll see.”
“We’ll get to that.” She glanced at her file, then back up at him. “So who was the child’s father?”
He wished to hell he knew. “She never told me.”
“Why not? You said you were close.”
“I don’t know why. She just didn’t want to talk about him.” Cash tensed. He was painting himself into a corner.
“Tell me more about your relationship then.”
“She was like a kid sister to me,” he said. “She used to come out to the barn and yammer on like a teenager. Mostly venting about her father and how overprotective he was. He pressured her to give up the baby after it was born so she wouldn’t shame the family.”
“But she kept the child?”
“Yeah, she was tenderhearted. Loved animals and kids.” She’d cried on his shoulder about that decision. Cash had promised to provide emotional support if she kept the child and raised it on her own.
Yet he’d let her down and she was dead.
“Elmore allowed you to stay on after Tyler was born?”
Cash gritted his teeth. “No, he fired me, then bad-mouthed me to other ranchers. Finally, I found a job on a small spread not too far away.”
“You still saw Sondra and Tyler?”
“Mostly Tyler. Sometimes she dropped him off so we could spend time together. Said he needed a male role model.” Cash had been surprised she’d chosen him for the job. But hey, the kid didn’t have a daddy and Cash related to that.
Images of the little boy tagging along behind him taunted Cash. Tyler loved horses and riding. He constantly talked about joining the rodeo.
“Cash?”
BJ’s soft voice dragged him from the memories. God, what if something had happened to Tyler? “Tyler’s three now. He’s a pistol.”
“Do you think Sondra intentionally got pregnant? Maybe she thought this man would marry her if they had a child.”
“Sondra wouldn’t have done that.”
Disbelief tinged the lawyer’s eyes. “Did she tell the father about the baby?”
Cash nodded. “He didn’t want anything to do with Tyler.”
“So Sondra never revealed the boy’s father’s name?”
“I told you she didn’t,” he said, his irritation mounting.
She fell silent for a moment. “If you didn’t kill Sondra, it’s possible that this other man did. Was Sondra afraid of him?”
Cash scrubbed his hand over his chin. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
“Tell me about the night she died,” BJ said.
He’d been struggling to recall Friday evening, but the entire night was a fog. “She was upset when she called me, but she didn’t explain. I assumed she and her daddy had had an argument, but I guess she could have fought with Tyler’s father.”
BJ pursed her lips. “She must have had a good reason to keep his identity a secret. He could be married or a prominent figure in the community. He had something to lose if word leaked he had a child.”
“That’s what I figured.” Cash’s heart hammered. The only way to clear himself was to find Sondra’s killer. “What if she’d decided to come clean about him? Or maybe she needed money or help.”
“Makes sense. If he didn’t want his identity exposed, he could have killed her to keep her quiet.” BJ crossed her legs, drawing his attention to their long slender shape. She must have noticed, because a second later she uncrossed them and leaned forward. “We need to know his name.”
“If I knew his name, trust me, I’d tell you.” Fear made his throat thick. “If your theory is right and he didn’t want the boy, he could have killed him.”
Her frown deepened. “It would be pretty coldhearted to kill a child.”
Cash nodded. He couldn’t allow himself to even think about losing Tyler. But he didn’t want to go to prison for a crime he hadn’t committed. Offering another suspect could help his case.
“I’ll try to get ahold of Tyler’s birth certificate,” she suggested.
Cash nodded again. “Look into Elmore, too. Maybe someone had a grudge against him and kidnapped Tyler for blackmail money.”
BJ cleared her throat. “True.”
“I tried to tell Sheriff Jasper this, but he didn’t believe me.” Cash didn’t like any of the scenarios that flashed through his mind. “A few of the ranchers had squabbles with him, but I don’t think they’d resort to kidnapping.”
“I’ll ask around,” BJ agreed.
“Has Elmore received a ransom call?” Cash asked.
She shook her head. “Not that I know of, but I’ll talk to him.”
Emotions thickened his throat as he pictured the times he’d played horseshoe with the little guy. Then another time when Tyler had climbed a tree, but was too afraid to climb down, so Cash had rescued him.
That little boy had dug a hole in Cash’s heart.
They had to find him and make sure he was safe.
* * *
BJ TAPPED HER fingernails on the table again. “There’s another possibility, Cash. Do you have any enemies? Someone who would frame you for murder?”
Turmoil hardened Cash’s face. “Elmore disliked me, but I haven’t seen him in a while. Other than him, I can’t think of anyone.”
BJ’s lungs squeezed. She’d come here skeptical about this man’s innocence. But he couldn’t fake the fear in his eyes or voice—he was sincerely worried about that child.
Still, she had to remain objective and consider every possibility.
“The sheriff thinks that you took Tyler and planned to blackmail Elmore.”
“That’s ridiculous. Besides, I didn’t have to kill anyone to execute that plan, if that was really my intent.”
“You must have hated him for firing you and blackballing you. You could use the money to buy your own place.”
“I did want my own spread, I’ll admit that.” Anger sizzled in his eyes. “But not bad enough to hurt Sondra. I know what it’s like to grow up without a family. I loved Tyler and would never have taken his mama away.”
The pain in his voice was too raw to not be real.
“Tell me what happened then,” BJ said. “How did you wind up in that motel room with Sondra’s blood all over you?”
He released a frustrated sigh. “Like I told you, she called me, upset, and I met her at the tavern.” He rubbed his chin. “I got there and ordered a drink. She came and...we walked outside for a minute. Then everything goes blank.”
“Someone knocked you out?”
“I don’t know.” Confusion clouded his eyes. “Either that or I was drugged.”
An excuse or the truth? “Unfortunately, it’s too late to test your blood for drugs.”
“I realize that, but it’s the only explanation I can think of.” His expression turned grim. “Seriously, one minute I was talking to her, the next I woke up in the room with Sondra, and she was dead.”
BJ studied him. Shock and sorrow radiated from his eyes. If he was a liar, he was a damn good one.
But the security camera had captured his face outside that motel room. “You woke up and found her, then what?”
He lifted his shoulders in a defeated shrug. “I called 911, and then I phoned Sondra’s father. I...thought I was doing the right thing.”
He had done the right thing. That is, if he hadn’t sliced Sondra’s throat.
