Cowboy Truth: Cowboy Justice Association #3 (34 page)

Dave hung up and Logan tried to get his mind back on the search. He couldn’t let the discovery of a gun distract him from what he’d come to do. It might not even be the actual murder weapon.

It was time to finally put the vigilante behind bars, but he would need the ballistics before he could make the final determination. One thing he knew for sure, he couldn’t face any of the Brysons today at a social gathering. The next time he saw one of them, it would be with an arrest warrant.

Logan pulled his cell from his pocket and sent a text to Ava.

New evidence. I’ll tell you about it later. Not going to the funeral.

*   *   *   *

Wade fucking hated funerals.

A bunch of people he hadn’t seen or talked to in years, gathering together to create some grand illusion about someone who was now worm food. The parasitic assholes would suck down the free food and booze before heading out, not to be seen again until the next poor bastard kicked the bucket.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. “It’s a good turnout, isn’t it?”

His little brother Lyle was standing there, his eyes bloodshot as if he’d been crying.

“It is. George was loved.” Lyle nodded in agreement, either not hearing or not understanding Wade’s irony. Uncle George was a slime who had sucked at the tit of the Bryson wealth for years. Wade’s father had been systematically paying George every year to keep his mouth shut. It was the only thing George had ever done well in his entire life. He’d kept secrets and protected Bill Bryson.

“You should check on Mary. All this has been hard on her.” Wade nodded to where Lyle’s wife was holding court with the other ‘ladies who lunch.’ Mary Hayworth Bryson hadn’t done a decent day’s work in her life. She was perfect for this family.

“You’re right, it has. I’m going to make this up to her when this is all over.” Lyle made a beeline for his wife and Wade went back to studying the mass of people who had taken over the living room of the estate house. Standing near the long dining room table, he could easily see out into the living room and also into the backyard.

It looked like everyone in town had shown up for the funeral and now the after party. Everyone except Logan. Wade had kept a watchful eye out for him but he was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps Logan had decided he didn’t want to be a Bryson.

Anger churned in Wade’s gut. Logan didn’t understand the lengths Wade had gone to making sure the Bryson family tree was purged of its evil. Bill Bryson had been a son of a bitch, beating his wife, cheating on her, and then finally pushing her off that balcony. He deserved to rot in the fiery depths of hell for all eternity.

It had been a surprise when Logan had questioned Wade about his mother’s death. His memories had been hazy about that day for so long, but had come into sharp relief the night of Lyle’s wedding. Overhearing his father talk to his uncle about being Logan’s father had shaken Wade to the core. He could have handled his father’s actions toward him, but what Bill Bryson had done to Logan had been unforgivable. Wade had been left with only one option. His father had to die for his crimes.

Out of the corner of Wade’s eye he saw Ava Hayworth chatting with his brother Aaron. A passably attractive brunette, she’d caught Logan’s fancy. Everyone in town knew she was helping him try and find the killer. If she was sleeping with Logan, she probably knew about the family dirt. Luckily Aaron and Lyle were also ignorant of the true extent of Bill Bryson’s crimes. Wade had done what he could to shelter them. He’d always tried to protect his younger siblings from the ugly side of life.

He took another swallow of bourbon, enjoying the heat as it traveled down his throat and into his stomach. Savoring a fine whiskey was something Uncle George had never mastered. He’d been a sloppy drunk who chased women and lacked self-control. He wouldn’t be missed. He’d brought nothing but shame to the family.

Wade’s pocket chimed and he ducked into a hallway and pulled out his cell hoping it was Logan with a good excuse as to why he wasn’t here with the rest of the family.

“Wade Bryson.”

“Oh, Mr. Bryson!” The shaken voice of his housekeeper came through the phone. “The sheriff is here and they’re searching the house! I didn’t want them to but they had a warrant. Please don’t be mad.”

Stone cold anger fisted in Wade’s chest at the intrusion. There was nothing to find, he’d made sure of that. But this meant Logan was closing in. If Wade were caught it would be all over. Killers, wife beaters, and pedophiles would be free to roam the streets, raping and murdering again and again. He couldn’t let that happen.

He gulped down the last of the whiskey and muttered some platitudes to Alice before striding over to where Ava was talking to Aaron. “Ava, do you know where Logan is? We expected him to be here.”

Something flickered in her eyes before she could hide it. She knew exactly where Logan was and what he was doing.

“He’s working, I’m afraid. He’s hoping to be here soon though.”

Lying bitch.

“That’s too bad,” Wade replied smoothly. “He’s so dedicated to his job. We’re lucky to have him as our sheriff.”

Aaron nodded in agreement. “He’s the best sheriff this town has ever had.”

“Wade! Aaron!” Lyle and Mary were hurrying toward them, their expressions stormy. Lyle was holding his cell in his hand. “Our neighbors just called. The police are at the house with a search warrant. Paul went over to ask them what they were doing and he saw it. Logan has deputies searching my house. He saw them carry out my gun in a plastic bag,” Lyle squeaked.

The words tumbled out of Lyle’s mouth in a rush. His face had gone completely white and Wade had to put a hand on his brother’s shoulder to hold him steady.

A black cloud of rage clouded Wade’s vision. It was one thing for Logan to come after him, but his baby brother? Lyle was completely innocent, as was Aaron. Wade knew what he needed to do.

Turning to Ava he asked, “I assume you knew what Logan was doing today?”

Color flooded her features but she lifted her chin in defiance. “Logan doesn’t tell me everything.”

