Firebreak (Josie Gray Mysteries #4)(49)

“What time was that?”

“Nine.”

Otto spoke up, his expression skeptical. “You slept until nine without realizing Billy wasn’t in bed with you? You hadn’t gotten up to go to the bathroom or anything earlier and realized he was missing?”

Tears now fell from her face and Josie pushed a box of tissues toward her.

“When Billy left I got up and took two sleeping pills. I couldn’t sleep. This has all been so stressful on both of us. I was sound asleep when Hank called.”

“Have you called your other friends, the band members, to see if he called them last night?” Josie asked.

“I’ve called everyone I can think of. Billy called Slim Jim last night too. He had the same conversation as Hank had with Billy.”

“What time was this?”

“Slim said he called at about two. Slim told him to quit drinking and get to bed. He offered to come in to town and Billy told him no, that he was going to bed. No one else has heard from him.”

“Have you searched anywhere?”

“No. I told Manny before I left and he was going to check all the rooms to make sure Billy didn’t enter the wrong one last night.” Brenda glanced sideways at Josie, as if ashamed that it could actually be an option.

“Mickey’s Bar and Grill is the only place in town open after midnight. Did you try there?”

“I called Mickey this morning. He worked last night and said Billy never came in.”

Josie was running out of options. She looked at Otto. He knew where she was headed. He nodded once in agreement for her to proceed.

“Brenda, I need to tell you why we wanted you and Billy to come to the department today. It may have something to do with Billy not coming home. Okay?”

She nodded, her face expectant.

“Do you know a man named Ferris Sinclair?”

She closed her eyes and sighed heavily as if even the name was a burden. “Yes. I know him.”

“We have good reason to believe he is the man who died in your house. Who was burned on your couch.”

Her mouth fell open and then she shut it suddenly, apparently stunned by the news. “Why on earth would someone kill Ferris in our home?”

“We’re wondering the same thing. We’ve heard that you don’t like Ferris. In fact, we heard that you hate him,” Josie said.

“Well, I won’t pretend that I like him. You’re sure that it’s Ferris?” she said.

Josie nodded. “We believe so, but we’re waiting for a positive identification.”

Brenda shuddered.

“What kind of a relationship do you have with Ferris?” Otto asked.

“Relationship? That’s a bit too strong. He’s a fame seeker. He sees Billy as someone who’s going to make it big in Nashville, and he wants to ride his coattails.”

“So you don’t like him?” Otto asked.

Brenda stared across the table at Otto for a moment before speaking. “I always imagined him as one of those guys who marries some older woman and takes all of her money before leaving her or killing her off for insurance. That’s the kind of person I think he is. So no, I don’t like him. Billy doesn’t have money for Ferris to take, but I believe he’s after something. He’s after his fame.”

“I’m going to ask you a question, and I want you to think about it before getting angry and responding,” Josie said. “This is a terrible thing that’s happened to you. I’m not here to point fingers or accuse you or Billy of anything. I’m here to solve a murder.”

She nodded once.

“Could Billy have gotten frightened and left town? Maybe he figured out the body was Ferris and panicked for some reason and left.”

To her credit, Brenda didn’t answer immediately. She was quiet, her mouth pulled in a grim flat line. She finally said, “Billy getting frightened and leaving would not completely surprise me. He is not a strong person. But when he left the motel room last night I watched him stand outside the window and smoke a cigarette before walking off. And the note he left me wasn’t written by someone who was panicked.” She leaned across the table and pointed to his signature on the note, “Love you—Billy.” “That’s not Billy in panic mode. I’ve seen that side of him. That wasn’t him last night.”

Josie nodded and looked at Otto. “Okay. Let’s get some officers to scout out downtown. Without a car he couldn’t have walked too far unless someone picked him up. I’d like for you to go back to the motel room and wait there for further instruction. You call my cell the minute you hear from him.”





SIXTEEN

The search team that Josie assembled met at the courthouse at 4:00 p.m. and included Otto, Marta, and two sheriff’s deputies, Dave Phillips and Juan Jiménez. Dave and Juan both wore brown-and-beige sheriff’s uniforms with silver stars pinned over their breast pockets. Their heavy belts were weighted down with a gun, extra ammo clips, a nightstick, a flashlight, and assorted handcuff gear. Dave was in his midtwenties with an easy smile and the trim build of a lifetime athlete. Juan was a decade older, a foot shorter, and built like a linebacker with a scowl to go with it. The rough exterior paired well with a profane sense of humor that occasionally got him in trouble with the sheriff.