Chapter Eight

Gracelyn was fully aware this wasn’t the safest thing to do. Meeting Devin meant leaving the ranch. Leaving Abigail. And Ruston and her going outside when there was a sniper still at large. But after talking it over with Ruston, they had decided it was a risk they had to take.

Because they needed to hear what Devin had to say.

And they didn’t want to do the interview at the ranch. Better to have some distance between Abigail and him, even if that distance meant more of a risk to Ruston and her. A risk, though, that didn’t compromise Abigail’s safety.

That was why Ruston and she had arranged for plenty of protection, with Slater, Luca and Joelle all staying with the baby while the armed ranch hands patrolled the grounds. A sniper could still return to fire more shots, but any gunfire was more likely to be aimed at Ruston and her. That was why they were all keeping watch as Duncan drove them to the sheriff’s office.

A drive that hopefully wouldn’t turn out to be a huge mistake.

Gracelyn needed to know what was going on with Allie, and Devin might be able to give her answers. And if she was to believe what Devin had said, they were answers that might help save Allie’s life. She wasn’t close to her sister, wasn’t even sure she could say she actually loved her, but Gracelyn certainly didn’t want Allie hurt or dead.

What she wanted, though, was to talk to Allie. That was critical. And Gracelyn hadn’t given up hope of that happening. It was the reason she’d brought the burner with her, and she’d also left a message for Allie on that private Facebook page. Since Allie didn’t have the burner Gracelyn had given her—Devin did—maybe Allie would use her regular phone, see the Facebook message and get in touch with her.

Because Ruston and she were in the back seat of the cruiser, Gracelyn had turned to keep watch behind them. To make sure they weren’t being followed. Ruston was watching the sides of the narrow road while Duncan focused on the driving and what was ahead. All of them were primed for an attack, and they stayed that way during the entire ten-minute drive, even though they didn’t see another vehicle until they were in town.

Duncan parked, and they used the side door to enter the building to get to his office. Gracelyn had been here before, too, when Ruston’s father was sheriff, and it appeared that Duncan had kept things exactly the same, down to the Texas landscape art on the walls.

His office front was all glass, so she had no trouble seeing into the large bullpen and reception area, where she immediately spotted two deputies. She was pretty sure they were Carmen Gonzales and Woodrow Leonard, and both were on the phone while Carmen was also using her computer. However, the moment she noticed Duncan, she ended the call and stood.

“Devin Blackburn’s not here yet,” she relayed to Duncan. “And we’re still waiting on those two officers to come down and pick up the prisoner.”

“What prisoner?” Ruston asked.

“A guy named Brent Litton,” Duncan supplied. “Woodrow pulled him over for speeding, and when he ran the plates, it came up there was an outstanding warrant on him for a string of burglaries in Austin. Austin PD is supposed to come and get him sometime today.” He looked at Gracelyn and must have seen the concern on her face. “This guy isn’t the sniper. He’s been behind bars since about ten last night.”

Gracelyn wished he had been the sniper so they could have questioned him. Additionally, he would have no longer been a threat.

“I need you to sign some reports,” Carmen continued, still speaking to Duncan.

The deputy picked up a folder and started toward him, but Duncan went to her in the bullpen. Again, Gracelyn thought he’d maybe done that to give Ruston and her a little privacy so she could settle her nerves. But there wasn’t any time for that because Ruston’s phone rang, and when he took it from his pocket, she saw Noah’s name on the screen.

“Devin’s not here yet,” Ruston told Noah the moment he answered. Ruston had already filled Noah in on Devin’s phone call, and Noah had to be just as anxious as they were to find out what the man had to say.

“I hope he hasn’t had second thoughts,” Noah muttered. “Up to now, he’s been dodging my calls and requests to come in for an interview. And I don’t have enough for a warrant. In fact, I don’t have anything on him except his involvement with Allie.”

Yes, and that was why they had to get more. Well, if there was more to get, that was. It was entirely possible that Devin had nothing to do with any of this.

