Читать книгу Texas Midnight - Caroline Burnes - Страница 13

“Who are you and what do you want?”

Jeremy didn’t try to answer. He was too busy trying to breathe. But he wasn’t too badly winded to understand that he’d made a serious miscalculation. One that could have an expensive price tag. He felt the trickle of blood on his neck where the point of Anna’s knife barely broke his skin.

“You’re in enough trouble,” he said. “Don’t make it worse.” Of course, that was ridiculous. She’d already killed one man. They couldn’t hang her twice.

There was a sudden intake of breath, and Jeremy knew that she’d recognized him. His body tensed, but he didn’t move. To do so would have invited bloodshed. His own.

“I knew you were a liar when I read your book,” Anna said, her voice low and deadly. “I didn’t know you were a coward. What did you intend to do, sneak up here and bushwhack me?”

Jeremy pondered her question. She was darn good at turning a situation to her advantage. It was almost as if she weren’t aware of her own actions. He had read enough psychology to know that a sociopath never had regret for anything she did. Anna Red Shoes was displaying classic symptoms.

“We can work this out,” he said calmly. “There’s no reason for anyone else to get hurt.”

“Anyone else?”

He had to give it to her. She was smart. And alert. And she could playact with the best of them. Or else she was crazier than he’d thought—a scary possibility—because she sounded completely innocent.

“What happened to Henry was a mistake, okay?” He felt a twinge of betrayal of his friend. What had happened wasn’t a mistake—it was cold-blooded. But he had to talk himself out of a tight situation. And if Anna was as crazy as she acted, then maybe—

“What happened to Henry—and who is he?”

“My editor.” He took a breath, glad at last that his lungs were working normally. “He was stabbed to death.”

He’d expected some reaction, but he got nothing. In the darkness he couldn’t see her features, but he could feel her slender body tense beside him as she kept the pressure on the knife steady. Not even a flinch.

“You think I killed him?” Her voice was cold, emotionless.

“I don’t think you meant to kill Henry. You intended to kill me.”

He expected the blade of the knife to punish him for those words. Anna never even breathed.

When she did speak, it wasn’t what he’d expected to hear. “The most interesting thing about all of this is your arrogance.”

Jeremy was shocked at the matter-of-fact tone. “My arrogance? What are you talking about?”

“Your editor is killed in your home, and your biggest concern is that someone meant to kill you.”

If Jeremy had had any doubts about Anna’s guilt, they evaporated. She’d given herself away. He’d never said anything about the murder being at his home. And the only two people who knew about the murder were him, and the murderer.

He felt the tip of the knife shift.

“What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?” she asked. “Or did I hit a little too close to home?”

He had to be careful. She was very angry, and he couldn’t patronize her or ignore her. He had to talk with her as if she were rational. “I came out here to bring you in. I didn’t want to leave it to chance, or to someone else. I wanted to make sure that Henry’s murderer was apprehended and brought to justice.”

“You’re not only arrogant, you’re completely blind. You’re so totally self-absorbed that you don’t even see the truth of your actions.”

The knife blade moved away, and for one second Jeremy considered attacking her. But before he could put impulse to action, he felt the blow across his temple. He didn’t pass out, but he was stunned. When he felt the bite of the rope around his wrists and ordered his body to fight, his arms and legs refused to obey. Then it was too late. He was trussed like Tom Turkey at Thanksgiving.

ANNA TIED THE LAST knot and snugged the rope tight. It would be several hours before Jeremy Masterson wiggled his way out of the mess he was in. By then, she’d be long gone.

“You better give yourself up,” Jeremy said as she stood.

He was coming back to his senses, what few he had. “Take some free advice,” she said. “Don’t give guidance to the person you came to apprehend when you’re the one tied up like a big ol’ hog.”

Her words angered him, and it made her happy.

“You’re not just walking out of here.”

There was a challenge in his tone, and she had to admire his spirit. He was tied, and she could easily injure him, but he didn’t back down.

“No, I’m going to drive out of here. Today’s Friday. I’ll give the authorities a call Sunday morning and make sure you got loose.” The idea of leaving him on the cold, hard ground for a long stretch of time was immensely gratifying. For a man with Jeremy Masterson’s machismo and ego, each minute would be a grueling and humiliating eternity.

“Better check out your rig. I don’t think you’re going anywhere.”

His tone held just enough smugness to alert Anna. She made sure the horses were fine and then went to her truck and trailer. The light from the moon was enough to reveal the flat tires: four of them—two on the truck and two on the horse trailer. And they had been cut to the point that they couldn’t be repaired.

“You lowlife son of a—” She broke off. She wouldn’t give him the pleasure of letting him know he’d gotten to her. But how in the hell was she going to get home with four flats? As he no doubt had guessed, she had a spare for the truck and one for the trailer. That still left her two short.

