Page 131 of Thick as Thieves

Rusty flashed a grin. “I know. Terrible, right? It was one of those with spikes, the kind trainers use to turn their dogs into mean sons of bitches.” He laughed at his play on words.

“The last call on Dwayne’s cell phone only lasted a couple of minutes. They’ll try to trace the number to the caller, but I’m betting they’ll never discover who it was. What I think? Whoever talked to him scared Dwayne into hightailing it, and then ambushed him when he tried to leave.

“The lead detective told me it looked like his killer was waiting for Dwayne in the back seat of his pickup, wrapped that collar around his neck, and squeezed it tight till he died. Said there were deep puncture wounds all around his scrawny neck.” He drew a line around his own.

Arden felt ill. It was all she could do to keep her expression impassive and not reveal her revulsion, not only for the scene he described, but for him. She sensed similar disgust and sheer rage pulsing through Ledge.

“Killed with a tool of his illegal trade. I call that poetic justice.” Rusty gave them a wink and a foxy smile. Again, he acted as though he were about to leave, then paused and held up his index finger.

“Uh, one more thing. It might not go well for you two Nancy Drews if the detectives on Dwayne’s homicide put two and two together. Y’all were attacked by fighting dogs on the same night that a participant in that sport got choked to death. See where I’m going with this?

“If you were of a mind to suggest to the authorities that an unknown third party had put Dwayne up to siccing his dogs on you, I would feel compelled to inform the detectives that shortly after that potentially fatal attack, you were seen in Dwayne’s neck of the woods.”

“Seen by who?” Ledge asked.

Rusty’s eyes glinted. “By someone who wishes to remain anonymous.”

He let that settle before continuing. “But before I gave that info over to the sheriff’s office, I’d feel obligated to share it with Dwayne’s twin brothers. The pair don’t have a whole brain between them, but they’re meaner than sin, and, from what I understand from the poor deputy who had to break the news to them this morning, they’re brimming with wrath over their baby brother’s cruel demise.”

He looked Ledge up and down. “I don’t know their…inclinations. They may be too persnickety to take turns with you.” He shifted his gaze to Arden. “But I shudder to think about the good time they’d have sharing her.”

Ledge grabbed him by his necktie and shoved him backward a full arm’s length before letting go with an added thrust. Rusty managed to stay on his feet but stumbled in order to regain his balance.

When he had straightened up, he looked at them and laughed. “See y’all.” Then he turned and ambled toward his car.

Chapter 36

Ledge shut the door but kept his hand flat against it, watching through the window until Rusty had driven out of sight, then turned quickly to Arden. “Go get your purse. It’s on the—”

“I know where it is. What are we going to do?”

“You are going to leave. We’ll pick up your car at Crystal’s. I’ll follow you home, you can grab some things, secure your house, I’ll escort you as far as the interstate.”

“I’m not leaving now.” She flung her hand toward the reports scattered across the table. “Not with this mess still—”

“Rusty killed that guy, Arden.” He pushed his fingers through his hair. “Christ. I wanted to scare Hawkins because of what he did to us, but also to protect him from just this. I wanted to scare him into getting away from here, and out of Rusty’s reach. He didn’t run fast enough.”

“Don’t assume the blame for what Rusty did.”

He made an impatient gesture indicating to her that she was wasting her breath.

“We’ve got to report Rusty to someone, Ledge.”

“I am. I will. But, first, I’m getting you on your way.” She looked prepared to argue, but when he chinned toward the bedroom and told her to hurry, she left him.

He called Crystal. She hadn’t even gotten out a hello before he asked if Rusty had stopped by her place that morning.

“Where did you hear that?”

“From him. He said you had told him—”

“I haven’t told him a damn thing. I haven’t even seen him.”

“I figured he was lying.”

“When did you talk to him?”

“Right before I called you.”