Free Ten-Gallon Tensions in Texas: A Kate on Vacation Mystery (The Kate on Vacation Mysteries Book 3) by Kassandra Lamb Page B

Bash his head in during a fight maybe, but shoot the man while he’s sittin’ on the john….” She shook her head, then headed out of the room to herd her grandchildren into her truck.
    “Come on,” Skip said. “After we talk to José, maybe we can find someplace other than that old fishing spot to have some ‘lunch.’” He made quote marks in the air, the gold flecks in his hazel eyes dancing.
    She grinned at him. “You find someplace with four walls and a roof and you might just get lucky, cowboy.”
     
    At the sheriff’s department, José was in his office, wading through a stack of paperwork.
    He sat back as they came through the door. “Thank you, Lord. I’ve been prayin’ for something or someone to interrupt me. If I’d known about all the paperwork involved in this job, I would’ve thought twice before throwin’ my hat in the ring.”
    He and Skip exchanged a handshake. “How’s it goin’, José?”
    “It’s goin’. My forensic guy’s been busy. That gun finally dried out enough he could fire it. It’s not a match for the bullet that killed Beauford.”
    Kate blew out a sigh of relief.
    “Yeah, I’m glad for that but it leaves me back at square one with the murder. I let Jimmy go ’bout an hour ago. He didn’t look too good.”
    Kate’s hand flew to her mouth as she realized why. “As heavy as he’s been drinking, it was kind of dangerous for him to go cold turkey for that long.”
    “Yeah,” José said. “I guess I should’ve thought of that. But I can’t exactly serve him whiskey with his meals in here.” He turned to Skip. “That branch didn’t tell us much. But my man found some prints on the baseball bat I was tellin’ you about. You’ll never guess whose they were.”
    After a beat of silence, Skip said, “So tell us already.”
    “Bobby Joe Bradley, and his sister’s prints too. But they weren’t on the handle. There were just smudges there. The good prints were on the other end of the bat.”
    “So did you talk to them about it?” Skip asked.
    “Not yet. I was waitin’ until after nine, when Bobby Joe’d be at the car lot.”
    Skip looked at his watch. “It’s nine now. Can I go with you?”
    José hesitated, then said, “Sure, come on.”
    Kate was still worried about her brother-in-law’s sudden withdrawal from alcohol. “I’m gonna go check on Jimmy.”
    Skip nodded and gave her a peck on the cheek.
    ~~~~~~~~
    “You’re crazy, Canfield. I wasn’t anywhere near that shindig Friday night. And I certainly didn’t take a bat to my own employer’s cars.”
    “I saw you in the men’s room,” Skip said again. “Maybe an hour before I found the body.”
    “Around the time of death,” José added.
    “I don’t know who you saw but it wasn’t me!”
    Skip stopped and thought for a moment, visualizing the man he’d seen in his mind’s eye. “I didn’t see a face, but the guy I saw sure was dressed like you, and carried himself like you do.”
    “Dressed how?” Bobby Joe demanded.
    “Leather jacket with fringe. Beat-up Stetson.”
    Bobby Joe tilted his head and looked down his thin nose at Skip. “You’ve been back East too long, Canfield. That ain’t exactly unusual apparel around here. Besides I got an alibi.”
    “What alibi?” José said.
    “I had a date, with Shelly Adams.”
    José paused. “What about the bat? How’d your prints get on it? It’s a wooden one, looks fairly new. Painted dark blue with black–”
    “Black vinyl around the handle.” Bobby Joe’s face had paled under his tan.
    A beat of silence, then José asked, “Whose bat is it?”
    Bobby Joe shook his head and ran a hand through his hair.
    José narrowed his eyes. “Talk to me.”
    Bobby Joe looked down at the floor, shook his head again. “I gave it to my nephew last Christmas,” he mumbled.
    “That would explain your sister’s prints on there, too.”
    Skip had wondered when José was going to mention them.
    Bobby Joe’s head jerked up. Then he