But BJ couldn’t imagine him killing a woman in cold blood.
Maybe a crime of passion?
She needed to question the ranch hands and find out if Cash was violent. If they thought he’d had an affair with Sondra.
If he wanted to get back at Elmore.
Another possibility hit her, one she didn’t want to consider. But one the DA definitely would.
What if Cash was in love with Sondra, and wanted to marry her and adopt Tyler? She could have met with him to tell him to leave her alone. Maybe she’d even fallen for another man and planned to cut Cash out of the boy’s life. He could have flown into a jealous rage.
Indecision warred with the instinct that Cash was telling the truth and needed help. That either Cash or Elmore had enemies.
That one of those enemies had killed Sondra and kidnapped Tyler to get revenge.
But what had they done with Tyler?
* * *
CASH COULD SEE the wheels turning in the lawyer’s head. She was trying to decide whether he was innocent or guilty.
He wasn’t sure which way she was leaning.
“Miss Alexander, even if you decide not to represent me, please make sure the police search for Tyler. If Jasper thinks I did something with him, he may be dragging his feet, thinking I’ll confess. Tyler could be in danger.”
“I’m sure he’s doing everything he can to find him,” she said. “An Amber Alert has been issued and NCMEC, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, has been notified.”
Cash still didn’t trust Jasper.
An image of the precocious three-year-old teased his mind. Tyler liked to trail ride with him. He could feel the little boy’s arms locked around his waist, hear him giggling when the horse broke into a canter.
He even had a Western shirt like one of Cash’s and wore it when they were together.
Miss Alexander gathered the photos of Sondra and stuffed them in her briefcase. She stood, her posture rigid, her lips pressed into a thin line.
“Don’t take Jasper’s word for it.” Cash touched her arm.
She went stone still and stared at his fingers as if he’d burned her. He released her abruptly.
Just like Elmore, she’d put him in his place with a condescending look.
Hell, he’d never be good enough for a man like Elmore or a woman like her.
It didn’t matter, though. All that mattered was making sure little Tyler was safe.
“Please,” he said in a gruff voice. “Find Tyler. He needs your help more than I do.”
Her gaze locked with his, and he swallowed hard. He could lose himself in those damn beautiful eyes.
But those eyes were cold and serious, assessing.
“Don’t worry. I’ll alert authorities to look for Tyler,” she said, her voice cracking slightly. “We’re meeting with the judge in an hour for a bail hearing.”
Hope and despair crawled through Cash. He badly wanted out of this jail. But he was broke. All he had was a little bit of savings for the ranch he’d been dreaming about.
He was determined to have his own spread someday. Then he’d never have to bow down to bigwig ranchers like Elmore again.
“I appreciate you coming,” he said, biting back his pride. “But I can’t make bail.”
She angled her head to look at him, her mouth forming a thin line. “Your bail money and my fee have been taken care of.”
Without another word, she left, and closed the door behind her.
Cash’s heart hammered as the lock clicked into place. Who the hell had paid her? And who was posting his bail?
His ranch hand buddies didn’t have money. And he didn’t have family to turn to.
He refused to take charity, too.
But what choice did he have? He needed to find out who’d set him up. He sure as hell couldn’t do that from the inside of a cell.
And he trusted her a hell of a lot more than he would some court appointed attorney who might know Elmore or be in his pocket.
* * *
BJ LEFT CASH with unanswered questions. The sheriff frowned at her, but stepped into the room to escort Cash to the cell.
She needed to speak to Maddox before she revealed Cash’s connection to the McCullens.
The pain in his eyes ripped at her. She was still straddling the fence about his innocence or guilt, although she was leaning on the innocent side.
One thing she knew for sure, though. He loved that little boy.
And he was seriously worried about him.
Which roused her own fear for Tyler.
She rushed into the restroom, grabbed a paper towel and wetted it just as the first wave of dizziness assaulted her.
Three-year-old Tyler Elmore was missing.
She’d had no idea when she took the case. All she was told was that Cash Koker had been arrested for murder.
Panic gnawed at her as she recalled Cash’s last words. He wanted her to look for the little boy. He’d chosen that over his own release.
Even though he’d denied being the child’s father, he was frightened for him.
Tears blurred her eyes, and she removed the rainbow drawing she kept with her. Her son had been obsessed with rainbows and had made this one for her for Mother’s Day.
Time faded and she was back with her son.
“Mommy, tuck me in.”
She wiped her hands on the dish towel, then went to Aaron’s room. He was in his cartoon pj’s, snuggled with his stuffed lion, holding his favorite book. She crawled on the bed and he nuzzled up against her as she began to read.
Seconds later, he fell asleep on her arm.
Two days later—the call that had shattered her heart. A highway patrol officer.
Her ex had taken Aaron on a camping trip, but they’d had a terrible accident.
Neither one of them had survived.
BJ wiped the tears from her eyes, folded the drawing and put it back in her pocket. It hurt too much to think about Aaron’s little innocent face looking up at her as if she’d protect him from the world, when she’d failed.
If Tyler was in danger, she had to help.
She left the bathroom, then walked up front to talk to Sheriff Jasper. “Has Mr. Elmore located his grandson?”
A vein throbbed in the lawman’s neck. “No, all the more reason you tell us what that Koker guy did with Tyler.”
BJ bit the inside of her cheek. The sheriff definitely had made up his mind about Cash. He’d probably lynch him if he didn’t think he’d get caught.
“My conversation with my client is confidential, although I don’t believe he took the child or knows where he is. He seems genuinely concerned. If you haven’t followed up on the Amber Alert, do so immediately.”
“I know how to do my job.” Jasper’s sarcastic tone implied she didn’t. “You just need to push Koker to talk.”
Anger mushroomed inside BJ. “I told you he didn’t take the boy. Have you spoken with Mr. Elmore to see if he received a ransom call?”
“He hasn’t.”
BJ tensed. That wasn’t a good sign. “For a moment, let’s just say I’m right, Sheriff. The first forty-eight hours are critical for a missing child case.” She tapped her watch. “Every minute counts. So while you’re sitting here on your butt, whoever abducted Tyler is getting farther and farther away.”
Which meant they might not get the little boy back alive.
That terrified her more than anything.
