Firebreak (Josie Gray Mysteries #4)(34)

Josie ended the call and filled Otto in.

“The pieces aren’t quite fitting together. Let’s say Cowan is right and the victim overdosed. Why would a stun gun be necessary?”

“Someone used a stun gun to disable the victim, then they knocked him out and laid him on the couch.” Josie drove, absently watching the sandy desert roll by as she put the pieces together. “If Cowan is correct, someone shot him full of enough drugs to cause him to overdose, and then used accelerant to set the house on fire. There’s no way this is anything but premeditated murder.”

“So they took advantage of the wildfire to commit murder,” he said.

“Meaning the victim and the perpetrator most likely knew each other. The killer knew the victim would be there so the killer came prepared with the drugs and accelerant.”

“What if we switched up the order?” Otto asked. “Maybe the victim had already shot himself full of something. Let’s say heroin.”

Josie stopped him. “If he was shot full of enough heroin to overdose, the stun gun wouldn’t have been necessary.”

“I think you’re closing in on it.”

“If only we had the murderer.”

“And knew the victim.”

Back at the office Josie logged on to the Zaner Web site. She filled in an online form and submitted her department information. Two hours later Zaner International called her to confirm her identity and provided her with registry information for the Zaner gun. Armed with this new information, Josie hung up the phone and faced Otto, who was sitting at his computer typing up case notes from their visit to the Nixes’ house that morning.

“The gun is registered to Brenda Nix. Purchased in 2009 from a dealer in Houston,” she said.

“Ah,” Otto said, grinning. “That narrows the list of suspects considerably.”

“Let’s talk about timing. We know the body was burned at seven thirty-eight, so let’s work backwards.”

Otto went to the whiteboard and wrote:

5:00/5:10—Nixes left home

5:30—Arrived at Hell-Bent

6:00—Left for Austin (7-hour drive—arrived at 1:00 and went to Gilly’s bar)

6:00—Or went back home. Home by 6:20-6:30

Otto turned around to look at Josie. “Let’s make some educated guesses on the Zaner. It obviously was used before the fire since the ash was covering the paper. I think it’s safe to bet it was used between six thirty and six forty-five. That would allow enough time for someone to kill the victim, lay him on the couch, start the fire, and take off.” He raised his eyebrows at Josie for confirmation.

“That works.”

He returned to the board and finished writing the timeline.

6:30-6:45—Zaner is used

6:45-7:00—MURDER?

7:15—Start the fire

7:20—Leave home for Austin

Otto turned to face Josie. “Give me the times again for the fire.” She consulted her notes and read the times to him as he added them to his list.

7:38—Body burned

9:30 - 10:00—Fire burns through that part of the county

2:00?—Nixes check into the Hampton

“That works. If they were checked in by two o’clock, they would have had just enough time to burn the body and escape,” she said.

“We need to confirm what time they checked into that hotel,” Otto said.

“And if they used their credit card at Gilly’s that night. We also need to know if both checked in, or just one of them. If they don’t have proof they were both there by two that morning, they’re screwed.”

“What’s the latest they could have left?” Otto said. “If they took Interstate 10 and hauled ass all the way to Austin, they could make it in six hours. Let’s say they wanted to get to Gilly’s by one thirty to make an appearance. They would have to leave by…” He calculated the time in his head. “… by seven thirty.”

“Let’s call them in for questioning.” Josie considered Otto for a moment. “Who gets Brenda?”

“Let me have a crack at her. I think Billy might do better with you. He seems to like strong females.”

“Otto. I think you just gave me a compliment.”

He ignored her smirk. “It’s already four o’clock. There’s no point calling them tonight. Call first thing in the morning.”

“We call them in tonight. What can it hurt?”

He tilted his head and looked at her like she was being foolish. “Look. We obviously can’t charge them yet. Anyone could have used the stun gun, even though it’s registered to Brenda. We’re close, but not close enough. So why antagonize them? They won’t come in without an attorney. And they won’t get an attorney here this late. Just call in the morning. Go home and clear your head for the evening. Hell, let me clear my head for an evening.”

*

Josie felt agitated. She wouldn’t sleep knowing a murderer was sleeping in a hotel bed downtown with the opportunity to flee at any moment. But for now, she didn’t have enough evidence to charge either of the Nixes. The Zaner hadn’t killed the burn victim, but it certainly played a part in his death. And Otto was right. Anyone could have used it if they knew where it was located. She also had to acknowledge that just because the timing worked didn’t mean the Nixes killed the man found dead on their couch. She needed Cowan to provide the cause of death, and she needed a subpoena for the Nixes’ credit card information for the night of the fire.