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  DEAD EYE

  THE BLACKMORE AGENCY: BOOK FOURTEEN

  Carolina Mac

  Copyright © 2018 by Carolina Mac

  DEAD EYE - 1st ed.

  IBSN – 978-1-988850-62-7

  The moral right of the author has been asserted.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent buyer.

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the author is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.

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  Book Layout © 2017 BookDesignTemplates.com

  To my Beta readers: My first line of defense.

  TOTO

  It’s not the load that weighs you down, it’s the way you carry it.

  ―C. S. Lewis

  CHAPTER ONE

  Monday, May 25th.

  Quantrall Ranch. Giddings.

  Memorial Day.

  JESSE pulled back the curtain and stared out the bedroom window at the gray day and the unending rain. The depression that had been dogging him since the end of his marriage bloomed anew. “Don’t rain today. Today is Ace’s Memorial Day picnic. It can’t rain.”

  Walking down the long upstairs hallway in the Quantrall mansion, Tyler heard his brother talking to himself in his room and joined him at the window. “What are you mumbling about?”

  “It’s pissing rain on Ace’s picnic.”

  “It never rains in Texas on Memorial Day,” said Tyler. “Never.”

  Jesse tapped a finger on the window. “What do you call that?”

  “Temporary,” said Tyler. “By three o’clock the sun will be out.” Tyler turned away from the window and headed for the door. “I hear Charity. I’ll get her up.”

  “I hope you’re right about the rain, bro. If you’re wrong, there’s gonna be a lot of disappointed people.”

  And I’m gonna be at the head of the line.

  The Blackmore Agency. Austin.

  BLAINE poured himself a coffee, picked up his cell and called the ranch. “Mom, it’s raining like a bitch here in the city. What’s it like there?”

  “Same, sugar. Rosie and I are cooking our asses off and Riley is busy getting the meat ready for the barbeque, but it doesn’t look promising. The weather guy said it was going to rain for the next three days straight.”

  “Shit, I hope that ain’t true. People kill each other when it rains.”

  Annie giggled. “But not when the sun is shining?”

  “Not so much.”

  “I’m going ahead with the food anyway. If it comes down to it, I’ll set the band up in the great room and serve the food in the dining room. Instead of outdoor stuff, we’ll have a big poker game and stay inside.”

  “As long as you’re not cancelling.”

  “I can’t cancel, sugar pop. A ton of food is already made and stowed in the fridge, and all the boys are hyped for the holiday. We have to have a party even if it’s indoors.”

  “Farrell’s freaking because he wanted everybody to meet Avery. I’m surprised how hard he’s going down on that score.”

  “I could tell he was in deep, but I’m happy for him just the same,” said Annie, “I’ve had her working here in the barn the past two weeks and she’s a hard worker and excellent with the horses. Wayne and Monroe both like her a lot and that’s the hard part to get past. They’re picky about who touches their horses.”

  Old West Austin.

  LAURA MAY stood in front of the bay window watching the rain come down. “Not a nice Memorial Day Weekend,” she said to Plato. A lot of picnics will be cancelled. She stroked the head of the huge Rag Doll reclining on the arm of the sofa and listened to him purr. “I’d better water these plants before I forget.”

  It took four trips back and forth from the lush garden in the bay window to the kitchen sink to fill the green watering can. The last drops were quenching the thirst of a huge Oleander when the doorbell rang. “One moment,” Laura called as she wiped her hands on her apron. She replaced the empty watering can and hurried to the foyer to answer the door. “Oh, it’s you, dear. Did you forget your key?”

  He nodded and tracked wet boots onto the spotless front hall floor.

  Laura stared down at the mess and tried her best not to scold him. “How did it go?”

  “No problems, Aunt Laura. I knew there wouldn’t be.”

  She leaned down and gave the boy a hug. “Take off those wet boots and come into the kitchen. I’ll make you a sandwich.”

  Laura gazed across the table at her nephew. He was the image of her sister—dark curly hair and brown eyes—and such a sweet boy. A teenager in high school now, doing well in all his classes and not a speck of trouble. It seemed like only yesterday, her sister had decided not to live any longer and had given little Todd to her to raise.

  Too bad he watched his mother do it. Too bad.

  I closed my bedroom door and wanted to lock it but thought better of it. Aunt Laura would ask too many questions if she found it locked. The bottoms of my jeans were soaked where they’d dragged through the wet grass on Sarah Walsh’s lawn.

  While my computer booted up I crossed Sarah’s name off the list pinned to my bulletin board and counted how many were left. Thirteen.

  Why didn’t people return their library books?

  Coulter-Ross Ranch. La Grange.

  THE RAIN came down in torrents as the guests arrived at Annie’s ranch at three o’clock. Annie had the granite island covered in trays of hot and cold snacks and Neil was ready to quench everyone’s thirst with coolers filled with beer and Cokes on ice.

  “They’re gonna make a mess of the clean tiles,” said Neil. “I’d better get a mop ready.”

  Annie smiled at her son and knew she’d lucked out in the son department. All of her boys were winners. “I thought you were thinking of inviting someone to the picnic, sugar pop.”

