Tied With a Bow and No Place to Go (Tizzy/Ridge Trilogy Book 3) by Ann Everett

him?”
    Dan and Bubba leaned forward in their seats.
    “I dragged him.”
    And now for the last move. Ridge kept a straight face
and said, “I’m guessing a handsome man like you must have disagreed with Jay
Roy over a woman and that was your motive.”
    Inky laughed, the sound whistling between missing teeth. He
straightened and puffed out his narrow chest. “Yeah, the women love me, and he
was trying to move in on my territory.”
    Dan and Bubba’s faces contorted.
    “Well, that sounds about right to me, Mr. Odom,” Ridge said.
“I’ll get Rita to type up these new notes and you can sign them. Appears I’ll
be heading home early today, so thank you for that.”
    Dan jumped to his feet. “I’m not sure he understands how
serious this is.”
    Ridge gazed at Inky. “You understand because this is a
murder case, the state will ask for the death penalty. Right, Mr. Odom?”
    Inky swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing under thin
skin. “Whut? The death penalty?”
    “Excuse me, Inky,” Dan said, “We’ll be right back. Ridge,
could I see you in the hallway?”
    “Sure.” Ridge and Bubba followed Dan outside. “You fed him
all the information. What’s wrong with you?” Dan asked.
    Hook, line and sinker. When will these guys learn? Ridge pulled lips tight against his teeth. “Who the hell are you to question
me? I’m in charge of this investigation and this guy says he did it. Just get
him to sign the damn statement.”
    “I can’t do that,” Dan said.
    “And why not?”
    “C’mon, Ridge,” Bubba jumped in, “without your help he
couldn’t answer the questions.”
    Ridge stiffened. “You’re both challenging my authority?”
    They nodded.
    “Really?” Ridge hooked his thumbs in his pockets and decided
to end it. “Well, the joke’s on you. How does it feel?”
    “Sonovabitch!” Dan said. “When did you catch on?”
    “The minute he answered the first question. Besides, any guy
who likes jailhouse chicken would never kill a chicken farmer. That’s biting
the hand that feeds you. The two of you need to work on your poker faces. Who
is this guy?”
    “Sorry, man,” Bubba said. “Going from one case to the next
without a break, we decided you needed some levity. Inky showed up and we
decided to play it out. When he needs a meal, he comes in to confess. We
usually send him on his way, but today, we decided to have a little fun.”
    Ridge reached into his back pocket, retrieved his wallet,
and removed a twenty dollar bill. “Here, take Inky by the café and get him some
chicken.” Ridge’s phone chirped. He read the caller ID. Damn. Vienna. He
ignored it.
    Inside the lawmen heard Inky sob, “I didn’t do it. I didn’t
do it.”
    Willie echoed. “I didn’t do it. I didn’t do it. Damn! I
need to pee!”
     
     

CHAPTER EIGHT
     
     
    Ridge’s mood lifted as he pulled away from the station,
thanks to the joke. He’d get even. Just a matter of time. His phone sounded
again. Tizzy. Come back to bakery.
    With Sweet Thangs just two blocks away, he arrived within
minutes. When he pulled up to the building, three women were pushing and
shoving one another to get in the door. He jumped out of the car and called to
them. “Ladies! What’s the rush?”
    The threesome swiveled to face him; one plain and plump, one
tall and thin, and one irritated redhead.
    “You’re the ranger, right?” the plump one asked.
    “Yes, he’s the ranger, you ninny. He’s wearing a gun,” the
skinny one said.
    “You two butt out and let me handle this,” the redhead said.
    Ridge snapped his focus from one woman to the next as they
shoved each other to gain control of his attention. “Ladies, let me get that
for you.” He followed them in, and caught a glimpse of Tizzy and the rest of
the Sweet Thangs staff gathered at the end of the counter looking on with
interest. He faced the three women. “How may I help you?”
    Pattiecake stepped forward. “Let me introduce you. Ridge
Cooper, these are