Close To The Edge (Westen #2) (29 page)

Gage ignored them all to stare at Bobby’s back. She hadn’t moved in minutes. “Did you find anything?”

“Not yet.” Her voice a bit shaky, she closed the top file drawer and moved to the next one.

There wasn’t anything he could do about her anger until he got the politicians out of his office. He turned his attention to the group of men. “Tobias, we discovered where the drugs are being stored and my men are guarding them until the DEA agents can get here. We’re talking probably several hundred thousands of dollars’ worth of crystal meth.”

“And when did you learn about this illegal drug operation?”

“Today.”

“Today. Really? Someone made that many drugs just today?”

The mayor’s condescending attitude grated on his nerves. “No, I’d say this operation has been cranking out product for some time.”

“Months?”

“Probably.”

“Years?”

“Perhaps.”

“So your father and now you had no idea this was going on. Isn’t that your job to protect this town?”

The file drawer slammed behind them. Bobby whirled, hands fisted on her hips. “He
is
protecting the town. Considering everything Gage has been through in the past three years you should be thankful he even cares enough about this town to want to protect you and every other citizen from one of your own!”

Startled, all the men stared at her.

“You do realize this, don’t you?” She took a step forward, her cheeks red with anger. Anger for him.

Other than his father, Gage couldn’t remember the last time someone defended him, or even felt the need to do so.

“What are you saying, young lady?” Thomas Yoder asked.

“It’s very simple to understand,” she lifted one eye at the lawyer as if she were explaining something to one of her students. “This problem isn’t coming from some big, bad gang from another part of the state. It’s homegrown. Someone in this town is responsible for making drugs, selling them and trying to hide the evidence with a fire.”

“Fire? What are you talking about?”

“The MacPherson place,” Deke replied, pulling a chair up and sitting near Gage. “It was Arson. We’ve pretty much decided the two things are connected.”

Bobby stood next to the corner of the desk, her hands fisted on her hips and looking daggers at the mayor and his group of talking heads. “He isn’t above murdering two people to cover his tracks, either.”

“Murder!”

“Two murders?” Tobias looked like a Ping-Pong ball as he swiveled his gaze back and forth from Bobby to Gage. He moved in front of the desk. “What is she talking about?”

Now that Bobby let the news out, he didn’t see any reason to keep the council members in the dark. “We found the body of the man we believe to be the meth cook with the drugs today.”

“That’s one, but she said two murders,” Yoder stepped up beside Tobias.

“Harley Evans is the other.”

“Harley? Didn’t he die from falling and hitting his head on his coffee table? Now you’re saying it was a murder?” Harold Russet joined the others crowding Gage’s desk.

“
I’m
not saying it, Harold. The county coroner is. Someone staged Harley’s death to look like an accident.”

“Do you have any idea who?” Tobias asked.

Gage took a deep breath to keep from reaching over his desk and knocking some of the hot air out of the mayor. “No, Tobias, I don’t. The only witness I have is currently unconscious over at the clinic and unable to talk to me. And given how badly she’s been beaten, I doubt I’ll ever get any information out of her.”

“She hasn’t said anything?”

He shook his head. “Not since Clint gave her medicine to knock her out. Before that he said all she did was mumble incoherently about a fishman. That’s still all she says the few times she’s drifted into consciousness since before going out again.”

“A fishman?” Tobias drew his brows together. “Someone who likes to fish? We’ve got lots of trout fishermen in the area.”

Gage shrugged. “Haven’t a clue what it means.”

Bobby reached down and pulled her big black bag off the desk and began digging through it. “Clint did record what she said. Maybe one of you know what she means.” Finally, after dumping half the contents on his desk, she pulled out the small tape recorder Clint had given them earlier.

“Don’t like…the fishman. Rusty said…fishman coming. Makes…my skin…crawl. Don’t want…fishman…touch me. Got to hide. Rusty…hit…over and over…hurts to talk. Gotta keep…quiet. Fishman…said…shut…me…up.”

Bobby pushed the stop button at the end of the tirade. They’d listened to Teeny’s squeaky, high-pitched voice ramble in a manic whirlwind for nearly ten minutes.

“Doesn’t tell us too much,” Tobias said.

