Gambling On a Heart (30 page)

Bobby frowned and shrugged. “I guess.”

“That’s good. I’ll see you Friday.” Dad patted his shoulder. “After the court hearing, you’ll be moving in permanently.” Dad walked away and past the rest of the guys. He rounded the end of the bleachers to the parking lot.

“Yeah,” he murmured even though Dad wouldn’t hear it. He never took losing a game this easily. Something had to be wrong. His dad usually yelled at the team, trying to get them to figure out why they’d lost the game, and when that was done, would blame the loss on Bobby.

“Bobby!” Mandy’s call drew his attention back to his mom and Zack. Mandy hugged him around the waist. “I’m sorry you lost.”

He looked down into her face and shrugged, aware the guys were all watching him. “Stop hugging me. That’s for babies.”

She stepped back. “No it’s not. My daddy hugs me all the time. I just thought you’d be feeling real bad right now.”

“Well, I’m not.”

His mom came up and patted his shoulder. “You did well, Bobby. I hope your dad didn’t say too much about the loss.”

He shrugged again and looked around. Other parents were picking up the other guys and leaving toward the parking lot. His dad’s pick-up sped past the ball field. “I think he had something else on his mind.” He turned back to the sheriff. “I’d like to go home. I guess we aren’t stopping for ice cream now.”

Zack smiled and ruffled his hair. “Of course we’re stopping. You can’t always win, but it doesn’t mean you still didn’t do a good job.”

* * * *

Lucinda Tritt looked up from the photographs. “Yeah, that’s the guy who came into the store last Saturday morning.”

“Are you positive?” Zack let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding and fisted his hands under his desk across from the convenience store clerk.

Lucinda nodded and looked from him to Wyatt McPherson and Dawn Madison standing behind him. “Yeah. I’m positive. This is the guy in the truck. Is there anything else, Sheriff?”

“No, we’ll be in touch, Miss Tritt. Thank you for coming in this morning.” He stood when she did. She met all three gazes again before nodding and leaving Zack’s office.

Once she was gone, Zack said, “I think it’s time we question the Parker boys.”

“Brent’s working out at Johnny Blackwell’s place,” Dawn provided. “I’ll take Kennedy and head over there.”

Zack nodded as he shuffled his notes and the photos he’d shown the clerk into a pile on his desk. “Jake’s at the courthouse today. He’s trying to get custody of his boy from Tracy.”

Wyatt, who was a second cousin to Tracy, chuckled. “So, he wants a cut of her money, now.”

“Yeah, something like that.” Zack remembered the previous night at the football game and stopping for ice cream afterward. He’d promised to teach the boy how to ride when he got the chance. Regardless of the outcome of the custody case today, Jake would have Bobby for the coming week.

He’d taken a real liking to Tracy’s son. Zack had no idea what Jake had told the boy about him, but he sensed Jake must have said something to cause Bobby not to fully trust him. “Let’s go and get that bastard.”

* * * *

Logan waited for Tracy outside the Forest County courthouse. She looked up at the old limestone building that never failed to intimidate her. In 1895, the original two-room building was built on the site where Cole Cartwright, Elijah Blackwell and her great-great-great grandfather Dylan Ferguson played judge, jury and executioner of a gang of cattle rustlers who had stolen longhorns from their herd. The massive oak tree they’d hanged the thieves from still grew strong and tall in front of the court of law.

Those rustlers hadn’t been the only criminals hanged from the tree in the wild days. Cole Cartwright’s wife had been saved from a long drop on a short rope by marrying her prosecutor.

“You ready for this?” Logan asked when Tracy reached the top of the stairs.

She smiled and nodded. “I think so. How do you feel about this? I still can’t believe you got ready so soon.”

Logan held one of the thick wooden doors open for her. “I told you your case will be a breeze to win.”

“I would have preferred a little more time to prepare.”

Dressed in a designer suit, Logan looked every bit the perfect picture of the successful lawyer. He grinned and put his free arm around her shoulders. “Stop worrying. That’s my job, and I’m not, so you shouldn’t be either.”

“Easier said than done.”

As they made their way to the front of the courtroom, he asked, “How’re things going with Zack?”

“I guess okay. We had a great evening last night.”

“Good.” He laid his briefcase on a table. “Keep it up. Have you slept with him yet?”

“Logan! I can’t believe you’d–”

He laughed and shook his head. “I think I know the answer just by the look on your face.”

She closed her mouth, swallowed hard. Hoping the heat in her cheeks hadn’t turned them bright red, she looked away. “I can’t believe you’d ask me such a thing.”

Logan leaned over and said near her ear, “It’s okay, T.C., hot, sweaty monkey sex between you and my big brother is
exactly
what you both need.”

She jerked away and glared at him.

He shrugged as he opened his briefcase. “Now, you need to keep reminding him what he’s missing when he’s not with you.”

Before she had the chance slug him, Jake and his lawyer entered the courtroom. Logan’s smile faded away, and he became the intimidating attorney she’d hired.

Judge Martha Delaney entered not long after Jake. When she wasn’t wearing the black robe of justice, Martha was the mild-mannered wife of the pastor of the Colton Baptist Church–wife of the same minister who had married Jake and Tracy and baptized Bobby. Jake’s lawyer had tried to claim Judge Delaney had a conflict of interest since Tracy–and Logan when he chose to go to church–belonged to her husband’s congregation. However, Logan didn’t fail to point out that Jake’s family belonged to the same church. Judge Delaney had also presided over Jake and Tracy’s first custody battle following their divorce, in which she’d proven to be impartial, so the claims were considered unfounded.

