Page 33 of Lone Star Rescue

Rafe didn’t bother to hold back a smile. And he let Buckner see it, too.

Another sliver of anger.

Maybe if there were enough slivers, the man would erupt and say something that would get him locked up for life. Like confessing to a murder or two.

“I won’t call my lawyer. For now,” Buckner said. “This is just a friendly conversation, right?”

Bree hit the recorder function on her phone and placed it on the coffee table between them. “Sure,” she muttered, statingthe time, date, location, and the names of those present. “Mr. Buckner, for the record, you’re waiving your right to have an attorney present at this interview. Please give a verbal response so it’ll be on the recording.”

“Yes.” Short and not so sweet.

“And the recording,” Bree prompted. “Do you consent to that as well as having consultant, Rafe Cross, sit in on the interview and ask you questions that could help us with our inquiry?”

The muscles worked in his throat. “Sure. Why not? I’ve got nothing to hide. Yes, to no lawyer. Yes, to the recording. Yes, to celebrity Rafe putting in his two cents worth with questions.”

“Good. Thank you.” In contrast, Bree’s voice was calm and professional.

“Hey, are you two going to play good cop, bad cop?” Buckner asked. “If so, I’m betting he’s the bad cop.” He hiked his thumb toward Rafe before shifting back to Bree. “And you can do the whole I’m on your side role.”

“I wouldn’t count on that,” Rafe muttered. No need to add the rest to that, that neither Bree nor he were on this man’s side.

“Oh, well,” Buckner remarked. “Then, bring it on. Both of you go all hard ass on me.”

Rafe didn’t react to that. Neither did Bree.

“Mr. Buckner, tell me about your relationship with Dani Dawson,” Bree began.

“Dani?” Buckner pulled back his shoulders, either surprised or pretending to be. “She used to work for me. What about her?”

“Used to work for you?” Bree repeated.

“Yeah, she quit last month.” He leaned back, stretching his arms across the back of the sofa. “It’s a shame because Dani was a damn good worker, and I haven’t been able to replace her.”

“Why’d she quit?” she pressed.

“Don’t I wish I knew. She wouldn’t say. Told me she had some personal things she had to work out. Probably with that loser she’d been seeing.”

Rafe jumped in on that. “A boyfriend?”

“If you can call him that,” Buckner grumbled. “More like a dickwad loser. She deserved better, and I told her so.”

“What’s his name?” Bree asked.

Buckner blew out a breath, and his forehead bunched up. “Not sure. She called him Honey Bear.”

Bree gave him a flat look. “That doesn’t sound like a dickwad loser’s nickname to me.”

“No accounting for some things. I guess he must have had some redeeming qualities. I only saw the guy twice, and both times he came into the bar and accused Dani of fucking other guys. He caused a scene, and I had to get one of my bouncers to toss him out.”

“Did Dani admit to seeing other men?” Rafe asked.

“No way. She claimed she was devoted to him and all. But on one of those occasions, when Dani came into work the next morning, she was sporting a black eye.” He leaned forward as if revealing a secret. “Let me tell you, no amount of Maybelline was going to cover that shit. Honey Bear must have had a go at her.”

Rafe considered texting Jericho to get him to look into Dani’s personal relationships, including this one, but Jericho was likely already doing that. If not, Rafe could fill him in after the interview. For now, he wanted to keep his attention on Buckner and the goons who were still by the truck.

“Why are you asking me about Dani?” Buckner demanded. “Did something happen to her?”

No way would Bree spill anything about Dani being dead, not until the next of kin had been notified. “Did you know Tessa Wainwright?” she continued, obviously moving onto the next subject.

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