One Night Standoff - By Delores Fossen Page 0,52

call the marshals in Abilene and get them started on a search warrant for his sister’s place,” Declan offered. He took out his phone, mumbled some profanity. “No signal in here.” He glanced around as if he might consider leaving, but then shook his head. “It can wait a few minutes until we hear what the doc has to say.”

Those few minutes passed slowly, and all of them kept watch just in case Quentin was still hanging around. No sign of him, though, and the doctor finally opened the door. One look at her face and Lenora knew that Lomax was gone.

Dr. Landry shook her head. “Honestly, I’m surprised he lasted as long as he did. I hope you got what you needed from him.”

“Maybe.” Clayton sounded cautiously hopeful.

Lenora knew how he felt. God only knew what was on the recording, but maybe it would indeed give them the name of the person who’d hired Lomax and his brother.

Clayton thanked Dr. Landry, and with Deputy Wells trailing along behind them, they started back down the hall. Still no sign of Quentin, but the moment they rounded the first corner, she saw someone else she didn’t want to see.

James.

As he usually did, Clayton tried to step in front of her, but Lenora maneuvered around him so she could face James down. “If you’re here to find out if I’m mentally competent, the answer’s yes, and I want you to back off. I no longer work for you, and I won’t have you meddling in my life.”

All in all, it was a warning without teeth. There wasn’t much she could do to get him to back off, but she was tired of staying silent while James tried to run roughshod over her.

“It’s not meddling.” James gave each of them a glance. “I’m here in an official capacity to question Peter Lomax.”

“Too late,” she told him. “He just died.”

If James had a reaction to that, Lenora didn’t see it. “Questioning him is just one reason I’m here.”

Mercy. She didn’t like the sound of that.

“You’re not putting Lenora in protective custody,” Clayton insisted.

“No.” And judging from the way his mouth tightened, James didn’t approve of it. “But the FBI is taking over this investigation. I plan to find Johnny Lomax and interrogate him until he breaks.”

Harlan cursed. “Under whose authority? Johnny Lomax isn’t a federal fugitive.”

“Doesn’t have to be if the local sheriff requests FBI assistance.”

Clayton glanced back at the deputy, who only shrugged. “Sheriff Geary called in the FBI?” Clayton asked James.

“He did. And I’m the lead agent assigned to the investigation.” James shoved his thumb against his own chest. “So, anything you learned from Peter Lomax, you’re to tell me now.”

None of them volunteered a thing, not even Deputy Wells.

“Fine,” James spat out. “Play all the games you want, but if you try to get any kind of search warrant or APB relevant to this case, I’ll have all your badges.”

With that warning, James pushed past them and headed up the hall, not in the direction of the exit, but straight toward Dr. Landry, who was outside the dead man’s door.

“Let’s go,” Clayton said, hurrying them out of there. He looked back at the deputy. “You might not want to hear what I’m about to do. Wouldn’t want you to get in trouble with Sheriff Geary.”

The deputy confirmed that with a nod and got out of there fast.

“Should I call and get that search warrant?” Harlan asked.

Clayton shook his head. “I’ll do it. I need to get that recording before the FBI does.” Because if James got it first, he might try to destroy it.

He took out his phone and made the call.

Chapter Fourteen

The restless energy inside her made her want to scream, but Lenora knew there was nothing she could do but wait in the ranch office for some hopefully good news. In Clayton’s case, along with the waiting, he was making calls and sending emails to try to speed things along.

It was a race against time, and Lenora prayed the Abilene police would get the search warrant for the recording before James got wind and stopped it. That recording could be the key to learning who was behind the attempts to kill them.

Of course, it could turn out to be nothing, too.

Lomax might have been lying when he gave them the info, but Lenora didn’t think so. She figured the man wouldn’t use his dying breath to lie, not when he could try to save his kid brother.

Clayton finished his