Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 140604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 703(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 703(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
The sheriff shrugged. “He was resisting arrest.”
Garrett wanted to explode. “He was trying to walk and your deputies dragged him. He wasn’t resisting. He was trying to stay on his feet.”
“Well, he didn’t do a good job of it. You know he lost it in the patrol car. We had to tase him to calm him down. Is there something wrong with him?”
There was so much wrong. Bile threatened to rise at the thought of what Keane had gone through. He’d tried to talk to them, tried to reason, but the sheriff had explained that he could be brought in, too.
“I want to see the evidence against him.” He wasn’t about to explain to the sheriff that Keane’s greatest fear was getting shoved into the system again. He always said if he went back in, he wasn’t coming out.
“Take that up with the DA.” The sheriff gave him a lazy smile. “Who is on a fishing trip. Won’t be back until Monday at least. You know we can hold him until his bail hearing.”
“And when will that take place?”
Sheriff shrugged as though it didn’t bother him at all. “Hopefully Monday, since the judge is off with the DA. Real good friends those two. They go a long way back.”
He bet they did. He was walking into a corrupt system once again. “I want to talk to him.”
“He ain’t asked for a lawyer.”
“Because you hit him with a Taser before he could,” Garrett shot back. “I don’t understand this. Why would he try to kidnap Olivia?”
“I’ve been a sheriff for years and still don’t understand the criminal mind. They do what they want. I suspect he has feelings for her that aren’t returned. Ain’t you the one dating her?”
They’d been seen out more than she had with Keane. Keane’s work kept him on the ranch most of the time, so all the business lunches were him and Olivia. “We’re both dating her. He doesn’t need to kidnap a woman he already has.”
The sheriff’s eyes narrowed. “Well, that’s interesting. Maybe he had an accomplice.”
“I’m the one who saved her.” He didn’t add the word he wanted to. Moron. The sheriff was looking for the easiest arrest possible, and it happened to be Keane.
“Sometimes things get twisty,” the sheriff replied. “It probably comes down to money. You trying to see if she’ll pay you to be her bodyguard? Or maybe you’re trying to scare her so she’ll marry you without a prenup. You’re going to want to do that quickly before Jack Barnes finds out. That man might be older, but there’s still a devil inside him.”
“Jack Barnes is a good man, and I’m sick of how you all treat him.”
A low laugh came out from the sheriff’s throat. “Well, he’s a good man who I just updated, and he wants to make sure that friend of yours stays right where he is. You two boys made a big mistake when you messed with that man’s daughter.”
Jack knew about the arrest? “We didn’t mess with her. We love her.”
“Tell it to a judge, son.” The sheriff looked up as the door opened.
Deputy Morgan stood in the doorway looking far sterner than the last time he’d seen her. Her eyes were flinty as she looked at the sheriff. “Mr. Rollins is asking for his lawyer.”
“You get anything out of him?” the sheriff asked.
“Well, it was hard to interrogate the man when his teeth were still chattering,” Deputy Morgan said. “You should check the voltage on those Tasers. I don’t think they’re in compliance with state laws. The only thing I’ve gotten out of him is the fact that he wants a lawyer.”
The sheriff sighed and then looked at the clock. “Well, I should head up to the hospital and check on our victim. She’ll be damn happy we have the perpetrator in custody. And Mr. Pace, you should remember if I find evidence that you were involved, you won’t be his lawyer anymore. You’ll be his cell mate.”
“I’ll take you to the interview room,” Deputy Morgan offered flatly. “You can talk to him there.”
Garrett followed, a knot in his gut. “Have you heard anything about Olivia?”
“She’s awake,” Deputy Morgan said, not looking back.
He would pull out his phone and call her, but she didn’t have hers. “Has anyone put a trace on her cell phone?”
Deputy Morgan turned, one brow rising. “I know you think we’re all hicks, but we do know how to put a trace on a cell phone. It was in a truck in the hospital parking lot.”
“What?” Garrett’s heart stuttered. “Does she have a guard? Is he back? Who’s watching her?”
She held up a hand. “Save it, Counselor. Honestly, it’s only a matter of time before we bring you in.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means your friend was the last person to drive that truck,” the deputy announced.