Gunsmoke in the grasslan.., p.1
Gunsmoke in the Grassland, page 1
He hated to take away the shine in her eyes and steal the laughter from her lips.
“My afternoons will be solely devoted to trying to solve your father’s murder.”
Just as he expected, a veil of shadows darkened her eyes and her lips turned downward in sadness. She reached out and placed a hand on his forearm, and he could swear he felt the heat of her hand through his long-sleeved shirt. “Jacob, I really hope you can do it,” she said.
“I’m going to do my best. I will probably bring you and your brothers in for official interviews in the next few days,” he said.
She nodded. “Anytime, any day, I’ll be available and I’m sure my brothers will be as well.”
“I just wanted to give you a heads-up about it.”
“Thank you, and I appreciate it. Anything I can do to help. Anything at all, I’m there.”
GUNSMOKE IN THE GRASSLAND
New York Times Bestselling Author
Carla Cassidy
Carla Cassidy is an award-winning, New York Times bestselling author who has written over 170 books, including 150 for Harlequin. She has won the Centennial Award from Romance Writers of America. Most recently she won the 2019 Write Touch Readers’ Award for her Harlequin Intrigue title Desperate Strangers. Carla believes the only thing better than curling up with a good book is sitting down at the computer with a good story to write.
Books by Carla Cassidy
Harlequin Intrigue
Kings of Coyote Creek
Closing in on the Cowboy
Revenge on the Ranch
Gunsmoke in the Grassland
Desperate Strangers
Desperate Intentions
Desperate Measures
Stalked in the Night
Stalker in the Shadows
Scene of the Crime
Scene of the Crime: Deadman’s Bluff
Scene of the Crime: Return to Bachelor Moon
Scene of the Crime: Return to Mystic Lake
Scene of the Crime: Baton Rouge
Scene of the Crime: Killer Cove
Scene of the Crime: Who Killed Shelly Sinclair?
Scene of the Crime: Means and Motive
Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Jacob Black—The detective has come home and his sole desire is to solve Big John King’s murder, until danger moves in around Ashley. Can he keep her alive long enough to find out the truth about her father’s killer?
Ashley King—She’s determined to find the truth about her father’s murder, but she didn’t count on somebody wanting to kill her.
Brandi Stevens—She’s thrilled that Jacob is back in town, but will she resort to murder to gain Jacob’s heart?
Leroy Hicks—Had the investigation into the murder moved so close to him that he’d kill Ashley?
Caleb King—Had Ashley’s troubled younger brother done the unthinkable and killed his father?
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Epilogue
Excerp from Cold Case Suspect by Kayla Perrin
Chapter One
Ashley King used a large pair of scissors to trim the long grass that encroached on her father’s headstone in the Coyote Creek cemetery. It had been almost four months since “Big John” King had been murdered while standing in his driveway. He’d been shot twice in the chest and the crime still hadn’t been solved.
“I miss you, Daddy,” she said and sat back on her haunches with a deep sigh. Every day for the last six years, since she’d moved out of the family home at the age of twenty-one and into town, her father had called her each morning.
His deep voice would boom over the phone as he asked, “How’s my baby girl?” and they would talk about anything and everything for fifteen or twenty minutes or so.
Lordy, but she missed those morning phone calls. She’d give anything to have just one more call from him, one where she’d be sure and tell him just how very much she loved him.
She sucked in a deep breath in an effort to stanch the tears that threatened to fall. He’d been her hero. He’d taken her to her dance lessons once a week for six years and had attended every one of her recitals and every one of her school events.
He’d held her in his big, strong arms when she’d been twelve years old and heartbroken, and Ron Ellers had told her he didn’t want her as a girlfriend. Her father had made her laugh by telling her most twelve-year-old boys were extremely dumb and one day Ron would be sorry.
He had been there to celebrate every success and counsel her when life gave her a swift kick in the behind. And now he was gone—gone forever.
She clipped a few more errant blades of grass and then finally got to her feet and brushed off the back of her slacks. It was time for her to get to her shop and open up for the day.
As she walked through the Coyote Creek cemetery to where her car was parked, she couldn’t help but notice again how pretty, how utterly peaceful, it was here. There was a pool of water in the center of the area with a small fountain feature. Benches ringed the pool, encouraging people to sit and reflect or grieve.
There were trees scattered all around the cemetery, including a huge, beautiful weeping willow that somehow seemed appropriate in this place of grief.
She tried to visit here a couple of times a week, as her grief and sense of loss were still a huge part of her life. She tried to stay strong for her mother, but there were some days it was difficult for her to stay strong for anyone.
She reached her car and got inside. She immediately started the engine and turned on the air conditioner to combat the hot early July heat. Summers in Coyote Creek, Kansas, could be miserably hot and humid.
