Page 118 of Solid as Steele
“Hmm.” Owen leaned back in his chair, stretching his legs out under the table. “That’s exactly what Tovar said before he turned on you. Told us you shot and killed Grace Gale in the desert. Shot her point blank then tried to burn her body to cover it up, but thought it would take too long and the members of the party you were leading would come looking for you. So you dumped her body in the creek.”
Tovar hadn’t said a word, of course, but Owen worked hard to hide the lie in his expression and tone.
Leach looked from Owen to Wheeler then back. “Tovar doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
“That’s odd,” Owen said, planning to take a big risk. “He said he was present when you killed her, and he would testify to what he witnessed. The judge will look more favorably on you if you admit your role instead of Tovar testifying.”
Leach tightened his arms. “Tovar wasn’t even there.”
Ah, yes. Now they were getting somewhere. “Wasn’t where?”
“In the desert that night she died.”
“So youdidkill her?” Owen asked.
Leach leaned forward. “Before I say anything more, I want a deal. I tell you what Tovar is doing, which is far worse than killing a woman.”
“We can make sure the judge knows you cooperated in bringing a terrible criminal to justice,” Wheeler said. “That should shorten your sentence. But this offer is good today and today only.”
Owen knew Wheeler couldn’t make any promises to shorten Leach’s sentence. If he’d had an attorney present they would’ve pointed that out to him. Now Owen didn’t know what the creep might do.
“Then fine,” Leach said. “Yeah, I killed her.”
Owen resisted shooting up a hand in victory or letting his expression reveal his satisfaction.
Leach cocked his head. “But like I said, it’s not nearly as bad as what Tovar does.”
“And what might that be?” Wheeler acted uninterested in Leach’s answer, but Owen knew the sheriff was very interested.
“He smuggles women into Oregon and sells them for sex. After he starves them and rapes them. Some of them have even died. Three, I think. They’re buried behind his barn.”
“And I assume you’re willing to testify to that,” Wheeler said.
Leach crossed his arms again. “The jerk rats me out, he gets the same thing in return.”
“Why did you kill Grace Gale?” Owen asked, bringing them back to the issue Owen most wanted explained.
Leach frowned. “She was camping out there and caught me poaching.”
“Poaching?” Wheeler gaped at Leach. “That’s worth killing someone over?”
“I had to do it. If I was charged with poaching, I couldn’t be a guide anymore. I don’t know nothing else.” Leach sat up in his chair and gripped the table edge. “Would have to go work at the foundry or something and being inside all day would kill me. Might as well put a bullet to my head now.”
“That’s why you attacked me when I discovered the body,” Owen stated. “You were afraid I’d figure out you killed her and arrest you.”
Leach shook his head. “Didn’t even know the creek had dried up until after I coldcocked you.”
Owen blinked for a few seconds to process. “Then why attack me?”
“You figured out I killed my friend Jamar and were going to arrest me.” He sat back. “Wasn’t going to jail.”
The guy didn’t sound the least bit sorry for this murder either. Owen hated dealing with creeps like this.
But since he brought up Bussey, it would be a banner day if Owen got a second confession out of this guy. “I would’ve only arrested you because youdidkill him.”
Leach stared at Owen. “It was an accident.”
“You don’t accidentally shoot someone long distance with a rifle.”
