Page 2 of Murder at Rescue Ridge

The thought that something terrible could have happened to her father shouldn’t tighten the knot, considering how little interaction they’d had over the years. After all, this visit was to mend fences after a blowup and help her decide if she wanted to disassociate from the man. A second-year law professor had hinted that having the last name Guidry would close quite a few doors for her. Her father, she’d learned, had long been Beaumont Sturgess’s clean-up man.

The professor had asked if she really wanted to be associated with Harrison Guidry’s reputation. Before that, Nikki hadn’t given the issue much consideration. Now that her mother had not so subtly made it known she would like nothing more than for Nikki to take Heath’s name, the reasons to separate herself from the father, who she’d overheard saying had never wanted her in the first place were multiplying.

It was beyond her why she felt the need to keep a tether to him—except that he was her father. It was as simple and as complicated as that statement.

Taking in a breath, Nikki said, “Okay. Let’s go inside.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “But first, tell me if something bad happened to my father.”

Deputy Combs’ gaze fixed on a spot behind and to the right of Nikki’s shoulder before quickly readjusting back to lock onto Nikki.

“Do yourself a favor, and don’t turn around.”

Too late. Nikki had already craned her neck around.

Then she saw it. The stretcher. The white sheet covering a body, a face.

And she knew.

“I hopeyou understand that I have to withdraw from this investigation, which could mean an arrest is imminent,” Sheriff Travis Barrett said.

Conrad Sturgess took another lap around the inside of the barn office. He raked hisfingers through his hair. “An arrest?” Conrad could scarcely believe any of this was happening. He understood why Travis would have to excuse himself, considering the acting sheriff was engaged toConrad’s sister Chloe.

“It’s possible,” Travis said.

Harrison Guidry had been found lying on his back with an ax in his skull.

“You were last seen chopping wood,” Travis said for the second time.

“I know,” Conrad said. “Doesn’t mean I was the last one who touched the damn thing.”

“Exactly,” Travis agreed. “The evidence should clear you and possibly point law enforcement to the real perp. Time will tell.”

“How am I supposed to figure this out if I’m locked up behind metal bars?” Conrad asked, issuing a frustrated grunt.

“As your future brother-in-law, I beg you not to take matters into your own hands. You could end up making the situation worse.”

Conrad smacked his flat palm on the desk. “How?”

“I hear you,” Travis said in a calm voice. He cared about the folks of Jackson County. He cared about doing the sheriff's job justice. More importantly, he cared about Chloe and her son, Grayson. The man wouldn’t lead Conrad down the wrong path intentionally. However, that was the thing about intentions. They might be good and off at the same time.

Travis perched on the corner of the massive oak desk that had once belonged to Beaumont Sturgess. The acting sheriff and future brother-in-law studied Conrad. “People will repeat the saying, ‘It’s always the quiet ones.’”

“I figured.” It didn’t mean Conrad was guilty. Folks would make up their own minds. He realized that.

“They might say you had reason to get rid of the attorney since he was in the way of you being able to do what you want with the ranch,” Travis continued.

“They’d be wrong,” Conrad stated. “I’ve been the only one willing to listen to Beau’s side of the argument, and he doesn’t want to sell.” Beaumont Sturgess the Second had shown up at the will reading back in early December having been summoned by Harrison. Beau had stuck around the ranch ever since. Beau, as he liked to be called, currently lived in the main house in a guest room.

At least they’d all agreed on one thing: changing the name to Rescue Ridge from Sturgess Ranch. No one, except maybe Beau, wanted to be associated with Beaumont Sturgess. The elder Sturgess had been called a bully for the way he’d conducted his horse racing business, and he’d been a terrible father to the six children who’d grown up here. Beau, child number seven, wanted to stick around and run the ranch together while most everyone else wanted to sell. The illegitimate heir wanted to know more about his elusive father while getting to know his siblings. Physically, the guy was a carbon copy of Beaumont Sturgess, and a DNA test had confirmed it. Conrad was the only sibling who’d been willing to get to know their half-brother since the others couldn’t bring themselves to trust Beau’s intentions.

“Folks will rip you apart, Conrad.” Travis heaved a sigh. “You’ll be tried by folks in this county before you ever step into a courtroom. They’ll believe you’re capable of murder once details of your childhood are released. Once the whispers are confirmed that Beaumont tortured all six of you, it’ll be easy for folks to believe you snapped.”

“What does this have to do with me being locked up?”

“Folks will want you behind bars,” Travis explained.

“Why?”

“They’ll be afraid that you have a taste for killing,” Travis said. “There are other reasons, but it won’t do any good to speculate.”

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