Chapter Three (#ulink_4be69413-9735-533b-b7b8-e30bdea3e952)
BJ stopped at the diner in town and ordered coffee and a muffin. Her stomach was too knotted to eat much, but she needed something before Cash’s bail hearing.
She ran a search on her computer and found articles about Lester Elmore and his ranch, along with a story on his success. A photo of Sondra accompanying her father to a state fund-raiser when she was seventeen revealed the depth of the young woman’s beauty. Her father was looking at her in adoration.
Her Facebook page revealed a photo of Sondra and Tyler. The kid had sandy-brown hair, was freckle-faced and so adorable that tears pricked her eyes. “Where are you, little guy?”
She quickly searched Sondra’s friends and posts, hoping to find a clue as to someone Sondra may have left the boy with but came up empty. Although she had a close girlfriend named Diane who’d ridden with her when Sondra had been into showing horses. Those posts were dated two years before though.
She punched in Sheriff Maddox McCullen’s phone number, sipping her coffee while she waited. The phone rang three times, then a male voice answered. “Sheriff McCullen speaking.”
“Sheriff, it’s BJ Alexander.”
A heartbeat passed. “Call me Maddox. You met Cash Koker?”
“I did,” BJ said.
“What do you think?” Maddox asked.
BJ hesitated. “I don’t think he has a clue that he has brothers or any family.”
Maddox heaved a sigh. “I figured as much. If he did, he would have probably called or shown up at Horseshoe Creek.”
Cash didn’t strike her as the type to ask for handouts. “The bail hearing is soon.” BJ fidgeted. “Have you read the sheriff’s report?”
“No, but when I spoke to Sheriff Jasper, he was adamant that he had the right man.”
“He’s made up his mind,” BJ said. “I don’t think he’s even considered that Cash might be innocent.”
“So he’s not investigating or looking for another suspect?” Maddox said with disgust.
“No.”
“Do you think Cash is guilty?” Maddox asked.
BJ stared into her coffee, willing an answer to come to her. “I’m not sure,” she said honestly. “He claims that he cared about Sondra, but denies that they were lovers. Sondra had a three-year-old little boy. That child is missing.”
Maddox murmured something beneath his breath. “The sheriff thinks Cash did something with the kid?”
“Yes, but I don’t.”
Maddox’s gruff voice jerked her from her thoughts. “What did Cash say about the boy?”
BJ massaged her temple where a headache pulsed. Kids were her soft spot. Sometimes she missed her own son so badly she could hardly breathe.
“Finding Tyler seems more important to Cash than his own defense.”
“Hmm. Interesting.” Maddox paused. “Who is the boy’s father?”
“He claims he doesn’t know.” BJ sighed and recounted her conversation with Cash. Maddox was paying her, but she still had to be careful with client/attorney privilege.
“So Cash is either lying or someone drugged him and framed him,” Maddox said matter-of-factly.
“Exactly.”
Only to clear him, she’d have to prove it.
“Ray’s still looking for the other twin. I’ll have the DNA tests run on Cash and compare them to Tyler’s. And I’ll dig up what I can find on the Elmore family,” Maddox offered. “Then I’ll have that camera footage analyzed.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Meanwhile she’d talk to Elmore and get hold of Tyler’s birth certificate.
After the bail hearing, she’d pay a visit to Cash’s current boss and the place where he’d been living. There might be something in his room to tell her more about Cash.
Good or bad, she had to know before she committed to his defense.
* * *
CASH WISHED TO hell he’d had a shower and clean clothes before standing in front of the judge. But he’d had no choice. The sheriff had confiscated his clothing as evidence and given him a county jumpsuit.
Sheriff Jasper shot him a sinister glare as he shoved him in the back of the police car.
Cash had racked his brain to figure out who was bailing him out, and who’d paid for the lawyer, but he didn’t dare ask Sheriff Jasper.
He kept his mouth shut on the short drive to the courthouse. Outside, dark clouds hovered as if a storm was gathering on the horizon.
“Judge’ll go easier on you if you tell us where the kid is,” Sheriff Jasper growled.
Cash choked back a curse. He had to remain calm or the bastard would make things worse for him. “If I knew where he was, I’d tell you.”
The sheriff grunted. “If he turns up dead, we’re gonna fry you.”
Sweat trickled down the side of Cash’s face. Outside, the trees swayed in the wind. Even with the breeze, it had to be a hundred degrees.
“Instead of blaming me, why don’t you search for Tyler?” Cash said. “If he’s with Sondra’s killer, he could be in danger. Then that’s on you, not me.”
Jasper met his gaze in the rearview mirror. Anger slashed the man’s jaw. “I got the man who killed his mother right here.”
Cash sent him a mutinous look, but remained silent. No use defending himself. Jasper had one mind-set—send him to prison.
They reached the courthouse, and the sheriff parked, then lumbered to the back door to let Cash out. The handcuffs and manacles around his ankles jangled as he walked, but he forced his head up high.
Still, humiliation washed over him as he entered the building. The pretty lawyer lady was waiting. She maintained that professional mask, every damn strand of hair tucked into place.
Did she really believe he was innocent, or was she just doing a job?
It didn’t matter. As long as she cleared him, he’d find a way to repay her. Then he’d find Tyler and make sure the kid was safe.
Seconds later, Cash took a seat beside her, his nerves on edge as the bailiff announced the judge’s entrance. Silence descended for a moment as the judge, a tall, imposing man with suspicious eyes, reviewed the case file.
Finally, he pounded his gavel and called the session to order. His gaze penetrated Cash like he was pond scum.
Cash’s gut churned as the charges were read.
BJ gestured for Cash to stand and he inhaled a breath, willing his legs not to give way.
“Your honor, my name is BJ Alexander. I’m representing Cash Koker. Due to the fact that he has no priors, and that he’s not a flight risk, we’re requesting bail be set at ten thousand dollars.”
A dark chuckle rumbled from the fiftysomething district attorney. “Your honor, Mr. Koker has been arrested for a brutal murder. Although Miss Alexander claims he’s not a flight risk, Mr. Koker has no ties to the community and no family. According to his work history, he’s traveled from town to town, even state to state, working odd jobs on different ranches.”
Cash tapped his boot on the floor. He hadn’t thought his nomadic lifestyle would come back to bite him in the butt.
