Page 117 of Cowboy's Last Stand
He nodded his understanding.“I’ll pack my things.”
Tears filled her eyes again, but she didn’t back down.He was getting exactly what he deserved: her utter contempt.Her face crumpled as she gathered up her discarded lingerie.Then she left him sitting there, wishing he were dead.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Wade drove toLast Chance Trailer Park at 6:00a.m.
He’d been keeping an eye on Billy as much as possible.Wade cruised by his residence and checked his usual haunts often, but he couldn’t tail his brother, 24-7.Last night, after a cursory drive-by of Billy’s trailer, he’d gone home and slept like the dead.
According to the dispatch report, there had been an incident in the area.One of Billy’s neighbors had called to report a noise violation, possible firecrackers or M-80s, around 1:00a.m.The deputy on duty had visited the trailer park and found nothing amiss.He hadn’t bothered to knock on Billy’s door or even get out of his vehicle.Wade didn’t blame him for avoiding the hassle.No one wanted to deal with Billy Hendricks, Wade included.
Even so, Wade drove to his brother’s address at the start of his shift.Last Chance Trailer Park wasn’t the worst place to live in town—the apartments on Orange enjoyed that distinction.The trailers were well-maintained and spaced out along a meandering gravel road next to a wilderness area known as Lost Creek.
Wade pulled into a parking spot behind Billy’s truck and exited his squad car.The hair at the nape of his neck prickled as he approached the residence.The front door gaped open as if someone had left in a rush.Wade rested his right hand on his service revolver and listened.He heard only a whisper-soft sound like a faucet dripping.
He announced his presence as he crossed the threshold but got no response.He continued into the kitchen, where silent mayhem greeted him.His brother was face-down in a pool of blood on the scuffed linoleum floor.
Wade blinked several times as if to clear his vision.He inhaled a sharp breath and stood very still.He didn’t stumble forward, or cry out in shock, or flee the room in horror.He didn’t check his brother’s pulse because he knew a dead man when he saw one, and he knew better than to disturb a crime scene.He reacted professionally, which was stranger and sadder than reacting emotionally.
He backed out of the kitchen and checked the rest of the trailer for intruders.He didn’t expect to find anyone.Billy had probably been lying there for hours.Evidence of the previous evening’s festivities abounded.Vinyl records were scattered around the bedroom.The living room smelled like weed and cigarettes.A glass tumbler lay on the carpet with a faint lipstick mark at the rim.
Wade returned to the kitchen and forced himself to take a closer look at the body.No weapon was visible.The congealed blood around Billy’s head appeared dark, almost black.Delicate paw prints dotted the floor as if a curious feline had tracked through the mess.Wade noted shattered glass and spilled booze across the countertop.There were smears of blood and boot scuffs on the linoleum.
Wade returned to his squad car and surveyed the surroundings.He didn’t see signs of a break-in or any tire marks.The gravel driveway wouldn’t show them.In the field beyond the lot, a cat with white markings sat and licked its paws.Wade’s stomach turned at the sight.Billy hadn’t owned a cat, as far as he knew.He thought of his mother, an animal lover who collected strays of all types, and he had to close his eyes to collect himself.
He took a deep breath and made a mental list of Billy’s contacts.Who’d been partying with him last night?Who might have visited?Gabe Luna.The Stoddard brothers.Natalie’s babysitter and her hippie friend.
Jason Reed.
Wade had to consider Jason the prime suspect.He’d been involved in a physical altercation with Billy.Jason thought Billy had been following Natalie and threatening her.Billy might be a loose cannon, but Jason was a ticking time bomb waiting to detonate.What were the odds that the two of them had met and exploded?
Wade wouldn’t mind putting Jason Reed behind bars.He knew his father would go for it.As soon as the sheriff caught wind of this, all hell would break loose.He would go on a rampage.He loved his younger son unconditionally.He’d want to make someone pay.
The idea of being in lockstep with his father, just as Jason had accused, gave Wade pause.He had to tread carefully here.He had to follow evidence not impulse.He had to find Gabe Luna.
Wade didn’t report his brother’s body.He locked the front door and called another deputy to keep watch on the residence.Then he drove to Gabe’s house.His sister answered the door, her hair sleep-mussed, and said Gabe hadn’t come home the night before.She had no idea where he’d gone.They tried to track Gabe’s cell phone with no luck.Gabe had either grown wise to this strategy or ditched his device.Wade thanked her and moved on.He cruised up and down the streets of Last Chance with growing frustration.A spark of inspiration struck near Jensen’s Junkyard.Wade had responded to vandalism calls at the location several times.Teenagers liked to go there to blow off steam.
Wade entered the yard and drove along the rows of damaged vehicles.He spotted a dark-haired head ducking behind a rusted Chevy.
Bingo.
Wade accelerated, and the figure bolted.A tall kid in baggy pants cut across several rows, hurdling car hoods with surprising grace.Cursing under his breath, Wade parked his squad car and continued the pursuit on foot.He knew where Gabe was headed; a piece of broken fence offered the only exit.He jogged toward it and caught another glimpse of the kid as he dove toward the fence line.
Gabe was faster than Wade had figured.He’d almost wriggled through the hole in the chain link.Wade grabbed Gabe’s ankle and yanked it backward.Gabe’s thin arms flailed as he tried to scrabble away on the hard-packed dirt.Wade didn’t let go.He pulled Gabe free of the fence and dragged him across rough gravel.
“Police brutality,” Gabe panted.“I can’t breathe.”
Wade pinned his arms behind his back.“Why are you running?”
“Because you’re chasing me!”
“Are you going to stay down?”
Gabe nodded.
“I’m going to check your pockets.Do you have any sharps?”
“Fuck off,” Gabe said.Despite his impressive athletic display, he sounded winded and smelled drunk.
