Severed Trust: The Men of the Texas Rangers | Book 4 Read online

  “Mom, please. I would like to talk to Dad.”

  “Five minutes? On the porch?” Harris asked, a plea in his words.

  Surprised at the sound of his voice, Sadie murmured, “That’s all. It’s late.”

  “It’s not even nine yet.” Ashley rolled her eyes and stepped out onto the porch.

  “I’m aware of the time.” Why is Ashley doing this? Why am I not enough for my daughter?

  As Ashley and Harris sat on the swing, Sadie propped herself against the wall near the slightly opened window and listened. It was her duty as Ashley’s mother to eavesdrop on their conversation.

  “Is Steven okay?” Harris asked.

  “No. He’s furious at me for inviting you over.”

  “He won’t talk to me then?”

  “No, but I still want to see you. Steven is gonna have to learn to deal with it instead of pulling a stunt like the cough syrup.”

  “Maybe it’s a call for help. He may not want to talk to me, but you need to be there for him as his sister.”

  Sadie’s mouth fell open. Harris wasn’t capable of sensible advice. He can’t come in now and try to be a parent. His appearance most likely drove Steven to his desperate cry for help. Lord, how do I get rid of Harris before he hurts my kids anymore?

  “This time we brought our attorney. I’m tired of my daughter being harassed by the police.” Mary Lou plunked her big purse on the table in the interview room.

  Ethan settled against the wall while Cord sat at the table with Kelly sandwiched between Jeffrey Livingston and Mary Lou. Fear marked Kelly’s beautiful features, nothing left of the indignant young woman from a couple of days ago. He wanted nothing more than to interview Kelly again, but what happened with Lexie yesterday reinforced the need for Cord to take the lead with the teen.

  Cord shuffled a stack of papers, prolonging the start of the interview. “New evidence has come to light. Kelly, you said that you weren’t at the warehouse. That Lexie lied. Correct?”

  Staring at the table, Kelly nodded.

  Ethan shifted, clenching his teeth to keep his mouth shut. Kelly is the weak link, the one we can get the information we need from.

  “What new evidence do you have?” Jeffrey asked as Mary Lou was opening her mouth.

  Cord withdrew a couple of photos from a folder. “We have verified Jared Montgomery gave this locket to Kelly a few weeks ago for her birthday. We have a photo of her wearing it. We found it at the warehouse.”

  “She lost it. It had to be planted there,” Mary Lou said immediately, while Kelly stared at the picture, tears in her eyes. “Probably by Lexie to support her lies.”

  “Did you lose it, Kelly?”

  The girl nodded.

  “Where and when?”

  “That Friday before Jared died. At school, so anyone could have picked it up,” Mary Lou again answered for her daughter.

  Cord swiveled his head toward Mary Lou. “Kelly is to answer.” Then he turned back to the teen and asked again in a softer voice, “Where and when did you lose the locket?”

  “Like Mom said, at school last Friday,” Kelly mumbled to her chest.

  Kelly’s mom hadn’t said that exactly. Ethan pushed away from the wall, wanting to intervene and take over the questioning.

  “Kelly, if you’re lying to us about this crime, it’ll make this situation a lot worse for you.” Cord took another picture and slid it across to the girl. “This is where it was found. Any idea how it would have gotten there? The warehouse isn’t in a nice part of town. Not somewhere a young girl should be, especially at night.”

  “Chief Thompson, what crime are you investigating?” Jeffrey asked.

  “This is all tied to the murder of Jared, but also to taking prescription drugs illegally—possibly distributing them.”

  “My client has answered your question. Badgering her will not be tolerated. We’re leaving unless you want to charge Kelly with something. Do you have evidence my client took drugs and distributed them? I’m not even addressing the murder charge, because that’s ridiculous.”

  Mary Lou grunted. Kelly hunched her shoulders.

  Cord fixed his stare on the young girl. “Kelly, if you lost this locket somewhere, then why are your fingerprints the only ones on it?”

