Authors: Paige Cameron
“It was so easy. Everyone running around putting out the fire I started and they blamed on some innocent teenagers.”
His harsh laugh grated on her nerves. “It was you?”
Peter bowed. “I take all the credit.”
Anger had her lunging at him. Her nails scraped the side of his face, and she shoved him back. His wild laughter made him look demented. “We might have planned this together, dear Cassie.” He turned the gun and shot himself in the shoulder.
Stunned, Cassie jumped back, expecting him to shoot her next.
Instead, he shoved the gun in her hands and ran out the door screaming, “She shot me. Cassie tried to kill me.” Near the bottom of the steps, he tumbled to the ground.
Cassie stood at the top of the stairs staring horrified as the policeman looked up at her still holding the gun. The next few hours were like being in a terrifying dream. The first police on the scene called for backup. Her gun was taken for evidence, and she was handcuffed and driven to the jail.
They’d loaded Peter into an ambulance. Between his moaning and groaning he’d managed to tell them repeatedly that she had called and asked him to meet her. When he came, she had shot him.
As they had loaded her into the police car, Cassie remembered her address book open on her table to his name and number. He’d planned his revenge well.
“Sorry to have to do this, Miss Venitia. But the evidence backs up his claim.” The sheriff put her in a cell and took off the handcuffs. “I’ll call Lang and Nick to let them know what’s going on.”
He walked out of the cell and locked the entry. “Lang had just left about thirty minutes earlier. He’d been guarding your building all night. That’s why I had police close by. He asked us to keep an eye on you and your place.”
Sheriff Willis shook his head. “They’re not going to be happy with what I have to tell them.” He left the holding area and shut the connecting door.
All alone, Cassie sank onto the cot and put her head in her hands. What was she going to do? How could she ever prove her innocence? She started shaking and wasn’t able to stop.
I’m so cold and scared.
Will Lang and Nick believe me? If they can’t or won’t help me, I may go to prison.
* * * *
Lang had grabbed a quick cup of coffee and was headed to the barn for his horse, when his cell rang. “She’s what? You must be mistaken.” He listened to the sheriff’s explanation.
“I don’t believe it.”
“I don’t either, Lang,” Sheriff Willis said. “But the evidence fits all that he said.”
“Can I bond her out?”
“If Judge Ricter will see her this morning, we might be able to arrange it. She’ll be your responsibility.”
“I accept that. Nick and I will be with her at all times.”
“All right. I’ll call the judge and see what he says.”
Lang ran back to the house where Nick was getting ready for work. He found Nick in the kitchen.
“Cassie has been arrested for shooting Peter Illingsworth. I knew the man I saw looked familiar. It was him. I realized it as soon as I heard the name.”
“How did it happen? And what makes them think she shot him?”
Lang repeated the news Sheriff Willis gave him. “It doesn’t look good.”
“You said it was her gun?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“She looked for it the other day. It wasn’t in the drawer where she kept it. We figured the kids that set the fire might have hung around and stole the gun during all the confusion. Nick shook his head. “Damn. I knew that didn’t seem right. Nothing of value was taken. But then we got busy going to the ranch for her blood donation and it slipped our minds. Damn, damn, it’s my fault. We ought to have reported the gun stolen immediately.”
“You can tell the judge. The sheriff is trying to arrange a hearing this morning. I’ll call Daren and Mitch and tell them where we’ll be. Let’s get to town.”
Sheriff Willis put his phone down as Lang and Nick came in the door. “That was the judge. The hearing’s in an hour. I guess you want to see Cassie?”
“We sure do,” Nick said.
They found her huddled on the cot, pale and shaky. The sheriff opened the door, and Nick and Lang rushed inside. Nick picked her up in his arms and sat on the cot with her.
Lang brushed his hand across her head. “It’s all right, honey. We’re going to get you out of here.”
“Short of shooting our way out like the old-time cowboys did, I don’t see much hope.” She gave them a wry smile.
“Nothing so drastic,” Nick said. “But we would, if necessary. Sheriff Willis has arranged a hearing for you in less than an hour. We’ll bond you out, but you have to accept we’ll be responsible for you.”
“I guess I can bear it.” She tried to joke again.
“That’s our girl. Keep up your spirits.”
“Tell us exactly what happened.” Lang sat down beside her and Nick. “We need to know everything you’ve been holding back.”
Cassie wiped her eyes and told them of her relationship with Peter, her fears, and how she’d hoped to free herself of him before getting too involved with them.
“Why the hell didn’t you say something to us?” Nick snapped, then took a deep breath. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound angry. To be honest, I am a little. That night at the restaurant was the time to tell me.”
Cassie looked at him directly. “He was your friend. Would you have believed me? No one else had, not the police or his family.”
“Enough recriminations. We go from here,” Lang said. He didn’t intend to let Nick and her get into whys. It was unproductive.