  “I was,” said Neil. “She’s nice and she lives in Austin, but I thought it might be a bit much to bring her to a picnic this big when she didn’t know anybody.”

  “Farrell’s bringing Avery.”

  “I like her,” said Neil.”

  Annie raised an eyebrow. “You said that a little fast, sweetheart. Do you have a concern?”

  “Don’t want Farrell’s heart to get broke, Mom. You know what he’s like. He’ll hold on to it forever if it happens and blame himself. Do not want to see it.”

  “Me neither,” said Annie. “Your brother is as sensitive as they come.”

  “And he brought a girl he hardly knows home to live with him,” said Neil. “Is that the way you’re supposed to do it?”

  “You have to be pretty sure she’s the one before you do something like that,” said Annie. “Your brother must have been sure. He doesn’t take many chances.”

  “No, you’re right, Mom. He must be sure.”

  Dressed in a white cotton dress and wearing only a small part of her extensive turquoise jewelry collection, Annie zipped into the foyer to greet the guests.

  All of the Quantrall brothers had arrived together, her ex-husband, Jesse, her ex-boyfriend, Tyler, and
even Brian, the doctor, who hadn’t been speaking to her for a long while. Annie greeted them with love and affection and took the baby from Jesse—her baby. The baby girl she’d wanted to raise when Jesse walked out of their marriage.

  Some wounds never heal.

  BLAINE drove through the gate in the downpour and wondered about parking close enough to the house, so Misty wouldn’t get soaked. She was making progress with her walking, but the rain was coming down in sheets and she definitely couldn’t run.

  “I don’t want you to get soaked, sweetheart.”

  “I can hold an umbrella over her,” said Avery.

  “I’ll carry her,” said Farrell. “Be quicker.”

  Misty shook her blonde curls and said nothing. She’d suffered damage to her larynx during an abduction in New Orleans and she hadn’t spoken since.

  “Let’s wait until it lets up a little,” said Blaine. “Carm will get drenched too.”

  A minute later, Neil stood grinning beside Blaine’s truck with a huge blue and white golf umbrella. He helped the ladies out of the truck and walked them to the covered porch. Problem solved.

  Annie rushed into the foyer to hug the new round of arrivals. She welcomed the women into the kitchen and watched Neil charm them. He showered them with compliments, made them laugh and plied them all with glasses of their favorite wines.

  Blaine hadn’t even made it to the kitchen door when his cell rang. He pulled it off his belt and glanced at the screen. “Nope, I’m not answering it. This is my Mom’s picnic and crime can go to hell.” He strode into the kitchen and helped himself to a Corona out of the Sub-Zero.

  The Chief will call back if it’s serious. Give me a goddam minute.

  His partner, Jesse Quantrall, strode down the hall from the family room with a look on his face and his phone in his hand. “Chief said you weren’t answering, partner. We got a call.”

  “Yeah? Who’s dead or mutilated beyond recognition?”

  Jesse smirked. “A corpse is reclining on the front lawn of the Governor’s mansion.”

  “Let homicide have it. Lopez needs it more than me.”

  Jesse chuckled. “You are the Governor’s crime solver of choice. Catherine wants you.”

  Blaine raised his boot to kick the Sub-Zero and thought better of it. “Of course, she does.”

  The Governor’s Mansion. Austin.

  COLORADO STREET was full to overflowing with media vans when Blaine and Farrell arrived. He hadn’t bothered calling any of the other members of the Agency crew in. It was Memorial Day weekend, and everybody had plans. Everybody including him.

  “Why do people murder people on a holiday,” asked Farrell. “I was looking forward to playing poker tonight and having fun with Avery.”

  “We still might make the game,” said Blaine. “Mom isn’t starting until eight.”

  Farrell checked the time on his phone. “We’re missing a lot of drinking time.”

  “That’s true.” Blaine crossed the lawn and stood next to Doctor Mort Simon, the Medical Examiner. Tim, Mort’s assistant was holding a large black umbrella over his boss’s head. “Anything, Mort?”

  “Nothing special. He’s dead.”

  Tim, smiled and said, “Rifle from a distance. Sniper.”

  “Any ID?” asked Farrell.

  “Nope,” said Doctor Simon. “Nice suit, though, before it got soaking wet. Maybe he was coming to pay a call on the Governor.”

  “Has the Governor been outside?” asked Blaine.

  “Haven’t seen her highness,” said Mort. “Maybe she’s afraid of getting wet and she’s peeking through the curtains.”

  Blaine chuckled. “I’ll go see.”

  GOVERNOR CATHERINE CAMPBELL was hidden away in her private quarters on the second floor. Blaine knocked twice before getting a response and when the first lady of Texas did open the door she seemed surprised to see him.

  “Why are you here on the holiday? I heard your mother always hosts a huge picnic on Memorial Day.” Governor Campbell was a tall woman, about five nine with long auburn hair and green eyes. She’d lost weight since coming to office and her expensive clothes didn’t fit her as well as they once had.