For the first time since they’d entered the office he didn’t look like a politician trying for a photo-op. Maybe he had as much a concern for the townspeople as Gage, after all. She could almost forgive him his earlier insensitive attack on Gage. She hadn’t been sure who she was angrier with, Tobias for not realizing pain and grief had kept Gage unaware of the drug lab’s presence, or Gage for having an ex-wife who looked like a supermodel. She hadn’t seen that one coming.

“Seems Teeny was either trying to keep quiet, or this ‘fishman’ wanted her kept quiet,” Deke said.

“That’s what Clint thinks,” Gage answered. “Teeny can identify him, if she ever regains full consciousness and hasn’t got brain damage from the drugs and the beating.”

Something occurred to Bobby. “You know, something about this seems familiar.”

Gage turned to look at her. “That’s because you heard it over at the clinic.”

“No, that’s not it.” She tried to ignore the way her heart jumped a beat as he stared intently at her. She wasn’t forgiving him for the supermodel wife thing that easily. Hitting the rewind button, she went back to what Teeny said.

“Rusty said…fishman coming. Makes…my skin…crawl…”

“There. That’s different than anything else she says. Reminds me of someone. Someone I met here.” She looked at the group of men crowded around the desk. “Where’s the newspaperman? Where did he go?”

“Richard?”

They all looked around. Richard Davis was nowhere in the office.

“Oh my God, it’s him.” She just knew it.

“Richard? You think Richard is behind this mess?” Thomas Yoder asked. “Be very careful whom you accuse, young lady. You have to be mistaken. He’s been living here his whole life.”

“Thomas is right,” Tobias chimed in. “He’s served on the town council and is a deacon over at the Baptist church.”

“Why do you think it’s Davis, Bobby?” Gage asked her, watching her with such intensity and completely ignoring the other men’s protests.

“Because when I shook his hand it felt like I was holding a limp, wet fish.” She shuddered at the memory. “And it made my skin crawl.”

He shoved his chair, back, squeezed her shoulder and grabbed his hat. He headed for the door. Deke close on his heels. “Did you see where the son-of-a-bitch went?”

Deke shook his head. “He slipped out sometime after your ex stormed out the door.”

The two of them stood on the sidewalk, scanning up and down the street. The others joined them.

“Tobias, do you know where Davis might’ve gone?” Gage asked, punching numbers on his cell phone.

“I thought I knew the man. But now, I don’t know. The lights are out over at the newspaper office,” the mayor pointed down the street.

“Clint?” Gage spoke into his cell phone. “Any sign of Richard Davis over there?”

He listened a moment. Bobby’s heart seemed stuck in her throat.

Please God, don’t let the murderer be there with Gage’s cousin-in-law or Teeny.

“No?”

Thank God.

Bobby let out the breath she’d been holding.

Gage nodded at her, his face still serious. “Keep the doors locked and don’t let him in if he shows up there, got it? Yeah, he might be our man.” He hit the off button, studying the group around him. “Tobias, you and Deke go check out the newspaper office just to be sure he’s not there.”

The two men jogged off to their left.

He glanced at the café. Bobby followed his gaze. People seemed to be calm and enjoying a late night in town. “Thomas, you and Harold go over to the café and let Lorna know what’s going on. Try to keep anyone there from leaving for a while.”

The other two men nodded and headed to the right where the brightly-lit café sat. Gage walked past her, shoving the door to the office so hard it slammed against the wall.

“What are we going to do?” she asked, following Gage back inside.

“I’m heading out to the MacPherson place. See if you can reach Cleetus or Daniel and give them a head’s up.”

“I’m coming with you.” She grabbed her purse and one of the sheriff’s walkie-talkies off the desk.

“Bobby, this isn’t a chance for you to make a name for yourself. These are my men out there. You’ll have to get your publicity for your client and your PI career someplace else.”

The words hit her like a sledgehammer to the chest. He still thought she was there just for the case? Just to get attention? After all they’d been through? All they’d shared?

“Don’t be an ass. I care about what happens to those deputies, too. And besides, you might need help.”

“I don’t have time to keep arguing with you.” He strode out the back door, Bobby right on his heels.

“Good. It’ll save us both some oxygen.” She scrambled into the passenger’s side of the truck, barely closing the door before he threw it into reverse.

