Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch - B.J. Daniels [75]
Dana stumbled and turned to look at Kitty, shocked by the revelation. The judge had killed Ginger Adams on his wife's orders?
"Oh, don't look so shocked," Kitty Randolph said. "Imagine what I would have done that night if I'd known he'd given her my ring? It was the only decent piece of jewelry he'd ever bought me. It never meant that much to me because I'd had to force him to buy it for our anniversary. But even if I never wore it, it was mine and he gave it to that woman. And then to hear it turned up in your well—with her."
Dana was too stunned to speak for a moment.
"Let's get this over with," Kitty said, and jabbed Dana with the gun, prodding her toward the well opening. Kitty's voice changed, sounding almost childlike. "You don't want to get too close to the edge of the well, dear. You might fall in. It's only natural that you would be curious. Or perhaps you're distraught over the news about your mother. Sorry, dear, but after you're gone it's going to come out that your mother killed Ginger. Mary wouldn't mind, after all she's dead."
Dana balked. "You wouldn't blame my mother."
"I've given it a lot of thought," Kitty said matter-of-factly. "Your mother was afraid, living out here alone, and I lent her the judge's .38. I'd completely forgotten the gun was in the closet until the marshal called to say that Ginger had been killed with the same gun the judge was."
"No one will believe my mother killed Ginger Adams—and your husband."
"You are so right, dear. Your sister, the common thief, took the gun while it was in your mother's possession and killed the judge. I'll work out the details later. But when it comes out about your sister stealing fund-raiser money and me having it all on video…"
"You're the one who forced Stacy to make it look like she and Hud had slept together."
"Oh, dear, you are so smart," Kitty said as she backed Dana toward the well. "I was quite the mastermind if I say so myself. First I hired the Kirk brothers to mow my lawn and then I planted the judge's cuff links and pocket watch in their car. I said I'd be at my sister's that night. With cell phones, no one can tell where you are. Aren't they amazing devices?"
As Kitty backed her into the darkness, Dana could feel the well coming up behind her.
"The judge was at his stupid Toastmasters. I called and told him I thought I'd left the stove on, then I waited until he was on his way home before I called those awful Kirk brothers and told them I'd left them a bonus and to stop by the house and pick it up. The door was open. It was all too easy. You should have seen the judge's face when I shot him twice in the chest."
Dana grimaced. If she'd had any doubt that Kitty would shoot her, she didn't now.
"The Kirk brothers arrived right after that," she continued. "They reacted just as I knew they would when they heard the sirens. Hud's father had been trying to get the goods on them for years. I knew he'd chase them to the ends of the earth. And he literally did. All I had to do was make it look as if the Kirks had broken into my house and then go to my sister's and wait for the terrible news."
Dana stopped moving. She could feel the well directly behind her. One more step and she would fall into it. "Why set up Hud with my sister?"
"Stacy had to do whatever I told her and I knew how badly Hud's father wanted to put those awful Kirk brothers away. He was more apt to believe they had robbed my house and killed my husband than your boyfriend." Kitty smiled, pleased with herself. "Anyway, by doing that I freed you up for my nephew."
"Your nephew?"
Something moved by the chimney and Dana watched as a large dark figure came out of the shadows behind Kitty. Jordan. Let it be Jordan.
"Step back, dear," Kitty said. "Let's not make this any more painful than we have to."
As the figure grew closer, Dana saw the man's face. Not Jordan. "Lanny,