With that, Dan showed himself out. He was always uncomfortable in the Senator’s presence. To him he represented the haves and Dan belonged to the have-nots. Alan had had everything handed to him on a silver platter while he had to work for everything he got.

Dan never regretted having to earn the things he acquired. He tended to appreciate them more. From what he heard about Alan after high school, things did not go easy. Good grades in college were not given out to you just because you were a Senator’s son. They had to be earned, something Alan never had a grasp of. Now to hear he spent his days living off the funds of a widow, only made him dislike Alan even more.

* * *

Dan walked out of the Senator’s house and walked across the drive to the barn. It was there that Jack Finnigan, the foreman, was busy feeding the horses. He picked up a bale of hay and tossed it onto the floor. Jack cut the twine and picked up a sliver of hay and spread it out onto the stall for bedding. Dan walked up to Jack while looking at the thoroughbreds.

“Nice-looking animals,” Dan remarked.

Jack turned to Dan and then smugly said. “The Senator only buys the best.”

Dan laughed. “Yeah. I met his wife.”

Jack shrugged while looking up at Dan and then wiped his brow. “You got something to say?”

“I find it odd that you and the Senator’s wife were in Little Rock on the same day and didn’t travel together.”

“Who said we didn’t?” Jack asked.

“The Senator didn’t know you did.”

“He doesn’t know everything.”

Dan studied Jack a moment. “Apparently not.” Dan hesitated a moment. “How long have the two of you been sleeping together?”

“The Senator tell you to ask me that?” Jack asked with a grin across his face.

“No. He’d like to think Maria only has eyes for him.”

Jack laughed mockingly. “That bitch has been in heat ever since she came of age.” Jack paused before continuing. “Mark my word, no one man will ever be able to satisfy that woman.”

“That bad.”

“On their honeymoon she slipped the Senator a Mickey Finn and then came down to the barn. I caught her doing a threesome with a few of the boys,” Jack licked his lips. “Figured I might as well get in on the action.”

Dan cleared his throat and then glanced around. “That isn’t why I’m here,” Dan quickly added. “I’m checking into the Ames boy. Was he here yesterday?”

“He was supposed to be. The Senator had a special job for him. Normally I like to be here to keep the boy on task.” Jack pointed to his head. “Not all there, if you know what I mean.”

“The Senator didn’t seem to remember.”

“Selective memory, you mean.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

Dan looked at Jack and in all actuality was puzzled by the remark, but did not want to appear so. Why the Senator out-and-out lied did not make sense unless he had something to hide. It was nice to know the truth, and when he’d sorted out everything, the Senator would have some explaining to do.

“So the Senator was going to keep an eye on him?”

“That’s what he said.”

“How do you keep track of the hours he works?” Dan asked.

Jack walked over to the shelf near the door. He picked up a tablet from the shelf and then handed it to Dan.

Dan thumbed through the pages. “Says here both Richie and Junior checked in at eight. Doesn’t show them leaving.

“That coincides with what Jeffrey, Richie’s brother, said. He dropped off his brother around eight. Is it unusual for the boys not to put down when they left?” Dan asked.

“Like I said, not all there. The two put together don’t make a whole,” Jack said, pointing to the other entries in the notebook. “Most of the time they didn’t mark it down.” Jack laughed. “The Senator was doing the boy’s father a favor by giving them work. It was more work for me having them under foot.”

Dan stared at the entries and then flipped through the pages and understood what Jack was saying.

CHAPTER 9

Dan woke early as the sunbeams danced across the bed. He listened to the birds outside and wondered if he would ever stop thinking about Kay. This was their favorite time of the day when they would wake up wrapped in each other’s arms. He missed the warmth of her body. He missed the smell of her perfume. Most of all he missed the constant nagging about the little things. He just missed her completely, only as a husband could.

Slowly he got up and walked into the kitchen. He flicked on the manual switch on the coffee maker, not wanting to wait until the auto timer kicked in.

Kelly walked in behind him. “Couldn’t you sleep again?” she asked.

“I didn’t think I made that much noise.”

“You didn’t. I couldn’t sleep either.”

“I’d offer you a cup of coffee, but I think you’re too young for it.”

“I’m going to be sixteen in four months.”

“Don’t say that.”

“Why, because that means you’re getting old?”

“Thanks a lot. I don’t need reminding,” Dan said and then turned around to her and frowned.

“Hey, for the record coffee doesn’t have anymore caffeine than the power drinks the kids are consuming now.”

“And your point being?” he added.

“I’m just telling you a fact.”

Dan looked at Kelly and then shook his head. “I really am regretting talking you into joining the debate team in school.”

“Oh yeah, blame it on them. I was just stating a fact that anyone with any brain knows.”

“You don’t drink them, do you?” Dan asked, scratching his head.

“What if I did, are you going to ground me?”

Dan looked at her a moment. It seemed only yesterday he was showing her how to ride a two-wheeler. Last week he made the mistake of showing her how to hotwire a car. It scared him thinking what she would do with that knowledge now. It was a sad fact she would be driving soon. Where did the time go?

“I better get ready for work. I have a murder to solve.”

Somehow solving this murder seemed a lot easier than trying to raise Kelly to adulthood. There were fewer hurdles to cross.

* * *

Dan walked into the Sheriff’s office. Mac was busy sweeping the floor. It was something he did at the end of the week. Once that was done, he would dust the furniture. Money was tight and the county board felt there was enough downtime that either he or Mac could clean up the offices when not on patrol.

Dan turned to him and asked, “Been quiet this morning?”

“Thursdays usually are.”

“Good,” Dan said. “How’s Junior?”

“Not a peep out of him.”

“Did the medical examiner call?”

Mac grinned. “Were you expecting her to?”

“I was just curious,” Dan added quickly.

Dan took off his gun belt and put it on the rack with his hat. He grabbed the key off the rack and walked over to the cellblock door.

He was glad it was a slow night with no drunks to contend with. He did not know how well Junior would have handled having company.

Dan walked up to Junior’s cell. Junior was sitting on the bunk rocking back and forth, hitting his head on the wall. Dan wondered if the simple-minded kid even slept last night.

“Hey kid, I would think you’d have a headache by now.”

“I want to go home.”

“You can’t. Not until we clean up this mess,” Dan said with a concerned look on his face. He felt sorry for the boy.

Junior stopped rocking. “I don’t like you,” he announced and then started rocking again.

“You okay?” Can I get you anything for breakfast?”

“Mommy makes me rabbit in a hole.”

Dan’s eyes rolled back. He remembered rabbit in a hole like it was yesterday from when Kelly was a little girl. It was one way of getting her to eat a balanced breakfast and not a lot of sugary cereals. Kay always had a way of working around a picky eater and made a meal fun.

“I’ll see what I can do,” Dan finally mustered up to say.