  She burst out crying. “I haven’t done anything wrong. You’re doing this to me because he,” Kelly stabbed Ethan with a hard look, “is trying to protect his niece. I’m mourning my boyfriend’s death, and all I’ve been doing is answering question after question. Leave me alone.” She bolted to her feet and raced for the door.

  When Cord started to stand, Ethan came toward the table, saying, “Let her go, Chief Thompson. Mary Lou, contrary to what you may think, I’m concerned for Kelly. We think a group of Jared’s friends had a pill party, and somehow Jared ended up dead. We believe someone orchestrated his death. With what drugs were in his system, I’m surprised he didn’t die from an overdose. He was alive when his car hit the water. He couldn’t get out of his seatbelt. Trapped, he drowned. Something is very wrong here. This will not go away. More kids will die if what we think happened continues.”

  With her head held high, Mary Lou rose and picked up her purse. Then she ruined the effect she wanted to convey by clutching the bag to her chest. “Kelly is a good girl who was in love with Jared. His death was an accident and a tragedy. That is all.” She flounced out of the interview room.

  His lips compressed, Jeffrey followed his client’s mother.

  “I thought we would get another lecture on harassing Kelly.” Cord gathered up his stack of pictures and sheets of paper.

  Ethan stared at the doorway. “Yeah, I thought so, too. If Mary Lou would listen, I’d suggest she get another lawyer. There may be a conflict of interest here since Brendan Livingston is one of Jared’s good friends.”

  “I wonder what Bradley thinks about this. Jeffrey is his lawyer.”

  “I want to give Bradley an update. He’s been surprisingly quiet lately. I’ll pay him a visit after I talk with my niece. I need to figure out how someone slipped her the tranquilizers.”

  “So you believe her?”

  “Yes. Sadie was right last night. Lexie doesn’t even like taking medication when she should. She definitely wouldn’t knowingly take tranquilizers.”

  Cord’s eyebrow arched. “Sadie? Last night?”

  “She came by to check on Lexie. My niece was in her classroom when she lost consciousness.”

  “You know she used to have a crush on you.”

  “She did?”

  Cord’s laughter rang in the quiet. “Did you really think she followed us around because she wanted to be with her big brother? For a Texas Ranger you sure can be clueless at times, Stone.”

  Ethan sent him a look that should have made Cord stop laughing. Instead it only increased his merriment. Ethan left before the whole police department heard their chief.

  But as Ethan strode toward his SUV, he thought back to when he was a teenager and the times Sadie tagged along with them. Nah, there was no way she’d had a crush on him. And yet the kiss they had shared had been special—one that had kept him up for hours the night before.

  “Honey, your uncle is here to see you,” Lexie’s mother said from the doorway.

  With her head buried under the covers, Lexie wanted to stay in bed forever. Never leave her room. She could just hear the rumors flying around after what happened Friday on top of the ones about her lying to the police.

  “Lexie?” Her mom shook her shoulder. “You need to get up. You can’t stay in bed all day.”

  “Yes, I can.” She sat up straight, letting the covers fall to her waist. “How could someone put tranquilizers in my drink? I was so upset at what was going on at school I didn’t even pay attention to what I was drinking.” Her eyes blurry with unshed tears, she stared at her mother. “I could have died.”

  Her mom sat on the bed. “I know. The doctor said you were lucky. Much more and . . .” She cleared her throat. “I can
’t believe anyone would do that either, but that’s what your uncle needs to talk to you about. Whoever did needs to be caught before they do it to someone else. Prank or not, it could have ended deadly.”

  Lexie ran her index finger up and down her thumb. “It wasn’t a prank.”

  “Yeah, I know. That makes it even more serious and important your uncle finds out who is after you.”

  Kelly. Lexie couldn’t rid her thoughts of her best friend turning on her, telling the police Lexie had lied. Did Kelly put something in her drink? Then what was yesterday at lunch about?

  “Mom, I don’t want to go to school Monday.”

  “You have to. Mr. Howard wants to see you. I’m not going to let him suspend you for something someone else did. Ethan is coming to the school then, too.”

  “No. I love my uncle, but he needs to stay out of this.” I have to do this myself. Just as I have to see Kelly. I’m not giving up on her.

