“From your brief this mornin’, seems like momma is smothering the weak cubs,” Tate remarked.
Ty sat back and looked to the side. “Means neither of them can flip.”
“Exactly what it means,” Tate confirmed.
“You think they know Julius’s connection got shit on both of ‘em?” Ty asked.
“They do, Chace Keaton is up next.”
“Crabtree sittin’ in a cell?” Ty asked.
“Crabtree is in the wind.”
Hope.
“How’d Crabtree find wind?” Ty asked.
“No clue. Keaton reported his wife missin’ day before yesterday. Yesterday mornin’ they found her body dumped at the side of the access road that leads up to Miracle Ranch. Yesterday afternoon, they caught one fuckuva break, happening on the kill sight deep in Harker’s Wood in a way that you’d think they knew just where to look. Lotsa blood, all Misty’s, found the murder weapon tossed ‘bout two hundred yards from the scene. Ballistics match came in this mornin’. Crabtree did not report to work yesterday or today. My guess, he woke up, found his revolver gone, knows the way they play and wasted no time packing his bag.”
Ty gave five seconds headspace to Misty Keaton taking bullets and her body dumped at the side of an access road. His grand plan o’ vengeance included all involved living a long fucking time with the bitter taste of Ty’s retribution on their tongue. He hated the bitch and he wanted her to pay. But not that way. Not that he felt bad for her, the world was not a poorer place without that toxic * in it, just that that punishment wasn’t near enough.
Then he let that bitch go and noted, “Hard for them to hand Crabtree his shoelaces, he’s in the wind.”
“Yep,” Tate agreed.
“You think we got a problem with Julius’s boy?”
“I think it would be worth it to have a conversation with him but, no. Sources say CPD is runnin’ scared and not just your man in Dallas. I think these are desperate acts, not strategic maneuvering based on covert intel,” Tate replied.
“Then it’s good news Julius is in town, he can have a word.”
“Julius is in town?” Tate asked and Ty’s eyes went to Lexie.
“Yeah,” Ty answered. “Seemed he was gettin’ impatient with me and Lex takin’ our time reuniting so he decided to get Lex’s ass home. To do that, he phoned Ella and to get Ella to phone Lex, he told her I’d been in a car crash, was dyin’ and if she didn’t haul her ass from Florida, she’d lose her chance to say good-bye to me on my deathbed.”
Loaded silence then a low, “You are fuckin’ shittin’ me.”
“No.”
Cautious silence then, “She haul her ass from Florida?”
“We’re at the diner havin’ lunch.”
Total silence then, “Brother…” pause then, “fuck, it good?”
He smiled at his wife. Then he told Tate quietly, “Yeah, brother, all good.”
Ty watched as her face lost some of her concern and got soft.
Yeah, all good.
“Good,” Tate said quietly back.
Unfortunately, Ty had to bring the conversation back around. “Seems we gotta step shit up before everyone who can prove I didn’t do it gets dead.”
At that, Lexie’s eyes got big again. He gave her an “it’s all good” chin lift even though it wasn’t. This time, she trusted him and popped the fry in her mouth.
“Seems we do. I’ll talk to Deke,” Tate replied.
“I’ll talk to Julius.”
“Right,” then, “happy for you, Ty, Lexie’s back.”
“Not as much as me.”
A smile in his voice with, “I bet.” Then, “I’ll tell Laurie.”
“Good. I’ll tell Lex you’re tellin’ Laurie.”
A chuckle in Tate’s voice with, “Good.”
“Junior high,” Ty muttered.
“Yeah, but not the shit part of it,” Tate returned.
He had that right.
“We done?” Ty asked.
“For now,” Tate answered.
“Then later.”
“Later.”
He flipped his phone shut and caught Lexie’s eyes as she was taking a big bite of burger. It wasn’t hard to catch her eyes. She was staring at him.
She put the burger down, chewed twice and with mouth full, prompted, “Well?”
“Misty’s dead.”
Her entire torso jerked forward and back as she did a slow blink and stopped with eyes wide.
Then, mouth still full, she asked loudly, “What?”
“The wicked bitch is dead, mama.”
She stared, chewed, swallowed, grabbed her soda, sucked deep on her straw, slammed the cup down and instantly commenced throwing sass. “Well, shit! If she’s dead, how can I have a bitch smackdown with her?”
Ty felt his body shake with laughter as he said, “Sorry, baby, gonna have to give up on that dream.”
“Fuck,” she whispered, glaring down at her plate.
Ty studied his wife, grinning.
The woman was dead and Lexie was pissed that she didn’t get her chance to engage in a catfight before Misty bought it.