“I doubt that.” He needed to make sure Ava stayed right where she was. He didn’t need her gumming up his plan. “Mary, it would appear your sister knew your home was going to be searched today. So much for family loyalty.”

Wade had seen Mary’s venom on one other occasion and this time was more of the same. Her face was purple with anger, her features twisted into something ugly. Her finger was wagging in front of Ava’s face almost jabbing her in the chest. Ava would be busy with Mary for quite awhile.

With everyone’s attention on the two women, Wade ducked into the hallway. The persecution of his family stopped today. He wouldn’t be swayed from his path of justice. It was Logan’s turn to die.

*   *   *   *

Logan climbed out of his truck and headed up the porch steps. It felt like the weight of the world was on his fucking shoulders. It would be a damn miracle, but he could only hope he had ballistics by tomorrow morning. If it was a match, Logan wouldn’t hesitate to arrest Lyle and bring all this shit to an end. If it didn’t…then they were back to the goddamn drawing board. They hadn’t found anything that would help them in Wade’s or Aaron’s homes.

Logan flipped open the mailbox and sifted through the envelopes as he unlocked his front door. Typical crap. Advertisements. A power bill. Logan grinned as he read a postcard telling him he’d already won a cruise for two. Sure. And he was George Clooney.

Tossing his keys onto the counter, he called for Ava. “Hey good girl! Are you home yet? Guess what we won?”

Without warning, what felt like a cannon ball hit the back of his skull, jarring his teeth and blurring his vision. Logan grunted as pain radiated through his head and down his spine. He reached instinctively for his gun but his arms felt heavy and uncoordinated. The room swimming before his eyes, his knees gave out, jarring every bone in his body as he slammed into the ground.

Black spots appeared before his eyes, and his last thought was that he prayed Ava wasn’t in the house.

Chapter Twenty-Six

L
ogan tried to lift his eyelids, a huge hammer pounding inside his head. He blinked several times, his vision slowly clearing. Awareness returned and the memory of being ambushed in his own house became sharp. He was sitting in a kitchen chair with his wrists cuffed behind his back. Wade was standing in front of the white board studying its contents.

Son of a fucking bitch.

Logan looked around but Ava was nowhere in sight. Thank God.

“Looking for your girlfriend, brother?” Wade turned around, a mocking smile on his face. “She’s very busy calming down her harridan sister who is more than a little upset that you had her home searched.”

Wade’s expression hardened. “Stay away from Lyle and Aaron. They have nothing to do with this. This is my calling. My legacy.”

Logan inwardly shook his head at the clusterfuck this entire situation had become. What a fucking waste of a life. Wade had a family, for God’s sake. Had he never given them even a thought? He’d watch his kids grow up on the other side of a glass partition, and that was a best case scenario. As a multiple murderer, Wade could be eligible for the death penalty.

Logan pulled at the handcuffs that encircled his wrists, his brain trying to make sense of everything. Wade had been a good friend. They’d grown apart in the last several years but people did that. With a wife and three kids, Wade hadn’t had much free time to hang out, drink, and watch sports.

I never really knew him.

Wade had managed to perpetrate these crimes, and Logan hadn’t, until recently, suspected his friend of being capable of such heinous actions. Did that make him stupid or simply loyal?

That was what was truly bothering him. It wasn’t that someone he knew was a killer. He’d put people he knew behind bars before. It was that he hadn’t known it was Wade. He’d been fooled. Blinded by a friendship that had been steadily fading over the years.

If Logan were honest, he and Wade had grown apart a long time ago. Hadn’t it been a surprise to be invited to be in Lyle’s wedding? All this was about Logan’s pride.

Behind his back, Logan began twisting the chain that attached the two bracelets. If Wade had restrained Logan with his own handcuffs, and he hoped that was the case, getting out of them shouldn’t be too difficult. They’d taught him how in the military years ago after all. Brand new cuffs were more difficult, but Logan’s had been used over and over. An expensive pair, the metal was harder and more brittle than the cheaper models and would, if locked together just right, break into two pieces.

Logan didn’t care if the chain snapped or the weld at the bracelet gave way, he just wanted free. The only thing he needed was enough time to lock up the links before Wade noticed what he was trying to do.

*   *   *   *

Logan knew the truth now.

But he didn’t know why. Not truly. Wade wanted to make Logan understand before he killed him. Everything Wade had done had been for good. For justice. Wade had been fighting the age old battle of good versus evil. And he was winning.

Logan swallowed hard, obviously aware he’d been beaten by a better man.

“I didn’t want it to be you.”

Wade hated to see the disillusionment in his friend’s eyes but it couldn’t be helped. There would always be innocent casualties in a war.

“You know now.”

“Did you do this alone?”

“Lyle and Aaron are innocent. You searched their homes like they were common criminals. That was wrong.”

“They didn’t know what you were doing?”

Wade laughed and sat down in a chair opposite Logan. “Hardly. They would never approve. But they didn’t see the things I saw. That’s why I have to do this. You’ll try and stop me. This has to be done, Logan. I’m doing what the justice system can’t. I’m making things right.”

A muscle ticked in Logan’s jaw and Wade instantly went on alert. His friend was in cop mode. The blood they shared was inconsequential. “Let’s talk about it then. I want to hear your side of the story.”

Wade loved Logan like a brother but he was a damn liar. He didn’t want to talk about it. He wanted to stop Wade’s righteous crusade. He felt a trickle of perspiration run down his back but inside he felt no fear.