Deke stood without warning, the chair scraping back. He opened the door and waved down a passing deputy in the corridor’s flickering light. “He can go back to his cell, but I want Teddy Winchester in here.”
“Right away.” The deputy removed Smith’s cuffs, hauled him upright, and marched him out. The door slammed behind them.
“I can’t believe this shit,” Deke muttered, rubbing his temples as he sat down. “I am so fucking tired of dealing with this kid.”
Minutes later, the door cracked open again. The deputy ushered in Teddy Winchester. He looked pale under the harsh light; his clothes hanging loose. The deputy cuffed his wrists to the bar and exited.
Deke leaned back in his chair, folded his arms, eyes locked on Teddy until the boy started shifting, uneasy. A bead of sweat rolled down Teddy’s temple.
“So,” Deke said, voice soft but hard as steel, “who’s Anthony Dyer?”
Teddy shrugged, glancing at the walls. “No idea what you’re talking about.”
“You told Smith that Dyer was who your father was dealing with for those stolen cattle.”
Teddy’s lip curled into a smirk. Deke’s jaw twitched; Rawley stiffened behind him.
“You think this is funny?” Rawley snapped, stepping closer. “We’re not stupid. We check every lead, and you lied about Dyer.”
Teddy continued to smirk. “So?”
Deke’s voice dropped a notch. “So? That’s your answer? Let me spell it out for you; I’m going to make sure you get the full sentence. Ten to twenty for theft, and another ten to twenty for tampering with ear tags. You’ll be lucky to see your forties outside a cell. If you think I’m joking…”
He let the threat hang in the stale air. Teddy’s face drained of color.
“My dad won’t let that happen—”
Rawley cut him off. “Your dad will be in the cell next to you.”
Silence pulsed in the small room. Deke met Teddy’s wide-eyed stare. “Why did you implicate Dyer?”
Teddy shrugged again, voice barely more than a whisper. “I just knew his name. I told Smith so if it came down to it, Smith would give that name, and my dad wouldn’t get in trouble.”
Rawley laughed, harsh and mirthless. “How fucking touching. Too bad your old man doesn’t seem to give a rat’s ass about you, does he?”
Teddy’s shoulders sagged as the two agents watched him shift uncomfortably in the flickering light.
“I will give you one more chance to tell me your father was behind this. If we walk out that door, there will be no deal for you. At all.” Deke leaned forward and put his arms on the table.
“I thought you said I couldn’t get a deal?”
“I’m feeling generous. Talk.”
Teddy sighed, then cleared his throat. “It was all my dad. He hates Hollister and wanted him to go out of business. We lost a lot of sales because his beef sold for more.”
“So, no black market? You just decided to lie more, right?” Deke stared at him.
“I told you, I didn’t want my dad to get in trouble.”
“What about your stepmother? Is she involved?”
“No. That woman has no clue about what’s going on. She only cares about the money Dad gives her.” Teddy shrugged.
“Did you get your brothers involved?” Rawley asked.
“Yes.”
“Well, I bet that feels good. Knowing you’re putting them in prison.” Deke shook his head.