  “He’s not going to, and I don’t want him to stay away. A crime has been committed. Come on.” Her mother pulled back the covers. “He’s waiting. You haven’t done anything wrong. Don’t hide like you’re guilty.”

  That was easy for Mom to say. She didn’t have to deal with the kids at school.

  Her mother waited at the doorway for Lexie to follow her. Slowly, as though the various parts of her body had trouble working together, she scooted to the side of the bed and rose.

  As she walked down the hall, her mother slung her arm over Lexie’s shoulders. “I know this is hard, but you’re not alone. We’re here for you.”

  “Why is this happening? All I was trying to do is help a friend.”

  “Kelly may be hurting and scared right now, but I’m not going to let her take you down to protect herself. I don’t want you to have anything to do with her.”

  “But, Mom—”

  “No buts, Lexie. You’re in trouble. I have to look out for you.”

  “Who’s going to look out for Kelly?”

  “That’s her mom’s job.”

  Lexie halted and faced her mother at the end of the hall. “She’s in more trouble than Kelly. Someone needs to reach out and help them.”

  Her mother smoothed Lexie’s hair back. “Oh, baby. I wish the world were full of people like you. But it isn’t. Aren’t you angry with Kelly?”

  “I was. God wants us to forgive her. What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t? Besides, I don’t like feeling angry.”

  Her mom drew Lexie against her. “You’re right, but you still have to take care of yourself, too. I’m not saying stay away from her forever, just until your uncle and Cord figure this out.”

  I can’t, Mom. I can’t. But Lexie couldn’t voice that out loud. “Let’s get this over with. I’m still tired and want to sleep.”

  Uncle Ethan sat at the kitchen table, drinking a cup of coffee. He looked up when she entered, assessing her with that sharp gaze.

  “I’ve been worried about you, Kiddo. How are you doing?” Her uncle lifted his mug and took a long swig.

  “Like I’ve been trampled by a herd of cattle.”

  “I imagine. I’m sure your mom told you I needed to talk about yesterday.”

  She shuffled to the table and sank into a seat across from him. “Then you do believe me that I wouldn’t take tranquilizers? Take it from me, this feeling isn’t something I want to experience again. I don’t know why people take them.”

  “Prescription drugs are beneficial if used correctly. The problem comes in when they aren’t, and that’s what’s happening in Summerton. Actually, from what I’ve been reading all over the country.”

  “And Kelly is mixed up in it?”

  “I think so. Who had access to your water bottle yesterday?”

  “In second hour, I forgot something in my locker, so I left my backpack with the water bottle in the side pouch on my desk and ran to my locker before the bell rang. Also, I went to the restroom during fourth hour and left it back in the room.”

  “What was going on in your class when you left?”

  Lexie centered her thoughts on yesterday. The closer to her English class the fuzzier her memory became. “There was a sub in fourth hour, so it was pretty hectic. It was toward the end and most of the kids were talking—except me. That’s why I asked the sub if I could go to the restroom.”

  “Any other times?” Uncle Ethan asked.

  Lexie looked toward the counter, at her mother fixing another pot of coffee. Her movements were sluggish, and her eyes drooped. This situation had caused that. She hated that.

  “Lexie, how about lunch?”

  Her uncle’s question drew her back. “I sat by myself, but couldn’t eat. When I left the cafeteria, I ran into Kelly—literally. Her drink and mine went everywhere.”

  “How was she?”

  “Almost her old self. She asked if I could help her with a test she would be taking later. We found a place in the stairwell and went over the material.”

  “Did she have access to your water bottle?”

  “No, it was right there.” But what about the Coke she brought me? No way. Why would she? She may have changed, but not that much.

  “Anything else you remember.”

  “No, a lot is still hazy.”

  “Are any of these kids in your second- or fourth-hour classes? Brendan Livingston. Luke Adams. Missy Collins. Carrie Bannister. Kalvin Majors. Zoe Sanders.”

  “Zoe, Missy, and Kalvin are in my second-hour, and Carrie and Luke in my fourth-hour.”

