All Through the Night (Liar's Web) (3 page)

A loud popping noise rang out in the stillness of the early morning. Her eyes opened, and her body jerked to an alert position as she looked around the car in a blind panic, searching for signs of an intruder.
What was that noise
?
 
She looked outside the car as another loud popping sound went off. Her heart began to thud with dread as the realization hit her that the noise sounded like a gunshot. She'd watched enough
Law and Orde
r
 
to know the sound by heart. Although the night was pitch-dark, a florescent streetlamp illuminated two figures, both male, standing in the back entrance of the building. She leaned forward in her seat so she was pressed against the steering wheel and squinted out the window.

One of the men was Ronnie! She would know that egg-shaped, bald head anywhere. She watched in horror as Ronnie clutched his chest, a crimson stain beginning to spread across his bright yellow shirt. He staggered briefly then fell to the ground in a crumpled heap. She let out a startled cry, and her horn started blaring as her body pressed against the steering wheel.

A man stepped from the doorway and turned toward her, his gun raised and pointed directly at her. Darcel screamed as a bullet shattered the windshield of the Hummer parked next to her. For a single second, her body froze until her hands and feet caught up with her brain. She revved the engine of her car and reversed it at break-neck speed down the pebbled road, her tires whirring as she put the petal to the metal. A pinging sound hit the front of her car, and she let out an agonized cry as the realization hit her that she was a killer's target.

Pure adrenaline coursed through her as she kept her foot on the gas, gunning it so she could put as much distance between herself and the shooter. She barreled down the road for a half mile, letting out a frightened scream when she saw headlights glowing in her rear view mirror. She was pushing eighty-five miles per hour, cursing and praying at the same time, desperate to make it to the main road and stay a safe distance from the car behind her.

A sense of relief washed over her when she saw the flashing red-and-blue lights behind her. She pulled her car over to the shoulder and let out a ragged sigh. As she let out a “Hallelujah!” She watched in her side view mirror as a familiar figure stepped out of the squad car and headed in her direction. There was no mistaking the jet-black hair, the massive build, and the deep scowl that had settled in on his face. There was only one man in town that carried himself with such an arrogant swagger. Once again she was plunged into a nightmare. Rescue had come by way of Sheriff Jake Trueblood.

Chapter Two

It was three thirty in the morning and by all logic he should be asleep in his bed at this ungodly hour. Instead, he was in the squad room, trying to figure out how Darcel Dawkins had gotten herself involved in the town's first murder in over sixty years. After stopping her doing eighty-five miles an hour in a forty-mile zone, he'd been shocked to hear she'd witnessed a shooting at Hangman's Wharf. Liberty Creek, a bucolic town cradled in the Southern portion of Texas, was not a haven for criminal-minded individuals. Nevertheless, trouble had come calling, and Darcel had been an eyewitness to murder.

From the moment the story tumbled off her lips, he'd never doubted for a second her version of events. In spite of her fear-stricken demeanor, she'd relayed the facts to him in a logical, descriptive manner. He'd immediately called for backup at the Sugar Shack, dropped Darcel off at the station, and then headed back to the crime scene to meet the medical examiner and his deputies. And now, some two hours later, he was back at the station questioning his star witness about what had transpired at the Sugar Shack.

He stood with his arms crossed over his chest, his gaze focused on Darcel's wild-eyed appearance. Despite the fact she'd been at the scene of a shooting and chased by a killer, the woman looked pretty pleasing to the eye. He hated to admit it, but she was attractive. Beautiful, actually. Her chocolate-brown hair was styled in a riot of wavy curls that looked natural rather than processed. Her almond-shaped eyes were a light brown color—caramel, perhaps.

Her skin was a russet shade, and it was flawless and smooth. Although she was a tiny thing, she was definitely packing some curves. Big breasts, small waist, nicely curved hips…yes, she was definitely a looker. Not that it mattered to him any. He would never be interested in a woman who spread lies all over town and couldn't keep her trap shut. Not in a million damn years.

“
So what exactly were you doing in that part of town?” he asked pointedly.

