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)
“You think saving you from hell means I’m a martyr?” Keane asked.
He was getting to his Master. “That’s what it sounds like to me, Master.”
Keane’s head shook. “Don’t call me that. I’m not worthy of that title.”
“And yet here we are. I don’t see it that way. I think my Master is scared and he would rather give himself up than cause me a second of pain, and that makes you very worthy. It also is the reason I won’t allow it to happen.”
“You can’t stop me.”
“Watch me.” If there was one thing he would do in this life, it was fix this.
There was a knock on the door and Deputy Morgan stood there. “We were hoping to interview Mr. Rollins. In presence of counsel, of course.”
Garrett nodded and prepared himself for war.
* * * *
Keane thought about firing Garrett’s ass. It would be the right thing to do. If he told the police, they would escort Garrett out right now. He might be able to get Garrett off their radar. This was some kind of setup, and whoever was behind this might be happy with just him.
Not that Garrett seemed to want to leave, but he should force him. By firing him.
Instead, he sat quietly next to his partner, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Well, he supposed it already had, but he had the worst feeling there was more coming. At some point he would have to face Olivia, and he wasn’t sure he would survive it if she looked at him like he was trash. It would be better if she never saw him again than staring through him like he meant nothing.
“I don’t know how legal it is to have a lawyer who’s at the very least a material witness to the crime in this interview,” Deputy Morgan stated.
“We’re not in a court and there’s no one else around. He requires an attorney beside him as is his constitutional right. I believe even your public defender is out of town, so it’s me or no interview,” Garrett said flatly. “If it comes to court, I’ll bring in a proper defense attorney from Dallas. For now, I’m here to ensure my client’s rights are honored. Ask your questions.”
The sheriff huffed in the background. “Go on, Morgan. It won’t change anything, but we need Rollins’s story for the report. I want to be able to check everything off on this one. We need to move fast.”
“Because you’re under pressure from the Barnes-Fleetwood family?” Garrett asked.
From Olivia. From the woman he loved, who now thought he risked her life. And for what? He still couldn’t figure out why he would do that. Motive was important when it came to solving a crime, and he didn’t have one.
But Jack Barnes might have one. Jack Barnes might not like an ex-con laying hands on his daughter. Would he go this far to keep an unwanted suitor away? As plans went, it would work. He wouldn’t be able to touch Olivia if he was in prison, and it seemed like Jack ran big portions of this town despite all the talk of everyone ostracizing him.
Jack Barnes was part owner of The Barn. It would be easy to get the staff to report on who his daughter was with, and easier to get them to follow a particular story.
He didn’t want to believe it, but he had to think about all the possibilities.
“This case is important to the community,” the sheriff said carefully, his eyes glancing at the recorder on the desk. “We don’t like young women getting roofied in this town.”
“And yet in the last year you’ve had four date rape cases, none of which you chose to pursue.”
The sheriff frowned. “Those were he said-she said cases. I’m not ruining some boy’s future because a girl had second thoughts.”
“And yet two of those cases involved GHB. So I would like it on the record that the sheriff is taking his orders from Jack Barnes,” Garrett said clearly.
“I ain’t taking orders,” the sheriff replied.
“But you have been talking to him.”
“His daughter is the victim. I’ve been keeping him updated,” the sheriff clarified with a long sigh. “I ain’t gonna apologize for that. Get on with the interview.”
“What is your relationship to Olivia Barnes-Fleetwood?” Deputy Morgan asked.
He looked to Garrett. In this, his friend was the leader. When Garrett nodded, Keane looked back to Deputy Morgan. “I’m working as the foreman on her parents’ ranch while Josh is on his honeymoon.”
Garrett stared at him.
Keane sighed inwardly. “I am also involved in an emotional relationship with Olivia. We’re seeing each other on an exclusive basis.”
Garrett cleared his throat.
He was going to push everything tonight. Well, they all knew anyway. “Except Garrett. He’s part of the relationship as well.”
“So both you and your lawyer are dating Olivia Barnes-Fleetwood.” The words were matter of fact, and Deputy Morgan wrote in her notebook despite the fact the entire conversation was being recorded.