Rough Edges by Jannifer Hoffman

Author:Jannifer Hoffman [Hoffman, Jannifer]
Format: epub
Published: 2010-02-13T06:59:28+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Even though Dirk knew it was standard policy to question every person even remotely involved in a murder case, it still irritated him when Rick Gunderson spent Friday morning at the ranch grilling his employees, his father, his nanny, and even Megan. The one placating element was Gunderson showing up rather than Sanford.

At eleven thirty, Gunderson, hobbling with a noticeable limp, approached Dirk for the second time. Dirk, working out his aggression cleaning stalls, stopped to lean on his pitchfork while the sheriff flipped through his notes.

"It seems to me," Gunderson said, "nobody around here cared too much for your wife."

Dirk grunted. "You knew her. Did you like her?"

"Well, you got me there," Gunderson replied, chuckling.

"Gloria was a master alienator." Dirk kicked a chunk of manure from his boot. "Now that you have a list of people on the Rocking T who didn't like her, I hope you're planning to look farther than this ranch for your answers. What's the story on Edwards?"

"No sign of him."

"How the hell can a person just disappear?" Gunderson scratched his balding head. "Pretty easy if you're hiding out—or dead. I was hoping you could give me some information on him"

Dirk snorted. "I never saw the man until the day Gloria dropped the kids off."

201

Rough Edges

by Jannifer Hoffman

"It's in the record that Megan said he was her father."

"Yeah, well, that's what she was told. I'm not so sure I believe it."

Gunderson's brows rose. "You have a valid reason to say that?"

"No, but I was married to the woman for six years. She never mentioned a man named Edwards."

"Well, he's our prime suspect, but I still have to investigate other avenues."

"Let me ask you, Rick—am I a suspect?" Gunderson's gaunt face took on a serious frown. "Until this thing is solved everybody's a suspect. Close as they can tell, Gloria died exactly three weeks ago today between nine p.m. and one a.m. Her body was found forty-five minutes from here. The math would work, but since it was before your nanny arrived, I doubt you're the type of man who'd leave his kids at home alone while he goes out to hunt down and murder his wife ... but on the other hand—" Dirk stabbed his pitchfork into the hard ground at his feet.

"I have a fucking record," he finished for Gunderson.

* * * *

Saturday morning at breakfast, Dirk looked around at his kids and realized they were being too well behaved. Even Julia was more quiet than usual. It seemed an aura of gloom hung over the house. Between the memorial and Gunderson's visit, it had him in its grip too.

"Who wants to go riding today?" he asked. Jason and Megan gave a synchronized, "I do." 202

Rough Edges

by Jannifer Hoffman

Christa, on the other hand pulled a pout. "I'm afraid to ride by myself."

Dirk gave her reassuring smile. "You can ride with me, honey bun."

"Is Anna going too?" she asked.

"I don't know," Dirk said looking at Julia. "How about it Julia? I think you've ridden

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.