did any harm to anyone,” she added.
“Why not?” Marlowe stared at her.
Her eyes met Cooper’s. From across two rooms, she held his steady gaze for a long moment. A flush burned across her face and she focused her attention back on the sheriff. “I saw the expression on his face. He didn’t have the look of a murderer, or the air of one. I sense there’s no way he could’ve killed that man.”
“That’s interesting, Elizabeth.” Deputy Harper sneered. “Because you’re looking at the man who did in Uncle Henry. And Lyle? Your cousin? That man in there is the one I warned you to stay away from.”
Lyle was her cousin? Her gaze once again collided with Cooper’s. She considered him another minute, then turned to Tom. “In spite of how you feel about that, I stand by my statement. I don’t believe this man had time to kill anyone today.”
Sheriff Marlowe sighed and said, “I think we need to continue this downtown. Deputy, see that Cooper’s horse gets home.”
• • •
Marlowe leaned back in his chair, propping his feet on the table. “Let’s hear it one more time, Cooper.”
“I’ve told you everything.” Cooper had been over the details of his arrival on the Harper ranch until he wanted to pound the table in frustration. They ignored his repeated requests for a lawyer. Midnight passed hours ago and his eyes burned. He refused to be beaten down and tricked into a false confession.
Marlowe studied him for a moment. “Your hot head has gotten you in trouble before, Cooper. You’re lucky you got off on the last murder rap. It won’t happen again. Did Lyle owe you some money? Make you mad? Didn’t finish a job, maybe? What happened? Lose your temper and bash him on the head, just like Henry? The question is, why in Harper’s barn? Did you arrange to meet, thinking no one would look out there?”
“I didn’t have any problems with Lyle.” Cooper knew protesting was useless. Marlowe had made up his mind. The sheriff was going to send him straight to prison. He was the only suspect in two deaths in a little over four months. His future didn’t look good.
“We had you clean to rights last time,” Marlowe said. “Your first mistake was letting everyone in three counties hear you tell Henry Harper you’d get him. I admit, you’ve been quieter this time, but this dirty business has your signature written all over it. Not to mention, you’re covered in his blood.”
“I didn’t kill Lyle,” Cooper repeated. He’d wiped his palms on his jeans from when he fell. His ears rang, and his vision blurred as Marlowe continued to hammer at him. He hadn’t murdered Henry Harper, but no one had believed him that time either. If there had been any concrete evidence tying him to Henry’s death, he would’ve been locked up in Canon City faster than a coyote could catch a rabbit.
Deputy Harper came to the door and beckoned Marlowe. Over the sheriff’s shoulder, Harper’s cold eyes locked with Cooper’s own. A chill shimmied up his spine as he realized the deputy was out to pin this murder on him at any cost.
• • •
Elizabeth fumed.
Where had the sheriff and his deputy disappeared to? He’d ordered her to follow him into Salt Lick to discuss a few more details. Her hands shook as she poured herself a cup of coffee that resembled tar. She couldn’t control her tremors. They’d left her cooling her heels for over an hour, and she was getting angrier by the minute. Where was their concern when she’d come here first thing upon her arrival in Salt Lick and asked for help?
Were they still questioning the mysterious Cooper? If they had held him as long as they had her, she wouldn’t blame him for being angry. She shook her head, trying to force her thoughts away from him. But stubbornly, her mind wouldn’t let go of him.
She hadn’t expected the first man to pique her interest in ages to be a raw, dangerous suspected killer. He was not the kind of man she would ever think about
“Why not?” Marlowe stared at her.
Her eyes met Cooper’s. From across two rooms, she held his steady gaze for a long moment. A flush burned across her face and she focused her attention back on the sheriff. “I saw the expression on his face. He didn’t have the look of a murderer, or the air of one. I sense there’s no way he could’ve killed that man.”
“That’s interesting, Elizabeth.” Deputy Harper sneered. “Because you’re looking at the man who did in Uncle Henry. And Lyle? Your cousin? That man in there is the one I warned you to stay away from.”
Lyle was her cousin? Her gaze once again collided with Cooper’s. She considered him another minute, then turned to Tom. “In spite of how you feel about that, I stand by my statement. I don’t believe this man had time to kill anyone today.”
Sheriff Marlowe sighed and said, “I think we need to continue this downtown. Deputy, see that Cooper’s horse gets home.”
• • •
Marlowe leaned back in his chair, propping his feet on the table. “Let’s hear it one more time, Cooper.”
“I’ve told you everything.” Cooper had been over the details of his arrival on the Harper ranch until he wanted to pound the table in frustration. They ignored his repeated requests for a lawyer. Midnight passed hours ago and his eyes burned. He refused to be beaten down and tricked into a false confession.
Marlowe studied him for a moment. “Your hot head has gotten you in trouble before, Cooper. You’re lucky you got off on the last murder rap. It won’t happen again. Did Lyle owe you some money? Make you mad? Didn’t finish a job, maybe? What happened? Lose your temper and bash him on the head, just like Henry? The question is, why in Harper’s barn? Did you arrange to meet, thinking no one would look out there?”
“I didn’t have any problems with Lyle.” Cooper knew protesting was useless. Marlowe had made up his mind. The sheriff was going to send him straight to prison. He was the only suspect in two deaths in a little over four months. His future didn’t look good.
“We had you clean to rights last time,” Marlowe said. “Your first mistake was letting everyone in three counties hear you tell Henry Harper you’d get him. I admit, you’ve been quieter this time, but this dirty business has your signature written all over it. Not to mention, you’re covered in his blood.”
“I didn’t kill Lyle,” Cooper repeated. He’d wiped his palms on his jeans from when he fell. His ears rang, and his vision blurred as Marlowe continued to hammer at him. He hadn’t murdered Henry Harper, but no one had believed him that time either. If there had been any concrete evidence tying him to Henry’s death, he would’ve been locked up in Canon City faster than a coyote could catch a rabbit.
Deputy Harper came to the door and beckoned Marlowe. Over the sheriff’s shoulder, Harper’s cold eyes locked with Cooper’s own. A chill shimmied up his spine as he realized the deputy was out to pin this murder on him at any cost.
• • •
Elizabeth fumed.
Where had the sheriff and his deputy disappeared to? He’d ordered her to follow him into Salt Lick to discuss a few more details. Her hands shook as she poured herself a cup of coffee that resembled tar. She couldn’t control her tremors. They’d left her cooling her heels for over an hour, and she was getting angrier by the minute. Where was their concern when she’d come here first thing upon her arrival in Salt Lick and asked for help?
Were they still questioning the mysterious Cooper? If they had held him as long as they had her, she wouldn’t blame him for being angry. She shook her head, trying to force her thoughts away from him. But stubbornly, her mind wouldn’t let go of him.
She hadn’t expected the first man to pique her interest in ages to be a raw, dangerous suspected killer. He was not the kind of man she would ever think about
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