Falling for the Suspect (Book 3 in the Smalltown Superstars

2

It took three weeks to get everything in order. False identifications, vehicles and personal belongings, faked photos to place around their home to make their false relationship appear real. They were given a plausible backstory when people asked questions.

John headed out to Higgins and applied for the rental property the reverend was advertising. He told his cover story that he was down on his luck out of work and coming out west for the Alberta advantage in hopes to land some work and provide for his family. The reverend bought the story and happily rented the property to them. Two days later John and Taylor received the key and moved in.

To their surprise, it turned out that the good reverend so happened to be David Giles. The spiritual leader of the town and the father of both their prime suspect and their assault victim. The property he was renting had once been his daughter’s trailer. It was possible there was some evidence still on the property and renting it gave them a perfect opportunity to search.

John drove the U-Haul truck up to the trailer and Taylor followed him with the Dodge. She looked at the small trailer surrounded by brush and trees. It was quiet and secluded. The perfect place to hide or dispose of evidence. Taylor got out of the truck and walked up to the U-Haul as John got out. She followed him up to the trailer. “This place looks like an ideal place to dump evidence. We should take a look around.” She said.

“I looked a bit when he showed me around, but we can take a closer look in the trees. You should see this.” He said unlocking the door and going inside. “Now he says he intends to come by and give it a paint job because he has been doing some repairs,” John said running his hand over the wall as he walked down the hall.

Taylor took a closer look. The wall had been patched with wall putty and sanded down. They moved down the hall and noticed many sporadic patches along the hall wall and the bedroom door. John opened the bedroom door, and they found more patched holes in the bedroom walls and around the window. “What happened here?” She asked.

“Someone put a lot of holes in these walls, and I don’t think it was the daughter,” John said looking at her. “A frustrated boyfriend?”

“Or a furious brother.” She said.

“Let’s move in.” He said. They headed out to the U-Haul and began to move the cheap furniture they had picked up from the Value Village into the trailer. They had not wanted to buy anything that looked new or valuable to keep up their appearance as a poor struggling family. The sofa bed was particularly heavy, but they managed to get it into the trailer. The place only had the one room, and they moved in only one bed. They had agreed that Taylor would sleep in the bed and John would take the sofa bed in the living room.

Once the furniture was in, John and Taylor began to unpack, placing the forged pictures strategically around the trailer. They stopped to eat, unpacking the groceries they had bought in town before they come to Higgins. Taylor made some soup, nothing special. As they ate, they discussed their strategy to get involved with the townsfolk. It was Saturday night, and the reverend had told John that the entire town usually showed up for service and afterward they held a community potluck lunch. It would be a wonderful opportunity to mingle and get to know the townsfolk. After they ate Taylor cleaned up, and they both turned in for the night. They would have to get up bright and early to attend morning mass.

***

Steve sat in the pew listening to his father preach the good Lord's word. He did his best to stay focused, but his head was pounding from all the whiskey and beer he consumed the night before. The disapproving glances he kept receiving every time his father looked in his direction told him he was hiding his agony poorly. Steve knew he was sure to receive a lecture in excess.

Growing up the son of a preacher man made his life interesting at times. His parents held him to a higher moral standard. “We must lead by example.” His father would always say when they were growing up, usually right after a long lecture about some trouble Steve had just gotten himself in too. Much to his parents’ dismay, Steve lived for getting into trouble. Never anything too serious, usually girls, or just doing something incredibly foolish with the boys. He would go out and have his fun and suffer the lectures later.

One would think that now that he was all grown up and living on his own Steve would no longer have to answer to his parents. Steve looked down the pew at his mother who shook her head at him. They did not know his parents. He could be fifty-six and still be taking orders, but hey that was family for you.

The service came to an end, and everyone bowed their head to pray. The service over the congregation all stood up and began to shuffle outside to the picnic tables and food. Steve moved along the pew to the aisle following his best friend Liam Archer out and watched his father place his bible down as he headed his way. “Now you are going to get it.” Liam snickered as he reached the aisle with his wife, Raven. “I’ll see you outside.” He said taking his wife’s hand in his and heading for the door.

Steve stopped and waited for his father to reach him. He smiled as his father frowned at him. “Wonderful service Father.”

“Thank you. I’m surprised you heard any of it between your naps. You have been drinking again.” His father said it was not a question, it was an observation. He sighed. “You need to quit the whiskey and women Steve. It is a life of degradation and sin. Don’t you want to go to heaven son?”

