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

there’s a bloodstained ax by the slaughterhouse.”
    “Could have been used on his hogs,” the chief said.
    “I know, but it could also be the murder weapon, so we have to process it.”
    “All right, I’ll get the warrant. Lieutenant Maddison will bring it with him when his team comes out.”
    Liz studied Truitt. Last time she’d made a crucial mistake and missed the part about Harlan’s partner.
    Rafe stood beside the car where Truitt sat in the backseat, handcuffed. “Did you get the warrant?”
    “The CSI team is bringing it.” Liz yanked on gloves, removed the shells from the shotgun, and stowed Truitt’s shotgun in the back of Rafe’s SUV. “I’ll wait here for the crime team if you want to drive him to the sheriff’s office.”
    Rafe’s dark eyes turned stony. “No way. I won’t leave you alone in this godforsaken place.”
    “Then I’ll drive Truitt to the station.”
    “Hell, no,” Rafe said. “He weighs nearly three hundred pounds. He could crush you in a second.”
    Liz forced her voice to stay calm, though she was seething inside. “Rafe, you can’t treat me like I’m not capable. If you don’t respect me at work, no one else will.”
    His breath hissed out. “Dammit, Liz. It’s not that I don’t trust you. But you’re small, and I don’t want a repeat of last time’s disaster.”
    Liz’s heart stuttered at the self-recrimination in his voice. The last few months, she’d been too consumed by her own tumultuous feelings to realize that Rafe felt guilty.
    “It wasn’t your fault that he got me,” she said. “We both just . . .”
    “Screwed up,” he said. “Because we let emotions interfere with our jobs.”
    Because they’d slept together.
    “We won’t repeat that mistake,” she said.
    “You’re damn right we won’t.” He glanced at her scarf, a reminder that he saw her as weak. Scarred.
    Not beautiful, as he once had.
    That hurt, and made her even more angry.
    Dammit, she shouldn’t care how Rafe looked at her. Hadn’t her therapist assured her that she was still attractive? That if a man really cared about her, he wouldn’t even notice the scar?
    But he saw it.
    Still, like a fool, she wanted to touch him, tell him she didn’t blame him. But touching him would only make her want more.
    Too many nights she’d dreamed about working with him during the day, then having his arms around her, his big body next to her, keeping her warm and safe at night.
    She couldn’t reveal her weakness, or he’d sure as hell push to have her relieved of the job. And truthfully, she didn’t think she could stand it if he rejected her.
    A siren wailed in the distance. Liz stepped away from Rafe and went to meet the crime team as Jake’s deputy roared up in a squad car to escort Truitt to the jail.
    Hopefully when they searched the place, they’d find Ester’s missing hand.
    Unless Truitt had fed it to the hogs to get rid of the evidence.

Chapter Six

    L iz was grateful to search the house instead of the slaughterhouse. Advances in the industry had made pig slaughtering and processing more humane, but judging from the house and setup, she doubted Truitt was that progressive.
    The crime team took a walk through for obvious evidence before starting a thorough search.
    Perkins adjusted his ball cap. “I’m going to work the slaughterhouse.”
    “I’ll take the house,” Castor agreed.
    Liz watched Perkins head out across the yard to the brick building. He must have a strong stomach. He didn’t even seem fazed by the stench, or the prospect of finding body parts.
    She surveyed the house. Truitt obviously had an aversion to cleaning. Dust and grime coated every surface. Gun and farming magazines littered a scarred oak table, along with a stack of papers that looked like receipts from places where he sold his meat. A game show blared on an ancient TV in the background. The house smelled musty, as if something had rotted inside.
    A body?
    But there wasn’t one evident.
    She