“I’m about to email you the surveillance footage of Gracelyn’s sister,” Noah continued a moment later. “I wanted to take care of that because I think Tony’s trying to have me taken off Marty’s murder. He’s pissed off, Ruston, and he knows we’re friends.”

“He also knows you’re a good cop,” Ruston snarled. “Is he purposely trying to compromise the investigation?”

“I hope not, but the possibility has occurred to me. I don’t think he’ll succeed in getting me removed,” Noah added. “He’s having to deal with both the Rangers and Internal Affairs. This is gossip, but word is there are some inconsistencies in his finances and that he’ll be put on paid leave for a couple of days.”

That definitely wouldn’t make Tony happy, but Gracelyn was thankful this was being done. Because there were inconsistencies, and if they had anything to do with the murders and attacks, then that should come to light.

“What about Charla?” Gracelyn asked. “Is Internal Affairs looking at her, too?”

“Not that I know of, and she wasn’t in the meeting with the captain and the Rangers.” Noah paused. “Is Charla aware that the two of you know about her connection to Zimmer?”

“Not yet,” Ruston answered. “I wanted to confront her with that myself to see her reaction, and then I’ll pass the info along.”

Normally, the passing along meant her boss would be the one who got that info, but since her boss was Tony, that would likely be elevated to the captain.

The front door opened, and a dark-haired man came in. Devin. She recognized him from his photos.

“Gotta go,” Ruston told Noah. “Allie’s boyfriend just showed up.”

“Good. Let me know if he spills anything I can use,” Noah added right before he ended the call.

Gracelyn’s first impression of Devin was that he didn’t look the sort to spill anything that wouldn’t paint himself in a good light. But that left plenty of other areas where he might be helpful. First, though, she had to get past that initial feeling of disdain. This was a man who’d assaulted and stalked women. That made him slime in her book, but if she hadn’t known his history, she might not have seen the sliminess.

He was dressed like a rock star in his designer jeans with rips in all the trendy places. He’d paired them with a black tee that she was betting he hadn’t bought off the rack. Expensive boots and sunglasses completed the outfit.

Woodrow went to Devin, first checking his ID and then sending him through the metal detector. No alarms sounded, but then, Devin would have been a fool to come to a sheriff’s office armed.

“Gracelyn?” Devin questioned once he’d cleared security. When she nodded, he thrust out his hand for her to shake. She did that while keeping her gaze pinned to him.

“We can use interview room one,” Duncan said, and he introduced both himself and Ruston.

“We?” Devin challenged. “I thought it’d be just Gracelyn and me talking.”

“Then you thought wrong,” Duncan quickly replied.

Devin didn’t scowl at that remark. In fact, the little twist of his mouth seemed to convey that he’d expected this to be an official interview with the cops.

“Detective Noah Ryland from SAPD has been trying to get in touch with you,” Ruston said to Devin as they walked to the room.

“Really?” Devin said, and he checked his phone. “No messages from him. Oh,” he added as if something had just occurred to him. “I have a new number. Guess he’s probably been trying to reach me at the old one. Detective Ryland, you said?”

Ruston nodded. He, too, had a hard look in his eyes.

“All right, I’ll call Ryland when I’m done here,” Devin said once they were in the interview room. “I’m guessing he wants to talk to me about Allie,” he added. “Has she done something else I don’t know about?”

None of them answered, but Duncan launched right into reading Devin his rights. That finally erased some of Devin’s cockiness.

“Am I under arrest?” Devin asked.

“No. Reading you your rights is for your protection, so that you know what’s expected of you,” Duncan explained. “And so you’re aware you can have a lawyer. We can all wait here if you want to call one.”

“That won’t be necessary. I didn’t do anything wrong,” Devin insisted. “In fact, I’m trying to do what’s right by coming here.” He sat and looked at Gracelyn, who took the seat at the table across from him. Duncan sat next to her while Ruston opted to stand.