After the judge brought the court to order, she asked Jake’s lawyer to open the proceedings. The slick-looking middle-aged man stepped forward and flashed Tracy and Logan a predatory smile of perfect white teeth. His face was too orangey to be tanned by anything other than a spray bottle. The word
shark
fit Preston Tilley perfectly. “Your Honor, my client, Jacob Parker, is concerned about the welfare of his son and asks the court to grant full custody of him, along with child support.”

“I’m going to cut to the chase and say I’ve read over the affidavit. For the record, why does your client consider Ms. Quinn an unfit mother?”

Tilley squared his shoulders. As he told the judge the standard line of bull that had been on the lips of gossipers for years, Tracy looked over at Jake. He was dressed in a white Western shirt and dress pants. He’d cut his dark hair and was clean-shaven.

Tilley glanced over at her and glowered at her in the way a self-righteous matron might a street tramp. “She has subjected my client’s son to possible dangers when she allowed her brother to live with her in a small two-bedroom apartment. My client’s not degrading the sacrifice Captain Dylan Quinn made for his country, but following his return, he had a documented case of post-traumatic stress disorder. He became an alcoholic and often resorted to violence. Now, Ms. Quinn is romantically involved with Zachery Cartwright, who also has PTSD and has publicly admitted that he suffered from a drinking problem.”

“Objection,” Logan shook his head and stood. “Neither Captain Quinn or Sheriff Cartwright are here to verify or deny these claims.”

“Granted.” Judge Delaney leaned forward on a bench that dwarfed her petite frame. “Mr. Tilley, you have said nothing that would make me believe for a moment Ms. Quinn is an unfit mother. Has she neglected Bobby?”

“Ma’am, on Monday of this week, she allowed her son home alone with a babysitter after school while she met with Zachery Cartwright for a sexual liaison. My client feels this is the type of behavior that is the most destructive to his son. Especially, since he already has problems with authority.”

Tracy narrowed her eyes on Jake, not sure which made her angrier–that he knew about her and Zack, or that he would have the audacity to blame her for Bobby’s problems with authority.

“Your Honor.” Logan made his way around the table. “Whether or not my client met with Sheriff Cartwright isn’t the concern of this court. Mr. Tilley has brought up Ms. Quinn’s dating history. I’d like to bring up Mr. Parker’s. He has actively dated several women, whom he’s brought to his home while Bobby was there for overnight stays.” Logan paused and consulted his notes. Tracy glanced at Jake, who glared at her. “On July 16, Mr. Parker brought a Miss Jasmine Pritchett, a recently convicted Waco prostitute, to his home while his son was under his care. Ms. Quinn has never brought any of the men she’s dated home, nor has Bobby ever met any of them, except Sheriff Cartwright.”

“Is this true, Mr. Parker?” The judge turned her hard dark eyes on Jake.

Jake scowled at Logan.

“Answer the question, Mr. Parker.”

“Yes, but I didn’t know she was a hooker.”

Tracy raised a brow.

Logan smirked. “Interesting. When I spoke to Miss Pritchett, she related she told you her price before you brought her home from the bar. You told her she had to come to Colton with you because you had to pick your son up from your grandmother’s, who is ninety-one years old.”

“Objection.” Tilley stepped closer to the bench. “Hearsay.”

Judge Delaney sat back in her chair and sighed. “Granted. Mr. Cartwright, please refrain–” She stopped as the doors of the courtroom opened.

Tracy turned and gasped when Zack and Wyatt entered the courtroom. Both men were tall and handsome in their determined walks and set jaws. They removed their hats simultaneously, and Tracy suddenly felt like she was transported back a hundred years. Despite how handsome the Texas Ranger was, the sheriff outshined him.

“Sheriff Cartwright.” Judge Delaney didn’t hide her displeasure at having her court disrupted. “Please explain this disruption.”

“Your Honor,” Zack said as he and Wyatt stopped beside Tracy’s table. “May we approach the bench?”

“This had better be good.”

“I object to this,” Tilley whined with his hands gesturing. “This is highly irregular, considering Ms. Quinn is having an illicit affair with the sheriff.”

* * * *

Zack shot Tilley through with a glare. The lawyer looked like a weasel. Zack walked to the judge’s bench. Martha leaned forward with impatience thinning her lips into a tight line, which did nothing to hide her multitude of wrinkles.

“Alright, Zack, what the heck is going on?”

Zack cleared his throat and spoke in a low tone. “I just wanted to make sure you know Jake Parker is our prime suspect in the rustling that’s been going on. We’re here to take him in for questioning.”

Martha sat back with her eyes wide. Not much surprised her anymore, but obviously, this did. “Well, now, that certainly throws a wrench into the fan. Alright, Zack, Wyatt, do what you need to.” As they stepped away, she said, “Mr. Cartwright, Mr. Tilley, approach the bench, please.”

Zack ignored his brother’s questioning look and Tracy’s wide eyes as he headed toward Jake. While Martha informed the lawyers of what was going on, Zack and Wyatt stopped before Jake. His jaw was set and beads of sweat formed on his brow. Jake’s hazel eyes were two cold amber stones as he glowered up at Zack. “What the hell is going on?”

Wyatt leaned forward with his hands on the table. “We’d like to ask you some questions regarding your whereabouts last Friday night into Saturday morning. We’d also be interested in you telling us about just how you got that cut on your hand.”

Jake shifted his eyes from Zack to Wyatt and a bead of sweat ran down the side of his temple. If he hadn’t known Jake since they were kids, Zack would have chocked it up to the custody case. Jake stood and glanced at the lawyer, who came to stand beside him.

Zack unlocked his back teeth. “You can come with us on your own, or we can take you in by force. The choice is yours.”

Jake shrugged. “I have nothing to hide, but I want my lawyer there. Mr. Tilley?”

The way the lawyer’s eyes widened was almost comical, but he covered his surprise with puffing out his chest and nodding. “I agree. My client has nothing to hide.”