“What’s the trouble?” he called out. “You got a flat?”

Anna walked back to him. In the moonlight she could make out only the rough edges of his features. He was a big man with a prominent jaw and dark hair. “If I were a killer, I’d finish you right now,” she said. “Think about that tomorrow when the sun comes up and you get thirsty.”

She picked up the saddle and went to work on Calamity.

“You’re a fool if you think you can ride out of the state of Texas on horseback. I’ll have the law after you so fast—”

“I grew up in these foothills with my father, who grew up with Thunder Horse. We know this land. If I choose to disappear into the hills, you’ll never find me.”

“That sounds like the boast of an inexperienced woman.”

Anna tightened the girth on Calamity. Then she took out a kerchief and went to Jeremy. “This is going to give me as much pleasure as it bothers you.” She tied the gag tightly, but not so tightly that it might choke him.

He struggled against her, making a sound of protest.

“Along with your immediate dilemma, perhaps you should ponder your chauvinism, bigotry and laziness.” She rolled up her bedroll. “I believe people can change. I believe they can see the error of their ways and honestly desire to live a better life. But I think such a conversion comes only after much suffering.” She gathered up the lead rope for Allegro and swung into the saddle. “If you like, you can look at me as your spiritual guide. I’ve put you in a position where you can ponder your shortcomings and grow into a better human being.”

She touched her heels to her horse’s side, and Calamity spurted forward, Allegro right behind her.

Anna heard Jeremy yell something at her, but she didn’t try to understand the garbled threat.

For all of her bravado, she knew she was in serious trouble. Jeremy had come after her for the murder of the man at the computer. She’d pretended to be ignorant of the killing, but she wasn’t. She was innocent, but not ignorant. And eventually, if anyone asked the right questions, she’d have to answer with the truth.

The problem was that she knew the workings of the law. She had publicly threatened Jeremy. Once they placed her at the scene of the crime with motive and opportunity, they wouldn’t look any farther for the real killer. She would be a convenient suspect; the case would be closed. Chances were good that she’d be convicted. Jeremy Masterson was an influential man, and it was clear that he was determined to blame the murder on her. She’d publicly embarrassed him, and now she was going to pay.

Her only hope was to put as much distance as possible between herself and the writer. With a little luck, she’d be deep into the wild country before he got out of the knots she’d tied. Her ace in the hole was her friends. She knew people all over the area. And they’d help her. If she could just get to Maria Gonzalez, she knew her childhood friend would loan her a vehicle and help her cross the border to Mexico, just until things calmed down.

The idea of running irked Anna, but she was a realist. After a week or so, if he didn’t catch Anna first, the sheriff would be forced to look for another suspect in the murder.

Perhaps even Jeremy.

Anna played out a series of possibilities. Perhaps Jeremy’s editor hadn’t liked the new book. Perhaps they’d had a fight and the editor had refused the book. Jeremy’s ego was so big, he might have lost his temper and killed his editor.

It was possible, wasn’t it?

JEREMY STRUGGLED until he felt the ropes rub his wrists raw. Anna had ridden off and left him with his feet pulled behind him and tied to his hands and neck. Every time he tried to free himself, the ropes pulled tighter. It was a classic hog-tie—something Anna must have been taught by an old cowboy or a rodeo rider. Or perhaps her grandfather.

Well, it might take him a little while to get free, but when he did… He twisted his hands and, losing patience, pulled at the ropes. His only reward was that the loop around his neck tightened a little more. Now the rope was a constant pressure. He was furious. He knew that if he didn’t get free, someone would eventually find him—and the humiliation would be worse than dying.

As he tried to calm down and work the ropes, he focused his mind on images of what he would do to Anna when he caught her. That he’d underestimated her was obvious. He’d sneaked up on her as if she were an average female. For all his research and all his savvy, he’d failed to consider that Anna Red Shoes might be as good in the wilderness as he was.

He felt the rope on his left wrist loosen slightly and he concentrated on getting his hand through. But despite the millimeters of progress he made, he couldn’t get free of the ropes. This was going to take a long, long time.

Three hours later he finally shucked the bonds off his hands. In a matter of moments his feet were free and he rolled and stood. When the circulation began to come back to his feet and hands, he felt as if he’d just escaped a bed of fire ants.

Hopping and cursing, he headed for his truck. He didn’t even bother to utter an oath when he saw the four flat tires. Anna had done him one better.

But he had a secret weapon. Unless she’d taken it.

He went to the pack he’d stowed in the truck and opened it. Everything was there, including the cell phone. He dialed the number he knew by heart.

“Ellie?”

“Do you know what time it is?” Ellie asked, more amazed than upset.

“I need your help.”