Steve grinned and patted his father on the shoulder. “Of course, I do, but not anytime soon. Right now, I'm having fun down here.”

Reverend Giles rolled his eyes and sighed. “What am I going to do with you?” They started heading for the door intent on joining the others outside for lunch. “I need you to do some painting for me.” His father said as they walked out the doors. Steve groaned. “Now don’t you be that way with me, it is your fault those holes were in the walls, to begin with, the least you can do is paint, so the new tenants don’t have to look at your mess.” His father scolded.

Steve knew his father was right. He had been the one who chased Dawson through the trailer with a shotgun, blowing holes in his sister’s walls, and he had promised to fix them. Frankly, he had just thought he would pay someone else to do the work, but his father had other ideas once he found out about Steve’s escapade. He insisted that Steve do the repairs himself as punishment for losing his temper.

“Come to meet the new tenants.” His father insisted spotting one of them as they descended the church steps.

“I’m not interested right now. My head is-”

“Nonsense, if you are going to be in their home you should meet them.” Reverend Giles insisted. Steve knew that tone too well; it was the tone that told him there was no sense in arguing he would not win the argument. He followed his father to the picnic tables and watched as he shook some hands and greeted some people, but Steve was not paying too close attention. He removed his hat and raked his fingers through his short shaggy hair wishing he had taken some Tylenol before he came this morning. “Miss. Daniels let me introduce my son Steve. Steve this is Miss. Daniels.” His father said introducing him.

Steve turned to face the woman his father was speaking to and socked. He was surprised to come face to face with the beautiful Miss. Daniels. Long chocolate hair is resting against the soft ivory skin. She had a pretty little heart-shaped face with big blue doe eye under long lashes. She had a cute button nose and full red lips that conjured lusty images in a man’s mind.

His gaze travelled down over her athletic body. She was both soft and hard in all the right places. With long legs and a firm bottom under that faded blue jean skirt. Flat belly and a narrow waist, full bust beneath a fitted white blouse. She was a cowboy’s dream. Steve smiled, held out his hand, and politely tipped his hat. “Howdy ma’am.”

“Hello.” She said shaking his hand. “You can call me Taylor, Miss. Daniels makes me feel old.”

“My son here will come by to finish the repairs this week.” Steve’s father said with a smile. “If you need anything let Steve know and he will help. Won’t you?” He said eyeing Steve.

Steve understood it was not a question; he was an order. He offered Taylor a friendly smile. “Anything at all ma’am. I’m free tomorrow afternoon. I’ll come by then to paint. If there’s anything else you need, anything at all, I’ll get it done.” He stressed with a suggestive wink receiving a nasty glare from his father.

“That is very helpful of you. Thank you.” She smiled almost blushing. “But what we could use is a job.” She chuckled. “I don’t suppose you could work a miracle?”

“We?” Steve asked noticing the plural choice of words.

“My father and I.” She said.

Steve breathed a sigh of relief. She was beautiful and sexy, and for a moment he had almost expected her to say she was married. Steve loved chasing women, but he drew the line at married women. “Well there is always the mill, it is always hiring. I can’t vouch for how it pays. You probably won’t find a job in Higgins since it is so small, but if you commute to Manna Berry, there are some minimum wage jobs. Of course, there are always farmers and ranchers around these parts too; they are always looking for hired hands to help work the land. I think Greg Rogers is looking for someone to help him plant his fields.” He said pointing out Rogers and looking around. “And Felix Turner needs someone to help breed his hogs.”

“What do you do?” Taylor asked sweetly.

Steve could not help but smile at that pretty little grin. “I’m a ranch hand. I work on Liam Archer’s horse ranch. He breads horses and then enters them in races and rodeos, and dabbles in cattle. Breeds them and sells them to the local butcher.”

She raised a questioning brow with a sly smiled. “So, what is it exactly that you do?”

He chuckled. “I work his land and take care of the animals.”

“He wouldn’t happen to be looking for help, would he? Maybe you could put in a word for my father and see if he might give him a shot?”

Steve felt awkward about vouching for some guy he had not met. He looked at his father who nodded with a grin. “Of course, he will. I’m sure Liam will give him a chance. He could always use another hand.” His father said.

