Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch - B.J. Daniels [77]
Dana turned in time to see Kitty Randolph smile as she stepped back and dropped into the well.
A few seconds later Dana heard the sickening thud as Kitty hit the bottom. But by then, Hud was pulling Dana into his arms and telling her he loved her, over and over again. In the distance she could hear the wail of sirens.
Chapter Fourteen
Hud parked by the Hebgen Lake house and got out, noting that his father's vehicle was in the garage and there were no fresh tracks.
But when he knocked at the door, he got no answer. He tried the knob, not surprised when the door opened in. "Dad?" he called. The word sounded funny and he tried to remember the last time he'd said it.
As he moved through the house, it became more apparent that Brick wasn't there. Hud felt his pulse start as he reminded himself how old his father had seemed the other day, then recalled with shame and embarrassment what he'd said to Brick.
But Hud knew the panicky feeling in the pit of his stomach had more to do with what he hadn't yet said to his father.
"Dad?" he called again.
No answer. He glanced into the bedrooms. Both empty, beds made. Hud had never expected his father to keep such a neat house. Hud's mother had hated housework.
The kitchen was also empty, still smelling faintly of bacon and coffee. But as he looked out the window across the frozen white expanse of the lake, he spotted a lone figure squatting on the ice.
Hud opened the back door and followed the well-worn footprints across patches of glistening wind-crusted ice and drifted snow, his boot soles making a crunching sound as he walked toward his father.
Dressed in a heavy coat and hat, Brick Savage sat on a log stump, a short ice-fishing pole in his gloved hands. The fishing line disappeared down into the perfect hole cut in the ice at his feet.
His father looked up and smiled. "Heard the news. You solved both murders. Figured you would."
Just then the rod jerked. Brick set the hook and hauled a large rainbow trout out of the slushy water and up onto the ice. He picked up the flopping trout, unhooked it and dropped it back into the water.
Hud stood, trying to put into words everything he wanted—needed—to say to his father. Hud had been so sure that his father had set him up so he could kill Judge Raymond Randolph and frame the Kirk brothers. "Dad, I—"
"There's an extra rod," Brick said, cutting him off. He motioned to the rod resting against an adjacent stump.
"You knew I'd be showing up?" Hud asked in surprise.
His dad smiled. "I'd hoped you would."
"There's some things I need to say to you."
Brick shook his head. "Your coming here today says everything I need to hear." He reached over and picked up the short rod and handed it to his son. "If you want, we could keep a few fish and cook them up for lunch. Or if you're in a hurry—"
"No hurry. I haven't had trout in a long time," Hud said, taking a seat across from his father. "I could stay to eat trout for lunch."
His dad nodded and Hud thought he glimpsed something he'd never seen, tears in his father's eyes. Brick dropped his head to bait his hook and when he looked up again, the tears were gone. If they were ever there.
He watched his father, thinking he might call Dana after lunch to see if she'd like trout for dinner tonight. "I've been offered the marshal job," he said as he baited his line and dropped it into the hole.
"I'm not surprised."
"I heard you put in a good word for me," Hud said, feeling his throat tighten.
"Rupert's got a big mouth," Brick said but smiled. "The canyon's lucky to get you. Dana pleased about it?"
He nodded and hooked into a fish. "You know about Rupert and Kitty Randolph?"
"I knew he liked her. He's taking it all pretty hard. He likes to think he's smarter than most people when it comes to figuring out criminals," Brick said.
"Kitty fooled a lot of people."
"Yes, she did," Brick said.
They spent the rest of the morning fishing, talking little.