smooth stone at Cyril’s head, and Dena slid off the rock and snatched up the knife. Cyril let out a cry and grabbed at his head, the rifle wavered in his other hand. Dena moved behind him and held the knife poised at his throat. Zeke moved to the front and grabbed for the rifle.
“Move and I’ll plunge this knife into you…you murderous bastard,” Dena said. She stepped closer, and held the tip of the knife blade to Cyril’s neck. Her voice was cold and her hand didn’t shake.
Zeke pulled the rifle from Cyril’s hand. Blood ran down the old guy’s forehead and he sank to his knees on the rocky trail. It had been a perfect shot to the temple. Good for Zeke, all that high school sport had paid off.
The voices grew louder, calling for Dena.
“Over here,” she yelled back.
Within minutes, Deputy Ortiz and a couple of Sheriff’s deputies arrived. Stanton panted up the trail several moments later, and amidst exasperated glares at Dena and Zeke, he handcuffed Cyril and led him away.
Zeke pulled Dena tight to his chest. Neither one spoke for a moment, just held on tight.
“I love you,” he whispered into her hair.
“And I love you. Now let’s go and find your horse.”
Zeke put two fingers in his mouth and whistled, and they heard the clop of hooves as José came back around the bend.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Early the following morning, Dena sighed and poured another cup of coffee. They all sat at the table on the long back verandah of the hacienda.
“I’ll never get over the beauty of the desert,” Dena said, appreciating the latest shade of bluish-purple that colored the mountains. She thought this one might be her favorite.
Irma bustled about, still in shock, although she’d insisted on making everyone brunch. There were newspapers spread everywhere, and a small television played in the background. Debbie and Rachel came through the house, calling out to everyone and carrying more food.
Once everyone had settled back down, Rocky looked over at Zeke. “Will you rebuild the casita?”
“Yes, in some way,” Zeke said. “Sit down, Irma, you don’t look too good.”
“I should look good?” Irma’s dark eyes flashed as she waved her arms around. Then she picked up a bowl, and a wooden spoon, and stirred. “I come to work…casita is burned…everyone almost get killed…I learn Cyril was Isabella’s lover for many years…he is blackmailer…murderer.” She sat on the edge of a chair and shuddered. “I should look good?”
Manny laughed. “Mama, you forgot the good stuff, Zeke and Dena are in love.”
“Really?” Rachel asked.
“Told you so,” Debbie said, and grinned.
Manny looked from one woman to the other, and then shook his head. “Stanton told me I’m no longer under suspicion.”
“Gambling,” Irma said, and rapped his hand with the wooden spoon.
“Ouch.” Manny sucked at his knuckles.
“But why Cyril kill the two women?” Irma asked.
Rocky sighed heavily, and then lifted his bandaged leg down off the cushion. “Cyril was married. Then his wife died a couple of years ago, which I always thought was under suspicious circumstances, and he wanted to marry Isabella and merge both farms.”
“Yes,” Dena said. “Then he started to blackmail her—”
“Because she turned him down,” Rocky said. “She confessed her affair to me and swore me to secrecy.”
“But the young women?” Irma asked again.
“I was working at the church fair. Carli bought some necklaces and we flirted and talked. Some months later I met her again. It was just coming on summer, and Cyril was with me. He wanted an introduction.”
“And you did that?” Dena asked softly.
Rocky nodded. “I didn’t really know Carli, but we talked on the phone. She liked to tease, call me Bobby. It wasn’t until they discovered Susie’s body that I remembered Cyril said that Carli reminded him of Isabella. I aligned myself with him. Pretended I was willing to switch camps.”
“Then I came along and made a mess of things?” Dena asked.
“Not a mess,” Rocky said. “You blew things out of the water. Cyril got scared. I worried that you’d be harmed before I could prove anything, so I tried to run you out of town.”
“What was the thing with my telephone number?” Zeke asked.
“Stanton thinks Cyril put the slip of paper with your number in the women’s clothing before he buried them to cast suspicion. I convinced him you’d sell and I’d run the place. I figured that would keep Dena safe for a while, but I was wrong.”
Zeke looked across the table, smiled and raised an eyebrow. Dena smiled back,