Out For Justice. Susan Kearney

inhalation.”

      Doc sat in a rocker and lit his pipe. “I assure you, he didn’t suffer any pain.”

      “You could tell that from the autopsy?” Wade asked.

      “Yes.”

      Kelly twisted her hands in her lap, noticed what she was doing and then grasped one hand firmly in the other. “I don’t see how Andrew could have fallen asleep at his desk. When I spoke to him at midnight, he was wide awake and excited and told me he was working on something interesting.”

      “Did he say what?” Wade asked.

      “No.” She focused on he doctor. “What else did the autopsy reveal?”

      Doc puffed on his pipe and blew out a ring of smoke. “Nasty habit. Don’t ever start. Smoking causes cancer, you know.”

      He took his pipe from his mouth and pursed his lips, eyeing her with a scowl. “I didn’t want to mention this at the funeral, and I’m not supposed to tell you this now, but Andrew didn’t die from the fire.”

      “He didn’t?”

      “He died from a bullet to his head.”

      “Oh…my…God.” Kelly turned white. “Andrew was murdered?”

      Chapter Two

      Murdered?

      Kelly’s suspicion had proven correct. Still, having her hunch confirmed proved a shock. Her nerves jerked as if a bomb had gone off and rattled her to the core. At first she feared she might faint, but then, with an inner fortitude, she inhaled a deep breath, squared her sagging shoulders and looked Doc straight in the eyes, listening to his explanation.

      “A bullet indicates Andrew’s death was an accident, suicide or murder,” Doc told them bluntly.

      Wade defended his friend. “It wasn’t an accident. Andrew didn’t keep a gun in the office and he certainly didn’t kill himself.”

      “Why was this kept a secret?” Kelly demanded with unconcealed bitterness. She might have turned white but she hadn’t fainted and her brain was working perfectly as the question burst from her.

      “Sheriff Wilson wanted me to keep the particulars quiet while he investigated.”

      “Is this the usual procedure?”

      “No, but it’s not that unusual, either. If the shooter thinks we’ve attributed Andrew’s death to the fire he started, to cover up the shooting, then the sheriff might have a better chance of catching the killer.”

      “That may be so.” Kelly stood, trembling with shock and indignation, wishing she hadn’t been so wrapped up in her grief, that she’d followed up on her suspicions sooner. “But he had no right to keep this from our family. I’d say the sheriff has some explaining to do. Thanks for the information, Doc.”

      “Anytime. And be careful. I don’t want anything happening to you.”

      “I’ll be fine.”

      “I’ll make sure she stays that way.” Wade shook Doc Swenson’s hand and walked down the steps with her. She half expected Wade to try to talk her out of going to the sheriff, but he remained quiet.

      “What are you thinking?” she asked him.

      “I was making a mental list of all the people we should talk to.”

      “We?”

      “I’m not letting you do this alone.”

      “I appreciate your wanting to look after me, but…”

      He looped his arm through hers. “It’s not necessary?”

      “I’m not sure about that.” She wasn’t going to turn down help from any quarter. Wade could be useful. He knew about a side of Andrew that her brother had sheltered her from. He also heard things at the saloon that might be handy. On the other hand, he was big and strong, and she didn’t trust herself around Wade. Years ago she’d had a schoolgirl crush on him, but hadn’t even considered there could be anything between them since her parents had clearly disapproved of Wade.

      She trusted her parents’ judgment, so she really didn’t like the effect he had on her now. She liked the way he’d looped his arm through hers. She liked his intention to follow through on his promise to her brother. And she liked the concerned look in his eyes. Mix that with his flat-out determination to stick with her, and the man was downright irresistible. Yet never once in all the years she’d known him had he indicated even a smidgen of interest in her beyond as his friend’s kid sister.

      Considering her interest in him, she should keep her distance. He was all wrong for her. Yet she owed it to her brother to seek justice and, to be fair, she’d have a better chance of success if she accepted Wade’s help. Although she’d lived in Mustang Valley all her life, he knew people that she didn’t.

      As long as he proved helpful, she’d let him stick around. But if he interfered, tried to dissuade her or tried to take over, she’d dump him so fast his head would spin. Satisfied with her plan, she picked up her pace.

      Just to keep him from getting too familiar, she removed her arm from his. His touch might be gentlemanly and brotherly, but she didn’t relish the way she reacted to him. “Andrew was murdered. If I start poking my nose in where it doesn’t belong, the wrong person might notice.”

      “I’m glad you’re going to be reasonable.”

      She bristled. “I’m always reasonable.”

      “I’m sure that’s true—from your perspective.”

      “What’s that supposed to mean?”

      He didn’t answer, which infuriated her. Sometimes she had the feeling they came from not just different parts of town but different planets. Maybe that was why he’d always fascinated her. He was so different from the college guys she’d dated.

      Wade’s voice remained soft but was threaded with steel. “Just so we’re agreed. When you go talk to the sheriff, we go together.”

      She nodded. “Who else is on your mental list?”

      “The short list? The fire chief. Andrew’s associates at Lambert & Church. Debbie West. And Mitch, the deputy I told you about.”

      “I vote we start with the sheriff. But I have to meet Cara for lunch.” Kelly checked her watch. “Why don’t I meet you at the sheriff’s station at two?”

      “What? You don’t want to invite me to do lunch?”

      She rolled her eyes skyward. “You wouldn’t be interested in our girl talk.”

      “You’d be surprised what interests me.”

      She waved him down the street. “Go away, Wade.” Knowing from experience that there was no faster way to discourage his company, she added, “Besides lunch, I have some shopping to do.”

      OVER TUNA SALADS and Dr. Peppers in Dot’s sandwich shop, Kelly filled Cara in, recapping her conversation with Doc about her brother’s murder and Wade’s offer to help figure out what had happened. The high-backed booth gave them some privacy, but Kelly kept her voice down below the croon of a Garth Brooks song over the speaker system, well aware that in small towns like Mustang Valley gossip traveled faster than e-mail.

      “So Wade and I are talking to Sheriff Wilson next,” Kelly told Cara, pleased with her progress and more determined than ever to keep asking questions.

      Cara snapped a bread stick and swirled it in her dressing. “Back up. Slow down. What’s with the Wade-and-me stuff?”

      “He offered to help. I accepted.”

      “This is Cara you’re talking to, sweetie.” Cara crunched down on the bread stick and swallowed. “I happen to know you’ve had