Free Tacked to Death by Michele Scott Page A

onto the trails behind her ranch. Passing by the
pasture that in the future she prayed would be home to champions,
she sighed and breathed in the fresh air. The sun was beginning to
set and its brightness cast shadows across the boulders on the
mountainside. Rocky stepped out, seeming to appreciate being able
to stretch his legs as much as she was to be free and away from the
insanity. Much of the time her riding skills and that of her horses
were expressed inside the arena, but there was nothing like getting
out on the trail to remind a person exactly what the meaning of
freedom was. Freedom. The clean, dry air perfumed by chaparral and
the earthen floor. The sweet songs of larks here and there. She
might even spot a predator bird looking for his prey; a hawk, or on
occasion a golden eagle, soared on by. She sighed and gave Rocky a
pat as she leaned slightly out of the saddle and forward while he
worked to climb up the mountain's crest.
    But what if her freedom were suddenly
ripped out from underneath her? It had been, briefly…and what if it
got worse? What if Joe's cousin couldn't remedy things as he'd
insisted he could? She didn't see how any of this was simply going
to resolve itself. She had to tell Peters what she'd overheard
while in the shed behind Sorvino's. But what did it mean? She again
analyzed what she'd seen and heard. Neither one had actually said
that they'd done away with Sterling. They were pleased he wouldn't
be a problem anymore. So, if she went and explained this to Peters,
what would his likely reaction be? Probably the detective would do
nothing. Ed Mitchell was well known and a bigwig in town, one of
the wealthiest. The last thing the police would want to do would be
to rock the boat with one of the movers and shakers. And Michaela
still couldn't see Ed as a murderer…still, what about what Sterling
had told Camden, about being afraid of Ed? That was weird, too,
because Michaela couldn't see Sterling being intimidated by
anyone.
    She knew she still needed more
information, and talking to Lucia was a must. She decided to make a
mental list of all the players and see what her brain could turn
up. She knew that Robert might have a motive and it was possible
that he'd had time, unless he'd been with his wife when Sterling
was killed. Then there was Zach and the way he'd looked after
Sterling; the vibes coming from him were nothing short of hatred.
Oh, and Lance Watkins. Sterling had been rude and disrespectful to
Lance. And, Erin Hornersberg—the makeup artist with an attitude—who
definitely was not happy with Sterling. Her strange behavior last
night in the parking lot bothered Michaela. What about Sterling's
pal Tommy Liggett? She knew Tommy, but not well. What was the old
saying—keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Right now
it looked as if that was what Zach was doing—for what reason she
didn't know, but what if Tommy had a reason, too? They always hung
out together. At the very least, she'd need to talk to Tommy since
he was Sterling's best friend. Maybe he'd know what had been going
on with Lucia and why she would lie about Michaela and
Sterling.
    And Camden: She hadn't killed Sterling;
she'd only slept with him. Michaela squeezed her hands tight around
the reins. Rocky sensed her stress and sped up due to her shift in
the saddle. "I'm sorry, bud. It's not you. Definitely not
you."
    They reached the top of the mountain
and stopped. Michaela got off the horse to let him rest. She rubbed
his face and he nuzzled her shoulder, his weight nearly throwing
her off balance. "Hey, easy buddy."
    She looked down across the vista spread
below her, peppered with small ranches and homes—some plush and
green with horses in their pastures. A few were weathered, aged,
and in need of attention, but the landscape gave her a sense of
security. This was her home—where she'd grown up, and knew people.
It was where she belonged. She lingered there, taking it in, but
knowing she should get back.