Texas Tall - Janet Dailey Page 0,25

heard the radio alert on the biker who’d robbed the convenience store. He thought he was facing a criminal who’d already shot one person.” She shook her head, more emotional than Drummond had ever seen her. “What if it had been the robber? He could’ve killed Will and found Erin in the truck. Anything could’ve happened.”

“According to this report, the man had surrendered his gun.”

“But he had a knife, raised to throw. Clay, this case should never go to trial. It was self-defense, pure and simple.”

Drummond exhaled, feeling for her but mindful of his own dilemma. “For now, that will be up to the judge at the inquest. If the ruling is self-defense, Will’s trouble will be over.” But mine will just be starting, he thought.

“I heard there might be a jury,” Tori said.

“So did I. But evidently that’s not going to happen.”

“You’ve probably guessed that I’ll be representing Will.” Tori had pulled herself together, speaking calmly now. “I’m doing it because he’s Erin’s father, and she needs him. But even more important, Will is innocent.”

Drummond nodded his understanding. “What can I really do for you, Tori? The last thing I want is to hurt you and your daughter.”

“You can find out what’s driving Abner and why he’d be so determined to punish a man for doing what any father would.”

Maybe Stella’s got something on Abner, too, Drummond thought. But I’ll be damned if I’m going to ask him. “I’ll look into it,” he lied. “If I learn anything, I’ll call you.”

“Thanks.” She stood. “You’ve always been a friend, Clay. I know you have a job to do. But I hope you’ll at least keep me informed—and, of course, share any new evidence with me as the attorney for the defense.”

He watched her walk out, admiring her leggy stride and the way her slacks clung to her shapely hips. Tori was a magnificent woman and a longtime friend. She’d made a good case for her ex-husband’s innocence. But given what Drummond was facing, none of that could be allowed to matter. Whatever happened, he had to save himself from ruin. He had to make sure Will Tyler went to prison.

* * *

A cold wind almost blasted Tori off her feet as she stepped out of the county building. Autumn-bright leaves were flying off their branches in a storm of reds and golds. To the northwest, muddy-looking clouds were roiling in over the caprock. The forecasted norther was moving in fast.

Clutching her blazer around her, Tori raced across the parking lot to the old red pickup she’d borrowed from the ranch while her wagon was in the shop. Flinging herself into the driver’s seat, she grabbed for the door, which the wind had blown open, and yanked it shut.

For a moment she sat still, catching her breath and thinking about her meeting with Clay Drummond. In the nearly six years she’d worked as Clay’s law partner, he’d never been anything but honest and fair with her. She knew his wife, Louise, and his three children—one in college now, the other two in high school. She’d even had dinner in their home. Even though they were on opposite sides of the legal process now, she’d always believed she could trust the man. But today he’d seemed uncomfortable, as if he couldn’t wait for her to leave. When she’d argued in favor of Will’s innocence, she could’ve sworn she’d seen the man squirm. What was even more disquieting, he’d kept breaking eye contact while she was talking to him, which wasn’t like Clay at all.

Something wasn’t right. And she owed it to her client—to Will—to find out what it was.

Will.

How many times had she relived that encounter in the hall outside Erin’s room? If she’d made one more move, where would she be right now? She’d seen the hunger in Will’s eyes and felt the heat rising between them. The urge to reach down and touch the sash on his old bathrobe had been almost overpowering. One tug at the loose knot would have been enough to push them over the edge. But Will had saved them both. He had kissed her hand and walked away, leaving her weak-kneed and quivering in her silk nightgown.

Time to put the whole incident out of her mind and get on with her day. It wouldn’t happen again. She wouldn’t give it a chance. Neither, evidently, would Will.

She was fishing her keys out of her purse when her cell phone rang. It was Drew. “Hi,” she said,