Truth and Consequences by Linda Winfree

drawl.
    “What do you want, Palmer?” Jim Ed demanded.
    Jason lifted his head, gulping from the cup again. Kathleen leaned in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest, an anticipatory smile flirting around her lips. She didn’t look at him, her attention focused on Jim Ed.
    “Oh, just stopped by to chat.” She straightened and stepped into the room. The two women moved with the well-oiled timing of a long partnership. The deputies’ lunchtime chatter fell silent, the television providing the only background noise. Nerves jerked in Jason’s stomach.
    “We ain’t got time to talk to you.” Anger darkened Jim Ed’s face.
    “Really? Not even if I told you we have some very interesting lab results?” If they were vultures, Kathleen was a lioness moving in for the kill. A beautiful lioness with a feral smile.
    Jim Ed took another bite of his hamburger. A couple of deputies slipped out of the room.
    Altee perched on the edge of the closest desk and Kathleen pulled out a chair. The women exchanged a glance and Kathleen leaned forward, still smiling. “Don’t you want to know what we found, Reese?”
    The look Jim Ed shot her way vibrated with hatred. “No.”
    “What if I told you that yesterday your hand was covered with gunpowder residue?”
    With a smile, Jim Ed leaned back in his chair. “I’d say I’d been on the range earlier in the day.” He flicked a hand in Jason’s direction. “With him.”
    “You want to know what’s really weird, Jim Ed?” Altee’s smooth voice slid over Jason’s ears. “All that residue on you and hardly any in the cab of that truck. Isn’t that strange?”
    “Whatever, Price.” Rising, Jim Ed tossed his hamburger wrapper in the trash. He pointed at Jason. “You ready to get back to work?”
    This time, Kathleen glanced at Jason and he cringed at her disdain. Now he was lower than gum on her shoe. More like dog crap.
    Holding her gaze, he stood and discarded his own burger. “Yeah. Let’s go.”
    “Don’t let us keep you.” Kathleen stood and Altee slid from the desk. “We know how busy you boys are, protecting and serving.”
    Jim Ed watched the two women leave, his fingers caressing the butt of his gun. He glanced at Jason, sending foreboding crashing through his brain. “We’ve got to do something about those bitches.”

Chapter Four
    Kathleen dropped her shoes by the couch and crossed to open the curtains at the wide glass doors. Early morning sunlight spilled into the room. Outside on the lake, the ducks flocked to the deck where Altee had left food for them.
    The scent of biscuits and eggs drifted from Kathleen’s small kitchen, accompanied by the scraping of a spatula against a skillet. Vicious scraping. Kathleen shook her head. Obviously, Altee wished that cast-iron skillet was some part of Montaine Walker’s anatomy.
    “So tell me what happened last night,” Kathleen called, picking up a magazine from the floor and dropping it back in a basket.
    “I went over there, planning to fix him a special dinner since I broke our date last weekend. Used my key to let myself in.” The distance between the kitchen and living room did little to soften the hurt anger in Altee’s voice. “Should have saved myself the trouble. Montaine already had himself a special dinner.”
    “How old was she?”
    “About nineteen and full of attitude, even buck naked. That’s it, Kath. I’m through with men.”
    “You said that the last time.” Kathleen folded the fringed, silk throw, arranging it over the back of the couch. “Maybe you just need to look in different places.”
    “I found him at my mama’s church.”
    “Oh. Yeah. I forgot about that.”
    “I’m serious. I’m through looking for Mr. Right and happily ever after. I’m going to go out and have fun until I’m too old and gray, then I’m still going to try to kick up my heels with my wrinkly old ass hanging out of a skirt that’s way too short.”
    “Sounds like a plan.” Kathleen wandered into