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

at the sight of Caitlyn’s limp form crumpled on the grass. “Caitlyn!” he yelled. Where had Eleanor aimed the second shotgun blast? Was Caitlyn shot? Catie, please!

Renegade pinned Tackett to the ground, his teeth buried in the man’s neck and shoulder. He tossed his head back and forth, yanking and growling, tearing flesh and tendons. The sheriff’s screams communicated his excruciating pain. Every time Tackett attempted to move, Renegade tugged on him again, plunging his bite deeper. Tackett wailed in agony.

Colt skidded to Caitlyn’s side on his knees and brushed long strands of her hair out of her face. Gripping her shoulder, he prepared himself to attend to a wound seeping blood. Gently, he rolled her toward him. Caitlyn’s face was a ghostly white, making the bruise on her temple garish. Her lips were tinged blue. Colt felt her neck for a pulse.

“Catie?”

29

Caitlyn blinked. Coughing, she tried to push herself up. Colt drew her into his chest. “Thank, God. Were you hit?” He held her away to check her over, tracing her face with his fingertips.

“No. I’m okay.” Slowly, she regained her equilibrium, and then pushed herself up on her hands and knees. Young green shoots pressed up through the cold dead grass, softening the turf below her. Colt helped her to her feet. She ran her fingers over her sore larynx.

Maribel was on her knees pleading. “Let him go!”

“Tackett,” she rasped. “I’m going to ask Renegade to release you, but he’d love nothing more than to rip your throat out, so I suggest you don’t move. Understand?” Caitlyn coughed, her tender throat thickening. She hoped Tackett hadn’t damaged her trachea. She gaped at Maribel. “Did I hear you call him, Daddy?”

Maribel wept into her hands. The sheriff gritted his teeth. “Just get him off me!”

“Renegade, Pust.” Without letting go, her dog looked up at her from the top of his eyes as if checking to see that she meant what she said. “Pust!” Caitlyn repeated, the word scraping her hoarse voice.

Renegade released Tackett’s shoulder, but stood poised next to his head, baring his teeth and emitting a menacing growl. Caitlyn gave Colt a weak smile and whispered. “He’s not going anywhere.” She knelt down and unclipped the sheriff’s handcuffs from his belt and tossed them to Colt. “Why don’t you put these on Maribel… Tackett? And use your spare pair on Eleanor.”

Caitlyn glanced at Jim, but he hadn’t moved from his seated position on the steps. His chin rested on his chest, and his shoulders slumped in defeat. Caitlyn stared down at Maribel. “I’m guessing you and Jim murdered Wendy and when I found her body, you went to your dad—the Sheriff—to get help covering up the crime?”

Maribel spat at her in response.

Caitlin wiped her cheek with the back of her hand. “Nice. You know, I thought I recognized you. But now I see that you just reminded me of someone.” She turned to Tackett. “You.”

She took the young woman by the arm. “I’ll lock Maribel and Eleanor in the back seat of the sheriff’s car for now.” She considered the man on the porch steps. Even though in her mind he deserved every bit of the pain he was in, she knew that his wounds could get infected and ultimately kill him. Caitlyn lifted her chin and gave Colt a brave face. “You ought to call an ambulance for these two.”

With each new breath, Caitlyn gained strength. She marched the women to the sheriff’s Jeep and helped them into the back. “Looks like you’ll be having this baby in prison,” she said to Maribel.

“What will happen to it?”

“If you’re convicted, they’ll place your baby with your next of kin.”

Maribel’s dark eyes widened. “There is no one. It’s just me and my dad.”

“Then, they’ll have to put the baby in foster care. Unless, you do the selfless thing and allow for an adoption.”

Tears coursed down Maribel’s face. “I only wanted to keep Jim. Now, I’m losing everything.”

Caitlyn nodded and closed the locked door. She had no sympathy to offer the woman who murdered her unborn niece or nephew and its mother.

Renegade’s presence kept Tackett pinned to the ground, while Colt called the medical clinic. “We need paramedics at The Smooter’s residence on Third Street, right away.”

He helped Jim to his feet and escorted him down the steps. “Hell of an afternoon, huh?” He grimaced at Caitlyn. “Good thing Ms. Smooter has horrible aim.”

“No kidding. As soon as the paramedics get here, Renegade and I will take the women to jail.”

Colt ran his tongue over his teeth. “I guess after I arrest Tackett, then I automatically become the acting sheriff.”

“Sounds about right.” Caitlyn held out her hand. “Give me your handcuff key. I’ll need it at the jail.”

“So, if I’m the new sheriff,” Colt dropped the key into her palm. “Then, I’ll need to make you a deputy so that you’ll have the authority to lock those women up.”

Caitlyn stopped in her tracks and turned back to Colt. “Seriously? What do you have to do to make it official?”

“Nothing really, just say something like, ‘Caitlyn Reed, I officially deputize you to assist me in carrying out and enforcing the law in Moose Creek County.’”

“Awesome. Can I wear your deputy badge?” She grinned at him and his knees wavered.

Locking the joints so he wouldn’t stumble, Colt snickered. “You can wear the extra one in my desk, if you want.” He watched her walk back to the sheriff’s car. No deputy I’ve ever known wore their jeans quite as well as this one does. He couldn’t manage to wipe the grin from his face.

Tackett growled, “Stop gawking at that woman and help me up.”

Colt glanced down at the injured man. “You no longer have any authority to tell me what to do, Tackett, and I don’t think Renegade is going to let you move until the paramedics get here.”

“Make her call him off.”

“Something tells me nobody makes Caitlyn Reed do anything.” Colt left Tackett under Renegade’s capable watch and