Cooper’s Redemption (Crimson Romance) Read Free Page A

as the last time he’d been in it. Bea had been so proud of the gaudy avocado-colored refrigerator Henry had bought her that she’d painted the kitchen to match.
    “I’m going to throw your ass in jail and see if that loosens your tongue,” Harper threatened.
    Cooper steeled himself. The loss of his freedom scared him more than he cared to admit. He had vowed to never be locked up again after he escaped his mother’s torture chamber. The wide open spaces and freedom had drawn him to ranching. Harper might try to trick him into a false admission of guilt, but Cooper would control himself at all costs. He forced his lips shut. He’d say or do nothing that would incriminate him.
    The door opened, and a gust of wind chilled the room. “What in God’s name is going on in here?”
    Cooper lifted his chin and met the horrified gaze of Elizabeth Adams. If she’d been terrified in the barn, she appeared even worse now. She looked like she’d seen an abomination. He guessed she wasn’t used to seeing a half-dressed man hog-tied to one of her kitchen chairs.
    Her eyes flashed and her pale cheeks turned bright pink. “I asked you a question, Deputy. Is this the way the police do business in this part of the country? If so, it’s no wonder you can’t find my mother.”
    Behind her stood Sheriff Pete Marlowe, his eyes cold under thick white eyebrows. His long legs covered the room in two strides. “Let him go, Harper. Now.”
    The deputy unlocked the handcuffs. “I found him standing over my brother’s body. I’m just trying to get an answer.”
    “By tying a man up like a dog? I’m sorry about Lyle, but this isn’t how I run things. I’ll deal with you later.” He turned to Cooper. “You all right?”
    Cooper nodded. He refrained from rolling his shoulders or rubbing his wrists. “You playing the good cop?”
    “Remarks like that’ll get you sitting in a cell faster than you can open that smart mouth again. Start from the beginning and tell me what happened here tonight.”
    Cooper glanced again at the coffee pot, but no one offered him any. He sagged back into the chair and tried to gather his thoughts. His gaze settled on the woman. She’d taken off her coat and hat. Her reddish-blond hair put him in mind of a summer sunset and her knockout figure could almost make him forget his aching body. For some reason it mattered she knew he hadn’t killed Pritchett.
    “Deputy, take Miss Adams in the other room until I come get you,” Sheriff Marlowe demanded.
    With one last glare at Cooper, Harper complied. The woman gave him a compassionate look before she was guided away.
    Cooper said, “I want an attorney.”
    • • •
    Elizabeth watched as Sheriff Marlowe settled himself on the sofa. “I’d like to hear your version of what went on here tonight.”
    She nodded. “A strange man — the dead one — came to my door and asked me if I had anything he could do to make some money. He gave me the creeps, so I sent him away. Later, when I heard a dog bark, I thought it might be him again. It took me a couple minutes to find the flashlight.” She nodded toward the kitchen where she could see the stranger sitting. “That’s when I found this other man in my barn.”
    “Did you see a herd of cows here today? Or hear them?” Sarcasm dripped from Tom’s voice. He held a hand about three feet off the ground. “They’re about so tall, red or black. They make a lot of noise. Moo, moo.”
    She glanced at him. “No, I — ”
    “How did you find Cooper?” Sheriff Marlowe interrupted.
    “What do you mean? Oh, you mean the second man?”
    Marlowe nodded. “What was he doing when you first saw him?” He flipped open a small notepad and clicked a pen.
    She frowned. “He was standing over Mr. Pritchett.”
    “What do you mean?”
    She bit her lip, then spoke. “Well, when I shined my light he was sort of … hovering over the … body … I mean … his hands were … bloody. Nevertheless, I don’t think he