“She was with friends from out of town.”
“No way.” Liz never went to the bar, especially so late. “Don’t tell me she heard what was going on.”
“She saw the picture. The way everyone was talking and showing it around, I don’t see how she could’ve missed it. And she didn’t seem pleased.”
Of course she wouldn’t be pleased. Sophia was in the middle of the biggest murder case ever to hit Bordertown. If she was having an affair with her mother’s husband—or anyone else—that would create a scandal, and it would look as though she wasn’t concerned enough, as if she wasn’t doing her job.
“I’ve never slept with Gary, or undressed for him, or anything,” she said.
After seeing that picture, even Starkey seemed unsure. “For your sake, I hope not. Because I’m gettin’ the feeling this town’s about to lynch someone….”
And he didn’t have to say who’d be the victim of that lynching.
Instead of visiting the ranches, Sophia headed straight to Leonard’s place. She had to get ahold of that picture. The thought of the whole town seeing her naked and hearing the shocking story of an affair with Gary made her ill even without considering the rest of the implications. What if the city council let her go without so much as a recommendation? What would she do? How would she find work? And what if her mother believed the gossip? Surely, deep down, Anne had to know she’d never have an affair with Gary. Sophia had never liked him. But the gossip would embarrass them all. And Anne’s insecurities and jealousies would once again come to the forefront, where they could easily blind her. This could break up her mother’s marriage or, worse, Anne might blame Sophia for the whole thing and take Gary’s side, as she’d done before.
Once she arrived, she sat at the edge of the property, staring at Leonard’s dark trailer. She knew Rod would be angry at her for coming out here by herself. He’d say it was too dangerous. But she’d taken other risks that’d paid off, like going to Naco and the safe house. Besides, what choice did she have? She had to defend her job, her fragile relationship with her mother, her reputation.
Taking a deep breath, she turned off the engine and got out. A slight breeze sent a chill down her spine as she approached the front door. Until that moment, she hadn’t realized she was sweating, but she wasn’t surprised. It’d been so hot lately—at least one hundred and ten degrees during the day. With temperatures over ninety at night, there was no reprieve.
The cicadas weren’t out tonight. The desert stretched silent and still in all directions—until she came closer to the house and Leonard’s rottweiler started barking. Sophia flinched as he jumped against the fence and bared his teeth but she continued to the front stoop.
She could barely hear the sound of her hand hitting the wooden door above the ruckus of the dog. But she wasn’t worried about being heard; the dog was loud enough to bring Leonard to the door even if her knock wasn’t.
Fingering the butt of her gun, she backed up a couple of steps and moved to the side to wait. Nothing happened.
“Leonard?” she called, and pounded on the door again. “It’s Chief St. Claire. I need to speak to you. Open up.”
The trailer remained dark, with only the dog making noise.
Sophia checked her watch. Nearly three. The Firelight closed at two, which was why she’d come out to his trailer without checking the bar first.
“Leonard?” she called again, then tried the door. It was unlocked.
Leonard couldn’t believe he’d found her. He’d been searching all over town, and here she was at his own trailer. He could see her patrol car sitting right out front.
A trickle of excitement ran through him, the first he’d felt in ages. This was a lucky turn of events. If he caught her inside, he could shoot her. He’d say she woke him out of a dead sleep, that he thought it was a burglar or maybe the UDA killer, which was plausible since he lived so far out of town, and claim he acted in self-defense.
But he had to get into his trailer, and he had to do it while she was still rummaging around.
Parking his boss’s truck at a distance so the sound of the engine wouldn’t tip her off, Leonard took his gun from the seat beside him and got out. Then, planning to go in through the back door, he circled wide. It wasn’t as if he had to worry about setting off the dog. Caesar knew him. There’d be nothing to alert her to his return.
You’re gonna get what you deserve. This wasn’t exactly what he’d had in mind these past few months. He’d first wanted to strip her of everything she held dear and watch her topple from her lofty perch.
But some opportunities were too good to pass up.
This one was absolutely golden. The light in the bedroom told him where she was. He imagined her sorting through his belongings, searching for that picture he’d shown around the bar. Maybe she was even hoping to find some evidence to link him to the UDA murders. But the only thing she’d find was the newspaper clipping of herself on the back of his bedroom door.
Would it frighten her to read what he’d written across her face? Or would it simply anger her?
The door creaked as it swung open. He paused to listen for footsteps, but couldn’t hear a sound from inside, especially when Caesar barked once, twice. He wanted to kick the damn dog, would’ve had him put down a long time ago if not for the hope that his family would come back. Caesar belonged to Millie, his oldest daughter. He didn’t dare get rid of him. It was going to be bad enough if she found out he didn’t allow the dog inside anymore because he was tired of the hair, the smell and the bother of letting him out every few hours.
Gun in hand, he stepped into the tiny laundry room his wife had once kept so tidy and edged into the hallway. Sophia wouldn’t be expecting him. He hadn’t even driven past the trailer. He’d turned onto the road, spotted her cruiser and stopped before coming close enough for his headlights or anything else to give him away.
Taking a moment to calm his nerves, he went through the logistics of what he hoped to achieve. If he shot her while entering his bedroom, he’d have to say he’d fallen asleep in Kayla and Millie’s room, or the forensic evidence wouldn’t match. Their room was where he stored his guns, anyway, so that would make sense.
It would all be over with the squeeze of a trigger.
After she was dead, the city council would probably reinstate him. He could convince his wife that Sophia had been lying all along, that this was proof she’d been after him from the beginning. And he’d be able to get his former life back.