Free A Lawman's Justice (Sweetwater Ranch Book 8) by Delores Fossen Page A

died, my mother found letters you’d written to him,” Shelby explained. “Letters begging him to leave my mother. I’m thinking she wouldn’t be very receptive to anything you have to say, especially any well wishes.”
    And even though Shelby and her mother didn’t see eye to eye on a lot of things, they agreed Annette had tried her best to be a home wrecker. Of course, Jewell and Meredith fell into that same category, too.
    “I’m not the enemy,” Annette said, drawing Shelby’s attention back to her. “We both know who the enemy is.” And with that, Annette looked at Seth.
    No doubt because Jewell was the one with the enemy label. Apparently the zinger that Annette had flung about Carla wasn’t enough. Now the woman had to shoot arrows at Jewell through Seth.
    But Jewell hadn’t committed this latest murder.
    Nor had she killed the other two and put masks on their faces. However, Annette could have done that.
    Well, maybe.
    “I’m surprised you could find your way out here,” Shelby tossed out. “This cabin isn’t exactly on the beaten path.”
    Annette didn’t respond to that, but her gaze drifted to the cabin. “I was here once with your father. I didn’t go inside,” she quickly added. “When I spent nights with Whitt, I preferred a...more upscale accommodation.”
    “Then, why were you here at the cabin?” Seth asked, sounding very much like the FBI agent he was. “Because I don’t remember you mentioning that during any of your interviews.”
    “No?” Annette certainly didn’t seem concerned that it was something she’d omitted. “Must have slipped my mind. But as I said, I didn’t even go inside the place. Whitt came here to pick up something, and I merely rode out here with him before we headed off to dinner.”
    Annette might be telling the truth. After all, her DNA hadn’t been found inside. Still, there was plenty about the woman that Shelby didn’t trust, and she didn’t think that distrust was solely because Annette had been her father’s mistress.
    “I’d like to see Marcel’s body,” Annette said. New tears watered her eyes. “To say goodbye.”
    “Not possible,” Seth answered. “The ME and sheriff are in there right now, and the scene’s being processed.”
    “But you were just inside,” she argued. “I saw you in the doorway when I drove up.”
    Seth tapped the badge on his belt to give her a reminder she didn’t need—that he was the law. “Shelby looked inside so she could identify the body.”
    Which hadn’t been necessary since Cooper had recognized Marcel. Still, it’d been something Shelby had had to do.
    Annette blew out a long breath. “Can you call me when I can see the body?” she asked, pulling a business card from her purse. She handed it to Seth. “And can I have your number, as well? Just in case I remember something about Marcel that you might want to know.”
    It wasn’t a totally out-there request since Seth was an FBI agent, but again Shelby questioned the woman’s motive. Why would Annette want to get in touch with Seth rather than someone in the sheriff’s office?
    After staring at her for several more seconds, Seth finally took out a business card and handed it to her. “Don’t count on seeing Marcel before the funeral. You’re not family or law enforcement, so there’s no reason for you to view the body.”
    “No reason other than saying goodbye to a friend,” Annette snapped. She looked at Seth’s card and stuffed it into her purse. “I didn’t want to have to wait to say my goodbyes at the funeral.”
    It seemed petty to try to ban Annette from doing that, but since Shelby’s mother also might attend, maybe Marcel’s family would agree to a private service.
    Annette started to leave but then stopped. When she turned back around, she looked at Seth. “I don’t suppose you know why Jewell wanted to see Marcel?”
    Because Seth’s arm was right against hers, Shelby felt him tense. “What are you talking