Gracelyn didn’t waste any time getting the questions started. “On the phone, you said you were afraid my sister had gotten into serious trouble. Explain that.”

Devin gathered his breath, and rearranged his expression by bunching up his forehead. “Allie’s been using drugs again. Two days ago, I caught her trying to make a deal with one of her old dealers. She didn’t even deny it. Didn’t deny either that she’d taken money from my wallet to buy the drugs.”

Gracelyn tried to ignore the initial emotional punch of that. It certainly wasn’t the first time she’d heard someone say Allie was using. In fact, Allie had been arrested twice for drug possession when she’d been a juvenile. Her pattern was to stay clean for about a year, and then she’d have a relapse. Thankfully, she’d been in the clean stage when she was pregnant with Abigail.

“Allie and I had a big argument,” Devin went on, “and I told her she had to leave. I’ve got a record.” He added a dry laugh. “But I’m positive you already know that.” He put his arms on the table and leaned in toward her. “I don’t want to do anything that could land me in jail. Not only would that cause my folks to disown me, but it’s not who I am now. New leaf and all that.”

Gracelyn figured she failed at totally suppressing a scowl over the way he’d flippantly thrown in that last part. But she was betting he was indeed concerned about being disowned. From everything she’d read about his parents, they fit more of the mold of upstanding citizens.

“Where did Allie go after you argued?” Gracelyn asked.

“I have no idea.” He paused, forehead bunching up again. “But she said if I didn’t give her the money that she’d get it from you. She figured by now you were attached to the baby and that you’d be willing to pay for the privilege of keeping her.”

Gracelyn felt sick to her stomach, and she wanted every word of that to be lies. But she couldn’t be sure. When Allie was using, she would resort to anything to get her hands on drugs.

“So, you know about the baby,” Ruston commented.

“Yeah, Allie told me about her.” Devin stopped, and his eyes widened. “Wait. Is the kid okay? Is she safe?” The concern in his voice appeared to be genuine. Appeared.

“She’s safe,” Gracelyn settled on saying. “What did Allie tell you about the baby?”

“That I’m her father,” Devin admitted without hesitation.

“Are you?” Gracelyn pressed, though she thought she already knew the answer. It was the eyes. Abigail’s eyes were a genetic copy of Devin’s.

Devin shrugged. “It’s a good possibility that I am. I mean, the timing fits. Allie and I had been together for a while before she left. Another argument,” he tacked on to that.

“Yes, I remember seeing the bruises and her black eye,” Gracelyn remarked. She sounded as if she had ice in her blood, but it was all fiery anger.

Devin held up his hands. “She didn’t get those from me. Scout’s honor.” He made a crossing gesture over his heart. “She got those from her dealer.”

“She wasn’t using when I saw her with the bruises,” Gracelyn argued, and this time the anger coated her words.

“No,” Devin agreed, “but she’d agreed to sell some product for him and had reneged on the deal. He came after her, and that’s why she ran. She didn’t think I’d be able to protect her.”

Duncan slid a notepad and pen at Devin. “Write down the name of this dealer.”

She thought maybe Devin would refuse. He didn’t. He scribbled down a name and passed it back to Duncan.

Gracelyn’s stomach dropped.

Because he’d written Terry Zimmer .

“What?” Devin said, obviously noticing her surprise. “You know that guy?”

Now she was the one who hesitated. “How well do you know him?” Gracelyn countered.

“Not well at all, and I want to keep it that way.” He leaned back in his chair. “But Zimmer came round a few times before Allie left that first time. I swear, at first I thought the guy was a cop.”

“You didn’t check out his background or anything?” Ruston asked. “I mean, since you supposedly have better-than-average computer skills.”

Devin’s mouth tightened a little. Ruston had obviously managed to get under his skin. A small victory.

“Yeah, I did,” Devin admitted. “Former cop turned drug dealer. Talk about a drastic turn in career paths. But other than meeting him a couple of times and checking him on the internet, I don’t really know the guy.”

