Page 59 of Reckoning with the Cowboy
Josie sat down on the edge of the bed. “We’ve avoided mentioning him all night, but he’s been there the whole time. I need to call Amy Sue to make sure she’s all right.” The call went straight to voicemail. She left a message and started to put away her phone when she saw a message from Goldie.
“This wasn’t what either of us hoped for,” Cordell was saying.
“I need to check this.” Goldie wouldn’t have reached out unless it was important. Her heart sank as she read the words. “Shane and Goldie have eloped to Vegas!”
She had to sit down, but as she did, she realized she was still holding the folded sheet of paper. “This is for you.”
He took it but didn’t unfold it. “How about I hang on to this for another time? I’m going to call Max. We might be able to drop off this bottle with the state police lab here in Billings.”
* * *
AmySue wouldn’thave been surprised to find the farmhouse burned to the ground when she finally reached home. She burst out crying when she saw that everything looked exactly the same—except that the motorcycle was no longer parked out front.
She’d been afraid he would be here waiting for her. When she’d walked out of the chapel, he might have thought he still had a chance. But once she cut off his money, he’d obviously gotten the message. At least she hoped that was true.
Turning her phone back on, she listened to a series of messages pleading with her to tell him what was wrong. Then the messages got angrier and meaner. She didn’t have the heart to hear any more and deleted all of them.
She saw that her sister had called numerous times, but only left one message.I’m worried about you. Please just let me know that you’re all right.
Inside the house, she looked around, surprised how empty and cold it felt. Upstairs, her room looked exactly as she’d left it. She’d thought Shane might have returned to leave her something disgusting to remember him by. But if he’d been here, he hadn’t bothered to leave a note. Why would he? There really wasn’t anything he could say.
At the sound of a vehicle, she looked out to see the sheriff drive up in his patrol SUV. Her heart dropped as she watched him climb out, looking like a man bringing bad news. Suddenly everything her sister had tried to warn her about came rushing back. What if Shane had killed Josie?
Amy Sue raced down the stairs and had just pushed out the door onto the porch when Max reached the steps. “Is it Josie?”
He looked surprised, then said quickly, “She’s all right. She didn’t drink any of the wine Shane had tampered with. It was poisoned, though. Lab said rat poison. Probably got his hands on it out here on the farm.”
Rat poison? Josie’s wine? She dropped into a porch chair and put her head in her hands as the sheriff told her how Cordell had noticed that the bottle had been tampered with and had called him and Max had instructed him to take it to the crime lab.
She felt all the pieces drop, one after another, as she recalled Shane mentioning something about Cordell taking Josie to Billings for the weekend. Josie had thought someone had gotten into her office. Amy Sue remembered seeing her sister’s overnight bag by the door when she’d stopped by. Shane must have had her keys copied the time he used her car.
“We have a BOLO out on Shane,” Max continued. “I’d advise you not to have any contact with him. If you hear from him, let me know.”
She raised her head, nodded and said, “I don’t think I’ll be hearing from him.”
“I’m sorry, Amy Sue. Will you be all right out here by yourself?”
“I’ll be fine, Sheriff.” But she could tell that he didn’t like leaving her alone.
“I heard around town that Shane was taking you to Vegas to get married.” He looked down at his boots before looking up at her. “Did you—”
“No. There is nothing legally binding between us, if that’s what you’re asking. I didn’t go through with it. I’ve already canceled my credit cards and frozen my bank account.”
He nodded, looking relieved, but also embarrassed for her. “Call me if you need anything.”
“Thanks.” She looked down and realized she was still wearing the ring Shane had given her that she was pretty sure she’d paid for. She slipped it off her finger, tempted to throw it as far as she could. Instead, she slipped it in her pocket. Their grandmother had taught them not to waste money.
She watched Max drive away before she pulled out her phone and called her sister.
After cutting theirtrip short, Cordell had dropped Josie off at her office. As she was unlocking the door, she’d seen Clancy Roberts, who asked if she knew that Amy Sue had gone to Vegas to get married.
“She’s not back?” Josie asked.
“Not that I know of,” Clancy said, “but someone thought they saw Shane on his bike headed south.”
As her phone rang, Josie excused herself and opened her office door, stepping inside before she checked the call. Seeing it was her sister, she quickly picked up. “Amy Sue, are you all right?”
“I’m fine. I’m home. Alone.”
