The Trophy Hunter Read Online Free Page B

Didn’t see her on the street. Didn’t know
t’ look. Don’t know where Strickland was when she left, but we sure
know where he ended up. Right, Missus?”
    “Strickland is the man who took your
granddaughter?” The dead guy?
    He nodded, again fixing on the carpet. “Her
dad didn’t help by suggestin’ she ran off.”
    “Runaways are a big problem for law
enforcement. Do you realize how many they have to deal with each
year?” she asked.
    “In some big city, maybe. We weren’t in
Denver, Missus Martin . We were in the Sangre de Cristos
huntin’ elk, for God’s sake. We came down to Westcliffe for the
night. You know how small that town is? Where would she run
to?”
    Something didn’t sound right. “Considering
the low esteem in which you hold your son-in-law, how did you
happen to be there?”
    He snorted derisively. “Four men and one
pretty little gal? You think I’d let that happen? You bet your
sweet … ah … you bet I was there, yes Ma’am.”
    “Has your granddaughter named Strickland as
the one who took her?” Other questions tumbled into Diana’s mind,
but she held back, not wanting to push Flannigan over the edge
again.
    “The girl, she won’t talk about it. It became
apparent who took her because of where they found her. Strickland’s
cabin.”
    “Are you in the habit of going hunting with
your son-in-law? Was this something you’d done in the past?”
    He was somewhere else again. Somewhere
painful from the look in his eyes. “I regret to say … it was
somethin’ we did for many years.” He looked up then, and Diana saw
tears again. “Had it not been for our acquaintance, Darren Rogart
never would o’ met my Brandi and taken her from me.”
    Taken her from me? Did he mean by
marrying her, or killing her?
    “So, your son-in-law wasn’t estranged from
the family when either your daughter or your granddaughter went
missing?”
    Flannigan glared at her. “He’s been estranged from me for a long time.”
    “What about the children? How do they feel
about their dad?”
    Another snort. “He’s got ‘em mesmerized. They
think he walks on water.”
    Diana’s turn to glare. She tried to
neutralize her hostility. “A piece of advice, Joe ,” she
said, switching back to first name basis to soften her words,
“don’t badmouth your son-in-law to his kids. That won’t make you
any points in court.”
    “They don’t make it easy for a man t’ do the
right thing.” Flannigan’s emotions appeared genuine, or he was one
damn good actor.
    “What does the police report indicate? Is he
a person of interest?”
    “Your friend Jessie’s got a copy. As I read
it, he’s not.”
    “Then, what kind of evidence do you have that
I could use to convince a court that the children would be better
off with you and your wife? Or more importantly, what evidence that
they might be harmed by living with their father?”
    “Ask Jessie. That’s what I’m payin’ her for. Evidence. ” He pounded the desk for emphasis.
    “I’ll do that. Then I’d like to visit with
your wife and grandchildren.”
    “What for?” The hostility again, always
boiling just below the surface.
    “I need to see if you’re all of the same
mind. Frankly, I need to find out how the children feel.”
    The eruption Diana had expected didn’t
materialize. “I guess that’s reasonable,” was all he said.
    “I’ll have my secretary draw up our standard
contract.” The words were out before she remembered it wasn’t our. Greg was gone. “I’ll need a retainer that will go into
my trust account and be drawn upon as used─”
    “Okay, okay. I know the drill.” He pulled a
checkbook from his back pocket. “Five thou enough to get you
started?” He didn’t bother to ask her billing rate.
    Diana nodded, watching him fill in the check
and tear it out. She hoped she wouldn’t regret taking on his case.
Something felt off. Flannigan handed her his check and
lurched out of the chair. Diana followed him as he