Badge and a Saddle (Heroes in the Saddle Book 2) by Randi Alexander

Author:Randi Alexander [Alexander, Randi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-05-08T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Rex slowed Merle as he came around the back of the barn, stopping about twenty yards away. Tying the horse to a tree, he patted his withers. Merle’s breath was labored, but he couldn’t help that today. “Quiet, boy. I’ll be back for you, and I’ll bring an extra carrot.” The horse closed his eyes as Rex took the rifle and bullets and ran to the barn. Looking in the window, he waited for any movement.

Nothing.

He opened the padlock on the back door into the tack room and checked the building for any life.

Nothing.

Looking through a crack in the front door, he spotted a gray sedan that had to be from the police motor pool. Who was it?

Movement on the porch caught his eye. Bennet stood leaning against the post rail, talking like he always did, but this time, using his hands to punctuate his story. The sheriff was gesturing that way to warn Rex that something wasn’t right.

“What the hell is going on?” He watched for a few seconds.

One of the rocking chairs moved, the man sitting in it leaning forward and…laughing? “Bennet, what are you doing?” Rex mumbled the words as he exited the back of the barn and circled around the far side of the house. He slid along the building until he could hear voices.

Sontag? His partner? Now things were feeling itchy, like a pair of new jeans. He checked the rifle, then strolled around the side of the house.

Bennet and Sontag spotted him.

“Hey, glad you’re back.” Bennet gestured to Sontag. “Your partner here stopped by to say howdy.”

Rex came up behind Bennet, noticing the pistol tucked into the back of his belt.

Sontag stood, his military-cut brown hair giving him the air of authority, while his short, paunchy body mass ruined the effect. “Rex. I was in the neighborhood.” The guy gave a laugh that was well short of genuine. He wore an old brown jacket that gaped to show his holstered pistol.

Leaning on the porch rail at the foot of the steps, Rex set his rifle butt on the ground, keeping the weapon in hand. “What are you doing down this way?” He succeeded in making it sound conversational, not confrontational.

“I have to go to Austin for a parole hearing on one of my old cases.” Sontag sounded convincing.

There were too many unanswered questions, though. “How did you know I would be here?”

“Captain mentioned you were taking some leave time. I took a chance and swung by.” The other man glanced down the driveway toward the road.

Sontag was not the kind of partner Rex confided in, and definitely not the type who’d drive an hour off the freeway to see him. Was Sontag here purely out of curiosity to see if Mina was on the ranch, or had somebody gotten to his partner, and sent him on ahead to scout out the situation?

Bennet looked at Rex. “Offered him some sweet tea, but he just wanted to use the bathroom.”

That told Rex that Sontag had been inside, scouring the house for signs of Mina.

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