Kathleen Creighton
The Sheriff of Heartbreak County
A book in the Starrs of the West series, 2006
Dear Reader,
A few years back, in a book called An Order of Protection, I introduced a character named Mary Yancy LaVigne, a girl who falls for the wrong man, for all the wrong reasons-and for which sin she pays dearly by getting sent into lonely exile in the witness protection program. I knew even then that one day Mary Yancy would have her own story. Its taken me until now to find a man special enough to make it up to her for treating her so badly.
I hope youll agree with me that Sheriff Roan Harley is such a man, worthy of both the love of a courageous and beautiful woman, and of the awesome land that spawned him.
Come join Roan and Mary now, as they strive to find the happiness, peace and everlasting love they both deserve. Its a difficult quest, played out against a backdrop of majestic Rocky Mountains and wide Montana skies. Heres hoping Ive done both the story and its setting justice.
Warmest wishes,
Kathleen Creighton
FOR GARY,
Who brought the butterfly
that sits on my shoulder
Prologue
On Floridas Gulf Coast
The telephone was ringing. Joy opened her eyes and saw that it was morning. Beside her, Scott stirred, swore and stretched out an arm to pick up the bedside extension. He growled, Cavanaugh, then lay back to listen, responding from time to time with monosyllables, while Joy lay on her side and watched him, drinking in the newness and unimaginable sweetness of the miracle of him. Happiness lay on her like sunshine. Yancy was safe. And Scott loved her.
She thought, maybe my karmas finally changed.
Scott cradled the phone, lay back on the pillows and reached his arm around her to pull her close. That was Agent Harvey, he said.
About Yancy? Joy craned to look up at him. Have they finished questioning her? When can I see her?
Joy He enfolded her in his arms, and her heart began to thump against his chest.
Whats wrong? Scott? When can I see her?
His sigh lifted her like a boat on a swell. Sweetheart Im sorry. Im afraid thats not going to be possible.
Why? What-
Yancys going into the federal witness protection program, he said softly. Immediately. Shes a witness to the murder of the DelReys housekeeper and her husband. Plus, it seems Junior was really in love with her, and planned to marry her. He told her enough about the family business that shes never going to be safe as long as any of the DelReys or their organization are running around loose. Shes got no choice, sweetheart. Im sorry.
I cant Joy swallowed, pain rushing into her chest and throat. I cant evensay good-bye?
Scott shook his head, bumping her head with his chin. His voice was rusty with sympathy and compassion. Im afraid not. Shes already gone. They did it last night, right after she left you. Its done.
She was silent, weeping without shaking, without sobs. Scott held her, saying nothing, simply giving her his lovehis strength.
Chapter 1
Ten years later, in Montana
The body lay as it had fallen, arms outflung, eyes staring into the wide Montana sky fabled in story and song. Except for the hole in the center of his forehead the expression on the victims face was one familiar to all who knew him, an arrogant smirk that held no traces of fear or surprise.
Clearly, Jason Holbrook had not expected to die.
Not today, anyway, and for sure not like this, thought Roan Harley, duly elected sheriff of Hart County. Gunned down in his own driveway on a cool spring day like a mean and dangerous dog, which, come to think of it-and the sheriff knew he wasnt alone in this opinion-described the victim pretty well.
Tom, he said gently to the deputy breathing heavily over his right shoulder, if youre gonna puke, Id sure appreciate it if youd find someplace away from the crime scene.
No, Im good, Deputy Tom Daggett said, a little too quickly and breathlessly for the declaration to be entirely reassuring. He glanced over at Roan, blushing right up to the band of his Stetson. Its justIve never seen anybody shot dead before. Not like this. Itsdifferent, you know? There was an audible swallow.
Roan did know. To be truthful, he hadnt seen anybody shot dead before either, except for crime-scene photos in forensics classes hed taken in college and a few refresher courses after getting elected sheriff. And his deputy had it right-all the car wrecks, hunting accidents and bar fights in the world didnt do much to prepare a man for violent cold-blooded murder.
In that case, he said to Deputy Daggett, hunker on down here. Tell me what you see.
Frowning earnestly, the younger man squatted on his heels beside the body. Okay, uhyou got two- he coughed self-consciously. I mean, the victim appears to have been shot twice-once in the head, and then here, in the chest. Right in the heart, looks like. From the, uh, condition of the, uhthe size of the exit wound in the back of the headmaybe a.38?
More likely a.45, the sheriff said, nodding his approval. Okay, so what do you think happened here, Tom?
