When Justice Rides


 
 
 
 Praise for New York Times bestselling author B.J. Daniels
 “A great start to another wonderful series by a standout author of western intrigue and suspense.” 
 —Fresh Fiction on Out of the Storm
 “Daniels is a perennial favorite, and I might go as far as to label her the cowboy whisperer.”
 —BookPage
 “Super read by an excellent writer. Recommended!” 
 —Linda Lael Miller, #1 New York Times bestselling author, on Renegade’s Pride
 “At the Crossroads is a beauty of a crime novel that keeps you turning page after page just to see where this is all leading. And trust me. You will not be disappointed... This is probably one of this author’s best.”
 —Fresh Fiction
 “Readers are left guessing throughout the story, which wraps up with a surprising yet believable series of events and an emotionally satisfying ending that whets appetites for the next book.”
 —Publishers Weekly on Stroke of Luck
 “Before Buckhorn is a fabulous addition to an already amazing series.”
 —Fresh Fiction on Before Buckhorn
 
 
 New York Times Bestselling Author
 B. J. Daniels
 When Justice Rides
 
 
 
 I’ve dreamed of being a writer since I was a girl. I’d never met a writer, had no idea how to write a book, but I’d always had stories in my head.
 With you, dear reader, about to read my 119th book, I want to thank all the people it takes for one of my crazy ideas to turn into a published book.
 This book is dedicated to everyone at Harlequin and HarperCollins who made this book happen—from editing to cover art, printing, promotion and distribution.
 Thank you for all your hard work and dedication. You keep making my dream come true.
 
 
 Contents
 CHAPTER ONE
 CHAPTER TWO
 CHAPTER THREE
 CHAPTER FOUR
 CHAPTER FIVE
 CHAPTER SIX
 CHAPTER SEVEN
 CHAPTER EIGHT
 CHAPTER NINE
 CHAPTER TEN
 CHAPTER ELEVEN
 CHAPTER TWELVE
 CHAPTER THIRTEEN
 CHAPTER FOURTEEN
 CHAPTER FIFTEEN
 CHAPTER SIXTEEN
 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
 CHAPTER NINETEEN
 CHAPTER TWENTY
 CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
 CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
 CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
 CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
 CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
 CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
 CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
 CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
 CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
 CHAPTER THIRTY
 
 
 CHAPTER ONE
 JOHNNY BERG DIDN’T see the blood. Nor did he hear the killer quickly hide as he came in the back door of Buckhorn, Montana’s general store. He had his earbuds in, rocking out to a new band he’d just discovered on TikTok. His arms full of a towering stack of packages to be delivered, he’d shoved aside the partially open rear door of the store and come in dancing as usual.
 Vi Mullen always liked to get to the store an hour before it opened so he often dropped off her packages first. Today, he was ahead of schedule, which made his day. Priding himself on delivering packages quickly, he liked to joke to friends that he drove the truck like he’d stolen it. He always made record time and as the youngest employee, he received some of the best performance reviews from his customers. They referred to him as Johnny on the Spot.
 He called out, “Hello, Vi!” like he always did, even though she usually didn’t answer. He didn’t see her, but the light had been on in the storage room and the back door unlocked, so he knew she was here somewhere. She seldom if ever answered, which was fine with him.
 Early on, he’d tried to make conversation with her like he did with his other customers.
 “I don’t have time for your foolishness,” she’d snapped. “And don’t forget to wipe your feet before you come traipsing in here, tracking up my wood floors. They’re original from the 1800s when my family first settled here in Buckhorn.”
 “Yes, ma’am,” he’d said, hoping to avoid one of her history lessons.
 This morning, he’d made a point of wiping his feet on the mat just outside the door before he entered the store—not that she would notice. She’d find something else to nag him about unless he got out of here quickly.
 So often it was a blessing if he got in and out of the store without seeing her. Still dancing to the music booming from his earbuds, he made his way through the store, the tall stack of boxes balanced precariously in front of him. He also prided himself on being able to carry everything in one load.
 The days Vi had packages to go out, he’d find them ready and waiting for him. With almost relief, he saw this morning that the spot where she would leave anything to ship out was empty. He placed the packages down, straightening the stack. Vi was a stickler on how she wanted things done.
 He had worse customers, but Vi still made the top three, he thought as he turned to leave—and froze. His music still blaring in his ears, but his arms free of the tall stack of packages he’d brought in, he stared at the floor—and the bloody footprints. His bloody footprints as he’d danced his way through the store.
 What the—He popped out one earbud feeling a sense of panic.
 “Vi?” No answer. He popped out the other earbud, letting them hang around his neck. In the quiet of the cavernous filled-to-the-rafter store, the music still coming out of his earbuds made it feel even creepier. “Vi?” Still no answer.
 Heart pounding, he slowly followed the trail he’d left, avoiding spreading any more of the blood, terrified of what he was going to find. He tried to throw off the chill that wound around his neck, making him shiver. It wasn’t until he reached the storage area at the back that he stopped short. A puddle of blood had pooled in a low spot in the middle of the floor. He slowly turned his head to follow the river of blood to its source.
 A slightly built older woman, Vi Mullen lay on her back, blank eyes staring up at the ceiling, mouth open as if in a silent