Lies That Bind by Caitlyn Willows Read Free Book Online

know if the one in the horse’s head matches the weapon. Farfetched as it might seem. I need to discount possibilities.”
    “What’s to discount? Derek was murdered.” Tessa didn’t want to give voice to anything else. Derek wouldn’t have done this to himself, and he wouldn’t have killed Rosie unless he’d had no other choice. And to have a bullet go through both their heads was impossible. The image of javelina surrounding him brought up bile. If he’d been disabled, maybe he would have chosen the only route left. Although killing the pigs would have been the better option, and there were bullets left in the Colt.
    She felt fingers on her arm as she moved away from Tito and glanced over her shoulder at Rex. A tornado of emotions crossed his face. Her heart raced with every flicker of his expression. And she thought Nate could be scary. She regretted using Nate as a barrier between her and them. It was a low blow. Lower than walking out on Rex and Tyler? Tessa cursed her conscience. It always attacked when she was most vulnerable. She’d thought Mike’s news was a low point in her life, but this? Derek murdered, her estranged from the men she…
    Pulling in a breath, she scuffed her hand over Rex’s upper arm. Muscle rippled under her touch. Tessa took a stance beside him, facing down the half-assed sheriff. Tyler took her other side, arms crossed, legs astride. They were united once more, at least in this. Derek would be over-the-moon happy. Her leaving had hurt him too.
    “I look forward to the medical examiner’s full and thorough assessment. You’ve got quite the mess to unravel, Sheriff Llano.” She stared the man down, letting the sarcastic inflection on his rank sink in. “I suggest you get to it. I’m sure you can find your way to the murder scene?” Because it was murder, pure and simple.
    “Yes, ma’am.” He fumbled with his hat again as yet another flush crawled over his face.
    “You will not touch Rosie’s grave without just cause and a court order,” she added.
    “Yes, ma’am. I…” He flushed deeper red. “Once the medical examiner’s done, I’ll do that. I’ll be off, then. Recheck the scene and such.” He took a step toward the door, nearly bumped into Tyler, then darted around him.
    No one moved until they heard his truck drive away. When it did, they released a collective breath. Tessa fought to quell her shaking, to will some measure of peace to filter into her body. The sound of yet another vehicle arrival ruined that hope.
    “Now what?” Tyler charged to the window and snapped the drape aside. “It’s Ethel Turnbauer.”
    “Again?” Rex stomped toward the door. “I hope to hell she’s not bringing another one of her god-awful casseroles.”
    Tessa cut him off before he could reach the door. Granted, Ethel wasn’t one of her favorite people in the world. The woman wore the term busybody like a badge of honor. She had her nose in everyone’s business. Her family had roots here that ran as deep as the Ford family’s. Her job at the bank put her in contact with everyone. She had her fingers in everyone’s pies, and her nose in everyone’s business. Always with a smile, though. It’s what Turnbauers do . Tessa had heard the phrase much too often and couldn’t help wondering if Ethel planned to have it on her tombstone.
    “You know the drill by now,” Tessa told the men. “Ethel always has to be the first one in line to offer her condolences.”
    “She offered them yesterday at the inn with her disgusting casseroles.” Rex snapped up two fingers. “Two of them. I thought Hannah was going to puke at the sight of them.”
    God help her, Tessa tried not to laugh. She couldn’t help it. Hannah prided herself on serving good food to Rustlers’ guests. In the realm of what Turnbauers do , cooking wasn’t one of those things. Rumor had it that Ethel had a freezer devoted to casseroles. When someone passed, she was ready to go.
    “We had a hell of a time