Renegade (Tin Star K9 Series Book 1) by Jodi Burnett (literature books to read .txt) 📗

to stand, but when she released her tight grip on his lead, he lunged forward half a stride. Jim stepped back, his eyes shifting from Renegade to Colt and back. “Get that rabid monster away from me,” he growled.

Colt spoke in a friendly tone. “I’m wondering, Hague, if we looked at your arm, would we find bite marks?”

Jim sneered. “If that dog tries to bite me, I’ll break his mangy neck.”

“Hague, were you out at Caitlyn’s house two nights ago?” Colt crossed his arms. “Think before you answer. Honesty and cooperation go a long way.”

Jim glared at him. “Why would I go to Caitlyn’s house? She murdered my girlfriend.”

Maribel pulled herself to her feet. “Stop calling that bitch your girlfriend. She was just some woman trying to trick you into marrying her.”

“Shut your mouth, Maribel.” Jim turned his venom on her.

“Why should I? That’s what you told me.”

“You’re no better.” Jim’s muscles tensed and the chords in his neck stood out. “Look at you.” He glowered at her in disgust.

Renegade barked and snarled, backing Jim up against the front wall of the house with his threatening posture. His lip curled and his fangs glistened in the sunshine.

“How dare you? You said you loved me.” Maribel circled her belly protectively with her arms. Tears dripped from her eyes. “I would have done anything for you. I already have!”

“Shut your stupid mouth!” Jim’s eyes darted from Renegade to Maribel and back. His rapid pulse evident in the throbbing veins at his temples.

“What have you done, Maribel?” Caitlyn asked softly. She studied the pregnant woman’s face. She still couldn’t shake the feeling that she recognized her from somewhere.

The woman broke down then. She lowered herself to the lawn and dropped her face into her hands, sobbing. “Oh, God…”

Jim snarled at her. “You’ll be responsible for what happens if you keep talking.”

“Are you threatening Maribel, Hague?” Colt stepped between them.

Caitlyn cocked her head. “Like you threatened me?”

“I never threatened you.” Jim’s flat slate eyes shot to her and she shivered at the hate she saw in them.

Colt rested his hand on the butt of his gun. “Did either of you have anything to do with Wendy’s murder?”

“Jimmy, don’t say another word without an attorney present,” Maribel cried.

“Shut the hell up, woman!”

Caitlyn’s mind worked furiously to connect the dots and figure out how she knew Maribel, what was going on, and how it all fit together. “Who owns that Toyota?” She pointed to the car parked at the curb.

Jim and Maribel both gawked at her as though she’d asked them to dance around naked with her sudden change of topic.

“Yeah, I haven’t seen that car around Moose Creek before.” Colt turned a speculative gaze to Maribel. “Does it belong to you, ma’am?”

“Yes, it’s mine. What of it?” The pregnant woman sniffled and rested her arms on top of her rounded belly.

“We may need to impound it as evidence.” Colt walked back across the lawn and crouched down by the front end of her car and studied it as he spoke. “You see, the night of Wendy’s murder, a car just like this one sped out of the forest and clipped the corner of Caitlyn’s truck about a mile east of the Reed Ranch road. Your Toyota, coincidentally, has a smashed front quarter panel and scrapes of paint that correspond with such a collision. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”

“Lots of cars have dented front ends. I had an accident several months ago, and I just haven’t had it fixed yet.” Maribel’s eyes darted to Jim, who narrowed his eyes and shook his head.

“That’s interesting, because your car has silver paint on it that is the same color as Caitlyn’s truck. The crime lab can tell us if it’s exactly the same paint, or not.” Caitlyn took in the effect Colt’s words had on Maribel. Her face reddened, but she didn’t answer.

Colt shifted to include Jim in the next piece of information. “Recently, I found tire tracks on the top of the ridge near where Wendy’s body was discovered. The tracks run along the BLM side of the fence line, coincidently at the top of the same rarely used forest access road. The imprints have been cast and we’ll check them against the tires on your car, Ms. Martin.”

Maribel’s jaw dropped open, but she snapped it closed quickly and flashed an angry glare at Jim. “That was the night you borrowed my car.”

“You were with me, Maribel. Don’t try to pretend like you weren’t.” Renegade barked, not liking Jim’s tone. Jim’s focus switched from Maribel to Renegade. “I told you to call your damn dog off.” Caitlyn had a firm hold on Renegade’s leash, but that didn’t seem to ease Jim’s apprehension.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Jim.” Maribel stomped up the porch steps. “That was the night you told me you were going to end things with your other girlfriend.”

“Don’t you dare try to put all this on me!”

Maribel spread her arms wide, including everyone in her speech. “Jim was cheating on me with Wendy! I got pregnant seven months ago, and Jim promised to leave her and marry me. But he never did.”

“Fucking women. You’re all the same.” Jim’s distaste flowed from his expression to include both Maribel and Caitlyn.

“I don’t know, Jim. Maybe you shouldn’t have been double dipping in the first place!” Maribel shrieked. “You told me you’d convince your whore to have an abortion and then you’d be free to marry me.” She turned her blotchy face to Colt. “He told me she would never let him go. That there was only one way.”

“God damn it, Maribel. Shut your fat mouth!”

“You shut up! I saw you in the motel! Sure as hell didn’t look like you wanted to be free of her!”

Caitlyn spared a glance toward Colt. He barely bobbed his head. If they remained quiet, they might find out everything. Caitlin popped Renegade’s leash to settle him and take some pressure off of Hague.

“I was trying to