Trueblood watched as her face began to flush varying shades of red. His lawman antenna went up as she stammered her response, all the while avoiding eye contact with him and his deputy.

“
A-An errand. I was running an errand for a friend.”

“
An errand?” Trueblood asked, his voice laced with skepticism. “On Hangman's Wharf in the wee hours of the morning? At the Sugar Shack? Try again, Miss Dawkins. And this time, stick to the truth.”

“
Easy, Sheriff,” cautioned Trueblood's deputy, Bodine Scott. “She's not looking so good.” Bodine reached out and patted Darcel reassuringly on the back, a look of concern deeply etched on his handsome face. With his tousled blonde hair, dimples, and ice-blue eyes, Bodine possessed an easy, boy-next-door charm that gave him an appealing air. According to the ladies in town, Bodine was husband material.

Darcel smiled weakly in response to Bodine's kindness. “I'm okay, Bodine. Much as I hate to admit it, the sheriff's right. I had no business being in that area of town, ‘specially not at one in the morning. I-I was doing a favor for my brother Lenny—”

“
Son of a bitch!” Trueblood spit out the words. “What kind of brother…hell, what kind of man asks a woman to risk her life doing his dirty work?”

“
It wasn't his idea. It was mine,” Darcel said in a firm voice.

“
Your's?” Trueblood asked with a raised eyebrow. “Who were you meeting? Spit it out.”

“
His bookie,” she whispered, looking as if she wanted to pull back the words once she'd spoken them. “The deceased.”

Darcel continued, “My brother owed a substantial amount of money to Ronnie. He—we were afraid if Lenny showed up himself to make the payment he would get hurt, possibly even killed. So, I went instead.”

Bodine made a loud tutting sound but refrained from making any comments. He handed Darcel a steaming cup of coffee. She reached for the cup with trembling hands, her lips curving upward in a half-hearted attempt at a smile. She leaned over the steaming mug, blowing on it a few times before cautiously taking a sip.

Trueblood rocked back in his chair and swung his legs onto his desk, trying his best to stave off a rising sense of irritation. “Yeah, Miss Dawkins, you showed up instead, walking straight into the middle of a homicide.” Trueblood held his head in his hands and groaned. “Liberty Creek hasn't had a murder in over sixty years. Congratulations, you've made history.”

“
Bryce Jarvis shot and killed his father last year, in case you've forgotten,” she spit out, her eyes glinting with a hint of rebellion.

Trueblood gritted his teeth. “I haven't forgotten. He shot his father to protect Star and Case. It was ruled justifiable homicide. The shooting at the Sugar Shack is a whole different scenario. What went down tonight could be tied to organized crime. Drugs. Money laundering.”

“
Or a love triangle,” Bo chimed in. “Matters of the heart often lead to violence.”

“
We need to figure this thing out before someone else gets hurt,” Trueblood continued. “There's a coldblooded killer out there who we need to find. Like it or not, you're up to your eyeballs in this, Dawkins.”

Her mouth swung open in surprise. “Are you trying to suggest I had something to do with Ronnie's murder?” She placed her cup down on the table with a bang, her eyes flashing danger signs.

He held her gaze without wavering an inch. “No, of course not. I would never blame our star witness. What I am suggesting is that it's mighty convenient Lenny sending you in his place, wouldn't you say?”

“
Lenny isn't your concern, Trueblood,” Darcel said in a frosty voice.

Trueblood leaned across his desk so he was eye-to-eye with Darcel. “Anything pertaining to this murder is my concern. Lenny isn't exactly a law-abiding citizen, not as long as I've been sheriff. More times than not, he's up to his neck in shady dealings. In case you haven't noticed, Miss Dawkins, I take my job very seriously. You tell that brother of yours to keep his nose clean. He ought not to leave town in case we want to pull him in for questioning.”

She visibly bristled and stood abruptly from her chair. “I take it I'm free to leave?”

Trueblood nodded. “You're free to leave, but don't—”

“
Leave town. I get it.”

