Shotgun Sheriff

In the distance Reed heard the siren from the fire department. Soon, they’d be there. He glanced at the cabin. Then at Livvy’s SUV. There wouldn’t be much to save, but if he could catch the person responsible he might get enough answers to make up for the evidence they’d lost.

More movement. Reed spotted the baseball cap again. The guy was crouched down, and the cap created a shadow that hid his face. He couldn’t even tell if it was a man or a woman. But whoever it was, the person was getting away.

“Stay put,” Reed told Livvy.

Now it was her turn to catch onto his arm. “Remember that part about him having a gun.”

Reed remembered, but he had to try to find out who was behind this.

“Back me up,” he told her. That was to get her to stay put, but the other reason was he didn’t want this cap-wearing guy to sneak up on him. Reed wouldn’t be able to hear footsteps or much else with the roar of the fire and the approaching siren.

Keeping low as well, Reed stepped out from the meager cover of the oak. He kept his gun ready and aimed, and he started to run.

So did the other guy.

Using the smoke as cover, the culprit darted through the woods on the other side of the SUV and raced through the maze of trees. If Reed didn’t catch up with him soon, it’d be too late. He ran down the hill, cursing the uneven clay-mix dirt that was slick in spots. Somehow, he made it to the bottom without falling and breaking his neck.

Reed didn’t waste any time trying to save the SUV. The inside was already engulfed in flames. Instead, he sprinted past it, but Reed only made it a few steps before there was another sound.

Behind him, the SUV exploded.

He dodged the fiery debris falling all around him and sprinted after the person who’d just come close to killing them.

Chapter Four (#ulink_dada88b4-b67d-5e5e-b846-b9d8f7816c0d)

Livvy dove to the ground and used the tree to shelter herself from the burning SUV parts that spewed through the air. She waited, listening, but it was impossible to hear anything, especially Reed. Beyond the black smoke cloud on the far side of what was left of her vehicle, she saw him sprint into the woods.

Since Reed might need backup, she got up, grabbed the equipment bag and went after him. Livvy kept to the trees that lined the path and then gave the flaming SUV a wide berth in case there was a secondary explosion. She’d barely cleared the debris when the fire engine screamed to a stop on the two-lane road.

“Sergeant Hutton,” she said, identifying herself to the men who barreled from the engine. “Sheriff Hardin and I are in pursuit of a suspect.”

Livvy hurried after Reed but was barely a minute into her trek when she saw Reed making his way back toward her. Not walking. Running.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

Reed drew in a hard breath. “I couldn’t find him, and I was afraid he would double back and come after you.”

Because the adrenaline was pumping through her and her heart was pounding in her ears, it took Livvy a moment to realize what he’d said. “I’m a Texas Ranger,” she reminded him. “If he’d doubled back, I could have taken care of myself.”

Reed tossed her a glance and started toward the fire department crew. “I didn’t want him to shoot you and then steal the evidence bag,” he clarified.

Oh. So, maybe it wasn’t a me-Tarzan response after all. And once again, Livvy felt as if she’d been trumped when she was the one in charge.

By God, this was her case and her crime scene.

She followed Reed back to the chaos. The fire department already had their hose going, but there was nothing left to save. Worse, with everyone racing around the SUV and the cabin, it would be impossible to try to determine which footprints had been left by the perpetrator.

Reed stopped in front of a fifty-something Hispanic man, and they had a brief conversation that Livvy couldn’t hear. A minute later, Reed rejoined her.

“Come on,” he said. “We’ll use my truck to take that evidence to my office.”

Livvy looked around and realized there was nothing she could do here, so she followed Reed past the cabin to a back trail. It wasn’t exactly a relaxing stroll because both Reed and she hurried and kept their weapons ready. With good reason, too. Someone had just destroyed crucial evidence, and that same someone might come after them. The woods were thick and ripe territory for an ambush.

Reed unlocked his black F-150 and they climbed in and sped away. He immediately got on the phone to his deputy, and while Reed filled in Deputy Spears, Livvy knew she had to contact her boss, Lieutenant Wyatt Colter.

She grabbed her cell, took a deep breath and made the call. Since there was no way to soften it, she just spilled it and told him all about the burned cabin, her SUV and the destroyed evidence.

On the other end of the line, Lieutnenant Colter cursed. “You didn’t have the evidence secured?”

“I did, in the locked SUV, but the perp set it on fire.” She was thankful that she’d already stashed her personal items at the Bluebonnet Inn where she’d be staying so at least she would have a change of clothes and her toiletries. Of course, she would have gladly exchanged those items, along with every penny in her bank account, if she could get back that evidence.

More cursing from the lieutenant, and she heard him relay the information to someone else who was obviously in the room with him. Great. Now, everyone at the regional office would know about this debacle.

“Things are crazy here,” Lieutenant Colter explained. “I’m tracking down those illegally sold Native American artifacts, and I’m at a critical point in negotiations. But I’ll be out there by early afternoon.”

“No!” Livvy couldn’t get that out fast enough. “There’s no need, and there’s nothing you can do. I have everything under control.”

The lieutenant’s long hesitation let her know he wasn’t buying that. “I’ll talk with the captain and get back to you.”

“I don’t need reinforcements,” she added, but Livvy was talking to herself because Lieutenant Colter had already hung up on her.

“Problem?” Reed asked the moment she ended the call.

“No,” she lied.

He made a sound to indicate he knew it was a lie.

Since it was a whopper, Livvy tried to hurry past the subject. “After I get this evidence logged in and started, I’d like to question Shane about the murder.”

Reed didn’t answer right away. He had her wait several moments, making Livvy wish she’d made it sound more like an order and not a request.

“Shane will cooperate,” Reed finally said. He paused again. “And while you’re talking to him, I’ll call your lieutenant and let him know this wasn’t your fault.”

“Don’t.” She stared at him as he drove onto the highway that led to town. “I don’t need your help.” Though she probably did. Still, Livvy wouldn’t allow Reed to defend her when she was capable of doing it herself. “I’ll call him in an hour or two and explain there’s no need for him to be here.”

And somehow, she would have to make him understand.

“This case seems personal to you,” Reed commented. “Why? Did you know Marcie?”

“No.” But he was right. This was personal. Murders always were. “My mother was murdered when I was six, and she was about the same age as Marcie. This brings back … memories.”

And she had no idea why she’d just admitted that. Sheez. The chaos had caused her to go all chatty.

“Was the killer caught?” Reed asked.

Livvy groaned softly. She hadn’t meant for this to turn into a conversation. “No. He escaped to Mexico and has never been found.”

“That explains why you’re wrapped so tight.”