Taming a Texas Devil - Katie Lane Page 0,51
trailer. When she climbed through the opening into the field, she discovered fresh tire marks in the red mud. She took numerous pictures with her phone’s camera before she called for Lincoln.
“Someone obviously didn’t want to be seen coming in the front gate,” Lincoln said as he examined the tire tracks. He stood and smiled at her. “Good job, Deputy.”
The praise made Dixie feel a little giddy. She couldn’t help the swagger in her step when they headed back to the opening in the fence. “Now all we need to do is figure out the motive. Why would someone what to burn down the Dailys’ trailer? And with Cheyenne in it?”
“My guess is that they didn’t know Cheyenne was in it. She should’ve been at school.” Lincoln held the fence back so she could get through and she did the same when she got to the other side. He bent to follow and grimaced.
“You did hurt your back, didn’t you?” she said.
He ducked through the hole in the fence. “I’m sure it’s just a strained muscle. It will be fine.”
As they searched around the back of the Dailys’ trailer, she couldn’t help asking, “You don’t think this has anything to do with Sam Sweeney, do you?”
“Unlikely. I doubt the Dailys even knew Sam. Cheyenne’s grandmother lived clear out here and Cal had probably already moved to Abilene by then. But it’s a good question to ask Cal when he gets home.”
Cal arrived only minutes later. He looked completely stunned when he got out of his truck and saw the shell of his mother’s house. Cheyenne had gone over to the neighbor’s trailer with Queenie, but she must have been watching for her father because she came running out and hugged him. Cal hugged her back and tucked his face into her shoulder—no doubt hiding his tears. The sight just about broke Dixie’s heart.
“Those poor folks. They have been through so much in the last year,” she said. “Now they’ve lost their home.”
“It could’ve been worse. Cal could’ve lost Cheyenne. Things can be replaced. People can’t.”
She glanced over at him and her heart broke even more. She had always known Lincoln was a strong man. She just hadn’t known how strong until she found out about his childhood. He was the definition of a survivor. He had survived the loss of both parents and child abuse and had still become a good man.
A good man Dixie had accused of murder.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m sorry I didn’t trust you.”
He glanced over at her. “Don’t apologize, Dixie. You were right to suspect me. I am a prime suspect. And just because I gave you a sob story doesn’t mean you should let me off the hook. Good law officers never let their emotions get in the way of doing their job.”
“Are you saying I shouldn’t trust you?”
“That’s what a good deputy would do until she knows for a fact that I’m not guilty.”
“I know for a fact you’re not guilty, Lincoln.”
“How’s that?”
“No murderer would climb up a tree to save a cat.”
He shook his head. “That had nothing to do with that crazy cat. It had to do with me not wanting you to break your fool neck.”
“My point exactly. I’ve given you plenty of reasons to want me gone, and yet you were still worried about me.”
His dark eyes stared back at her from the shadow of his Stetson. “You’ve kinda grown on me, Deputy.” Before she could get a little misty-eyed over his declaration, he took out his phone and made a call. “Hey, Val . . . yeah, I’m good. Listen, I have a big favor to ask. I know you said you don’t have any rooms available at the boardinghouse until the end of April. But I was wondering if you would be willing to rent out the room you write in . . . yeah, the garden room. Cal and Cheyenne Daily’s trailer burned down and they need a place to stay for a while.” He paused. “You sure?” A smile lit his face. “Thanks, man. I owe you.”
Dixie didn’t even wait for him to hang up before she started asking questions. “What did he say? Can they rent a room?”
“No.” When her face fell, he tapped her on the nose. “Val and Reba are going to let the Dailys stay in their cottage for free while they take the garden room.”
Dixie was so happy that she did something very unprofessional.
She hugged a Texas Ranger.
Surprisingly, he let