“Sure, why not.” Steve conceded as an unfamiliar man joined them. Steve knew everyone in and around town, but this man was new to him. He must be Taylor’s father. John Daniels was not much taller than his daughter and not all that many years older than her, which Steve found odd. He had short curly hair and a neatly trimmed beard. Like his daughter, he was dressed casually in a pair of dark slacks and a plain white dress s**t complete with a tie but without a jacket.

“Hello, darling.” He said placing his arm around his daughter’s shoulders and smiling at Steve and his father. “Reverend, lovely day.”

“Yes.” His father agreed.

“Daddy this is Reverend Giles’ son, Steve,” Taylor said introducing the two men. “He works as a ranch hand and says he could give you a referral to a rancher that might have a job for you.”

“Oh, fantastic, thank you,” John said shaking Steve’s hand. “Work has been hard to find this past year. Everyone back home is always talking about the Alberta Advantage. That there is supposed to be so much work out here compared to the rest of the country.”

He was probably correct between the oil sands, gas refineries, and cattle ranches Alberta’s employment was at a record high. A good five percent is higher than any other province. The Daniels would not have been the first to have migrated from the east in the hopes of seeking gainful employment. At least half the province’s population at the moment came from someplace else.

The infusion of new residence reduced the vacancy rates in the province from six to one percent driving both the mortgages rates and rent prices sky high, increasing the cost of living everywhere. Any native Alberta resident knew that the so-called Alberta advantage was a myth. Sure, there was without a doubt more jobs, and they paid fairly well, but the cost of living out here was so high that by the time one was done paying for the necessities of life you were broke and no farther ahead.

Still, he could understand how frustrating it must be to be out of work and unable to provide for one’s self and loved ones. “Why don’t we go talk to him right now?” Steve suggested.

“Yeah, that sounds great,” John said eagerly.

Steve took one last look at Taylor, smiling and tipping his hat goodbye. “Ma’am.” He strolled through the picnic with John looking for Liam and his wife. “So, you must have just been a baby when you had Taylor; you just look so young.” He commented, making small talk.

“Um yeah, I was just a silly teenager at the time, barely sixteen when I got her mother pregnant. It was quite the culture shock, but I love her nonetheless.” John said. “What happened to your wife?”

“Died five years ago… cancer.”

Steve looked back over his shoulder to see Taylor was now chatting with Gordon Tibbens, the owner of the local Stop and Go gas station next to Margie’s bar in town. She seemed very at ease chatting with the ageing man and making friends with everyone she met. A real little social butterfly. “That is terrible, I’m sorry.” He could not help being curious about the new addition to the town.

Steve spotted Liam sitting with his lovely wife at a table near the buffet tables. He was stroking her dark hair and placing soft kisses to her face with a smile, newlyweds themselves. Still, they were so wrapped up in one another. Their young son is sleeping in the basket at Raven’s feet.

Steve cleared his throat to gain their attention, and when Liam looked up at them, he grinned. “Come on you two if you keep that up Kevin’s going to have a little brother.” He teased.

“Who’s to say that is not the plan?” Liam grinned wolfishly causing his bride to blush.

“Do you still need an extra hand around the ranch?” Steve asked knowing Liam had been shorthanded ever since his brother Dawson had moved south of the border with Steve’s sister Brook.

“Yeah, I could use another pair of hands. I got a few mares to breed and some calves due soon. Plus, the rodeo’s coming up quick; it is going to be pretty crazy getting ready to ride.” Liam said. “Why you know someone?”

Steve gestured to John who reached out and shook Liam’s hand. “This is John Daniels the guy renting out Brook’s old trailer. He is looking for work.”

“You know anything about horses?” Liam asked shaking his hand.

“I know some,” John said.

“Well so long as you got a strong back, two feet, and a heartbeat. Consider yourself hired.” Liam grinned. “I’ll give you a try. Come by in the morning, and we’ll put you to work.”

“That sounds great, I’ll be there, thanks,” John said gratefully shaking Liam’s hand again.

They sat down and chatted briefly until Steve’s father came by bent on introducing the new member of the church to another member of his congregation. Liam and Steve watched as John walked off with Steve’s father to speak with someone else. “He seems nice enough,” Liam commented.

“Something about him doesn’t sit right with me,” Steve said taking a sip of his drink. He could not put his finger on just what it was, but there was something about the new residents that was off.

“You just don’t like new faces,” Liam smirked. They watched as Taylor joined her father in greeting their new neighbours. “Or maybe the problem is you like only certain new faces, and she is busy giving face time to other guys.” Liam teased.

