Atonement by B.J. Daniels

Author:B.J. Daniels
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HQN
Published: 2013-09-10T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

BILLY WESTFALL? WAS it possible he was the father of Pam’s baby? As it was, Frank suspected Billy as being Pam’s accomplice the night he was attacked, so it didn’t seem that far-fetched.

Nettie had known Billy since he was a boy. He’d always been an arrogant little snot, especially when he’d worked as a deputy at the county sheriff’s department. He’d been too good-looking for his own good and had played on that. After Billy quit and Frank wouldn’t let him back as a deputy, Billy had opened Westfall Investigations in downtown Big Timber, over a Western-clothing store.

Nettie found the door marked Westfall Investigations and stepped through to find herself at the bottom of a flight of steep stairs. Her years of working the store and being on her feet had kept her in shape.

She was only a little winded by the time she reached the top of the creaking stairs. The steps continued on up another flight to what apparently were apartments. From the landing, she stepped into a small space that opened on a hallway. There were four offices with doors in the hallway. All but one was empty, and that one was only a few short steps off the landing.

Westfall Investigations faced the main street. She didn’t bother to knock, just tried the knob. When it turned in her hand, she pushed and stepped in.

Billy was asleep in his chair, head thrown back, mouth open, his boots on his nearly empty large metal desk. The office was sparsely furnished. Other than the used metal desk and the old oak office chair Billy was sleeping in, there was a tall gray metal file cabinet that had seen better days, and two orange plastic chairs for clients.

On one wall, there was a large framed photograph of Billy in his sheriff’s deputy uniform up in the Crazies. Nettie stared at it for a moment before turning away in disgust at the smug look on Billy’s face.

He hadn’t moved since she’d entered the room. Other than his breathing, the only sound in the room was from the old metal blinds. A spring breeze coming through the open window behind him had the blinds tapping gently on the glass in a soothing rhythm.

Nettie let go of the old wooden door. The breeze caught it, just as she knew it would. It slammed with a resounding bang.

At the boom of the slamming door, Billy let out a snort and almost went over backward through the large window behind him. He jerked up, his boots hitting the floor with a thud. He blinked, saw her and scowled. “What do you want?” he demanded.

“Are you this rude with all your clients?”

Billy sat up straighter. “My clients call for an appointment.”

She smiled at that. “Well, if you’d prefer to get back to your nap.” She turned toward the door.

“Since you’re already here...”

She smiled to herself before she turned back to him. Word around town had been that if Billy’s new profession didn’t pan

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