  “I was there at the ranch but didn’t get to stay. There’s a dead guy on your lawn. The Chief said you talked to him and requested I take the case.” His voice took on an edge. “Why are you pretending you don’t know anything about it?”

  “You get pissy sometimes when I involve you.”

  “Damn right I do, and this is one of them. Austin homicide could have handled it. I was looking forward to a day with my family.”

  Cat showed no sympathy. “Who is he? And why is he dead on my grass?”

  “Your grass? That grass belongs to the State of Texas, but those are good questions. You should be a cop.” Blaine turned his back on the first lady of the state and headed back outside.

  Coulter-Ross Ranch. La Grange

  BLAINE AND FARRELL walked into Annie’s kitchen as she was serving dinner.

  “Hey, my boys made it home in time to eat.”

  “If we hadn’t, there would have been another dead body,” said Farrell.

  Blaine helped himself to a Corona and chugged it down before he went to the buffet.

  Jesse grabbed his arm, steered him away from the hungry crowd and quizzed him on the murder.

  “John Doe for now. No idea who he was, but he was wearing an expensive suit. Probably no prints in the system.”

  “Why did Catherine want us on it?”

  “Just a whim, like a lot of her bullshit,” said Blaine. “She tried to lie about it too and that pissed me off.”

  Jesse frowned. “What’s with her?”

  Blaine shrugged. “Who can figure out women? I better help Misty get some food.”

  BY MIDNIGHT, the poker tournament had wound down to the final table. Blaine had a huge chip stack and so did Tyler and Neil and a couple of Annie’s cowboys. Luke had a medium stack and Jesse was short stacked and he was drunk. Farrell was all-in on his blind.

  “I hate being all-in on my goddam blind,” hollered Farrell.

  Avery smiled at him from her stool at the granite island where she was watching with Misty and Carm.

  Paul Quantrall always dealt for the final table and tonight was no exception. His wife, Wendy, had taken their daughter home hours before and left Paul behind to party with his brothers.

  Jesse glanced at his hand and when it was his turn to act he shoved. “I’m going for it.” He was listing to one side in his chair and slurring his words. A drunk Jesse was not a happy Jesse.

  “I’m all in too,” said Farrell, “you can give me your chips, boss.”

  “Sure thing, kiddo. Long as I don’t give them to Louisiana Luke. I don’t take kindly to employees sleeping with my wife.”

  “Shut up, Jesse,” snapped Annie. “I’m not your wife and you should apologize to Luke.”

  “Ain’t doing it.” Jesse threw his cards. “Why’s he staying here at the ranch for anyway?”

  “Because I offered him a place to stay,” said Annie, “That’s why.”

  “Well I don’t like it,” hollered Jesse.

  “What’s wrong with you?” said Tyler. “Don’t be a jerk, Jesse.”

  Jesse pushed his chair back, staggered to his feet and fell against the center island. “I’m taking my baby and going home.”

  “Oh no you’re not.” Annie raced ahead of Jesse down the hall. “Charity is asleep in her crib and she can stay there until morning.”

  Jesse shoved Annie out of the way and she bounced off the wall in the hallway. One of her paintings crashed onto the Mexican tiles and the glass broke.

  Tyler flew down the hall and corralled his brother into one of the guest rooms. “Lie down and sleep it off, Jesse. “You’re not taking Charity out in the rain in your condition.”

  “Yeah, and who’s gonna stop me?”

  “That would be me,” said Tyler. He gave Jesse a healthy push onto the bed. Jesse
flopped down and never moved.

  Ty returned to the table and took his seat. “He’s out. Sorry about the delay of game.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  Tuesday. May 26th.

  Coulter-Ross Ranch. La Grange.

  WITH A lot of effort, Jesse forced his eyes open and wondered if his head was going to explode. He glanced around the room and didn’t recognize his surroundings. He was lying on top of the covers in the same clothes he’d worn the day before and that wasn’t the worst of it. His gut was roiling, and he was going to be sick. No doubt about it and he had to make a move.

  He rolled off the bed and staggered into an ensuite that he couldn’t remember ever seeing before and there he stayed for the next hour. When he finally regained his feet, he splashed cold water on his face and headed back to bed.

  Annie stuck her head in the door and startled him. “You okay?”

  “Why am I still here, Ace?”

  “You passed out and we let you sleep. Charity is having breakfast with the kids. No worries.”

  “Thanks, sweetheart. Was I that drunk?”

  My head and my gut say I was.

  “Uh huh,” said Annie. “You were. Come and have a coffee when you feel up to it.”

  The Blackmore Agency. Austin.

  BLAINE yawned a couple of times at the breakfast table and opted to drink his coffee black. He was hung over, but good.

  “I had fun yesterday at the indoor picnic,” said Avery, looking bright and sober. Farrell’s new girlfriend was a leggy blonde horse trainer and she was easy on the eyes.

  Farrell nodded and kept his eyes on his coffee. “Me too.”

  Avery giggled and asked, “Do y’all have to work today?”

  “Affirmative,” said Blaine.

  Carm placed large platters of eggs and ham on the table and Farrell turned his head away. “I’m gonna take my coffee over by the window where I can’t smell the eggs.”