“But you saw him with Allie two days ago,” Gracelyn reminded him.

“I did, and that’s why I wanted to talk to you. I’m worried she’s with Zimmer, and if so, God knows what kind of trouble he can get her into.”

Gracelyn was worried, too. Especially worried that the trouble involved murder.

“Did you ever hear Allie talk about a man named Marty Bennett?” Gracelyn asked.

“Marty,” Devin repeated. “Sure. We both know Marty. Knew,” he amended. “I heard he died.”

“He was murdered,” Ruston provided.

Devin shook his head in an “I’m not surprised” kind of way. “Marty had dealings with a lot of dangerous people.”

“So, how did you know him?” Ruston added.

Devin didn’t jump to answer this time. “I borrowed money from him twice.” He glanced at Gracelyn’s raised eyebrow. “I have a trust fund, but sometimes I run short. I paid Marty back every cent, and then some.” He paused then. “You think Allie had some kind of run-in with Marty?”

“Did she?” Gracelyn pressed.

“I don’t know. Maybe,” Devin conceded. Then his eyes widened again. “You don’t think she killed him, do you?”

That was the last thing Gracelyn wanted to think. But she had to consider it. Especially if Allie was truly hooked up with Zimmer.

“Hell,” Devin grumbled. “If Allie’s gone that far off the rails, I wouldn’t let her near the kid. Look, the kid may or may not be mine, but I don’t want anything to happen to her, okay?”

“You’re not interested in finding out if she actually is your child?” Duncan asked.

Devin shrugged. “If you want me to give you a sample of my DNA, you can check it. I personally don’t need the results, but you might want them.” He aimed that last part at Gracelyn. “I mean, just in case the kid asks about that sort of thing down the road.”

“You don’t want to know if she’s your daughter?” Gracelyn managed to say, though her throat was very tight now.

“No,” Devin insisted. “I’m not exactly the father type. And FYI, I told Allie that when she first suspected she might be pregnant. I told her if she had the kid, it was hers, not mine. I wanted no part of any of that.”

Gracelyn hated the way he threw the word kid around. Then again, she hated Devin, so it stood to reason she despised anything that came out of his mouth.

“I’ll get a DNA test kit,” Duncan said, standing.

The surprise flashed through Devin’s eyes, but he didn’t go back on his offer to give them a sample. Good. This would expedite things. Since Devin had a record, they could go through the database and get his DNA, but this way, his sample could be sent directly to the lab. Then not only could they use the DNA for a paternity test, but they could see if it matched any of the evidence gathered from the multiple crime scenes. It was a long shot, but sometimes long shots paid off.

And that was why she went with another one while Duncan was getting the test.

“Last year your name came up in an investigation that dealt with a black-market baby operation,” Gracelyn stated. “You were interviewed because—”

“Because I knew the wrong person,” Devin interrupted. He huffed. “Freddy Dundee. I had no idea he was selling babies. And apparently he sold some kids to the so-called baby farm that the cops tried to bust.” He stared at her. “You were a cop. Were you involved in the investigation?”

“No,” she lied, and she watched his reaction to that. Another of the almost smiles. So, he knew she’d been involved, which meant he likely knew that Ruston had been as well.

“Probably for the best you weren’t involved,” Devin commented. “I mean, I heard it turned out bad for the cops.”

“It turned out bad for the criminals, too,” Ruston interjected. “The baby farm was shut down.”

“Well, that’s good,” Devin muttered, and this time there was no reaction at all. Gracelyn wouldn’t have wanted to play poker with this guy.

Gracelyn pushed some more. “I’m trying to work out a timeline for Allie and you. When did the two of you become involved?”

“Oh, I’ve known Allie for years. We met at a party... I’m not sure how long ago. But years, like I said.”

“When did you start a romantic relationship with her?” Ruston asked.

Devin shrugged, glanced away. “I’m not sure,” he repeated.

