Free The Texas Ranger by Diana Palmer

younger brother. Neither death had seemed to bother her much, although Marc was apparently the only one who’d noticed that, despite Silvia’s tragic past, she was curiously impervious to grief.
    â€œYou haven’t told us all of it,” Bib said when they were out on the porch. His pale blue eyes narrowed. “There’s more, isn’t there?”
    Marc stuck his hands deep into his pockets. “The investigator Simon’s sending out to coordinate efforts with the Bexar County District Attorney,” he began reluctantly. “You might remember her. Josette Langley.”
    Silvia’s face flushed. “That bitch!”
    Bib looked weary. “Sil, it was a long time ago…”
    â€œThat woman accused you of being the murderer! Do you think I could ever forget? She’ll stir up trouble, she’ll make false accusations, she’ll go to the media…!” Her voice rose, becoming shrill.
    â€œCalm down,” Bib said quietly, looking her straight in the eyes. He put a gentle hand on her nape and smoothed it up and down. “Calm down. Take deep breaths. Come on, Sil.”
    She did what Bib told her to. She still looked glassy-eyed, but she was quiet. Bib reached into a crystal bowl on the side table next to the open front door and produced a mint in a fancy wrapper. He placed it in her hands and waited while she unwrapped it and popped it into her mouth. Candy calmed her in these odd outbursts. Once he’d thought she might be diabetic, but bloodwork disproved that theory. She refused to see a psychologist, despite his best efforts. She was violent in theserages, dangerously so. Once, she’d killed a favorite dog in one of them. In a way, Bib was glad they couldn’t have children. She was too unpredictable.
    Bib turned back to Marc, who was scowling worriedly. “Miss Langley was talking to Henry, before he was killed. She was a quiet woman, not the sort to enjoy a party. I couldn’t understand why she was dating Dale in the first place. He did work for Henry, against my advice. He was in close with Jake Marsh in San Antonio. I had problems with a campaign worker who was in Marsh’s pocket during the lieutenant governor’s race. I’m sure Marsh put Dale up to what he did,” he added bitterly.
    â€œThat was never proven,” Silvia said sweetly. “I always thought the man was working on his own. I’m sure he had no real connection to Marsh.”
    â€œThen why was his body found near Marsh’s nightclub?” Marc wondered aloud.
    â€œThose sort of people can get killed anywhere,” Silvia said carelessly. “I wouldn’t waste state money on an investigation like that. He was a nobody.”
    Bib ignored her. “That campaign worker,” he told Brannon, persisting. “Jennings had recommended him, to work on my campaign for lieutenant governor. The man went behind my back and apparently dug up a scandal to force my opponent out of the race. I’m almost positive it was why he pulled out of the race at the last minute, but I never couldprove it. I didn’t like Jennings around Henry, and I said so that night at the party when Henry was killed. We argued.” He grimaced. “I hated parting from him on an argument. You know how Henry was,” he added with a wan smile. “He trusted people.”
    â€œThat’s how you get killed in the modern world,” Silvia said with a high-pitched laugh. “You can’t trust anybody these days.”
    Bib continued to ignore her and stared at Marc. “How did Jennings die?”
    â€œSingle gunshot wound to the back of the skull.”
    Bib’s intake of breath was audible. “Dear God!”
    â€œOh, what does it matter how he died? He was a murderer,” Silvia said with regal nonchalance. “I don’t feel sorry for him. Is that why the state attorney general’s sticking his nose in, because it was