Read Tied With a Bow and No Place to Go (Tizzy/Ridge Trilogy Book 3) for Free Online

wasn’t meeting a female.”
    “Well, there wasn’t much whiskey left in the bottle, so
perhaps the fruit was for a woman and the liquor for him. However, there were
two glasses, both unused. He must have drunk straight from the bottle. The box
of chocolate-covered strawberries came from your momma-in-law’s bakery. I also
found a cell phone.”
    Ridge slapped the back of his neck with his hand. “Damn. The
mosquitos are bad out here. How’d you gather evidence without being eaten
alive?”
    Ted knelt, opened his bag and pulled out a can of insect
repellent and handed it to Ridge. “I’ve been in this business long enough to
come prepared for everything.”
    Shaking the can, Ridge sprayed his clothes, then another few
squirts on the back of his neck. “Well, the bakery box gives me a starting
point. If Jay Roy made the purchase, it’s possible he mentioned the name of his
date.”
    Ted replaced the can into his satchel. “Yeah, and if I’m
lucky, I’ll get DNA from some of the items. The tech department will check out
the phone and get that report to you ASAP. I’ve sent a couple of guys to the
Vic’s house and I’m headed there now. You wanna go?”
    “Sure, I’ll be right behind you.”
    Within minutes, Ridge parked next to Ted’s car, then took
the opportunity to text Tizzy. He couldn’t get her off his mind. The things
she’d done to him earlier caused his skin to warm. He pushed the thoughts away
and joined Ted. An older man came from the porch to meet them in the yard.
“Morning, I’m Merlin Hobbs, Jay Roy’s dad.”
    Ridge stepped forward and offered his hand. “I’m sorry for
your loss, sir.”
    Merlin shook it and looked at him with red, puffy eyes.
“Thank you.”
    After introductions, Ted excused himself and went inside,
while Ridge gave Merlin his full attention. “Let’s talk on the porch.” As they
walked, Ridge removed a small notebook from his shirt pocket. He should be
using his iPad to make notes, but he still found it easier to make hard copies
and transfer them later. He liked being old school.
    Merlin sat in a ladder-back rocker and pointed to its twin.
Ridge sat. “First, let’s start with Jay Roy’s health. Did he have any issues
with his heart?” Ridge watched the old man’s face wrinkle. This was the part
Ridge hated most—intruding on the saddest time of someone’s life.
    “No.”
    “Any kind of medical problems? Like high blood pressure?”
    “No.”
    “Was your son having trouble with anyone? Personal or in
business?”
    Merlin ran a hand across his face. “Dan told me this
morning, because of the way Jay Roy was found, you’d have to treat it as foul
play.” The man’s voice trembled as he said the words. He glanced away for a
moment, then back at Ridge. “Do you believe it was?”
    Ridge leaned forward and softened his tone. “Right now, it’s
too early to speculate. We’re not convinced it’s murder, but Dan’s right.
Because your son died outside of a hospital or hospice, Texas law says we have
to treat it as such, until the autopsy proves otherwise. Did he have any
financial problems? Any co-worker who might have been unhappy with him?”
    Merlin slumped forward and rested his hands on his knees.
“It was just me and him running the chicken houses and we have a kid from the
high school work program. He comes three afternoons a week to help.”
    “I’ll need his name?”
    “Brody’s a good boy. Comes from a good family. He liked Jay
Roy.”
    “Yes, sir. Just gathering information, Mr. Hobbs. I
understand your son was single. Was he seeing anyone?”
    “Not to my knowledge. But I guess the way you found him
indicates he was.”
    No kidding. “What about ex-wives? Any past trouble
with them?”
    “If there was, I didn’t know. Jay Roy didn’t discuss his
personal life with me.”
    Ridge started to say more, but Ted opened the screen door
and spoke. “Could you come in a second?”
    Ridge nodded and gave his attention back to Mr. Hobbs.