Steve scoffed at the very idea. “Please, I’m above petty jealousy.” He said turning his gaze to Mark Gustafson’s pretty daughter Madison who was smiling back at him. Madison had gone to school with his sister Brook and was well known for her promiscuous ways. “I have too many options.”

***

“How did it go?” Taylor asked as she laced her arm with John’s and they casually wandered some distance away from anyone so not to be overheard.

“Beautifully, I start in the morning.” He said. “Something to do with horses I believe and a rodeo. It should give me the opportunity to observe and get to know the three of them.”

“And the chance to search Archer’s property if you are going to be working on it all day each day. It is likely he could be hiding something there. Maybe some rope that matches the rope used to lynch the victim?”

“Or perhaps a knife used to stab the victim.” They had spent days reviewing the details of the case. They knew that the victim had been beaten before his murder which had left him weakened. That the killer had probably been waiting for him in his home, the kitchen in particular from the blood they found there on the floor making it the primary scene. He had been attacked and stabbed, likely in a fit of rage. While he was lying bleeding out on the floor that same person decided to move him to the main intersection of town and hang him finishing the job.

“I think we have some digging to do.” She said quietly.

“By the way, I had you at sixteen, and your mother died five years ago from cancer,” John whispered filling her in on the story he told.

“Good to know.” Taylor smiled. “Did you see the way Steve Giles looked at me? I believe I can get close to him.” She explained.

“I think you are right.”

A sudden commotion drew their attention back to the folding tables where Taylor saw Steve arguing with a beautiful blonde woman. She was small with shoulder-length hair. Unlike most of the residences in attendance, this woman was better dressed in designer jeans and a blouse.

Taylor couldn’t hear just what was said, but from their faces, she wasn’t getting what she wanted from him. She grabbed his arm pleading only to be cast off. He took a few steps back and gestured for the woman to leave, only she didn’t she yelled back.

“What do you suppose this is about?” John asked.

“I don’t know she doesn’t look happy, does she?”

***

“You are insane!” Steve barked pulling his arm away from Maggie’s hand. He took a few steps back putting distance between himself and his crazy ex-girlfriend.

“Don’t say that. You are just in a mood.” She said refusing to accept that he genuinely didn’t want to see her.

“Of course, I am you are stalking me.”

“You are over exaggerating. I had a invitation.”

“But you only came because of me.”

“Oh wow, aren’t we conceited.” She scoffed folding her arms across her chest trying to play like he wasn’t right about her motivations, but he knew she was full of it.

Steve waved his hand dismissively. “Get in your car and go away. No one want’s you here.”

“That is not true,” Raven said coming to her feet in defence of her friend. “We want you here.” She said putting her arm around Maggie’s shoulder. “Is not that right Liam?” Now both women were waiting for an answer, and Liam looked like a deer caught in the headlights. There was no way to win. If he sided with Raven, he would be going against his best friend. If he sided with Steve, he would be sleeping in the dog house.

“No just forget it, man.” Steve intervened.

“Oh, thank god.” Liam breathed easy.

“I’ll do the leaving,” Steve said heading for his truck in the church parking lot.

“Of course, you will, leaving is what you are good at.” Maggie snarled after him. “You are a scoundrel Steve Giles and one day you are going to miss me.”

“Only if I go touched in the head first.” He muttered under his breath as he reached his white four-by-four. He took out his keys climbing into the driver’s seat. A tap on the glass made Steve jump. He had not realized anyone had followed him, and for a moment he had been sure it was Maggie, but when he looked over, he was pleasantly surprised to see the lovely Miss. Denials were smiling back at him.

Steve lowered the window and offered her one of his boyish grins. “Hello again.”

“I see you are leaving and I just wanted to personally thank you for helping my father out with your boss.” She said with a dazzling smile of her own. Her eyes had a way of lighting up.

“It was nothing. That is what neighbours do.”

“And are you?” He didn’t understand the question. “My neighbour, I mean?”

Steve just grinned. “In Higgins, we are all neighbours.”

“What time will you be coming by tomorrow?” She asked ever so sweetly.

Steve could not help but get the feeling she was flirting with him. “Around two.”

He suggested.

“Maybe I could make lunch… to thank you for the painting.”

He liked the way that sounded, and if he were lucky lunch would be served in the bedroom. He said good-bye and headed home. At least the morning wasn’t a complete waste of time.