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when he knew why Garon was marrying Grace. Garon could understand how he felt, but he couldn t jilt
Grace when she was carrying his child.
 Oh, was all she said. She knew how Rick felt about her. She was sorry she couldn t feel the same
about him. It was probably better that he didn t show up in the probate judge s office.
 I m going to drive to the courthouse. Miss Turner will bring you.
 Okay.
He hadn t asked if she wanted a church wedding, or offered her an elaborate affair with bridesmaids and
groomsmen. Probably he d had that sort of wedding with his first wife. She didn t protest. He was still
grieving for the woman he d lost. It was enough that he was giving their child a name. She d never
expected him to want her permanently. Nobody ever had.
THE PROBATE JUDGE was a woman, Anna Banes, and she d been married herself for two decades.
She knew Grace, and her family, and the ordeal Grace had been through. She gave them a short but
dignified and poignant service, with Barbara and Miss Turner standing to the side of them.
She didn t think Garon would buy her a wedding ring, but he had. It was a wide gold band with platinum
edging and a grape leaf pattern. He didn t buy one for himself. That was hardly surprising. The judge
declared them legally married, and Garon bent to brush a cool kiss against her cheek. It had been a long
time, but he still remembered the joy of his first wedding. He was fond of Grace, and he wanted the child,
but he couldn t separate himself from the past.
Garon treated them to lunch afterwards at Barbara s Café, and the owner herself brought out a
magnificent wedding cake that she d made for the occasion. Grace felt tears running down her cheeks at
the thoughtfulness. She hugged the older woman warmly, because she was the closest thing to family that
Grace had.
They were on the way home, with Miss Turner returning separately in Garon s Expedition, when
Garon s pager beeped. He pulled it out, slowed to check the text message and grimaced.
 I have to go in to the office, he said, stepping on the gas.  We ve got a new lead in the case.
 The killer? she asked excitedly.
He nodded.  I m sorry, he added.  But I don t work a nine-to-five job.
 Grandaddy was a deputy sheriff, she replied.  He had to go out at all hours of the night if there was an
emergency. Granny always raised the roof, she added quietly.  I thought it was selfish of her. He saved
lives.
He glanced at her with a warm smile.  That s why we re all in the business.
 I have lots to keep me busy, she said easily.  Including my jobs.
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 You can quit them and stay home if you want to, he said.  I make a good salary, and the ranch is
additional income.
She fiddled with the beautiful silk bouquet. She d thrown the real one, and Barbara had caught it.  I like
working, she replied.  I m not very domesticated.
That was a surprise. She d done nothing else, that he knew of, except look after her grandmother.
She felt his curiosity, but she didn t say anything else. He pulled up at the door of the house and went
around to help her out.
Unexpectedly he swung her up into his arms and carried her up the steps. That was when she noticed
the Expedition sitting beside the porch. Miss Turner had gotten home first. In fact, she was already
opening the door with a big grin.
Garon laughed as he carried Grace inside and put her back on her feet. He bent to kiss her with gentle
warmth.  The roses can wait. You rest, he said.
She gave him a gamine grin.  You planning to stop by and tell my roses where I am, on your way to
work?
He tapped her straight little nose with a long forefinger.  I ll be back when I can.
 Okay.
He was gone in a flash, leaving a weary Grace to be shooed down the hall to change and rest by Miss
Turner.
MARQUEZ WAS SITTING in Garon s office when he walked in a few minutes later. He hesitated at
the door.
The younger man gave him an impatient look.  Okay, I was way out of line, earlier, he confessed tautly.
 At least you re not leaving Grace in the lurch.
Garon s eyebrows arched.  Do you know everything?
 Pretty much. My mother and I don t keep secrets from each other. He studied his knee.  I talked to a
detective inOklahoma . There was a red ribbon involved in their child murder four years ago. They held
back the information, just in case.
 It s got to be the same guy, Garon said quietly.
 Yes. I imagine he s been busy in other places in the past few years as well. We have DNA from this
latest murder, but no hits when we ran it through the computer, he added.  I had hoped the perp might
have a history and a rap sheet.
Garon shook his head.  He s too good.
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 One of the older detectives on theOklahoma case said they had an eyewitness who was sure he saw
the killer abduct the child from her room.
Garon frowned.  We talked to Sheldon, the witness inSan Antonio . And when I went to Palo Verde,
the chief there said they had an eyewitness named Rich who lived right next door to the victim who said
he saw the killer abduct the child. He left town just after the murder.
 That s three eyewitnesses at three crime scenes.
Garon s eyes brightened.  Yes. I think he s been trying to insert himself into the case, he said. Then he
remembered something.  By God, remember Sheldon s hands were scarred and he wore gloves? Grace
only saw her abductor s hands. She said they were very pale, and had scars! What if Sheldon s our
man?
 Let s go! Marquez exclaimed.
Garon was right out the door after the younger man. For once, things were looking up!
14
GARON AND MARQUEZ rushed to Sheldon s house just inside the city limits ofSan Antonio . The
killer just might be Sheldon, Garon thought. If they could get the man into custody, on any pretense, and
question him properly, they might break the case. It would take some planning. He was intelligent. If he
was the killer, he wasn t going to confess easily, not after eleven murders. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]