Things would be so much easier on her, on her entire family, if they knew why Big John had been murdered. She wanted to know who had killed him, but more importantly, she wanted to know why.
She knew what her brothers thought. At the time of his murder, Big John had been running for mayor of the small town of Coyote Creek. Everyone in town had believed he was a shoo-in for the position. Her brothers believed the man running against him, Wayne Bridges, might have been behind the crime. Ashley wasn’t sure what to believe. Two of her brothers also had a suspicion about another person, but they were tiptoeing around talking about that particular person.
As she headed back toward town, she pushed all the thoughts of murder out of her mind. Instead, she focused on her business, called Bling and Things. It was work that had kept her sane through the grief of her father’s untimely death.
In three days, the whole town would celebrate the Fourth of July. All the stores would be having sidewalk sales and other vendors would sell their wares along Main Street. There would be food and drinks, along with a big carnival, and the night would end with a huge fireworks display. The newly elected mayor, Stella Black, had promised a day of fun with activities for the whole family.
She was looking forward to the festivities and hoping her three brothers and her mother would enjoy the day without any grief to weigh them down. They all deserved a day off from their sorrow.
Coyote Creek had a main drag about three blocks long. Her shop was smack-dab in the middle. It was located in a long two-story building that also housed the police department and a tattoo shop.
As she parked in front of her place of business, her heart expanded with pride. Bling and Things was the culmination of planning and saving and dreaming for years, and after almost two years of it being open, it was already far more profitable than she had ever dreamed it would be.
She got out of her car and unlocked the glass front door of the shop. She flipped on the lights and then turned the Closed sign to Open.
Along one wall was the cash register and a display case, while the opposite wall held a rack with chic and trendy clothing. In between the two outer walls were three aisles of various beautiful and fun items for sale. The air inside smelled delicious from a display of candles and soaps.
When she’d first moved into town from the family ranch, she’d rented a house several blocks away from the store, but a little over a month ago she’d moved into the apartment above her store.
It had always been her intention to live upstairs in the building, but the place had needed a lot of renovation before she could move in. Now it was a beautiful, homey two-bedroom apartment and she loved it.
Carrying her purse to the back room, she hoped to be able to ring up some nice sales today. She’d bought extra inventory for the Fourth of July day sale and at the moment it filled up her back room, with boxes piled high.
While she was in the back, the bell tinkled over the front door, letting her know somebody had walked into the shop. When she headed back onto the sales floor, a tall man stood before one of the shelves. He had his back to her, and a fine back it was. His broad shoulders tapered down to a slim waist, a nice butt and long legs.
She was vaguely surprised. Male customers were generally few and far betwe
He turned around to face her. “Jacob,” she said on a gasp of stunned surprise.
“Hi, Ashley,” he replied with a warm smile. “Long time no see.”
“It has really been a long time,” she replied, still shocked to see him.
The last time Ashley had seen Jacob Black, he’d been eighteen years old. At that time, she’d been almost eleven years old and had a mad crush on the handsome teenager.
However, Jacob had left the small town of Coyote Creek after he’d graduated from high school and the last she’d heard he was working as a police officer in Kansas City, Missouri.
The teenager she’d known was now thirty-four years old and the years had only made him more attractive. His sculpted features had matured, his dark hair was cut short and his eyes were a sharp emerald green. He was definitely a piece of hunky eye candy.
“I didn’t know you were back in town,” she said.
“I got in late last night,” he replied.
She could smell him now, a wonderful scent of minty soap and a spicy cologne that evoked a bit of warmth in the pit of her stomach. He wore black dress slacks and a short-sleeved silver-gray button-down shirt.
“Are you here to stay or just visiting?” she asked.
“I’m here to stay,” he replied.
“Are you staying at Stella’s?” she asked. Stella Black was Jacob’s mother and owned the ranch next to the King ranch. When Ashley had been growing up, Jacob and his sister, Chelsea, were often at the King place, hanging out.
“For now,” he said. “Eventually, I intend to find my own place here in town. I heard you had this shop from my mother.” He looked around and then returned his gaze to her. “It’s a beautiful store, Ashley. You must be very proud of yourself.”
“Thank you, I am,” she admitted. “It’s taken a lot of hard work and scrimping and saving, but this shop has become my own little piece of heaven.”
“I’m sure Big John was very proud of you, too. I was really sorry to hear about his death,” he said.
“You mean his murder,” she replied and an arrow of anguish shot straight through her.
“Ashley, I was shocked to hear about his murder. How is your family all doing?” he asked with obvious sympathy.
“Johnny and Luke are still angry that we have no answers,” she said, naming her two older brothers. “Mom is still deeply grieving and who knows about Caleb.” Caleb was her younger brother, somebody who concerned her day and night. “I have to say the most difficult thing about Dad’s murder is not knowing the who and the why of it.”