  “When I come to school on Monday, I’ll be talking with at least your second hour teacher and then finding out who the sub was in your fourth hour. When did you drink from your water bottle?”

  “A little in each hour. It was pretty hot that day, and the air conditioning in some rooms wasn’t working well. By afternoon, I drank more. In fact, I only had a little left by the end of fifth hour. I started to refill it, then remembered that I hadn’t finished my Coke from lunch. I had put it in my locker. Between fifth and sixth, I finished it off.”

  “Coke? I thought your drink went everywhere when Kelly and you ran into each other.”

  “I got another one.”

  “Does anyone else have access to your locker?”

  “No, but I’ve heard of some kids getting things stolen even when they were locked.”

  “Okay. This gives me something to work on.”

  “Just let it go, Uncle Ethan.”

  “No,” her mother said and joined them at the table. “You could have died. The person who did this might have wanted you dead. What if that person killed Jared? We don’t know what is going on.”

  “But . . .” Lexie’s voice sputtered to a stop. Had that been the intent? Would they try again?

  “Baby,” her mother patted her arm, “maybe it’s a good thing if you stay home from school until Uncle Ethan finds who did this.”

  “You want them to suspend me?” Her life kept swirling out of control. Why would someone want to kill me? Kill Jared? There is no connection between us.

  Yes, there is. Kelly.

  “No, that’s why we’ll go to school on Monday, and if Mr. Howard suspends you, I’ll fight it. I don’t want it on your record. If he doesn’t, I’m informing him you’ll be staying home until the person responsible is found. You aren’t safe at school right now.”

  The trembling started in Lexie’s hands and snaked through her body. She clasped her arms and hugged herself as if it would warm her. Ice zipped through her veins to every part of her. “Fine,” she mumbled and pushed herself to her feet but gripped the side of the tabletop until she felt steady enough to walk.

  Ethan rose. “Walk me to the door, Lex.” He slung his arm over her shoulders and started toward the front of the house. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you. That’s a promise, hon.”

  “I know. I’m glad you’re here. If anyone can get to the bottom of what’s going on, it’s you.”

  At the front door, he opened it and stepped o
utside. “It’s a beautiful day. Go out in the backyard and enjoy the sun. It’ll make you feel better.”

  She couldn’t do that. All she wanted to do was escape to her room and hide under her covers. “How am I going to face the kids at school, especially with all the rumors about me lying?”

  “You know the truth. That’s the most important thing right now. I’ll get to the truth in this, and then everyone will know it.” He tweaked her nose. “I love you,” he said with a smile and turned to leave. His gaze caught on something on the porch. His forehead wrinkled as he bent over and picked up a vase of flowers. “This is for you.” He plucked the card out of the middle of the bouquet and handed it to Lexie.

  She stared at the array of different blooms from roses to carnations to daisies. The glass container overflowed with them in a riot of colors. “Who would send them? Did you?”

  “No, but I wish I had thought of it. Open the card.”

  She tore into the envelope and pulled the white sheet out. “I hope this brightens your day. I know you’re innocent.” She glanced at her uncle. “It wasn’t signed.”

  “You’ve got a secret admirer, and he believes in you.”

  “He?”

  “It’s a guy thing, but I guess it could be a girlfriend.” He kissed her cheek. “Remember your family is behind you and at least whoever sent you the flowers.”

  When she closed the door, she leaned back against it, hugging the bouquet to her, the floral aroma swirling around her. Someone believed she was innocent. That thought penetrated the self-pity she’d been wallowing in and lifted her spirits.

  Sadie strode toward her classroom on Saturday and looked for her wastebasket by the door. It wasn’t there. Then she remembered in her haste to leave Friday after what had happened with Lexie, she hadn’t put it out in the hall for the janitor. And as upset as Oliver was, she doubted he had either, although as her student aide he often did. But in this case, it was good news. The water bottle was most likely still in her classroom.

  She unlocked her door and found her wastebasket across the room by her desk. But when she searched it, she didn’t find Lexie’s water bottle. Who could have taken it?