Deadly Desperados by Lily Harper Hart Read Free Book Online Page B

whispered, kissing her cheek. “Sleep well.”
     
    “IS Mandy okay with you leaving her at the cabin?” Jake asked James as they made their way toward the flashing police lights thirty minutes later. The sun was crossing the horizon, so it wasn’t hard to navigate the field as they picked their way across it. Ben was in the lead, his face grim as he focused on the assembled police officers.
    “I’m not even sure if she knows I’m gone,” James said. “I’m not joking when I say she sleeps hard. She’s like a rock … only softer. I left a note on the pillow in case she wakes up and forgets what I told her.”
    Jake nodded. “Ally offered to come with us, but she was already asleep before I found my pants.”
    James made a face.
    “You need to get over it, man,” Jake said. “I don’t sleep in my pants when I’m in bed with your sister.”
    “I just don’t want to hear about it,” James said. He studied Ben’s slouched back as they walked. “Your uncle seems … worried.”
    “That’s because he knows everyone in the area,” Jake replied. “If the body belongs to a local, there’s a good chance it’s one of his friends. Heck, there’s a good chance it’s one of the farmhands.”
    “I didn’t think of that,” James said, rubbing his stubbled chin. “What do you think this means?”
    “I think it means we’re going to be doing some research this afternoon,” Jake replied. “This can’t be a coincidence.”
    “Yeah, I’ve pretty much given up on coincidences ever since my wife started getting stalked at every turn,” James agreed. “Still, we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. This might be an accident.”
    “I don’t think the police would’ve woken Uncle Ben up for an accident.”
    “I … crap,” James muttered. “I wasn’t as worried about this when it was threatening notes and general mischief. That could always be bored teens. Murder is something else entirely.”
    “I know.”
    “We need to make sure we know where the women are at all times,” James said. “They’re probably not targets, but … .”
    “I know,” Jake said. “We’ll figure it out. We should be able to keep them busy with tasks or riding horses. We’ll make sure they’re not alone.”
    By the time Jake and James caught up to Ben the deputy in charge of the crime scene was already speaking. “He was shot in the head, Ben. You don’t want to see him.”
    “How can you be sure it’s Charlie, though?” Ben asked, his face ashen. “I … if you can’t see his face properly, how can you be sure it’s Charlie?”
    “Who is Charlie?” Jake asked, moving to his uncle’s side.
    “Charlie Dawkins,” Ben supplied. “He’s my neighbor. He bought the old Randall farm about five years ago. He’s a good guy.”
    “And this is his property?” James asked, glancing around. His gaze landed on the body near the fence line. The sheriff’s deputies laid a sheet over it to hide it from prying eyes, but the outline was clear.
    “Yes,” Ben said. He quickly introduced James and Jake to the deputy. “This is Sam Taylor. His father is the sheriff.”
    “It’s nice to meet you,” Jake said, shaking Sam’s hand. “What can you tell us?”
    “It looks like someone popped him from behind,” Sam replied. “We can’t find any signs of a struggle, so right now we’re going on the assumption that Charlie either didn’t hear his assailant or didn’t deem him a threat.”
    “What does that mean?” Ben asked.
    “It means that Charlie might have considered whoever shot him a friend so he wasn’t worried about turning his back,” Jake explained.
    “What kind of coward shoots someone in the back?” Ben spat.
    “Someone who desperately wants something specific,” James supplied. “The question is: What?”
    “Uncle Ben, this developer you mentioned … .”
    “Mark Nixon,” Ben said. “His name is Mark Nixon.”
    “This Mark Nixon, would he have any reason to go after Charlie?”
    “I