Page 54 of Wistful in Wyoming
“I gotta say, you were right. It’s nice to feel the sun on my face.” Dale’s head was tipped back, and his eyes were closed as he basked in the sunshine. His jaw and upper lip were now devoid of scruff, thanks to Jeremiah who was happy to see some color returning to his man’s cheeks.
“Just remember that for next time—I’m always right.”
Cracking open one eye, Dale did his best to glare but failed miserably. The goofy smile he was sporting ruined the effect.
The sound of an approaching vehicle drew their gazes, and Jeremiah was surprised to see Grady’s department SUV coming down the drive.
“Wonder what he wants.” Dale said.
Hopefully, Grady’s visit was just a casual one. He’d come out to the JP to record Dale’s official statement the day he’d been released from the hospital. The case was headed for the grand jury next week. Between the witnesses and Skinner agreeing to testify against Schneider and Benson, who’d been behind the cattle getting loose, the DA was positive he’d secure an indictment. Dale’s testimony wouldn’t be needed until the actual trial, but that was months away.
“Not sure.” Jeremiah stopped the rocking motion of the swing with a booted foot on the carved footrest. They waited as Grady exited his SUV and made his way onto the porch.
“Hey, guys,” Tipping his hat, Grady joined them, leaning against the railing. “I’m mighty glad to see you up and about Dale. You scared about ten years off my life—ten years I can’t afford to lose by the way.”
“Trust me, Sheriff, I feel the same.” Dale reached out and took Jeremiah’s hand, squeezing it tightly.
“Not that I mind the visit, but what brings you out here today, cousin? You look like you’ve got something on your mind.”
Grady crossed his arms. “Well, I have a bit of a favor to ask of you. Remember Troy Downing?”
Jeremiah’s blood turned to ice at the mention of the name. While he wasn’t from The Rock, the murderer had been from Cheyenne, and the events surrounding his trial and conviction had been on the tongues of everyone in the state for months about six years ago. The bastard should be burning in hell after what he’d done.
Dale cocked his head at the tension coursing through Jeremiah and broke into his thoughts. “Babe? What is it?”
“Yeah. What about the son of a bitch?” Jeremiah asked Grady, with a shake of his head, ignoring Dale’s question.
“I guess you haven’t been watching the news all week—the conviction was overturned, and he was released.”
“You’re shitting me!” Jeremiah exclaimed. “How the fuck did that happen? Don’t tell me he got out on a technicality or some bullshit like that.”
“No technicalities—he’s actually innocent of all the charges. You probably don’t know, but Troy is Beth Loach’s cousin on her mother’s side. She asked me for a favor, which is why I’m here. But first, let me explain, since Dale here looks like he’s going to burst if he doesn’t get some answers soon. Don’t try to deny it—you’re just as nosy as everyone else in the Rock, Jeremiah and Jenna included. I think there’s something in the water.” Grady took off his hat and slicked back his hair before settling the brown Stetson back onto his head. “Quick recap—Troy was convicted of the triple murder of his wife and two young children about six years ago. The evidence led right to him, all of it circumstantial, yes, but the DA had him dead to rights. His kids were drowned in the bathtub, and his wife was strangled with a lamp cord.”
Dale nodded. “This sounds vaguely familiar. I think the trial ended about a month or two before I moved to Redworth. He was sentenced to death, right?”
“Yup. The jury convicted him in under two hours—it took less than that to vote for the death penalty. He’s spent the last five years on death row up in the state pen while his lawyers tried everything they could to at least get the death sentence overturned. Then, two weeks ago, new evidence came to light. Turns out, the wife had a secret lover. The guy recently was killed in a shootout with police over an unrelated drug bust at his home. When the police processed his house they found ... God, this is so fucked up. They found a snuff film of the murder of Troy’s wife and kids. It didn’t take the police long to identify Troy’s family in the video.” Grady paused, taking a deep breath. “In the video he recorded himself explaining how he killed them and framed Troy for the crimes. He kept the damn video as a trophy, the sick bastard. Hell is too good for him.”
Gaping, Jeremiah blinked several times before he found his voice again. “Motherfucker. Unbelievable.” He took a sip of his iced tea, letting the shocking news settle in his brain for a moment. “I had no idea he was Beth’s cousin. How the hell did she keep that quiet?”
“He begged her to—wouldn’t let her attend the trial either, even though she knew in her heart he was innocent. He didn’t want the stigma of his alleged crimes to affect her career here. You know damn well people would’ve been demanding she be fired just because she was related to a man who’d been convicted of killing his wife and kids.
“Now, I’m telling you all this in confidence. It’ll get out eventually, but for now, Beth would like him to be able to settle in town without the gossip mill chewing on him, at least for a little while. As soon as that happens, I’m sure the press will descend on the Rock like dogs chasing a bone, trying to get an interview with him. In the meantime, his lawyers are trying to convince him to sue the state. He’s not sure what he’s going to do—still needs time to comprehend he’s a free man and not about to face a literal firing squad.” Due to a shortage of the drugs required for lethal injection, Wyoming was considering offering a firing squad as means of carrying out death penalties.
“No problem—we won’t say anything,” Jeremiah said, answering for both of them. “Obviously, I know how to keep a secret.”
Grady snorted in response. “Yeah, I can see that.”
“Holy shit—what happens now?” Dale asked the question Jeremiah hadn’t voiced yet.
“Well, that’s what I stopped by for—like I said, I need a favor.”
Jeremiah narrowed his eyes, not sure what his cousin was getting at. “What’s the favor?”
“Troy needs a job and a place to lay low for a while. Prison messed him up, as you can imagine. It’s going to take him some time to adjust to being on the outside. Unfortunately, Wyoming isn’t a compensation state—he’ll have to sue if he wants to get any money for the wrongful conviction, and that can take years and payout isn’t guaranteed. He spent a good part of his life working on ranches, so he knows the work. Beth says he refuses to stay with her long term. I wasn’t sure if you replaced Baxter and Benson yet. Can you help him out?”
Jeremiah glanced at Dale, raising his eyebrows.
“What are you looking at me for? This is your ranch, not mine,” the other man protested. “My input stops at the Skyview’s fence line.”