“For all we know, he may have escape plans in place,” the DA continued, “We are requesting bail be denied, and that Mr. Koker be remanded until trial.”
The judge checked his notes, then removed his reading glasses and studied Cash.
Cash’s breath stalled in his chest. The judge had obviously seen the bloody pictures of Sondra and was going to deny bail.
The door in the back burst open, jarring them. Cash turned to see three men enter, all dressed in Western attire, all big, broad shouldered and tough looking. One wore a sheriff’s uniform.
“Your honor, my name is Sheriff Maddox McCullen of Pistol Whip,” the tallest of the man said in a deep voice. “May I approach the bench?”
The judge arched his brows in question. “If it pertains to this case, yes.”
Sheriff Jasper blustered a protest, but the judge silenced him with a single pound of the gavel. “Approach.”
Sheriff McCullen strode toward the judge’s galley, the other two men flanking him. As they passed Cash, each of them paused a second to scrutinize him.
Cash tightened his jaw. What the hell was going on?
Did this sheriff have some other trumped-up charges to make sure Cash stayed locked up?
* * *
BJ STOOD RAMROD straight in front of the judge beside the McCullens. “Your honor, I’ve spoken with my client and not only does he claim innocence, he’s sincerely worried about the victim’s son. The absence of the boy’s birth father and his identity suggests that he is a possible suspect.”
The judge waved his hand. “We are not trying the case today Miss Alexander. We’re here to establish bail.”
“Judge,” Sheriff McCullen said. “May we speak in chambers?”
The judge rubbed the collar of his robe but nodded. “All right, but you’d better have good reason for this.”
“Yes, sir, I do,” Maddox said.
BJ and Maddox followed him into his private quarters, leaving Cash looking dumbfounded.
“Now someone explain what’s going on?” the judge said as soon as the door was shut.
Maddox cleared his throat. “I realize that you’re concerned about Mr. Koker being a flight risk, but I can assure you that he won’t flee.”
“Just how do you propose to do that?” the judge asked.
“By taking him into my custody,” Sheriff McCullen said.
The judge leaned forward. “May I ask why you would do that? What is your involvement with Cash Koker? Has he committed a crime in your jurisdiction?”
“No.” Maddox spoke in a low voice. “My brothers and I recently learned that we have twin brothers who were kidnapped at birth. We believe Cash Koker is one of those lost brothers.”
The judge raised a brow with interest. “I see. And you plan to blindly take this stranger, who has been accused of murder, into your home? Are you sure that’s a wise idea?”
Maddox glanced at BJ, then back to the judge. He was obviously considering her opinion on whether or not Cash was guilty or innocent.
“With all due respect, Judge, my brother Ray is a detective and I’m a lawman,” Maddox said. “We’ll get to the truth. I promise you that.”
“And you’ll keep Koker in your custody?”
“Yes, sir,” Maddox agreed.
The judge made a clicking sound with his teeth. “All right.”
BJ and Maddox followed the judge and bailiff back into the courtroom.
Brett and Ray had taken seats in the courtroom. Cash looked confused and anxious.
“Bail is set at fifty thousand dollars. Mr. Koker, you are released into the custody of Sheriff McCullen.” He gave Cash a pointed look. “You are not allowed to leave the county or state. If you have a passport, you will turn it over to the court. If you attempt to flee, you will go back to prison, where you will reside until your trial. Do you understand?”
Cash nodded, his expression wary as he studied Maddox. “Yes, sir, Your Honor.”
BJ’s stomach knotted as Cash turned accusatory eyes toward her.
He didn’t trust her or Maddox.
She certainly couldn’t explain here in the courtroom.
The guard released Cash while Brett and Ray went to pay the bail.
“What the hell is your agenda, Sheriff?” Cash growled as the sheriff led him outside then to a police issued SUV. “Did Elmore hire you to get rid of me before the trial?”
Chapter Four (#ulink_a9e87516-de6b-554a-bf45-dbc0f9ff2776)
“Just shut up and get in,” Sheriff McCullen ordered. “I’ll explain later.”
The two men who’d been with the sheriff walked down the steps of the courthouse, waved to the sheriff then climbed in a pick-up truck near the sheriff’s vehicle.
Cash rubbed his wrists where the handcuffs had been, but he still felt the weight of the metal against his skin.
If they didn’t find a way to prove his innocence, he’d go back to jail and stay there the rest of his life. The thought made his lungs squeeze for air.
For a man who liked the open wilderness, country air and the freedom to move around, being confined would kill him.
He tensed as the sheriff veered onto the highway. He had to be prepared in case he drove him into the boonies and tried to get rid of him.
Surely that lawyer lady wouldn’t allow him to do something like that. She might not totally believe him, but he’d sensed that she cared about kids and would push the police to hunt for Tyler.
“Where are you taking me?” Cash asked.
Sheriff McCullen glanced at him in the rearview mirror. “To get some of your stuff.”
“We’re going to the Triple X?”
“Yes. I assumed you’d need clothes.”
He did. The stench of blood and now his own body odor was getting to him.
The sheriff veered onto the road leading to the ranch where he’d been working, and Cash noticed the lawyer was following.
“Why did you bail me out?” Cash asked.
The sheriff released a heavy sigh. “We’ll discuss that at Horseshoe Creek.”
Cash had never been to Horseshoe Creek, but he’d heard about the McCullen spread. Hell, everyone within five states had heard about it. Apparently the patriarch of the family, Joe McCullen, had run a large cattle and horse operation. He’d died a year ago and left it to his three sons. Maddox was the sheriff. Brett, a big rodeo star. And the youngest, Ray, was a private investigator.
A few months ago, Cash had read an article saying that Joe hadn’t died of natural causes as they’d originally thought, but that he’d been murdered.
Joe McCullen and Elmore, Sondra’s father, had been rival ranchers, owning two of the largest spreads in this part of Wyoming. Was that why the McCullens were coming to his rescue now? To get back at an old rival?
A sign for the Triple X dangled from wooden posts. The sheriff turned down the drive. Spring had turned to early summer and everything was green. Cows grazed and horses roamed the pastureland. His boss, Wilson Donovan, owned a hundred acres, but that was small compared to the Wagon Wheel and Horseshoe Creek.