The deputy tilted the brim of his Stetson back and looked around, squinting in the bright morning sunshine. I dont know, seems pretty straightforward. Looks like the shooter was waiting for him when he came home. Ol Jase gets out of his truck, starts for the house, and bam. He shook his head, his enthusiasm returning with his confidence, now he was over the worst of it. The guy must have been right there in front of him-shot him in the chest first, then made good and sure with the head shot. Doubt Jase even saw it comin.
Roan shook his head. Oh, he saw it, all right. Just didnt believe it. And the head shot was first. He stood up and waited for the deputy to do the same. Look here-see this? He pointed to some spatters on the door of the brand-new white Chevy truck parked just beyond the body. Thats brain matter. So he was standing up when the bullet went through his skull. Then it went through the drivers-side window, right here, see? Slugs probably still in there, inside the cab. Were gonna want to find that. He glanced over at Deputy Daggett, who was looking a little green around the gills again, but controlling it manfully. Im thinking the shooter stood in front of him, face-to-face, like this- he demonstrated, arm outstretched -and shot him. From about three feet away.
The deputy looked doubtful. Hed have to be a helluva shot, wouldnt he, to drill him dead center in the forehead like that with a high-caliber handgun?
Yeah, or a lucky one. With a cool head and a steady hand.
Roan turned back to the body on the ground, his jaw tightening as he gazed down at what was left of Jason Edward Holbrook. Considering everything, he wondered why he wasnt taking this more personally. He ought to feel something for the death of the man who was very likely his half-brother.
But, except for a profound sense of outrage and insult that such a thing could have happened in his jurisdiction, on his watch, he didnt feel a thing. Not a damn thing.
Then, he went on grimly, the shooter stood over him and fired a second shot into his heart at point-blank range-see this here? Thats powder residue. Also, considering the back of the victims skull was blown off, the shooter had to know he was already stone-dead, but he put that second shot in him anyway.
The deputy gave a low whistle. Takes a whole lotta mad to do something like that.
Again Roan shook his head. Not mad, he corrected. Hate. This wasnt any crime of passion, not in the usual sense of that word. Whoever did this hated Jasons guts, pure and simple.
Well, Tom said, obviously pretty well recovered now from his former queasiness and sounding downright cheerful, thats not gonna narrow it down much. Then, belatedly recalling the unwritten rule against speaking ill of the dead, he threw Roan an abashed look and, blushing again, muttered an apology.
An unfortunate characteristic for a deputy sheriff, that blush, Roan thought. For the kids sake, he hoped hed grow out of it eventually-maybe by the time he started shaving regularly.
Tom Daggett was right, though, about there being no dearth of people who might have entertained the notion of taking a shot at Jason Holbrook, one time or another. But for some reason, nothing he could put a finger on, just a gut feeling, Roan didnt think this was going to be some jealous husband or boyfriend. Something about the killingfacing him like thatand then that second shot at point-blank rangethis was payback, was what it was. Vengeance.
And more than that: Whoever had meted it out to Jason Holbrook had wanted him to know beyond any shadow of a doubt who was killing him and what he was dying for.
Holding off the shiver that wanted to run down his spine, Sheriff Harley took his sunglasses out of his shirt pocket and slipped them on, then let his gaze sweep the area, taking in the long graveled driveway that slanted down through the pine trees from the paved road to the huge two-story log house Jasons dad had had built against the mountainside in the style of a Swiss chalet. He turned back to Daggett. No sign of a weapon?
Tom shook his head. Didnt see one in the immediate vicinity. Thought I oughta wait for you before I started looking.
Good call. Stay away from the truck, too. And the body, it goes without saying-at least until the coroner gets here. Wheres the school-bus driver that called it in?
She had a load of kids to deliver. I told her somebodyd be over there at the school later on to get her statement. UhSheriff? Roan nodded for him to proceed, and Daggett did, looking uncomfortable. You planning on calling in the state guys on this?
Already did, Roan said. Theyre on their way.
Then for a while he and the deputy just stood there, neither of them saying anything, both of them trying not to look at the body of Jason Holbrook cooling in a puddle of his blood, staring up at the blue Montana sky. It was a bright, beautiful spring morning, but Roan felt like a big black cloud was parked right over his head, the heaviness of it pressing down on him and the first rumblings of thunder already growling in the distance.
Sheriff? Tom looked over at him, uneasy again, thumbs in his hip pockets, kind of scuffing at the dirt with the toe of his boot. You gonna break the news to the senator?
Reflexively, Roan folded his arms on his chest. Hed been giving that some thought himself. Thats not something you want to hear over the phone, he said, shaking off guilt, wondering if he was being a little too eager to pass the buck. Talking to Senator Holbrook wasnt something he enjoyed doing even at the best of times. Which these sure as hell werent. Ill call the Washington PD, get them to send somebody to tell him in person.