Firebreak (Josie Gray Mysteries #4)(28)

“Who specifically is jealous?”

He turned from her in frustration. “Come on, man. Don’t go there.”

“It’s a fair question. I’m sure it’s no big secret.”

“The Calloway Boys. They talk smack. They’re a Tex-Mex band with a hotshot guitar player and a singer who thinks he’s God’s gift to the world. Problem is, nobody outside of the locals is interested in their alternative country.” Jim rolled his eyes and made a face to show he wasn’t impressed, whatever “alternative country” meant to him.

“So there’s some competition between the local bands?”

“I wouldn’t call it competition. Here’s what it is. They like to bash Billy and the Outlaws like we’re commercial and they’re some authentic piece of art.” He rolled his eyes again and looked back at the kids. Josie noticed the band director crossing the parking lot toward them, probably making sure Jim wasn’t in hot water with the police.

“Damn. I gotta go,” he said.

Josie chatted with the band director to assure him that Jim wasn’t in trouble and left the school. She had one more stop before going home for the night. Doug Free had left a message on her phone asking her to call or stop by before she went off duty.

Josie saw his truck parked in front of the fire department and pulled in behind it. She found him in the training room, sitting behind his desk with a fan blowing hot air directly on him. The police department wasn’t fancy, but at least it had air-conditioning. Doug looked up from his paperwork and smiled when he saw her.

“How’s it going?” she asked.

“I’ve sure had better weeks.”

“You get any sleep yet?”

“A few hours. I’m about ready to check out for the night.” He stood and gestured toward a folding chair in front of his desk and they both sat. “Otto called and filled me in on the conversation he had with my spotter, Derek Lanman. The timing’s off.”

“That’s what we were afraid of.”

“I met with Otto today and made a copy of the records he took as evidence,” Doug said. “I combined that log with everything else I’ve got here. Assuming the victim’s watch was correct, and he died at seven thirty-eight, that fire was set intentionally.”

“Otto found another analog clock in the kitchen stopped at seven forty. I think we have our time of death.”

Doug raised a finger. “Department of Public Safety’s sending us a helicopter in the morning. We’ll fly out at seven. We’ll be doing a damage assessment, but first area we fly over is the Nixes’ house. I want to see the burn patterns. You game?”

“Absolutely. I appreciate the offer.”

“I’ll see you at the Marfa airport at six thirty tomorrow morning.”

*

It was after seven o’clock before Josie arrived home. A year ago Dillon would have had supper waiting for her; he would have been putting the final touches on some dish and pouring himself a glass of the perfect wine to pair with the meal. He would have been doing all of the things that she knew nothing about. Without him, her dinner consisted of ramen soup and a bagel, or takeout from the Hot Tamale, or a frozen dinner zapped in the microwave.

She parked her jeep and walked inside, where she fed Chester and then microwaved a bag of popcorn. Even after two months she missed Dillon: sharing her day with him, talking through a quirk in a case she was working on, hearing about his day at the office. She thought about her conversation with Dell, but she was still surprised Dillon had not returned her call about the fire, and she wondered if he’d received it. She was certain he’d be concerned about the town—at least about his friends and former neighbors.

Sitting at the kitchen table, she stared at her phone for a while before mustering the courage to call. He answered on the third ring.

“How are you?” she asked.

“I’m doing okay, how about you?”

“It’s been crazy. I thought you might want an update on the fire. I saw Arroyo County made the news on CNN, so I thought you might be worried.”

“Yeah, I’ve been following it on the news. Sorry I didn’t get back with you.” His tone of voice was friendly, but detached.

“The fire came through the mudflats. That area got hit hard.”

“How about Smokey and Vie?” he asked.

“They lost the house.”

He sighed. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

Josie talked a little about the Billy Nix case, but when Dillon wasn’t responding she stopped and changed the subject. “Any plans yet on your business?” Her voice felt cheery and false and she wished she hadn’t called.

“Not yet. I’m looking at options.”

“Okay, well, I’ll let you go. I just thought you might want an update.”

“Josie, it’s not that I don’t care. I’m sure this seems callous to you, like I’ve given up on everyone.”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to explain.”

“Please, hear me out. I have nightmares about what happened. I still love you on some level, and I always will, but I can’t maintain a relationship with you anymore. It’s too hard right now.”

She tried to focus on what he was saying, but the only words that stuck were on some level.