“I had my address book open to his name to call him. I was going to ask for a meeting in a public place and try to get him to understand and quit stalking and threatening me.” She glanced at Lang. “I know, it was a stupid idea.”
“Not stupid. You were hoping he’d be a reasonable man, but he hadn’t been before, and he would never have been with you. My guess is he ended his other relationships on his terms. When you left, you became his obsession.”
Nick nodded in agreement. “And he is good at hiding his real persona. I’ve met him a number of times with different women. I’d never have suspected him capable of this.” He took Cassie’s hand and kissed it. “I want to think I’d have believed you. But I’m not certain I would have, at least not immediately.”
“Sheriff Willis said you guarded my place and me last night,” Cassie said, turning to Lang.
“I saw a man looking at the shop the other morning. I couldn’t place him, but something about his intense scrutiny concerned me. Nick and I decided we’d take turns each night covering your place and the sheriff agreed to up his patrols in your area during the day.”
“He must have seen you leave and taken his chance,” Nick said.
“Yeah, guess none of us were smart enough to stop his insane plan.”
Cassie bowed her head. “No one will believe he shot himself and set this all up. He has money, the best lawyers—” Cassie jumped out of Nick’s arms and stood. “I know a very good lawyer. My friend in New Mexico. I’ll give you his name. If anyone can find a way to help us, he can. Give me something to write on.”
Lang frowned. He didn’t like the idea that she had someone else she’d readily call for help. Reluctantly, he handed her a pen and a card from his pocket. “Who is this friend?”
Cassie hugged him. “You and Nick don’t have to be jealous. We were never more than friends. He told me to come back home three years before I finally did.”
“You took a long time taking his advice,” Lang said.
“He tried to warn me I was going in the wrong direction. I should have listened. If I had, I’d have never met Peter. Let me give you his name and number. Talk to him. See what you think.”
“You say he’s a lawyer? Where does he work?” Lang was still skeptical about this guy and his relationship to Cassie.
“He doesn’t anymore, not as an attorney. He has a small cottage outside a tiny town. His work is creating beautiful objects of art.”
“Cassie, you need someone actively involved with the judicial system. Well known and current in recent cases and the law,” Lang said.
“Oh, he’s well known. He still takes a few special cases. He’s Caedmon Quinlain. I call him Cad.”
“The Quinlain? He’s considered the best in the country. They say he cuts off his opponents at the knees with his elegance in the courtroom.” Nick stared at her. “You must be mistaken.”
“He didn’t tell me how good he was. I guess he’s the one you mentioned. All I know is I trust him.”
Lang took the name and number she’d written and tried to ignore the bitterness trying to swell inside him. He resented the easy way she had said she trusted the man.
“You have his number memorized?” Nick spoke up.
Lang saw the same concern in Nick’s eyes. They weren’t either one happy about this turn of events.
“Cad insisted. He said if I didn’t go home, that sooner or later I’d need him. I wonder how he knew. He is very aware, psychic, sort of like Rae. He reminds me of her.”
Sheriff Willis came back to the holding area. “Time for us to leave for court. Sorry, Cassie, but these cuffs have to go back on and Lang and Nick must leave.”
Lang and Nick left the cell. “We’ll be in court,” Lang said. He held up the small card. “Meanwhile, I’ll call your friend.”
In the truck, Lang opened his cell and punched in the numbers Cassie had written. “Let’s see if she was right about this guy.”
The phone rang four times, when a man finally answered. “Quinlain here.”
“Is this Mr. Caedmon Quinlain, the attorney?”
“Who wants to know?”
“Cassie Venitia is in trouble.”
“And you are?”
“Lang Connor.”
“Ah, yes. She mentioned you and a Nick Kenric.”
“He’s right here beside me.”
“She must have gone home. How did you two let her get into trouble?”
“It took her three years to get here.”
“Tell me where to meet you.”
“No problem. But do you have jurisdiction to work in Wyoming?”
“Yes. I’m attuned to her and sensed she was headed for trouble. I applied for my license in Wyoming not long after she left New Mexico.”
“We’ll send the company jet to bring you to us. Give me your address.” Quinlain told Lang where the nearest airport was located where they could land a jet. “The pilot will call you when he’s an hour out,” Lang said.
“See you soon.” Quinlain hung up the phone.
“He must be a man of few words, like you,” Nick commented as Lang drove toward the courthouse.
“He is. We’ll have him here by tonight.”
“And he is the attorney?”
“Evidently so. But I’m going to check him online and see what he looks like. He’d better match his picture.”
The court hearing was short. Judge Ricter looked sternly down at Cassie. “If I agree to bond you out, you’ll be under the supervision of Mr. Connor and Mr. Kenric. They’re taking responsibility for you and paying the bond.”
“I agree, Your Honor.”