Confessing to the Cowboy - By Carla Cassidy Page 0,54
wife left him.”
“Trouble in the marriage?” Cameron asked. Neighbors usually knew more about the couple next door than people realized.
“Nothing overt,” Ben replied. “No domestic abuse issues, friends and coworkers said that Thomas was a rather passionless kind of guy, hard to get to know, but nobody ever saw him lose his temper and he never spoke ill of Nancy after she left him.”
“Still waters run deep?” Cameron mused.
“Maybe, but if he’s been paid off as a hit man then he’s hidden the money well. He lives a simple life that hasn’t changed in the last couple of months. There’s been no unusual activity in his bank account.”
“But we both know money is easy to hide. Offshore accounts are fairly easy to set up. Hell, for all we know he has a stash underneath his mattress.”
“I heard you have Denver coming in for an interview.”
“I figured he was a good a place to start as any. He seems to have come into a bit of money lately. He lives alone on an isolated little piece of land and can pretty much come and go as he pleases. He doesn’t seem to have a legitimate job that I know about, so I figured maybe it’s time we need to have a talk.”
Ben nodded. “Denver’s an odd duck, lives alone on that little place his parents left him when they moved to Florida. The only real connection he’s ever had with anyone here in town has been Maddy Billings. They’ve been a couple off and on since they were teenagers.”
“Apparently he’s dating Lynette Shivers now,” Cameron replied.
One of Ben’s dark eyebrows rosse. “Hope it sticks, that Maddy Billings is bad news. Her and her high-falutin’ attitude. She’s been so nasty to so many people here in town she’s gonna have a problem finding anyone who might want to date her.”
Cameron gazed at the young handsome single deputy before him. “Maybe you should take her out, see if you can straighten out her attitude a little.”
Ben snorted. “Obviously you suffer a secret hatred of me even to consider such a thing. I’d rather stab myself in the eye with a fork than take Maddy Billings anywhere.”
Cameron laughed and at that moment Larry Brooks poked his head in the door to let him know that Denver had arrived and was waiting in the small interrogation room down the hall.
“Time to get to work,” Cameron said as he rose from his desk. “Hopefully by the end of this interview I’ll know if we can take Denver off our suspect list or move him straight up to the top.”
He and Ben parted ways in the hallway, Ben heading toward the front door of the office and Cameron to the interview room. The room was small, with a one-way window and held only a table and a couple of chairs. It was a typical interrogation room that was rarely used.
Denver sprawled in a chair like he was at home in front of his television, his big black winter jacket thrown over the chair next to him. “Hey, Sheriff,” he said easily as Cameron entered the room.
“‘Morning Denver.” Cameron eased down in the chair opposite the handsome, dark-haired man.
“You want to tell me what I’m doing here? I didn’t even have time for breakfast this morning. Was I seen jaywalking or maybe spitting on the sidewalk?”
Cameron ignored Denver’s attempt at levity. “Would you like a cup of coffee or something else to drink?” Cameron asked.
Denver shook his head and leaned forward in his chair, his easygoing smile falling from his lips. “I’d just like to get out of here. So, whatever you need to do, let’s get it done.”
“I want to talk to you about Jason McKnight.”
“Who?” Denver looked at him in apparent confusion.
“Jason McKnight, the man who paid you handsomely to terrorize Mary Mathis by killing off the women who work for her.” Cameron watched Denver’s features closely. “The man who’s pulling the strings behind all these murders.”
Denver slammed his back against the chair, his eyes widened in surprise. “What in the hell are you talking about? I don’t know any Jason whoever and I sure as hell have nothing to do with the murders. I loved those women who worked at the café. They were friends of mine.”
“Are you working, Denver? Nobody I’ve talked to around town seems to know exactly how you make a living.”
Denver’s eyes darkened slightly. “I raise a few cattle and have some crops. I get by okay.”