“Was it about a year ago?” Ruston pressed. “Longer, shorter?”

Now Devin’s eyes hardened. No more poker face. “You’re trying to pinpoint if I hooked up with her to get some insider info on the baby-farm investigation. I didn’t. And it wasn’t a romance. It was sex. Allie tried to make it out to be more than it was.” He checked his watch. “Sorry, but I forgot I have another appointment back in San Antonio. Can we wrap this up?”

Gracelyn wanted to continue to push on the baby-farm connection, but Devin seemed right on the edge. She didn’t want him walking out, especially before he’d done the DNA test.

“Have you ever had any dealings with Lieutenant Tony Franklin or Detective Charla Burke?” she asked. On the surface, it might seem as if she was changing the subject, but she was just shifting it a little.

Devin repeated the names as if trying to see if they sparked any recognition. He shook his head. “I don’t think so, but again, you know I’ve been arrested.” He stopped, smiled. “And I can’t recall all the cops involved in every case.”

She couldn’t tell if he was lying, so she used her phone to pull up photos of both Charla and Tony. And she watched to see if there was any reaction.

Maybe.

There was just a slight tensing of his jaw before he shook his head again. “I don’t know them. Why? Are they involved in this mess with Marty?”

Quite possibly. One of them, anyway. But it was equally possible that both Charla and Tony had had nothing to do with the attacks and murders. That could all be on the man sitting directly across from her.

Gracelyn wished there was something they could use to hold Devin while they continued to dig deeper into the investigation. There was his association with Marty. And Allie. But there wasn’t any proof that Duncan or SAPD could use for an arrest.

Not yet, anyway.

Duncan came back into the interview room with the test kit, and he handed it to Devin, instructing him on how to use it. Again, Devin hesitated, but he went through with the cheek swab. He handed it back to Duncan and then checked his watch.

“I need to leave for that other appointment,” Devin said, standing. “Do any of you have any more questions for me before I go?”

Ruston, Duncan and Gracelyn volleyed glances at each other. It was Duncan who answered. “If we think of anything else, we’ll let you know. You’ll need to check in with Detective Ryland,” he reminded Devin. And he gave Devin the detective’s contact information.

“Right. I’ll do that.” Devin started for the door but then stopped and tipped his head to the test kit Duncan was still holding. “Do me a favor and keep the results of that to yourself,” he insisted. “I really don’t want to know one way or another if the kid is mine.”

He walked out, and for several moments Duncan, Ruston and she sat in silence. No doubt mentally going over everything Devin had just told them. That was what Gracelyn was doing, anyway.

Duncan went to the door and shut it. “You believe him?”

“No,” Gracelyn was quick to say. “My gut says he’s lying about something. I just don’t know what,” she admitted.

Duncan made a sound of agreement. “If any part of what he said was true, it doesn’t look good for your sister.”

“It doesn’t,” she admitted. “And that’s not exactly a surprise. Allie has a history of drug use, and she can be very impulsive. I still don’t believe she’s a killer, though, and Devin didn’t give us any concrete proof that she is.”

Duncan tapped the notepad with Zimmer’s name on it. But then he shook his head. “That could be one of Devin’s lies. There’s no known evidence to indicate Zimmer is a dealer. No known evidence to indicate he’s even connected to Allie. I’ve been digging through Zimmer’s background, and nothing about Allie or drugs has come up.”

That brought on another round of silence while they obviously thought that through. “So, why would Devin have lied about that?” Gracelyn muttered, and she already had her own theory forming in her head.

“Because Devin might have thought it would make us look at Zimmer and Allie and not him,” Ruston threw out. “That way, we might not concentrate on Devin’s admission that he knew not only Marty but Zimmer as well.”

“And we might not concentrate on the fact that Devin is a known hacker,” Duncan spelled out. “A hacker who could have maybe accessed any and all information that was used to murder three people and attack Ruston and you. Added to that, he was interviewed about the baby farm.”

