Cowboy Behind the Badge by Delores Fossen Page A

there was a full-blown argument going on.
    The moment Tucker brought his truck to a stop, Laine and he barreled out and headed for the porch.
    â€œYou’re not taking them,” Tucker insisted. “I still don’t have the DNA results back yet.”
    â€œThen they’ll be in foster care while we’re waiting for those results,” Hague argued. He reached for the baby that Rosalie was holding, and she darted away from him. She no longer had a sweet smile on her face. She looked like a mama hen protecting her chick.
    â€œDoes he have the right to do this?” Rosalie asked Tucker.
    Yeah, Hague did. But that didn’t mean it was going to happen.
    Tucker walked past the DPS officer, sending him a back-off glare. Whether he would was anyone’s guess, and since the guy was armed, it was a huge concern. If Hague was dirty, then this guy could be, too, and Tucker didn’t want any more shots fired.
    Laine hurried onto the porch, putting herself between Hague and the others. A maneuver that Hague obviously didn’t like, because his cheeks turned to flames.
    â€œI don’t understand why you won’t let me do my job,” Hague argued.
    â€œBecause you’re a suspect in a murder investigation,” Tucker informed him.
    Clearly, Hague hadn’t been expecting that little bombshell, because he stopped reaching for the baby and snapped toward Tucker. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” His eyes widened. “You don’t think I had anything to do with their mother’s death.”
    â€œDid you?” Tucker fired back.
    â€œAbsolutely not, and I can’t imagine why you’d think there was a connection between Dawn Cowen and me.”
    â€œThe connection’s there. Both your cousin Rhonda and Dawn were held captive at makeshift prisons where their babies would have been sold. Those baby farms were likely run by the same person, or were at least connected to each other.”
    Hague blinked as if he was hearing this for the first time. And maybe he was, but Tucker wasn’t about to take anything he said or did at face value. Not after the attack on Laine and the babies.
    â€œYou know where Rhonda is?” Hague asked. “She’s been in touch with you?”
    Tucker had to shake his head to both, but now he was the one who was confused. He wasn’t faking it, either. “Rhonda’s missing again?”
    Hague nodded, then sighed. “She’s always been a troubled girl. Always disappearing and then showing up when she needs money.”
    That had made her a prime candidate for the baby farm. No one was out looking for her, and no one would alert the authorities that she was missing. This time there was a reason to send up the red flag.
    â€œAre you telling me you honestly don’t know where she is?” Tucker demanded.
    â€œI have no idea. I haven’t seen her in weeks.”
    Hell. Weeks. Tucker wasn’t sure who groaned louder, him or Laine.
    â€œDid it occur to you that someone from the baby farm could have kidnapped her again?” Laine asked.
    There was no sign that he was the least bit concerned about that. “Why would they take her again? She’s not pregnant. She gave birth to a baby less than four months ago and then gave him up for adoption. There’s no reason for her to be kidnapped.”
    Tucker’s hands moved to his hips. “Maybe the kidnappers consider her a loose end and want her dead. Maybe you consider her a loose end.”
    That put some venom back in his eyes. “There you go again, accusing me of assorted felonies. Well, I’m not guilty of anything other than trying to do my job.”
    â€œThen explain your bank account,” Tucker fired back. “Explain where you got the cash to buy a house and pay off your student loans.”
    He pulled back his shoulders. “You’ve been sticking your nose where it doesn’t