She handed him the walkie-talkie and strapped herself into the passenger seat.

“Daniel?” Gage barked into the walkie-talkie.

Only static came across the line.

“Daniel, Cleetus, are you there?” His voice tightened.

Still no answer.

“Dammit.” He tossed the black box at her, as he turned onto the highway and pressed hard on the gas pedal. “Keep trying to get them.” He fished his cell phone out of his pocket and punched a few buttons.

“Who are you calling?” She tried to keep the panic out of her voice.

“The rest of my deputies.”

She pressed the talk button again. “Daniel or Cleetus, come in?” Each time she tried nothing came back but static. Was there something wrong with the walkie-talkies? Or had Davis gone to retrieve his drugs? Were both men dead?

The dark countryside passed by as they flew over the pavement. Gage made one phone call. Wes would meet them out at the MacPherson land after he got the other two deputies to cover the town.

“Do you think Daniel and Cleetus are okay?” she asked once he was off the phone.

“I’m praying they are…” Gage said, hesitant to say more.

“But?”

“Richard has lived in this town a long time. On the surface, and up until two days ago, I’d say he was a very benign person—completely harmless.”

She stared at Gage’s profile in the dark truck. “And Cleetus and Daniel won’t know they’re in danger until it’s too late.”

Chapter Fifteen

A
s they made the turn onto the MacPherson land, Gage turned off the headlights. The darkness gave way to eerie shapes in the moonlight shining on the path to the barn’s burned-out shell. The sheriff’s cruiser sat next to the old truck Cleetus drove when off duty, so Daniel must’ve arrived to stand guard with him.

“I don’t see either of them,” Bobby whispered, climbing out of the truck once they’d parked. She flicked on her flashlight to scan the area near the cars. She slowly pointed the beam back at a large dark form lying near the barn. “Is that a body over there?”

“Cut the light.” Gage sprinted past her to kneel beside the body. “Daniel?” he said as he gently turned the man onto his side. “Daniel can you hear me?”

Obeying his order, Bobby shut off her light and stumbled close. She caught the metallic smell of blood and saw the gooey thickness coating the side of the deputy’s face. Was he dead? Please don’t let him be dead.

As Gage eased him onto his back and carefully checked him for other wounds, Daniel gave a guttural moan.

Thank God.

Bobby knelt beside them.

“Daniel, where’s Cleetus?” Gage asked even as he took the walkie-talkie from Daniel’s pocket.

The other man did little more than moan again.

“Bobby, I have to find Cleetus.” Gage grabbed her by the shoulder, thrusting his cell phone into her hand. “Call Clint and tell him to get over here. His number is the second one on the list. Deke’s is the third. Tell him to come, too.”

“Gage,” she grabbed his hand, stopping him for a moment. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you? In case Cleetus...” She couldn’t bring herself to say the unthinkable.

Gage shook his head. “I want you to stay with Daniel. Listen for me on the walkie-talkie. If I find Cleetus, and he’s still alive, I’ll need you to tell Clint and Deke where he is. Okay?”

She grabbed him by the shirtfront. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”

“I’ll be as careful as I can.” He planted a hard quick kiss to her lips. “You watch carefully until Clint, Deke or the deputies arrive. Try not to make too much noise. Davis could be anywhere or circle back this way.”

“I will.” Her body trembling from his warning, she scooted close to Daniel.

Gage crouched low and moved through the charred debris and overgrown brush toward the tunnel’s entrance. After a moment she lost sight of him in the darkness.

Her chest hurt from thinking he might find Cleetus dead. Worse, Davis could attack him before he knew it in the dark.

She’d just found in Gage what she’d been looking for in a man and now he could be taken away from her by a crazed killer. To keep from calling after him, she bit her lip hard and forced herself to focus on her surroundings and Gage’s instructions.

Keeping one hand on Daniel’s chest to let his breathing reassure her, she punched in Clint’s quick dial number. Once he answered, she filled him in on the situation, and then called Deke.

Suddenly she felt very alone and vulnerable. Every sound in the night seemed magnified. The bullfrogs’ bellows matched the thumping of her heart. The chirping crickets seemed to scream in her ear as she strained to hear something in the direction Gage had gone. Why was it she could hear everything but the man she loved?