“
We'll need you to come back tomorrow to look through some mug shots. See if it jogs your memory about the shooter.”

“
I can't remember his face,” Darcel explained with a shrug. “It's all fuzzy.”

Bodine added, “We got a general description though—tall, African-American male with a slim build.”

“
Sounds like half the male population in town,” Trueblood said with an edge to his voice.

“
I told you his face is a blur to me. If I could ID him, I would.” Darcel's voice sounded strained, and she looked as if she were close to cracking. He noticed her hands wavering as she ran her fingers through her shoulder-length hair and nervously played with a few strands of it.

Trueblood counted to ten in his head then softened his tone. “You're a little shaken up tonight. Get some rest then come back in the morning with a fresh outlook.”

“
I've got a showing in the morning. I'll try to swing back around lunchtime.” Darcel picked up her keys and purse from Trueblood's desk and said, “That's the best I can do.”

Bodine stepped forward and held Darcel's elbow as they exited the sheriff's office. “Would you like a ride home in the squad car? It's no problem,” he asked eagerly.

Turning toward him, she flashed him a grateful smile. “Thanks, Bodine. I'm good from here. My car's right outside.”

“
You're sure you don't want a lift home in a police car? You look a little shaky.”

“
No, I'll be fine.” Darcel gave Bodine a weak wave and disappeared from the room.

Bodine watched with hawk eyes as Darcel walked down the corridor and exited the building, her movements brisk and determined. He ran to the window and peered out into the pre-dawn darkness, his eyes peeled for Darcel's figure as she made her way toward her car, got in, and rode away from the station.

Trueblood shook his head at Bo as he turned away from the window and sat down at his desk with a goofy smile on his face. “She could've gotten herself killed out there tonight. Damn fool woman! Every time I turn around, I hear folks saying how successful and brilliant she is. Liberty Creek's businesswoman of the year. Realtor of the Year. The Junior League's Woman of the Year.” He rolled his eyes wearily. “Judging by what went down tonight, that woman doesn't have enough sense to come in out of the rain during a lightning storm.”

“
You're riding her a bit hard, Sheriff. You can't blame the woman for being kindhearted. That's how she is…sweet as a slice of apple pie.”

Trueblood glanced over at his deputy, noting the sheepish smile on his face and the dazed look in his love-struck blue eyes. “Careful, you're wearing your heart on your sleeve, Bo,” cautioned Trueblood.

Bodine turned the color of steamed beets and began to hem and haw. “It's not like that. Hell, yeah, I'd date her. She's classy, intelligent, and easy on the eyes. Who wouldn't feel a little something for Darcel?”

“
You're looking at him,” Trueblood stated bluntly.

“
Come on, Sheriff. I don't care what you say about Darcel Dawkins. She's got it going on. Admit it.”

Trueblood wrinkled his nose in distaste. “I don't like women who kiss and tell, if you know what I mean.”

“
If she kissed me, I wouldn't care who she told,” Bodine said with a chuckle. “Matter of fact, I wouldn't mind if she took out a full-page ad in the
Liberty Creek Gazett
e
 
and blabbed it to the whole town.”

Trueblood snorted. “You're twisted. Truly twisted.”

“
Did you see that backside? Ummhh. Ummhh.” Bodine had a heavenly grin plastered on his face.

Trueblood grunted and made a face. “Ssshhh. I'm trying to eat a sandwich here.”

Bodine leaned forward in his chair and said in a conspiratorial voice, “So, is that what you're getting from Grace? Discretion?”

Trueblood turned toward Bo and gave him the death stare, his eyes dark, forbidding, and as approachable as a rattlesnake. “Like I said, I'm not fond of kissing and telling.”

After an hour of filling out paperwork with Bodine, he was ready to pack it in and head home for a few hours of rest and relaxation before he came back on duty. A loud knock sounded on the door. Without waiting for a response, Deputy Ella Jones sauntered into Trueblood's office, her stride sure and confident. Her figure was all curves and soft lines, her round, caramel-colored face devoid of any makeup, yet striking in its simplicity.