All of that was true, but it brought Gracelyn to one very important question. “Why would Devin have killed or hired someone to kill?”

Duncan shrugged. “That’s what we need to find out. Maybe this is about money. He worked hard to make it seem as if he wasn’t interested in Abigail, but she could be a money source for him. Kidnap her and sell her on the black market. That plan failed, so now he could be in the cover-up mode by implicating Allie.” He paused. “But that doesn’t explain the two murders of the hacker and retired cop.”

Gracelyn could think of an explanation. A bad one. “Devin could be Green Eagle. That would make everything fit.”

“Yes,” Ruston muttered, and he took out his phone. “I’m calling Noah. I’m hoping he can get Devin in right away and grill him about Marty. And about any possible connection to the baby farm. Noah might be able to get something out of Devin that we missed.”

Ruston called Noah, but the detective didn’t answer. As Ruston was leaving a voicemail, his phone dinged with an incoming call.

“It’s Slater,” he relayed.

Every muscle in Gracelyn’s body tightened, and she prayed nothing had gone wrong at the ranch.

Ruston quickly finished the voicemail and took the call from his brother on speaker. “Did something happen?” Ruston immediately asked.

“No, everything is secure here,” Slater replied just as quickly. “I just got a call, though, from one of the hands. No sign of the sniper, but he found spent shell casings beneath one of those big oak trees near the road. I’ll call the CSIs to come out and collect them.”

Gracelyn forced herself to unclench some of the tightness in her chest. She knew the exact area of trees that Slater was talking about, and the location probably hadn’t been a coincidence. The sniper had likely chosen it so he could make a quick getaway.

“I’ll have the CSIs check the ranch trails nearby,” Slater went on. “It’s possible the gunman parked on one of those and left some tracks.”

True, but a former cop like Zimmer would have known that. Then again, Zimmer had left his prints in the truck, so maybe he wasn’t careful. There was a third possibility, though, that Zimmer had been set up.

Maybe by Devin.

That could have been why Devin had been so quick to volunteer Zimmer’s name to them.

Gracelyn heard a soft sound come from the small bag she’d brought to the station with her, and it took a couple of seconds for her mind to register what it was.

“It’s the alert I set up for messages coming from the private Facebook page,” she said, already hurrying to retrieve her phone.

And there it was.

What she’d been waiting for.

It’s me, Allie. I don’t have the phone you gave me. I must have left it somewhere. Give me your number so I can call you.

Since both Duncan and Ruston had moved closer, she showed them the message, and she fought the urge to fire off a quick response.

“It could be a hoax,” she muttered. “Devin or someone else could have gotten access.” Still, there was no way she could just ignore this. She typed in her number. And waited.

Gracelyn didn’t have to wait long.

Within a couple of seconds, her phone rang, and she saw Unknown Caller on the screen. Holding her breath, she answered it.

“Gracelyn,” the caller said, the single word rushing out with a long breath.

“It’s Allie,” Gracelyn whispered to Duncan and Ruston. The relief came, washing over her. Temporarily, anyway. And then came the worry.

“Allie, where are you?” Gracelyn asked. “Are you all right?”

“No. I’m not all right at all.” A hoarse sob tore from her sister’s throat. “I’m here in Saddle Ridge, and I have to see you right now.”

Gracelyn had so many questions, but she started with an obvious one. “Why are you in Saddle Ridge?”

“I’ll tell you when I see you.” Allie sobbed again. “When can we meet? I can come to wherever you are.”

Gracelyn debated how to respond, and she went with the truth. “I’m at the sheriff’s office.” She thought that might get Allie to hang up. Or change her mind about meeting with her.

It didn’t.

“Okay,” Allie finally said. Her voice broke on that single word. “I’ll be there in about thirty minutes. I need help, Gracelyn. I need a deal with the cops. I need immunity.”

Gracelyn opened her mouth to ask why Allie would need those things, but her sister had already ended the call.