Page 81 of Protected By Duval
They'd located the family that had owned the market where Aracely worked.
Duval had almost expected them to stonewall the investigation.
When they received the invitation to interview the two brothers at the center of the gossip back in the day, Duval had to pinch himself.
The only trouble was, they weren’t about to talk to Duval.
There had been alittlenews story about him that had popped up in the news, both print and TV.
The Rangers who had allowed West to keep Duval on the case were now staring down the barrel of some mightily unfavorable public opinion.
So when it came time for the interview, Duval was left in the office, listening in on the radio and watching the security feed on the computer monitor.
After some consultation with the Chief and West, they'd decided to send in Jack and since they didn’t have another woman on the S.W.A.T. team at the time, Deputy Hayden Hatcher was asked to step in and help. Hayden was eager to help and stepped in readily.
The men met with the two officers at the Santa Ana Links, the restaurant in the clubhouse at their golf club.
The president of the Golf Club had a son in law enforcement, and he had no problem with letting the Rangers know when the two brothers were at the club. As he'd said on the phone with Chief Fagan, "If they're innocent, you'll figure it out. If they're guilty... well, that's their problem."
* * *
JACK
Jack wasn't a woman who liked currying favor in men. Okay, she didn't like currying favor in anyone.
She was, by nature, a self sufficient person.
Her parents, one a psychiatrist and the other a psychologist, had diagnosed her early on with oppositional defiant disorder.
And true to form, she'd try to show they weren't right.
It didn't work.
Being defiant was a losing proposition that she gave up when she moved out.
Walking into the patio area of the Golf Course's Restaurant, Tee Totalled, she made easy progress across the room with Deputy Hayden Hatcher at her side.
The two smiled as they walked up to the table where the Coolidge brothers were sitting.
By the number of glasses on the table, Jack knew they were good and liquored up for the conversation.
Hayden was the first to speak. "Well look at this, Jaclyn! It's the Coolidge men. Hello there."
Both men sat up straighter in their chairs, almost preening before them.
Jack saw the way both men raked their gazes up her body and Hayden's as well.
Neither man tried to hide it.
It didn't matter to her that they were white haired and elderly, their attitudes pissed her off.
Still, she had to smile. Well, at least she tried to keep her expression to something neutral.
"Well, hey there, ladies..." The man who Jack recognized as Donal Coolidge leaned over and grasped the arm of the nearest free chair and pulled the chair closer to him.
She would have to sit within reach of his hand.
It would make her sick, but she'd do it.