With no money for training and breeding, Donovan focused on his cattle.
Tires churned the gravel, bringing Cash closer to the main house and the man who’d taken a chance on him after Elmore had blackballed him in the ranching community.
The sheriff parked and climbed out, then opened Cash’s door. Donovan strode down the wooden steps of the rickety porch toward them as BJ pulled her car next to them and got out. Somehow the fact that she’d been following them made Cash feel a bit safer.
A frown pulled Donovan’s thick white eyebrows together as he glanced from the sheriff to Cash.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Donovan,” Cash began.
Donovan held up a hand. “I’m sorry, too, Cash, but I think you’d better get your stuff and leave.”
Cash gritted his teeth, but gave the man a clipped nod. Dammit. Donovan had taken a chance on him, and he’d failed him.
How the hell was he going to pay Sheriff McCullen back for his bail if he had no job or income?
* * *
BJ WANTED TO question Donovan without Cash present.
“I’ll accompany Cash to his quarters so he can retrieve his clothes,” Maddox offered.
Cash glared at him. “You think I’m going to run?”
Maddox crossed his arms. “Are you?”
Anger flashed across Cash’s face. “No.”
BJ traded a knowing look with Maddox. “Mr. Donovan and I will join you at his cabin.”
“Bunkhouses are about a mile from the main house,” Donovan said. “Sheriff Jasper already come out and searched Cash’s room.”
Cash heaved a weary breath. “Of course he did.”
BJ made a mental note to ask Jasper about the search.
Maddox motioned for Cash to get back in the car, and he did so. But he looked irritated and worried. Did he have something to hide?
Donovan tipped his hat. “You think Cash killed the woman?”
BJ shrugged slightly “He claims he didn’t, that he and Sondra were only friends.” She paused to see if he reacted, but he didn’t, so she continued. “The woman’s three-year-old son is missing. Cash is afraid someone kidnapped him. What do you think about Cash?”
“I know what Elmore said, but I liked Cash. He was a hard worker and seemed honest.” Donovan worked his mouth from side to side. “Elmore’s cutthroat to us smaller ranchers. He was also protective of his daughter. Hell, I figured he’d kill anyone who touched her.”
Interesting. His opinion backed up Cash’s story.
“Did Sondra visit Cash here at the ranch?”
“She dropped her kid off a few times,” Donovan said. “But I don’t know what happened between them. What the hands do on their time off is their business, long as they don’t bring trouble here.” He hesitated. “You might ask Hanks, Cash’s bunkmate.”
“I will. And if you don’t mind, I’d like to talk to some of your other ranch hands.”
Donovan scratched his chin. “Feel free. I’d like to see Cash catch a break. But unfortunately, I can’t keep him on here. The negative publicity is bad for business, and business is bad enough as it is.”
“Thanks.” Donovan sounded like a fair man. “Is there anything else you can tell me about Cash?”
“I never seen anyone ride like him. He has a knack for herding, too.” He removed his hat and ran a hand through his thinning hair. “Cash is ambitious. I think it’s always bugged him that he’s not in charge. Was saving up to buy his own land someday.”
His earlier comment replayed in her head. “You said you figured Elmore would kill any man who touched his daughter. Do you think Elmore was dangerous?”
“I can’t say.” Donovan shrugged. “Elmore was ruthless in business, and he ran some guys off. Two of my hands before Cash used to work there. Said he fired them for flirting with his daughter.”
“What about Elmore’s grandson, Tyler?”
“Cash adored that kid and took him riding. But Elmore didn’t talk about Tyler.” The rancher adjusted his hat on his head. “Thought that was odd. Most grandparents gush over their young ’uns.”
“Did you see Elmore often?”
Donovan shook his head. “Just at the Cattleman’s Club. He kept to business, though.”
“Elmore thought Cash was Tyler’s father, but he claims he’s not. Do you have any idea who the boy’s father is?”
Confusion clouded the man’s eyes. “No. Like I said, Elmore stuck to work.”
Did Elmore have any real friends?
And how about enemies?
If Elmore gave his rivals a difficult time, one of them could have cozied up to Sondra to get back at Elmore. If so, and Sondra found out she’d been used, she wouldn’t have wanted her father to know.
That would explain the reason she’d lied about Tyler’s father being Cash.
* * *
CASH CLIMBED FROM the police car at the bunkhouse, his instincts alert. He should be grateful this sheriff had stopped to let him pack his things.
He wished he could get his truck. But Jasper had had it impounded and searched for forensic evidence.
Maddox grunted as he walked toward the bunkhouse. Dammit, he still had no idea what the man’s agenda was. Strangers in these parts didn’t just up and pay fifty thousand dollars to help murder suspects, much less take one into their home. Did Maddox McCullen want to help him or find the evidence to lock him away for life?
Each bunkhouse held two rooms, with a common bathroom. His bunkmate, Will Hanks, was out working the herd, so the place was empty.
The sheriff entered first. A muscle ticked in his jaw as he glanced at Cash. “Looks like Sheriff Jasper did more than search the room.”
Rage mushroomed inside Cash. The room looked as if it had been tossed. The dresser drawers holding his clothes were open, his clothing spilling out. The few books he had were dumped on the floor, some of the pages bent and torn as if someone had searched between them. His ranching magazines were scattered everywhere, as well.
The sheriff strode through the room, skimming the surfaces. Cash had no idea what he expected to find. He had no personal photographs. No mementos of his past.
Nothing in his past was worth holding on to.
If there had been anything of interest, Jasper had already removed it.
The closet was just as big a mess. The shoebox on the top shelf that held his personal papers had been pilfered through. His checkbook and the envelope with cash in it were there, but his business plan was gone.
Why would the sheriff take that? It had nothing to do with Sondra.
Thankfully, his guitar was standing against the wall in the closet. His heart hammered, though, as he knelt to check beneath his bed for his guns. Both missing.
“What is it?” the sheriff asked.
Cash swallowed hard. “My guns are missing.”
The man narrowed his eyes. “What kind and how many?”
“A rifle and a pistol.”
“I’ll ask Sheriff Jasper if he confiscated them. Have they been used lately?”
Cash rubbed his forehead, grateful he had backups. “I fired the rifle a few days ago at a snake when we were herding.”
