Page 49 of Declan
Declan walked back out of the hallway to the elevator but decided to take the stairs. Once he reached the ground floor, he stepped out of the building to see it had gotten cloudy and it was starting to snow.
“Wonderful,” he muttered as he opened the back door of the SUV cruiser and Tank jumped in and laid down.
Declan closed the door, got in behind the steering wheel, started the vehicle and drove to the Hancock ranch.
A few minutes later, he pulled up to the farmhouse where Fred Hancock resided. Taking a deep breath, he stepped out,leaving the vehicle running with a window slightly down for Tank, then closed the door, climbed the steps, and knocked on the door. It opened and Fred Hancock grinned at him.
“Deputy Cavanaugh, what brings you out here?”
“Could we talk, Fred?”
“Of course. Come inside to get out of the cold.”
“Yes, sir.” Declan removed his hat, wiped his feet on the mat, then entered the warm kitchen.
“Would you like a cup of coffee, Deputy?”
“No, sir but thank you.”
“So, what can I do for you?”
“I’m afraid I have some bad news, Fred.”
“It’s about Frederick, isn’t it?”
“Yes, sir. I’m sorry, but he was killed by some prisoners.” Declan watched Fred Hancock go pale as shock set in.
Fred shook his head, as a tear rolled down his cheek. “It’s not like it surprises me. I don’t know where I went wrong with him.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong, Fred. We have no control over how someone turns out. No matter how well they were raised. I see it every day.”
“I know, but…” Fred shook his head. “Will you tell Maggie and Rafe, please? They’re either in the barn or at home.”
“Of course.” Declan walked toward the door, glancing back at Mr. Hancock. “You’ll be getting a phone call about what happens next. I’m sorry for your loss.”
Hancock nodded his head but didn’t say anything. Declan stepped outside, pulling the door closed behind him. Taking a deep breath, he headed for the barn. He entered it to see Maggie and Rafe standing in the middle of the aisle, kissing. He grinned when he saw Rafe’s hands move down her back to cup her ass. Declan cleared his throat, making them jump apart.
“Damn, Declan. I’m trying to have a minute with my fiancée and you’re spoiling it,” Rafe said as he strode toward him withhis hand outstretched and Declan shook it. “So, what are you doing out here?”
“I wanted to come by and let you know something,” Declan said, his voice low and serious as he moved into the dimly lit barn, the scent of hay and old wood hanging in the air.
“It better not be that Junior is out again,” Rafe replied, a hint of frustration in his voice as he leaned against a wooden beam.
“No. He’s dead,” Declan stated plainly.
“What? Does Fred know?” Maggie asked, her voice filled with shock, eyes wide as she stared at him.
“I just told him. He’s upset, which is understandable, but he also said it wasn’t a surprise to him,” Declan explained, his expression a mix of empathy and resignation.
“How?” Rafe asked, his brow furrowing in curiosity.
“A bunch of prisoners beat him to death. He got cocky with a convicted drug dealer, and they think he had him killed,” Declan shrugged, the weight of the news heavy in the air. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. He deserved it,” Maggie said, a steely resolve in her voice, her eyes hardening as she recalled past grievances.
“You okay, Rafe?” Declan asked, glancing at Rafe with concern.
“I’m fine. I can’t feel remorse about it. He tried to kill me. So, someone beat him to death. Karma.” Rafe replied, his voice steady and unwavering.