“Well, I was just on my way to the police station for an interview with Chief Caldwell.” Lane Caldwell was the Coyote Creek chief of police. “If Lane hires me on, then maybe a fresh set of eyes on the investigation into your father’s murder will bring some answers,” he replied.
“Oh, Jacob, that would definitely help all of us heal.” She took a step toward him.
“There’s nothing I’d like more than to catch the person responsible. I cared about Big John. When I was growing up, he was like the father I didn’t have,” he said.
“I know.” She smiled at him. “I remember how often you hung out at my place and would have long, deep discussions with him.”
He returned her smile. Oh, he had a beautiful smile. “And I remember a certain little tomboy sneaking around all the corners eavesdropping on us whenever she got the chance.”
She laughed. “Don’t embarrass me by reminding me of that. I realize now I was a pesky little kid.”
He also laughed and then sobered. His gaze held hers intently for a long moment and once again a rivulet of pleasant warmth swept through her.
“The first thing I need to do right now is get the job.” He looked at his watch. “And on that note, I’d better get next door for my interview. It would not make a good impression to be late.”
“Lane would be a fool not to hire you, whether you’re late or not,” she replied.
He laughed once again. It was a pleasant sound, deep and full-bodied. “Then let’s hope he isn’t a fool. Ashley, it’s good to see you again.”
He took several steps toward her and then pulled her into him for a bit of an awkward hug. He held her only a moment and then released her.
“You, too,” she replied. Even though the hug had been clumsy, it had felt incredibly good to be held, if just for a few seconds. He had such broad shoulders and big arms, and she hadn’t been held by any man since her father’s murder.
“I’m sure I’ll be seeing lots of you now that I’m back in town,” he said as he walked back toward the front door.
“That would be nice. Good luck on the interview, Jacob,” she said and then he was gone, and seemed to take all the energy of the shop with him.
She walked to the chair behind the cash register and sank down. Jacob had certainly grown up to be one handsome man. Definitely, every single woman in town would be after him. Even though he had quickened her heart rate a bit, he probably still thought of her as the pesky kid who had chased him all around the King ranch whenever he was there.
It would be wonderful if he really could finally solve the case of Big John’s murder. It was the only thing that might help heal her broken heart, the only thing that might help her family heal...and the only thing that would make her feel whole again.
* * *
JACOB LEFT ASHLEY’S shop with his head full of a dozen thoughts. The little girl who had driven him half-crazy whenever he’d visited the King ranch had grown up to be a stunningly beautiful woman.
Her long dark hair looked silky and rich, and was a perfect foil for her bright blue eyes. She’d been wearing a pair of black slacks that had hugged tight to her long legs. Her blouse was a sleeveless light blue that had showcased her slim waist and medium-sized breasts.
Yes, she’d grown up to be a beautiful woman, and when he’d briefly hugged her, he’d smelled the alluring scent of fresh wildflowers with just a hint of vanilla. He’d found it very attractive.
He quickly emptied his mind of all thoughts of her as he walked into the police station next door. He’d had a few email exchanges with the chief of police, but hadn’t met the man in person. He knew Lane Caldwell had been the chief for about fifteen years. He’d been elected to his position the year after Jacob had left town.
The first person he encountered was a gray-haired woman who was sitting behind the receptionist desk. Her sharp brown eyes gave him a once-over and she had on a name tag that identified her as Willie Wright. “Can I help you?” she asked.
“I have an appointment with Chief Lane Caldwell. My name is Jacob Black,” he said.
“Ah, yes. He’s ready for you. He’s the first door on your right.” She buzzed him through the security door and he entered a long hallway.
The first door on the right was closed, so Jacob knocked and heard a deep voice bid him entry. He opened the door and walked into the office. A tall, slender man with thinning brown hair and pale blue eyes stood from behind the desk. Jacob walked to the man and held out his hand. “Jacob Black,” he said.
“Lane Caldwell. It’s nice to finally meet you in person, Jacob. Please have a seat.” He gestured to the chair in front of the desk and Jacob sat. Lane smiled at him. “From what I understand it’s been a long time since you have been in town. Have you had a chance to look around?”
“Not much,” Jacob admitted. “But from what little I’ve seen it looks good and like it’s thriving, and I saw a lot of new storefronts, which is always a good sign in a small town.”
“The town is definitely thriving,” Lane agreed. “And lately crime here has been thriving as well.” For just a moment, the chief looked tired and his pale blue eyes appeared sad.
He seemed to pull himself together and smiled once again. “I’ve read the résumé you sent to me and I have to say I was quite impressed. My question is why are you giving up your position as a decorated detective on the Kansas City police force to come to work here?”
For just a brief moment Jacob’s head filled with the sounds of squealing tires, gunfire and a woman’s cries. A whisper of anguish swept through him and he consciously shoved it aside, along with the memories of that one tragic night.