A quick nod of his head was the man’s only reaction. “Pack some clothes while I make the call.”
Phone in hand, the sheriff stepped outside.
Cash yanked his duffel bag from the closet, then retrieved the extra pistol he kept in the storage compartment beneath the floor. Thankfully Jasper hadn’t noticed the rug covering the spot. Granted he’d get in trouble for having it since he was out on bail, but he might need it for protection.
He couldn’t rely on anyone else.
He piled his clothes on top. Jeans, work shirts, a couple dressy Western shirts, an extra pair of work boots. Even though it was summer and he didn’t need it, he grabbed his long duster. Basically, it was everything he owned.
Because he wouldn’t be coming back.
His toiletries went into a toiletry bag and he was ready to go.
He took one last look at the bunkhouse room and wondered what the sheriff had thought he would find under the mattress.
Jasper had probably been disappointed that Cash didn’t have incriminating pictures of himself and Sondra or a damn journal describing how he planned to kill her. Instead, he’d found Cash’s business plan, not a blueprint for murder or kidnapping.
Still, he had that damn video of Cash entering the motel where Sondra had died. And his knife with his bloody fingerprints on it.
Frustration blended with fear.
That might be enough to put him away for life.
* * *
BJ STUDIED DONOVAN. “We think the little boy’s birth father might have something to do with his mother’s murder. Finding him could be key to proving Cash’s innocence.”
Donovan leaned heavily on his left leg as if his other was hurting. “I told you, I got no idea.”
“Did something happen between you and Elmore?” BJ asked. “Did he try to sabotage your business?”
Donovan shook his head. “I’m small potatoes. He offered to buy me out once, but I turned him down.” He gazed across the ranch. “I love this place. It’s home.”
“Did he pressure you?”
“No. No need to. I certainly wasn’t any competition for him.” He gestured toward his truck. “The hands should be at the dining hall for lunch. I’ll drive you over so you can talk to ’em.”
BJ studied his face. He seemed genuine, as if he held no grudge against Elmore.
BJ climbed in the passenger side. The truck was old but clean, the motor humming as he drove the half mile to the dining hall. The rustic building boasted a big cowbell in front. The ranch hands were lining up on the porch and trickling inside.
The scent of barbecue drifted to her as soon as she climbed from the truck.
As they entered, she counted ten men in line, and a cook and two helpers were setting out trays of buns, barbecue, coleslaw and baked beans. Another station held water, milk, coffee, tea and lemonade.
“There’s Will Hanks,” Donovan said. “He shares the bunkhouse with Cash.”
BJ scrutinized the tall, lean cowboy. Probably in his twenties. Good-looking with an air of confidence. A flirtatious gleam lit his eyes as his gaze met hers.
“This is BJ Alexander. She’s Cash’s attorney,” Donovan said.
Hanks’s smile wilted slightly. “They think he killed Sondra Elmore, right?”
“Those are the charges,” BJ said. “Why? Do you have information regarding the case?”
He shifted from foot to foot, then looked away. “I don’t think Cash is a killer. But he liked that woman and her kid.”
“Was Cash violent?” BJ asked.
He grabbed a tray. “I don’t know. He had a rough childhood,” Hanks said. “One of his foster fathers beat him a lot. That’d make a man angry.”
BJ’s heart squeezed. She’d heard horror stories of foster care. “Did he talk about Elmore?”
The man added extra barbecue sauce to his bun. “He said Elmore reminded him of that foster father.”
Hmm, that comment could work against Cash in court.
“Do you know who fathered Sondra Elmore’s child?”
He shook his head. “No, ma’am.”
They talked for another minute as he filled his tray, but he had nothing bad to say about Cash. Just as she was about to join Donovan again, another cowboy approached her.
This man was shorter and introduced himself as Hyatt Spillman. “You asking about Cash Koker?”
She nodded. “What can you tell me?” she said as they stepped onto the porch.
He shuffled a toothpick in the corner of his mouth. “I heard a phone conversation between Koker and that woman Sondra the morning of the day she died. They were arguing.”
BJ’s pulse jumped. “What did they argue about?”
He made a clicking sound with his teeth. “I couldn’t hear what she said, but he told her he loved her and promised to take care of her and her kid.”
BJ crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Go on.”
“She must have turned him down, ’cause he got mad. Told her he’d never let her go.”
Anger seeped through BJ.
Cash had lied about being in love with Sondra. And they’d argued the day she died.
What if he’d flown into a rage because she wanted him out of her and Tyler’s life, and he killed her in a fit of passion?
Spillman’s story brought up all sorts of doubts. She couldn’t automatically rely on the man, because it was clear someone could be trying to frame Cash.
But if not...
She was going to have to be extra thorough on this one to get to the truth. And not let Cash’s attachment to Tyler cause her to free another guilty murderer.
Chapter Five (#ulink_be22cc9b-8761-5f69-9267-60efe5825902)
BJ texted Maddox and asked him to meet her at the dining hall.
“Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Spillman.” She handed him a business card. “If you think of anything that can shed light on Sondra Elmore’s death, please call me.”
He tapped the card against his hand. “You be careful, Miss Alexander. I’d hate to see the same thing that happened to Sondra happen to you.”
The hair on the back of her neck prickled. Was that a threat? Or a warning about Cash?
Maddox pulled up with a grim-looking Cash in the back.
“Did you find anything?” she asked when he rolled down his window.
“Jasper already thoroughly searched the place. If there was anything there, he confiscated it.”
“If he says he found something, he planted it,” Cash said in a voice laced with anger. “I told you I didn’t kill Sondra.”
“I’ll call Jasper.” BJ entered the sheriff’s number into her phone, her own temper close to the surface. “This is BJ Alexander. I need to know everything you found when you searched Cash Koker’s bunkhouse.”
“I don’t have to tell you anything,” Sheriff Jasper barked.
“Yes, you do. Before the trial, you’re required to disclose all evidence to the defense attorney. That’s me. So why don’t you make both our lives easier and do it now?”
Jasper cursed. “All right, lady. We found pictures of Mr. Koker and Sondra. Looks like they were all lovey-dovey.”
She twisted to look at Cash, her pulse clamoring. “Explain.”
“They were wrapped up in each other’s arms.”
Cash had denied being romantically involved with Sondra. “Text me a copy. I need to see them myself. What else?”
