Page 38 of Unexpected Danger (Mountain Justice #2)

Renee Corker slouched at the table in the conference room four hours after Brodie rescued Londyn and delivered her to the ranch.

He’d visited the kidnapping site and had located Londyn’s gun and returned it to her.

Then he’d driven into town after he and Huang took Londyn’s statement.

Dwyer stepped in and traded places with Huang at the ranch.

He flipped the on switch of the video recorder and grabbed a notepad, pen, and a bottle of water. Irritation seeped through him and settled in his throat. He probably shouldn’t be the one questioning Renee, and he was grateful his undersheriff, Deputy Huang, was there to assist.

Brodie had numerous questions to ask Renee Corker about the kidnapping and confining Londyn, not to mention questions about the horse theft and his suspicions of animal cruelty. He was still awaiting the emergency search warrant.

Corker had already been Mirandized, and Brodie added, “Just to let you know, this will be recorded.”

“Yes. All right. Sure, that’s fine.” Corker chewed on a dirty fingernail. “I know I shouldn’t have taken that horse, but I found it wandering around all by itself, and I was worried it was hungry and thirsty. I’m just that kind of person. Really concerned about animals, you know?”

They’d discuss the theft later. “The horse is in the process of being returned. I want to talk to you about keeping Ms. Siegler hostage in your house.”

“Hostage? She wasn’t a hostage.” Corker reached up and twirled a piece of matted red hair around her finger. “I don’t know why you’re calling her a hostage.”

Brodie slammed his hand on the table. “I’m calling her a hostage because you restrained her at your house and wouldn’t let her go.”

Huang gripped Brodie’s shoulder. “Sheriff, could you step outside with me for a minute?”

Brodie reluctantly followed Huang out onto the hall. He knew he’d been out of line for losing his temper that way, especially so early in the interrogation, but the thought of what could have happened to Londyn, not necessarily by Renee Corker’s hand, but by Haack, infuriated him.

“Look, man, I know this is personal for you, but if you can’t separate yourself from the case, you’re not going to be able to be in there.”

While Brodie was Huang’s superior, he was also Huang’s coworker and friend, and Brodie valued and respected him.

“Sorry. I just—I thought of what could have happened to Londyn and then knowing she was kidnapped, bound, and held there against her will with all those animals, and she’s allergic to cats and this woman… ”

“I know. I get it. I do. But let’s go back in there and get some answers. If you want, I can lead the questioning. Ms. Corker is flighty, and I don’t think she’s going to be forthcoming if we don’t handle this in a certain manner.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“No worries. You all right?”

“I’m good.”

They again entered the room, and this time, Corker was leaning back in her chair. “How long do I have to stay here?”

“Until we’re done, ma’am,” said Huang.

Brodie stroked his chin, noting the need to shave. “Is Dustin Haack your boyfriend?”

“Dustin Haack? I don’t know who he is. My boyfriend’s name is Dustin, but his last name isn’t Haack. It’s Cays.”

Brodie scribbled the alias on his notepad. Made sense that Haack lied to some of his pawns about his real name.

Renee Corker, who had suddenly decided to become a voracious conversationalist, continued.

“And he’s really not even my boyfriend. He’s my fiancé because we’re going to be getting married soon.

” Corker folded her arms across her chest and jutted her chin.

“That is why I can’t go to jail because of that horse.

I did take care of it when it was at my house.

I fed and watered it, and gave it a yard to play in. ”

He thought of the other animals he suspected were behind the doors of that house. The warrant couldn’t come soon enough.

“Tell me how Ms. Siegler came to be at your house.”

“She helped me with a bill I had when I hurt my back. I appreciated all her help.”

Huang jumped in and asked the next question. “So you knew Ms. Siegler—Londyn—from the billing office?”

“Yes.”

“When did you invite her to your house?” asked Brodie.

“Oh, I didn’t invite her. Dustin said it would be a great idea and a way to repay her for her kindness for helping me with that bill, you know, by letting her live at my house since she’s homeless right now.

” Corker chewed again on her fingernail.

“Besides, I’m going to be moving in with Dustin after we get married, so I thought Londyn could stay there temporarily.

I can’t stand the thought of someone not having a home.

” She gestured with her hands. “She lost her home, you know.”

“Dustin told you it was a good idea to bring Londyn to your house and offer her the opportunity to stay there until you sold the place after getting married to Dustin?”

Corker clapped her hands. “Yes. And after we’re all done here, if you give me your addresses, I can mail you both a wedding invitation.”

