Page 19 of Taken by the Lawman

“Did God create earth in twenty?”

He stood and hooked his thumbs in his front pockets. “I’ll go alone. You stay and rest.”

“Like hell you will.” She threw back the covers and stood up, a little wobbly, but she managed to stay upright. “Let me take a five-minute shower and I’ll be ready to go.” She shoved a half slice of toast into her mouth and downed the coffee.

She’d forgotten that she was only wearing her short shirt until his gaze dropped over her. When he looked back up, his eyes were bright.

“I’ll meet you at the truck.” He turned and made his exit.

Shaking off his awkwardness, she grabbed her clothes from last night and headed for the bathroom. Her wish was to talk to the roommate and get back home. Preferably away from Deegan.

They drove to the address which was a small house in the middle of a corn field. But as promised, RayAnn was there and she welcomed them in, excitement showing in her bright smile and wide brown eyes. She was a pretty woman and Kiersten almost felt sympathy for the woman who was about to find out that they’d lied, or rather Deegan had lied.

“Sandy said you are looking for models? I’ve modeled some, but then I had to move back home.” She rolled her eyes and dropped down on the chair. “You know how that is.”

Kiersten did, but for different reasons.

Joining Deegan on the couch, she let him take the lead. He wasted no time in taking out a picture of Annie and placing it on the coffee table between them. “You know her?”

Several expressions flickered over her face until it settled on annoyance. “Wait. What are you talking about? You’re not here looking for a model, are you?” She jumped up and crossed her arms over her chest. “There’s the door. Use it!”

“I’m sorry, RayAnn. Can I call you RayAnn?” Kiersten stood. “We didn’t think you’d see us if we told you the truth.”

“Why don’t you try me?” she huffed.

Kiersten knew in cases like this it was best just to be totally honest. “Because you left Cheyenne and then your friend passed—”

“What? Wait…what the hell are you talking about?”

Looking back at Deegan, Kiersten nodded. “You haven’t heard the news? Your friend, Annie Steele, was found dead in her apartment.”

“Annie passed? That’s not possible.” She dropped back down onto the chair, her face pale and her bottom lip quivering.

“Have you spoken to her since you moved?” Deegan asked.

“No. What happened? It was his wife, wasn’t it?” RayAnn hissed the words. “I told Annie not to see him. I knew there would be trouble.”

“So you knew that she was seeing Senator Kline?” Kiersten asked.

“It wasn’t like they were trying hard to keep it hidden, at least from her friends. She was proud that she’d landed a rich guy and it didn’t matter to her that he was hitched. Is that how she died? The wife killed her?”

“No,” Deegan answered. “She was found dead in her bathtub, suspected overdose. Heroine.”

“What?” RayAnn’s laugh came out in a snort. “Annie using drugs? Anyone who knew her would know better. She loved life, and herself, way too much to put chemicals in her. I mean, back in college she smoked a little four twenty, but never anything stronger.” She reached for the cigarette pack on the table, took one out and lit it. “She hated that I smoked. She called them cancer sticks.” She frowned. “That girl had too many big plans to be wasted so early. She wanted to travel and, because her student loans were finally paid off, she finally could.”

“Did she pay off her student loans?” Kiersten sat back down.

RayAnn’s shrug sent the shoulder of her shirt down her slender arm, showing off an exquisite dragon tattoo. “She didn’t pay them off. She wasn’t that great with money. I assumed the rich politician did, although she never confirmed or denied the fact. Once she started seeing him, she suddenly went from ramen to filet mignon.” She took a long drag from her cigarette, then tapped her ashes into a pop can. “That girl was made to be a man’s trophy wife and she believed she had it with the Senator.”

“Senator Kline doesn’t think Annie killed herself either. He wants us to help find out what really happened and that’s why we tracked you down. We need to find out if Annie had any enemies. Anyone you think would want her dead,” Deegan asked.

There was a long, drawn-out hesitation. “Annie didn’t have any enemies that I know of, but when I found out about the affair, I asked her if she was scared the wife would find out and she didn’t seem concerned. She said she and the politician were in love and he was going to leave his wife.” RayAnn cackled, then coughed. “I told her she was being a fool. We all know it’s ridiculous to think that a married man will ever leave his wife, especially for an aide. Hell, did she listen? Nope.” She put out her cigarette. “Want to see pictures I have of her?”

Kiersten was glad to see how open the woman was, although so far, they hadn’t learned much. “Yes, we would.”

RayAnn took out a cigar box from under the table, opened it and took out a pile of photos. After fanning through the stack, she tossed one onto the table. “Here she is from a few years ago. Pre-fucking-politic days.”

Kiersten looked at the picture of the pretty red head who was glamming it up for the camera, like most twenty something girls in their selfies. Kiersten felt a stab in her chest thinking that the young woman had no clue what her future held. Her life had ended way too soon.

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