He could tell that his words and tone had awakened her completely.

“What is it?”

“I’m sorry, this is going to be a shock. Henry’s been murdered—in my house. I’m after the killer. Remember that woman who came to the signing?”

“Oh, my Lord,” Ellie said, coming fully awake. “She threatened to make you pay for what you’ve written.”

“That’s her.”

“Why would she kill Henry?” Ellie’s voice contained the shock and grief that Jeremy hadn’t allowed himself to feel. Tender emotions were for women. Anger was what he wanted to feel. And he wanted it now more than ever.

“It looks like she sneaked into the house and stabbed him. There was some kind of struggle. I can only guess that she thought he was me, and that once she started she couldn’t stop herself.”

“Was there evidence it was her?”

“A knife. Just like the one she left in the bookstore. I found it in the room. It’s still there.”

“What did the sheriff say?” Ellie asked.

“I haven’t called Lem. I’m on the woman’s trail. I want to bring her in myself.”

“Jeremy, this isn’t one of your books. This is real life. Oh, my heavens, I can’t believe Henry is dead.”

“Ellie, the important thing is catching this woman and making her pay. I almost had her…” He hesitated and decided against giving any more detail. It would only shake Ellie’s confidence if she knew he’d been hornswoggled by Anna Red Shoes. And it wouldn’t do much for his reputation, either.

“I need a couple of horses,” he continued. “A good riding horse and something to pack some supplies on. I need a week’s worth of food.”

“Jeremy, I’ll get you the horses and supplies.” She took a deep breath. “What about Henry’s body?”

“Give me a few hours’ lead. Then call Lem.”

“Where are you, and why don’t you take some of your own horses?”

There was no way around the truth here, but Jeremy knew he’d tell only as much as he had to. He gave her directions first. “I’m stranded. She slashed my tires.”

“You already went after her alone—and she got away?”

He could hear Ellie’s panic building. “This is between me and her.”

“Even you’re not macho enough to believe this makes anything up to Henry, are you? Henry’s dead.”

Jeremy scowled, though he didn’t try to deny the truth of her words. He heard the echo of Anna Red Shoes’s comments and it only made him madder. At this point he was after one thing—revenge.

“I have to do this,” he said.

“You don’t have to. You want to.”

He took a breath. Arguing was senseless. “Are you going to help me?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“No. I’m going after her, one way or another.”

“I’ll bring the horses. But when I get home I’m calling Lem. You can have that much of a headstart on the law.”

It was all he was going to get, and Jeremy knew it. Once Ellie made up her mind, there was no changing it. “Bring me some fast horses, then.”

“I’ll be there in an hour.”

WHEN THE FIRST LICK of pink brightened the horizon, Anna pushed Calamity into a trot. She’d walked during the night, afraid of the potholes and stumps that could easily cripple a horse and kill a rider. But with day breaking, she picked a level pass between the hills and began to cover some ground.

She had no doubt that as soon as Jeremy Masterson untied himself, he’d be after her. As soon as he found a way home. She grinned. Instead of damaging his tires, she’d only let the air out, but she’d made sure there wasn’t a compression tank in his truck. He’d have a long walk back to civilization.

Anna had never met Henry Mills, but she regretted his death. He’d been stabbed several times, as if he’d tried to defend himself. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed the finger of guilt pointed at Jeremy. Who else in the area would have any bone to pick with an editor from New York?

Unless, of course, Henry’s death was an accident and Jeremy had been the intended target.

In that case, the list of suspects was endless. Jeremy was a ladies’ man and that was a quick ticket to trouble. No telling how many women were angry with him and eager for his hide.

A woman would need the advantage of surprise. It wasn’t an easy thing to kill someone. She’d heard her grandfather speak of such things and knew that he told the truth.

Anna found that she was blinking back tears, and they weren’t from the bright sun that now struck her full in the face. She was mad at herself when she realized they were from self-pity. She now found herself in a situation where there were no good choices.

She was running from Jeremy Masterson, and soon the law would be behind him. She was accused of a crime she hadn’t committed, but if they captured her, she felt certain no one would believe her. And why? Because of who she was.

The situation mirrored the same predicament in which her grandfather had found himself in. Accused of a series of brutal murders that he hadn’t committed, he’d also run—deep into the wilderness, into the land that was supposed to belong to him and his people. He’d tried to develop a life as far away from the white settlers as possible.

But every murder that took place on the Texas range had been blamed on him.

The history books had convicted him without benefit of a trial or even of reading his version of the truth.

Anna’s hand drifted to Calamity’s saddlebag. The handwritten document she’d labored over was still there, still safe. But she’d been a total fool to think that Jeremy Masterson might look at it.

Like all the others, he didn’t care about truth. He only wanted a good story. And a scapegoat.