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

“Oh, that’s rich. You should have just let her. That would have solved everything.”

The vicious argument drew Caitlyn in. “How can you say such things?” Hot flames ignited in the pit of her belly. Anger flared at the accusations made about her brother, and her heart broke for the innocent baby Wendy had carried. “Wendy loved you, Jim. Maybe, Wendy and Dylan got together behind your back, but how does that make her any worse than you? Sleeping with two women at once?”

“Yeah!” Maribel yelled.

Jim glowered at Maribel, and evil tendrils curled through his words. “If you don’t shut your fat face, I’ll shut it for you,” he hissed—spittle flying toward her. “This whole thing was your idea. You’re the one who came up with the plan to kill Wendy.”

Maribel’s mouth opened and closed like a carp.

Tires squealed on the road behind them, and the acrid scent of burnt rubber filled the air. Everyone turned to see a car screeching to a stop in the middle of the street.

28

Sheriff Tackett jumped out of his Jeep. “Deputy Branson, what in the hell is going on here?”

“Sir, I believe we’ve found Wendy Gessler’s murderers,” he answered.

Tackett’s complexion turned a sickly green as he scanned the scene. “Caitlyn Reed should be in jail. How did she get out?”

“Caitlyn is not the murderer. I think you know that.” Colt cautiously stepped toward Hague. He reached to the back of his service belt to unclip his handcuffs. “Jim here, has basically confessed to the crime, and it appears that Maribel Martin is his partner.”

“I don’t know what kind of tale Ms. Reed is spinning, but she’s completely suckered you in.” Sheriff Tackett strode into the yard. “You’re lucky I don’t fire you, Deputy. You had no authority to release Ms. Reed from jail.”

“I beg to differ, sir. I don’t believe you had enough evidence—or any actual evidence at all—to hold her. In fact, her attorney didn’t think so either.” Colt clicked one side of his handcuffs around Jim’s wrist. When he gripped Hague’s shoulder, the man cried out.

The front door of the house swung open, and Eleanor Smooter stepped out onto the porch and she ran down the stairs. She flung her arm around Maribel’s shoulders protectively. “What on earth is going on out here? You all are making enough noise to raise the dead.” Her face paled and her eyes darted to Jim. “I’m sorry, unfortunate choice of words.”

“Go back inside, Ellie.” Tackett ordered.

“I will not. Don’t start telling me what to do, Bruce. What is everyone doing out here?” Eleanor’s firm chin jutted forward.

Colt cuffed the wrist of Jim’s injured arm and sat him down on the porch steps.

Caitlyn murmured, “Sedni,” and Renegade sat down but never took his menacing golden eyes off of Jim.

Colt rested his hands on his hips and glared at the sheriff. “Seems like Hague has a torn-up shoulder. Like he was attacked by a dog or something. But you knew that, didn’t you, Sheriff?”

“You don’t believe that bunch of nonsense, do you Deputy?” Tackett barked out a laugh. “That’s exactly why you’ll never make a good lawman. You’re too gullible.” Sheriff Tackett stepped forward. “You’d believe anything Caitlyn Reed told you, wouldn’t you?”

Anger sparked in Colt’s eyes. “I took the slug you had locked in the evidence locker down to the state crime lab yesterday. I’m betting you already know what they had to say,” Colt challenged.

“I saw your doctored reports on my desk, if that’s what you mean.” Tackett countered.

Colt continued. “But what I can’t figure out is why you would want to help these two get away with murder? Why you’d help to pin the crime on innocent people?”

Eleanor whispered something in Maribel’s ear and before anyone could stop her, she darted back inside her house.

“I know for sure that bullet came from Caitlyn’s gun. Either she shot Wendy, or Dylan did, but one of them killed Wendy Gessler with that gun.” The sheriff pointed an accusing finger in Caitlyn’s face.

Caitlyn slapped his hand away. “You mishandled that evidence, Sheriff. You know I had nothing to do with Wendy’s murder. I—”

The front door flung open, and Eleanor rushed out, armed with a shotgun. She cocked it. The familiar chuck-chick sound sent tremors through Caitlyn’s body. In the split second of distraction, Sheriff Tackett sprang. He threw an arm around Caitlyn’s neck and pulled her backward into a choke hold, his arm folded like a vice squeezing her neck. Eleanor fired the shotgun. By the time the echo from the explosion faded, Caitlyn was losing the battle for consciousness. She wriggled and bucked, trying to get loose from Tackett’s tightening hold. As she fought for breath, she realized Tackett was pressing the muzzle of his gun into her temple. Renegade growled and snapped.

“Nobody move!” The sheriff yelled. “Tell your damn dog to back off or I’ll shoot his brains all over the yard.”

“Lehne, Ren.” Caitlyn choked out. He snarled and lunged toward them. Tackett pressed the gun hard into her bruised head. “Lehne!” she screamed. Renegade’s eyes met hers. They were wild with fury, but he obeyed her.

Colt held up his hands. “Everyone, calm down.”

Tackett glared at Jim and Maribel. “I never should’ve got involved in this. I tried to help you, but now look at the mess you’ve gotten all of us into.”

Caitlyn rallied all her remaining strength and jerked her body to the side. “Drz!” The command scraped across her crushed vocal chords, but it was enough. Renegade went ballistic. All fangs, fur, and fury he flew through the air. Caitlyn’s vision dimmed from lack of oxygen, but she heard Sheriff Tackett scream in her ear.

Someone yelled, “Daddy!”

A second shotgun blast assaulted the air, and Caitlyn fell to the ground.

Colt dove at Eleanor, knocking the older woman to the wooden porch. He grasped the shotgun and yanked it from her hands as he sought out Caitlyn. He leapt down the steps in one bound, horrified