Page 54 of Sheltered by the Lawman

“What if I am a killer? I’ll be in prison, Cull.”

He could see the tears in her eyes. He wanted to go to her, but he stayed still. “You told me your heart knows what it knows, Monica. Are you telling me your heart doesn’t know that you wouldn’t hurt anyone? Mine knows.”

“Don’t do that. That’s unfair.”

“It’s unfair that I believe in you?”

“You don’t know me.” She sniffed. “Those pictures, only a monster could do that to another person. Wouldn’t I have marks on my hands?” She set her cup down and lifted her hands, palms up. “Wouldn’t I have nicks on my fingers? Bruises all over me? I can’t understand.”

“If you were wearing gloves, maybe not. Right now, we have no other clues to anyone else being in the room with Yates.” He stared at her several beats and the color drained from her face. “Sweetheart, are you okay?”

Her eyelids fluttered and her hands shook. In the next second she started to fall but he was quick and caught her limp body. He looked down at her. She had passed out.

****

“It’s not her, you idiot!”

Tinman looked at the rich widow. “What do you mean it’s not her? I saw her with my own eyes,” he growled.

“You really are an idiot, aren’t you?” She nailed him with heavily made up eyes. She was wearing a red evening gown . The neckline plunged deep between two perfect breasts.

He resisted the urge to wrap his hands around the skinny bitch’s neck. One squeeze and he’d have her gasping for air. Unfortunately, the freaking cunt had her bodyguard breathing down his neck. Although Tinman had his gun and could shoot the bastard, it would be messy and he was cutting back on the carnage. Payday was too close to fuck up. However, he could fantasize of killing the rich bitch. Her death would be payment for what he’d had to endure since she’d hired him to kill her husband. He reached for his pack of cigarettes and took one out, lighting it, needing nicotine fast. A throbbing headache pounded at his temples. The doctor said six months but his vision and the headaches were getting worse.

“The lawman came back to my house. He showed me a picture of the woman you attempted to kill.” Her lip curled and her pert nose wrinkled. “I’m sure he wanted to see my reaction but it’s a damn good thing I know how to keep my emotions under wrap. The bitch he thinks is Monica is not the fucking slut you were supposed to knock off, you stupid ass.” She straightened her shawl around her shoulders.

“I followed Cade to the cunt’s house and snuck up the fire escape. She showed up, fit the description and I knocked her over the head. It’s her.”

“Are you wanting me to explain the details? This is all your fault. I told you bringing the lawman into the picture would cause problems. That was your idea. Why didn’t you just let him bring her in instead of you going to her apartment? What detective can’t track an elephant in broad daylight. You. That’s who. Your brain is about as worthless as you are. And why don’t you take a bath. You look like roadkill.”

Tinman suddenly felt sorry for Yates. He was better off dead than dealing with his wife. Laying his hand on his thigh, it hurt like a mother fucker. He growled. “I didn’t expect the cunt to show up at her apartment. I searched her place to see if I could find any clue where she had gone. Imagine my surprise when she strolls right in, like a baby to candy. If anyone didn’t use their brain, it was you.” He reached into his pocket and dropped an envelope onto the picnic table. “Know what these are?”

She squinted but her Botoxed face didn’t move. “What? Your application for a brain?”

“Evidence. Maybe I should have left these juicy pictures behind for the police to find. That would have certainly taken care of my problem,” he snarled.

“Evidence? What evidence?”

“I found a recorded conversation Monica had of you two talking. It seems the bitch was blackmailing you. And these.” He laughed and took out the pictures from the envelope. “Apparently, she was not only taking your husband and his money, but she wanted your money too.”

Widow Yates didn’t even look at the pictures. “What do you want? More money?”

“I think you got caught in your own web. You hired her to kill your husband, but Yates liked that pussy so much he gave her everything she wanted. Wow, that must have really pissed you off. When you realized you were in deep shit, you wanted both dead. Who’s the idiot now? Good thing I found the stash and Cade didn’t. Let’s just say, you’d be wearing orange right now instead of red.”

She rolled her eyes. “I hired you to take out my shitty husband that couldn’t keep his dick in his pants and his whore, not to examine the case.”

“You wanted your husband dead and you got it. I got rid of the one staff member at the motel who could burn us. No one knows about the Warren chick because I made sure of it. Bitch, ain’t you ever happy?”

“Did you forget about your friend Cade?”

“Get your head out of your ass. It’s messy but I’ll take care of things.”

“Give me the tape and the photos,” she demanded.

“No. I plan to keep them.” He stuffed the pictures back into the envelope and into his pocket.

Jonesy growled and took a step forward, but Tinman shook his head. “Watch yourself, big guns. Do you really think I didn’t make copies and they will be mailed if I don’t show up? Let’s call this insurance.” He chuckled. He swiped his free hand down his whiskered jaw. “FYI, madam. What the hell was the wrong woman doing in the apartment?”

“How do I know? You’re the lawman. Figure it out.”

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