“That won’t be necessary.” It was doubtful Haack truly wanted to marry Ms. Corker, especially with his obsession with Londyn. Brodie pressed on with his line of questioning. “Please tell me how you knew Ms. Siegler was going to be out for a walk.”

“That’s easy. Dustin told me. He’s always trying to do nice things for people. Have you met him? He’s one of the sweetest guys.” Renee Corker swooned. “So good-looking too.”

Neither sweet nor good-looking were words Brodie would use to describe Haack. “How did Dustin know about Ms. Siegler’s walk?”

Corker shrugged. “Said he’d been watching her.”

“And you don’t think that’s strange?”

“No. He’s always caring for the less fortunate and trying to help them.

He also said that Londyn is prideful and would be embarrassed to have to stay with someone since she’s homeless.

He said we would have to convince her. He was right.

She didn’t come willingly. But I did appreciate that she thought I lost Sesame.

” Corker jutted her lower lip. “Come to think of it, she was rather rude when Dustin was trying to get her into my car. I understand being prideful, but being outright snotty when someone is trying to help you?”

“How did you get her into the car?”

“First, I have to tell you it was just like some action movie. Dustin clocked her over the head to try to knock some sense into her.”

Brodie’s annoyance flared. “And you didn’t see anything wrong with that? With him hurting her?”

“I don’t think he meant to hurt her. She was extremely stubborn and was putting up a fierce fight.

He warned me that she was one of those kinds of people who didn’t easily accept help and that she also…

” Corker lowered her voice. “That she also had—you know—issues.” She glanced up at the ceiling.

“But she’s just like all my cats and dogs.

She needs a good home. So, I decided I was the one to help her, or rather, Dustin decided I was the one to help.

” A large smile lit her face, revealing a few empty spaces in her mouth where teeth had once been. “He has the best ideas!”

Brodie hoped that one of these days, one of Dustin Haack’s brilliant ideas would lead law enforcement right to him. “What happened next?”

“We finally got her into the car and drove her to my house.”

“Where was Dustin at this point?”

“He had to get back to work.”

“Where is he employed?”

A dreamy expression covered Ms. Corker’s face.

“He’s going to school to become a lawyer, just like those ones you see on TV.

He’s so smart, and I know he’ll be an amazing attorney after he graduates.

Sadly, he’s also super busy and has a ton of coursework.

” She picked at a scab on her arm. “Doesn’t matter, though.

He said once he lands his first job, he’s going to buy us a brand-new house in that fancy subdivision just past the tree farm. ”

It always surprised Brodie how gullible some people were. And how convincing Haack was. He was about to ask the next question when Corker continued.

“I was rather disappointed that she wasn’t very grateful. And then Dustin told me he was going to be coming over for dinner. I could hardly wait. And then you showed up about that horse, but Dustin said not to open the door.”

He bet that Ms. Corker did everything Haack told her to. “Do you know where Dustin is now?”

“Probably at his house.”

“Do you know where that is?”

“No, I don’t.”

Frustration simmered through Brodie. “You were dating this guy, and you don’t know where he lives?”

“Yeah, that’s right. We never went to his house.

We always came to mine.” Corker lowered her voice.

“I honestly think he’s embarrassed because it’s not the kind of house he wishes he had, and he wants to impress me.

But I’m okay with that. I know that once he gets his important lawyer job, he’ll be able to afford the house that we both deserve. ”

It was obvious Renee Corker did not have all of her faculties. “What is the name of the college he’s attending?”

“Some online university. I don’t recall the name of it right off hand.”

Brodie’s gaze connected with Huang’s, and Huang raised his eyebrows.

“We are going to have to arrest you, ma’am.” Brodie pushed back his chair and stood.

“I told you I was sorry about that horse. That’s the problem with people these days. You make a tiny mistake and nobody even cares if you’re sorry.” Corker folded her arms around her chubby self.

Brodie listed off the charges.

“I did not kidnap anyone. I told you the story behind that, and it is not my fault if you can’t understand. What is it with people? You try to do something nice, like take a homeless person off the street, and look what happens.”

It was a moot cause to try to explain anything to Renee Corker. Brodie nodded at Huang. “If you wouldn’t mind finishing up here, I would appreciate it.”

“No problem at all, sheriff.”

Brodie left the interview room. He paused and peeked in the window one last time, where Ms. Corker was animatedly telling Huang something, her hands flying as she spoke.

If only they’d been able to catch Haack at Renee Corker’s house.

That would have been the icing on the cake, as the saying went.

But at least, most importantly, Londyn was safe, and while it may be the optimist in him, Brodie figured they were one step closer to finding Dustin Haack.