Texas Outlaw (Rory Yates #2) - James Patterson Page 0,65

says, “is our girl okay?”

“You really want to know?” I ask. “The more you know, the more trouble you could get into.”

“I was mad before,” she says, “but Tom’s right. Helping her was the right thing to do. There’s no way she killed that roustabout Skip Barnes, may he rest in peace. It doesn’t make a bit of sense why she would.”

As she talks, she goes to the oven and pulls out a tray of warmed sopapillas. She places them on the table with a jar of honey.

“To tell you the truth,” she says, “I think I was more upset that y’all went behind my back. Y’all didn’t include me. I wish there was something I could do to help Ariana, too.”

I swallow my bite and tell her there is something she can do. “I was going to ask Tom, but if you’re willing, you two can do it together.”

I explain that I need to go to the station and pretend like I’m working with Chief Harris. Business as usual. But I need someone to go up and down the street that Ariana lives on—the same one Tom and Jessica live on—and ask the neighbors if they saw anything suspicious the day Skip Barnes was shot.

“Someone stole Ariana’s rifle, killed Skip with it, and then returned the gun. I need to find a witness who spotted something unusual going on. A strange car in front of her house. A person walking to the door or going around back. Something. Anything to go on.”

I suggest they do it together, but Tom says that he has something he wants to look into at the office.

“What?” I ask.

“I don’t want to say yet,” he says. “It’s probably nothing. Just a wild idea. But if Jessica can handle canvassing the neighborhood, I’d like to do some digging.”

I tell Jessica that if anyone from the police department asks what she’s doing, she should tell them that she’s acting of her own volition, trying to understand what Ariana was arrested for.

“Don’t say I sent you,” I say. “It’s for your own protection. If I end up getting arrested for all this, the last thing I want is for you two to get into any trouble.”

When we’re finished talking, I thank Jessica for the meal—delicious as always—and, more importantly, for her help.

“I’m sorry to get you two involved in this,” I say, “but there’s something rotten in this town, and I’m going to find out what it is.”

“You better,” Jessica says. “We’re in it now, too. There’s a lot more on the line than just your badge, Rory.”

Chapter 70

“YOU’RE LATE,” HARRIS says when I walk into the police station.

He’s standing at the front counter, waiting for me. When I open my mouth to make an excuse as to why I’m arriving to work at almost noon, he cuts me off.

“You’re out, Rory. Pack up your things and get out of my police station.”

“What?”

All of the employees in the station are staring at us. Harris is relishing this. If he was going to try to kick me off the case, he could have done it in his office. He wanted an audience.

“I talked to the Rangers,” Harris says. “You’re off the case. They’re sending in someone to replace you.”

My stomach sinks. So this is how McCormack—or whoever is behind all this—is going to take me out of the equation. They killed Skip Barnes. They framed Ariana for murder. But me? They simply had Harris call the Rangers and complain.

It makes the most sense, actually. If they killed me, the full power of the Texas Rangers would descend onto this little town. But now they will only have to contend with one Ranger, someone who might wrap up the case quicker.

“You’re making a mistake, Chief.”

“The only mistake I made was ever allowing you into my town in the first place. You’ve been stirring up trouble since you got here.”

I shouldn’t say what I’m about to, but I want everyone in this station to hear it.

“I wasn’t sure if you were in on it, Chief. Not until now. You should be in that jail cell over there instead of wearing a badge.”

“Listen here, Yates,” Harris says, approaching me and staring me down. His muscles bulge in his tight uniform. “I want you out of this town by sundown. I don’t ever want to see you again.”

I say nothing, just let my stare do the talking for me. But it’s not working. He’s not intimidated. He’s got me. Or at least