Thick as Thieves(90)

Neither of them said anything.

“Nothing? No explanation for the amateur sleuthing?” His eyes sawed back and forth between them, landing on Arden. “Does your big sis know about this recent hobby of yours?”

“My father’s disappearance was a significant event in my life. I never got closure. Lisa understands that.”

“Does she? Well, not me. I don’t see that any good can come from dredging up crimes with mothballs on them. That is unless the culprit’s kin turned up with the money he took.” He gave Arden a cold and calculating look. “In fact, the amateur detective work could backfire and prove damaging to a person’s health.”

He paused to let all that sink in, before adding in a lower voice, “If I were you two, I’d leave well enough alone.”

“Is that what you came to say?” Ledge asked.

Rusty nodded. “Pretty much.”

“Well, now that you’ve said it, get off my property.”

Rusty mimed doffing a hat, turned and took several steps, then snapped his fingers and came back around. “Almost forgot. I heard y’all nearly got mauled by some vicious dogs last night. Right outside Crystal’s house. Close call. You were damned lucky to have escaped them.”

Again, neither of them rose to the bait.

“In light of that attack,” Rusty continued, “how’d you greet the news this morning?”

A sense of foreboding spiraled through Arden, but it was Ledge who said, “What news?”

“About Dwayne Hawkins. You remember. That piece of white trash I sent up for dogfighting? He was found dead this morning, slumped over the steering wheel of his pickup. Had a packed bag beside him on the seat. Looked like he was trying to make a quick getaway from that dump he lived in.”

Arden leaned closer to Ledge. He shifted his shoulder to overlap hers.

Rusty continued. “Last night somebody tipped a group of animal rights advocates to Dwayne’s maltreatment of his dogs. They descended en masse on his property at dawn. Got the shock of their lives. Dwayne had met with a bad end, like his sort usually do.”

Arden asked hoarsely, “How did he die?”

“Choke collar.”

She took a swift breath.

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?”