Worth Dying For (A Slaughter Creek Novel) by Rita Herron Read Free Book Online Page A

body was found in Slaughter Creek.”
    Truitt’s lip curled up. “That bitch is dead?”
    “Yes.”
    Truitt grunted. “I thought she was too mean to die.” He rubbed a hand over his pocket .
    Rafe stiffened, then stepped to the right, again trying to block Liz.
    Instead of another weapon, though, Truitt pulled a cigarette and lighter from his pocket, propped the shotgun against the front of the house, and lit up.
    “Haven’t you seen the news?” Liz asked.
    “Naw, TV’s broke. And I don’t get the paper out here.”
    Rafe cleared his throat. “We’re trying to find out more about the Banning woman. If we can retrace her steps, find out where she went after she left the nursing home, it might lead us to her killer.”
    Eyes narrowed, Truitt took a long drag on his cigarette. Rafe stepped onto the porch, still worried about how the man might react when he realized they were treating him as a person of interest in Ester’s murder.
    Hoping to relax him, Liz paused to pet the mangy dog sprawled on the tattered plaid sofa on the porch, next to an old washing machine. Muddy work boots were tossed beside it. A broom, toolbox, and dust-coated dog bowl sat next to the door.
    “I don’t know where she went, and frankly I don’t care.” Truitt tapped ashes onto the porch floor.
    “Mr. Truitt,” Liz said, “we understand that you filed a lawsuit against Ester.”
    “Hell, yeah, I did. You would have too, if you’d seen bruises on your mama like I did. Bad bruises and bedsores.” He cursed beneath his breath and blew smoke into the air. “But then Mama died, and the lawyer said the hospital fired Ester, so I figured wasn’t no point in spending money to go to court.”
    “The hospital probably didn’t want publicity,” Rafe said. “We heard they gave another patient’s family a deal to settle out of court.”
    Liz raised an eyebrow. “Did they cut you a deal, Mr. Truitt?”
    Truitt’s lips curled into a snarl again. “Do I look like I’m floatin’ in money?”
    “So that’s a no?” Rafe asked.
    Truitt shrugged. “A small settlement, not enough to amount to anything.”
    Rafe slanted him a cold look. “That probably pissed you off, didn’t it? First Ester abuses your mother, then you try to sue, she dies, and the hospital insults you by barely giving you anything for your suffering.”
    “You wanted to get back at Ester, didn’t you?” Liz said quietly.
    Truitt reached for his gun. “I hated the woman, all right. But I didn’t kill her. Now get off my property.”
    Rafe put one hand on the shotgun to keep Truitt from retrieving it. “Here’s what I think. You run a slaughterhouse. It was probably nothing to you to lob off Ester’s hands.”
    Truitt muttered a curse word, but Rafe didn’t back down. “Leave the shotgun on the porch. You’re going with us to answer a few more questions.”
    “I didn’t do nothing,” Truitt muttered
    “Where were you last night?” Liz asked.
    The big guy shrugged “Here.”
    Liz folded her arms. “Anyone with you?”
    “My hogs.”
    “Unfortunately they can’t alibi you.” Rafe pointed to the bloody ax leaning against the concrete building, deciding that since they weren’t getting anywhere, he’d play bad cop. “If we check that ax, we’ll find Ester’s blood on it, won’t we?”
    “Screw you,” Truitt growled.
    Liz cleared her throat, taking Rafe’s lead to play good cop. “If you’re innocent like you say, then we’ll clear you, and you won’t have to see us again.”
    Truitt glared at her. “All right, take the damn ax. That old bitch’s blood ain’t on it.”

    Liz phoned the chief to request a warrant for Truitt’s farm. “We have motive and opportunity, and he has no alibi for the night of the murder.”
    “You think he did it?”
    Liz glanced at the concrete slaughterhouse with revulsion. “I don’t know. But the guy is . . . off. And he certainly was belligerent when we confronted him. Pulled a shotgun on us. And