Page 18 of Cowboy Heat

It’s not a question, and he won’t ask me outright my side of the story. Maybe that’s one reason I’ve never been a fan of the sheriff’s. He acts mighty, too mighty. He won’t admit he doesn’t understand something; he’ll just wait you out.

“Like I told your deputies, I was out showing Low Low to the new owner of Blue Lolita when we heard Alice yelling,” I tell him. “She said someone shot her, but we didn’t see anyone. She was in the back and bleeding. I kept pressure on until Deputy Myers showed. I rode with her here in the ambulance after, but she didn’t wake up to say anything else.”

Sheriff Roland nods like he was there and already knew what had happened.

That’s just his way.

He knows everything but really doesn’t know a thing.

“And when you saywe,you’re talking about you and Beau Montgomery.” This wasn’t a question, either.

Still, I nod. “He’s a partial owner of Blue Lolita,” I reiterate.

The sheriff sucks on his teeth. “It’s real strange that Blue Lolita has been free and clear of anything violent until it gets a new resident. Especially the day after he comes to town.”

The instinct is instant. I put my arms across my chest. “Mr. Montgomery was nothing but surprised and then helpful during this whole ordeal. He ran out into danger to try to get whoever pulled the trigger, then he came back and kept watch on us. That man didn’t have a thing past that to do with Alice.”

He doesn’t look convinced.

He looks lazy, a man itching to place suspicion on an innocent man.

I’m not going to let him.

I square up my shoulders. “And if you want any kind of alibi, and me being with him at the time of the shooting won’t do, I suggest you talk to hisotheralibi right before that. Who was Guidry.”

That gets an immediate reaction, like my instinct to protect Beau’s name. The sheriff stands taller. “Guidry was at Blue Lolita?” If the topic was on someone other than Guidry, I might’ve been surprised Roland had asked a question at all.

I’m not now.

I nod. “Talking to Beau when I drove up to Big House this morning. Maybe you should ask him yourself. Guidry, that is. I never figured out why he was there in the first place.”

It’s a challenge, but the sheriff doesn’t accept.

He rolls his shoulders back and shakes his head. “Mr. Montgomery’s track record isn’t all that bad. Other than the whole Orlando thing, he had a decent law enforcement career before he had to leave. Maybe I should give him more credit. I’ll call out to Blue Lolita in a few days to try to talk to him. I need to talk to the doc here first.”

He talks fast, casual, but my mind sticks there for a moment.

Beau was in law enforcement?

None of the papers Margaret gave me, or Margaret herself, said anything about that. And, well, I suppose I haven’t asked about that aspect of his life before Robin’s Tree.

But it makes sense in hindsight.

He’s cool in a situation that would have some shaking in their shoes.

He also seemed comfortable holding a gun.

I’m not sure what happened in Orlando, and I’m not going to ask the sheriff. Instead, I give the older man a nod.

He doesn’t waste his time with me and goes down a hallway near us.

I doubt Alice will be able to talk anytime soon, and neither can her doctor, but I watch the sheriff go without saying as much. When he’s out of eyesight, I keep on my path to the non-emergency side of the lobby. I need to call Mimi. I haven’t had the time yet, but I’m sure word has gotten to her already. Especially since George Picots was on dispatch.

George and I went on a date or two a few years back before he met his now-girlfriend, but he’s kept a good friendship going with Mimi since I brought him over for lunch once. He’ll have told her what happened and what I did.

It’s probably why she hasn’t called me yet.

She’s giving me space.