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By the time Dela and Quinn arrived at the Umatilla County Jail it was the swing shift. The woman officer at the lobby buzzed them back once Quinn showed his badge.
The deputy on duty was helpful after a glimpse of Quinn’s badge and finding his name on the arrest record.
The deputy showed them to a room. “I’ll bring her right in.”
Dela was surprised the deputy never asked to see an ID from her. But she was also pleased. It made it less awkward to explain her presence.
As soon as Paula saw them, she hurried into the room. Her gaze sought Dela’s. “What did you do with Alfie? Where is my son?”
“He’ll be a ward of the state since you killed his father. Unless you have a family member who would take care of him,” Quinn said without a bit of remorse.
Dela was glad he said it. She would have had a hard time spitting it out. The rage, fear, and sorrow on the woman’s face made her look ten years older. “Paula, we need to know if Mattie Collier brought Tristan’s little black book to you.”
“Who is Mattie Collier?” Paula’s brow furrowed.
“A young woman who worked in the laundry room. She found the little book and realized your husband was blackmailing people. She came to your house on Friday night. Witnesses saw her. What did you tell her?” Dela studied the woman’s features.
Paula’s eyes widened. “I don’t know if anyone came to the house. That bitch Robin was watching Alfie while Jeff and I were putting his fake ID together in my office.”
Dela stared at Quinn. That meant Mattie had talked to Robin. Either thinking she was Paula, or asking her to give Paula a message.
“Thank you.” Dela stared at the woman. “Did you know about your husband’s blackmail scheme and account in a Cayman Island bank?”
“Jeff told me about it one night at the casino. I was waiting for Tristan and sat down at Jeff’s table to play cards. He took a break and motioned for me to follow him.”
“How long ago was this?” Quinn asked.
“Six months, maybe more.”
“What did Jeff tell you?” Dela asked.
“That Tristan had been getting lots of money out of him and others. He wanted me to find out what he did with the money and we’d split it. I couldn’t find anything about it at home and figured it was here at work. Jeff said he was working on a way to get into Tristan’s work computer. Then Ronald showed up saying he’d split the bounty on a man Tristan had found. That’s when I decided, I didn’t want half, I wanted it all.” She sniffed. “I lost my boy because I trusted Jeff. When he figured out where the money was, he said if I helped him make an ID with all of Tristan’s information and his photo, he’d get the money out of the account for a hundred thousand.” She cursed. “I knew if I didn’t get rid of Tristan, I’d never see any of it, even with Jeff’s help because he would come after us. He might have been a small man but he was vindictive as hell, and strong.”
“Thank you for the truth. Keep telling the truth and you could see your son sooner rather than later.” Dela studied the woman. She and Edmond had killed her husband, but she hadn’t had anything to do with Mattie’s death.
Quinn nodded and the deputy took Paula out of the room. They left the jail and walked outside.
Once they were in the SUV, Quinn said. “Either Robin or Jeff killed Mattie.”
“We won’t know until we catch one of them.” Dela hoped that would happen soon. But at least she had something to tell Bernie Moon.
♠ ♣ ♥ ♦
A week after Dela and Quinn had found Paula and Alfie, Quinn stopped by the casino.
“What are you doing here?” Dela asked, as she walked out of the security office heading to the deli for a cup of coffee.
“Edmonds was found trying to cross into Canada. He’ll stand trial with Paula for Tristan’s murder. And we have Robin and Jeff in custody.”
She spun toward Quinn. His hands on her arms stopped her forward momentum.
“Thanks. I’m glad Ronald was caught. Can’t have a bounty hunter getting away with murder.” Her cheeks heated as his hands remained on her arms. “Which one killed Mattie? Jeff or Robin?”
“Jeff. Robin told him about Mattie having the book. He went to find the book, taking a corkscrew from their house, knowing it was the weapon Paula had used on her husband. Mattie was home, refused to give him the book and he killed her. Hoping it would be pinned on Paula. He had no plans of sharing anything with her. Or Robin for that matter. Once she learned that, she called the local police and told them everything.”
Dela eased out of his grasped. “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”
“Will you ever forgive me for taking your prisoner?” Quinn asked in a quiet voice.
She headed to the deli. “Stop by my place at six tonight to visit Mugshot and I’ll see if I can conjure up some forgiveness.”
Quinn stood in the middle of the casino staring as she smiled and walked over to the deli.
“That handsome special agent is standing by the water feature looking like he’s catching flies,” Rosie said, when Dela walked up to the counter.
“He’d never do well in a poker game, he can’t hide his emotions.”
♠ ♣ ♥ ♦
Thank you for reading book one in my new Spotted Pony Casino Mystery series. If you want to know more about how Dela was promoted to Head of Security, check out Stolen Butterfly, book 7 in the Gabriel Hawke Novels. Proceeds from the sale of that book go towards the MMIW movement.
Dela’s next book is titled, House Edge, look for that toward the end of the year to see how she and Mugshot are getting along and if Special Agent Quinn Pierce will be involved.
About the Author
Paty Jager grew up in Wallowa County in NE Oregon and has always been amazed by its beauty, history, and ruralness. She has always had an interest in the Indigenous people and their culture and enjoys learning more every time she writes a book.
Paty is an award-winning author of 51 novels of murder mystery and western romance. All her work has Western or Native American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters. She and her husband raise alfalfa hay in rural eastern Oregon. Riding horses and battling rattlesnakes, she not only writes the western lifestyle, she lives it.
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