crime involved here?”
“Well, there might be since we found
Clayton with his pants around his ankles.”
Dixie choked on the tequila. “No way.”
Cody glanced around and leaned his elbows
on the table. “I could get into trouble if anyone told the sheriff I was
sharing information about a crime scene.”
“So why are you, then?”
“I was hoping you girls could come home
with me.” He winked. “I’d sure love to see you girls get together,” he hinted.
I stiffened at that, but Dixie giggled. “As
you were saying about the crime scene…”
I hoped she was making it quite clear that
we weren’t going anywhere unless he spilled his guts more.
“There were two sets of footprints going
in, Clayton’s and someone with smaller feet.”
“A woman, perhaps?”
“Or someone with small feet.”
“We heard at Curls and Cuts that the
sheriff believes Clayton was lured out there.”
His faced hardened. “That damn Patsy has a
big mouth.”
I rubbed my hand over Cody’s. “And?”
“There was a voicemail that came in. An
unidentified female called and asked Clayton to meet her in their usual spot.
The sheriff believes it was in the woods.”
“Were you able to trace the call?”
“No, it seems that whoever made the call
used one of those throw-away phones. It could have been anyone.”
“That’s odd. It sounds like premeditated
murder here, but it seems odd that Clayton actually went into the woods in the
middle of winter for a lover’s tryst.”
“Actually, there’s a cabin close by, but
sometimes men will do just about anything to get a little on the side.”
“I agree. They might even put their job in
jeopardy,” said an angry male voice, which happened to belong to Sheriff Price.
He was dressed casually, but the lines across his face became deep-set as he
frowned. “If you’ve told these women anything that jeopardizes our case, I’ll
see you in prison, alongside whoever did this.”
I swallowed hard. “He didn’t tell us
anything of any use. We already knew that Clayton cheated on his wife and paid
for lap dances at Hank’s Hotspot, but what I haven’t figured out is where did
he get all that money he was flashing all over town?”
The sheriff’s brow shot up. “I don’t see
how any of this is your business.”
“You made it our business when you searched
our vehicle and practically accused me of murdering Clayton.”
Sheriff Price absorbed what I said and
shook his head. “It was the logical thing to do at the time, but I did some investigating
and your story checks out. You had just come into town, like you said. Daniel
also gave us a timeframe that accounted for the time you spent in the ditch
before he pulled you out. I sure hope you aren’t getting Margarita into any
trouble. That lady has enough woes as it is.”
Margarita wobbled forward and said,
“Nonsense. Meeting these girls is the best thing that ever happened to me. They
even helped me create some Cajun dishes that have put my business back on
track.”
“It should do much better now, since we
closed down Hank’s Hotspot.”
Margarita’s face whitened. “Oh, my. I had
no idea. I should have just shut my yap earlier at Curls and Cuts.”
His brow shot up. “That adds up. So, you
were the one who let the cat outta the bag. I’d keep that to yourself, if I
were you.”
“Great advice,” I said. “Is it illegal to
have a strip club? I heard they have one in Harrison.”
“We have ordinances against such businesses.
If Hank wants to open a place like that, he’ll have to get the proper licenses
and locate it out of town.”
“That would take months, though.”
“If he’d done it the right way, he wouldn’t
have found himself in trouble now.”
“Do you have any idea where Clayton might
have come into money recently?”
“You just don’t quit.”
“It’s a simple question,’ Margarita said, “unless
you’re hiding something.”
“I’m not saying another word, ladies. This
is
“Well, there might be since we found
Clayton with his pants around his ankles.”
Dixie choked on the tequila. “No way.”
Cody glanced around and leaned his elbows
on the table. “I could get into trouble if anyone told the sheriff I was
sharing information about a crime scene.”
“So why are you, then?”
“I was hoping you girls could come home
with me.” He winked. “I’d sure love to see you girls get together,” he hinted.
I stiffened at that, but Dixie giggled. “As
you were saying about the crime scene…”
I hoped she was making it quite clear that
we weren’t going anywhere unless he spilled his guts more.
“There were two sets of footprints going
in, Clayton’s and someone with smaller feet.”
“A woman, perhaps?”
“Or someone with small feet.”
“We heard at Curls and Cuts that the
sheriff believes Clayton was lured out there.”
His faced hardened. “That damn Patsy has a
big mouth.”
I rubbed my hand over Cody’s. “And?”
“There was a voicemail that came in. An
unidentified female called and asked Clayton to meet her in their usual spot.
The sheriff believes it was in the woods.”
“Were you able to trace the call?”
“No, it seems that whoever made the call
used one of those throw-away phones. It could have been anyone.”
“That’s odd. It sounds like premeditated
murder here, but it seems odd that Clayton actually went into the woods in the
middle of winter for a lover’s tryst.”
“Actually, there’s a cabin close by, but
sometimes men will do just about anything to get a little on the side.”
“I agree. They might even put their job in
jeopardy,” said an angry male voice, which happened to belong to Sheriff Price.
He was dressed casually, but the lines across his face became deep-set as he
frowned. “If you’ve told these women anything that jeopardizes our case, I’ll
see you in prison, alongside whoever did this.”
I swallowed hard. “He didn’t tell us
anything of any use. We already knew that Clayton cheated on his wife and paid
for lap dances at Hank’s Hotspot, but what I haven’t figured out is where did
he get all that money he was flashing all over town?”
The sheriff’s brow shot up. “I don’t see
how any of this is your business.”
“You made it our business when you searched
our vehicle and practically accused me of murdering Clayton.”
Sheriff Price absorbed what I said and
shook his head. “It was the logical thing to do at the time, but I did some investigating
and your story checks out. You had just come into town, like you said. Daniel
also gave us a timeframe that accounted for the time you spent in the ditch
before he pulled you out. I sure hope you aren’t getting Margarita into any
trouble. That lady has enough woes as it is.”
Margarita wobbled forward and said,
“Nonsense. Meeting these girls is the best thing that ever happened to me. They
even helped me create some Cajun dishes that have put my business back on
track.”
“It should do much better now, since we
closed down Hank’s Hotspot.”
Margarita’s face whitened. “Oh, my. I had
no idea. I should have just shut my yap earlier at Curls and Cuts.”
His brow shot up. “That adds up. So, you
were the one who let the cat outta the bag. I’d keep that to yourself, if I
were you.”
“Great advice,” I said. “Is it illegal to
have a strip club? I heard they have one in Harrison.”
“We have ordinances against such businesses.
If Hank wants to open a place like that, he’ll have to get the proper licenses
and locate it out of town.”
“That would take months, though.”
“If he’d done it the right way, he wouldn’t
have found himself in trouble now.”
“Do you have any idea where Clayton might
have come into money recently?”
“You just don’t quit.”
“It’s a simple question,’ Margarita said, “unless
you’re hiding something.”
“I’m not saying another word, ladies. This
is
Similar Books