“Ask him about my business plan,” Cash said from the backseat. “And my guns.”
BJ gripped the phone tighter. “Did you find a business plan?”
“Sure did,” Jasper said. “Koker needed finances to make that happen. My guess is he hated Elmore for firing him and decided to use that kid for blackmail money to buy his own spread.”
BJ bit her bottom lip. She and Cash had discussed a blackmail accusation back at the jail, but he hadn’t disclosed his plans to start his own business. Unfortunately, jurors might see that as a motive.
“What about Koker’s guns?”
“Took them for analysis,” Jasper said. “Besides, a dangerous man like him doesn’t need firearms in his possession.”
BJ gritted her teeth. “What about other suspects?”
“Listen, Ms. Alexander, we have motive and physical evidence. We got the right man.”
“We’ll see.” BJ ended the call, irritated.
Jasper did have a case. No doubt he’d twist the fact that Cash claimed he had amnesia to suggest he was lying. The ranch hand’s testimony about that phone call between Cash and Sondra would also be incriminating.
Damn. With motive and physical evidence, Jasper might get a conviction.
* * *
CASH WAS SHOCKED that Sheriff McCullen went by the impound lot and allowed him to retrieve his pickup truck.
“Just follow me to the ranch,” Sheriff McCullen said. “You can stay at Horseshoe Creek until the case is over. Miss Alexander is already staying in a cabin on the ranch.”
Suspicion once again flared inside Cash. Nobody helped a stranger for nothing. He’d just have to bide his time until he figured out what the sheriff wanted.
Questions nagged at him as he followed the police SUV. Farm and ranch lands spread for miles and miles, the open space beckoning.
He could not give up his freedom. He’d rather die than be locked away for the rest of his life.
All the more reason he find out who’d framed him and killed Sondra. Poor little Tyler—he must be scared out of his mind.
Sweat beaded on Cash’s neck. The cards were stacked against him, though. How hard would BJ Alexander fight to get him acquitted?
And what the hell did any of this have to do with the McCullens?
A sign for Horseshoe Creek Ranch mocked him as the sheriff veered down a long drive. The lawyer lady followed in her fancy car.
Cattle grazed in a pasture to the north and barns and horses were scattered throughout the beautiful farmland. An article a few months ago had featured Brett McCullen, former rodeo star, and his awards. He’d also expanded the ranch to include horse training and breeding. His popularity and skills definitely drew customers, and his contacts across the states aided in him securing the best horses.
Elmore had an impressive spread, but he’d talked about Joe McCullen with both admiration and resentment. McCullen had built a legacy for his sons—a fact Elmore envied. Sondra hadn’t cared about the ranch business, and Elmore had never had a son.
The sheriff drove toward the main ranch house, an impressive farmhouse with wraparound porches that sat on a hill overlooking the massive acreage. He bypassed the house, though, and veered onto a lane that weaved through the property. A half mile from the house, several smaller cabins had been built for employees or guests. Sheriff McCullen pulled in front of one and parked. Cash swung his truck in beside him, then the lawyer parked on the other side.
“This is where you’ll be staying, Cash,” Sheriff McCullen said.
Cash straightened. “I don’t understand why you’re doing this, Sheriff.”
The sheriff and lawyer exchanged a look. “Get cleaned up, then we’ll meet in the main house to discuss the situation.”
“You mean you trust me to stay here alone, or do you have a guard dog on me?” Cash asked.
The sheriff folded his arms. “Are you going to jump bail?”
Cash bit the inside of his cheek. His flight reflex was strong. How many times had he moved when things became sticky or uncomfortable where he was?
Too many to count.
But if he ran from this, the law would hunt him down. And he needed help finding Tyler.
“No.” He swallowed hard. “I intend to clear my name.” It was the only way he’d be free. “Tyler needs me, too. That kid has to be scared.”
The sheriff’s gaze met his, some kind of emotion flickering in his eyes that Cash couldn’t read. “All right then.” He gestured toward Miss Alexander. “Let’s meet in half an hour at the house.”
She agreed and Cash nodded. Then maybe he’d finally learn what the McCullens wanted with him.
* * *
BJ BATTLED HER uneasiness at sleeping in a cabin in close proximity to Cash. He thought she was afraid of him because she believed him guilty of murder.
But that wasn’t the problem. Cash Koker was too sexy.
Sexy men were dangerous.
She stepped onto the porch of the cabin where she’d been staying, phoned her father and left a message updating him. A breeze ruffled the leaves on the trees, bringing her the scent of wildflowers and freshly cut grass. Rays of sunshine slanted across the ranch, the sky so beautiful that it nearly robbed her breath.
And reminded her of Aaron’s rainbows.
She allowed herself a second to imagine him running across the field, then forced the image at bay. Work always helped take her mind off her grief.
Work was all she had.
The McCullens had lived here for decades, but they’d suffered their share of loss, both with the murder of their mother, and then the loss of their father to questionable circumstances. Yet they’d found a way to stay together as a family.
She wasn’t sure she could say the same about her own father. All her life, she’d craved his love. She’d tried to please him and make him proud, but nothing she did brought them any closer.
Sometimes, she thought he blamed her for her mother’s death, that he wished she’d never been born.
And although he hadn’t said much about her mistake with the Davis case, she had disappointed him.
She slipped into the cabin and surveyed the interior, admiring the space for its hominess. Painted wood-paneled walls. A kitchen and an adjoining living area with a stone fireplace. Bathroom and bedroom complete with a queen four-poster bed draped in a country blue quilt.
Feeling overdressed, she considered a change of clothes.
But she hadn’t brought anything casual enough to wear on a ranch. No jeans or flannel shirts or cowboy boots.
She went to freshen up and stared at herself in the mirror. It didn’t matter if she had ranch clothes. Or if she wore her hair pulled back in a tight bun.
Or if Cash Koker thought she was a stuffy bitch.
She was here to do a job and nothing more.
Her phone dinged, alerting her that she had a text, and she rushed to see it. Anger hit her as a photo of Cash and Sondra hugging appeared on her screen.
Sheriff Jasper was right. The two of them looked close in the picture, a lot closer than Cash had led her to believe.
But pictures could be deceiving.
Still, she was more confused than ever by the man in the cabin next to her.
* * *
CASH THREW THE prison clothes into the trash and strode naked to the shower, anxious to rid himself of the scent of Sondra’s blood.
How in the hell could he have gotten her blood on his clothes and hands and not remember it?
He closed his eyes as he scrubbed his body and hair, trying to force the memory to return, but his mind was a big black hole.
So was his heart. Sondra had been his friend, Innocent. Young. Vibrant. In love with life. She had a bright future ahead of her.
And she’d loved Tyler so much.
He would miss her smile and chatter.
An image of little Tyler laughing as he pushed him in the tire swing Cash had made for him taunted him.
Emotions churned through him. He’d kill anyone who hurt that kid.
Heart hammering, he dried off and dressed in clean jeans and a denim shirt.
Anxious to hear the sheriff’s explanation, he snatched his wallet and stepped outside.
The fresh air and scents of summer hit him, then the door to the cabin where the lawyer was staying opened. Sun slanted off her pale skin, giving her a radiant glow.
She was still wearing that tight-assed suit, but even though it was modest, it didn’t disguise her curves. Nice sized breasts, a thin waist, hips a man could hold on to.
Dammit, his body twitched with desire.
Not a good thing.
She held the key to his freedom. He couldn’t screw it up by screwing her.
Squaring his shoulders, he strode toward her.
Her eyes flickered with wariness as she met him on the path between their cabins. “Ready?”
He nodded, willing his libido under control. If he made a wrong move toward her, she might drop his case.
At the moment, he needed her brains more than he needed her body.
But could he trust that she wasn’t working for the enemy?
“We can take my car,” she offered.
“I’d just as soon walk.” He needed the fresh air.
“Sure.”
She fell into step beside him although she was wearing heels, which slowed her pace, so he slowed his own so she could keep up.
He’d like to see her in a pair of tight jeans, but he refrained from comment.
An awkward silence stretched between them as they followed the drive to the main house. By the time they reached it, she was wobbly on those heels. She stumbled, and he caught her arm. She felt small and delicate next to him, and she smelled so damn feminine, like jasmine, that it stirred images of making love to her in a bed of wildflowers.
Her gaze met his, a warning in those eyes, and he dropped his hand.
Idiot. A woman like her wouldn’t be caught dead in his bed, much less naked in a field of wildflowers with him.
The thought made his anger rise again. “Sorry, Miss Alexander. I was just trying to help.”
She paused, lips forming a thin line as she stared him down. “It’s BJ.”
“BJ?”
“Yes, that’s my name,” she said, with a bite to her voice. “If we’re going to work together, you can’t keep calling me Miss Alexander like it’s a dirty word.”
A smile tugged at his lips. “All right, BJ.” He liked the way it rolled off his tongue. “So why the initials? What does BJ stand for?”
“None of your business.” She tossed him a withering smile, dispelling any semblance that she planned to get friendly, then walked ahead and climbed the porch steps. He followed like a damn dog in heat.
A chubby lady with a warm smile greeted them, and introduced herself as Mama Mary, the housekeeper and cook. She studied Cash for a moment as if she was dissecting him, then her eyes twinkled. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Cash. Y’all come on in and make yourselves at home.” She shook the lawyer’s hand, then Cash’s, her gaze lingering on him, welcoming. Friendly.
An odd reaction, since she must be aware he’d been arrested for murder.
Remembering his manners, he tipped his Stetson. He’d felt naked without it in jail.
She directed them toward a closed door. “I’ll get some coffee for everyone and sandwiches, and I just made a cobbler.”
Cash didn’t think his arrest warranted cobbler, but he was starving so he kept his mouth shut.
Voices from inside the room echoed through the wall. “You think he’s innocent?”
“I don’t know, but we’ll find out.” That voice belonged to the sheriff.
“I don’t think we should tell him who we are, not yet,” a third man said.
Anger gripped Cash, and he stormed through the door. He didn’t intend to be in the dark another minute.
Chapter Six (#ulink_b8bb7f79-6471-50a6-b1bb-0af174b9fc8b)
Tension vibrated through the room as Cash faced the McCullen men. If these men were his enemies, he had a right to know.
Sheriff McCullen and his brothers exchanged odd looks, an awkwardness heating the air.
“Why did you bail me out and bring me here?” Cash demanded. “What do you want from me?”
The sheriff cleared his throat. “I’m Maddox, and this is Brett and Ray.”
“I know who you are,” Cash said between gritted teeth.
“You do?” Ray said, brows raised.
“Of course.” Cash frowned. “Everyone in this part of Wyoming knows the McCullens own Horseshoe Creek.”
The men traded looks again.
“What else do you know about us?” Maddox asked.
Another inquisition? “The story about your father’s murder was all over the news.” He folded his arms. “Now, answer my question. Why did you bring me here? Are you in cahoots with Elmore?”
Surprise flared on the men’s faces. “Why would you ask that?” Ray said.
“Because you don’t know me and I don’t know you,” Cash said. “Yet you posted my bail. Maybe you’re working with him or whoever’s framing me.”
“Good God,” Ray said. “You can’t be serious.”
“I work for the people of Pistol Whip and this county,” Maddox said stiffly. “My job is to uphold the law. I can’t be bought.”
The lawyer touched Cash’s arm. “Cash, trust me, they aren’t here to hurt you. They want the truth, the same as you and I do.”
He whirled around, his pent-up rage exploding. “Look, lady, in my experience, no one comes out of the woodwork to help someone, especially not someone like me. Not without his or her own agenda.”
A heartbeat of silence passed. A knock sounded, and Mama Mary appeared with a tray. Her bubbly smile seemed at odds with the tension in the air.
“Hey, boys. I have food and coffee.”
Cash crossed the room to the window and stared out at the horses galloping on a hill in the distance, while Mama Mary set the food on a bar by the wall.
“Thanks, Mama Mary.” Brett gave her a hug. “You’re the best.”
Heat flushed Cash’s neck. Everything he’d read about the McCullens indicated they were honest folks. So why all the secrecy?
Mama Mary closed the door of the study as she left, and Maddox gestured toward the sitting area. “Sit down, Cash, and we’ll explain.”
He jammed his hands into the pockets of his jeans as the McCullens seated themselves.
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