Firebreak (Josie Gray Mysteries #4)(52)

“It did not happen to Billy! When you sleep in a hotel room with a person for days on end, there aren’t many secrets. Billy is my husband and I love him very much. But he’s also my job. I know everything he packs, everything he buys, who he talks to. He is not responsible.” Something made Brenda stop talking. Perhaps she realized she was referring to her husband in the present tense. Maybe it was the accusatory tone of her words. She put her face in her hands and cried until her body shook. She finally curled into a ball on the bed and sobbed. Josie tried to touch Brenda on the shoulder, to offer comfort, but she pulled away and moaned in response. Josie walked to the front window in the motel room and looked outside, unable to watch the woman’s private anguish.

Brenda finally stopped crying and Josie was able to find a phone number for her sister, Patty, by flipping through numbers in Brenda’s cell phone. Josie told Brenda she was going to call Patty and Brenda simply nodded. Josie used her own phone and Patty answered. Josie explained the situation and that she was worried about her sister’s state of mind. She explained that it would be a good idea for someone from the family to come stay with her for a day or two. Josie noted that when she spoke Patty’s name into the phone Brenda closed her eyes and began crying again into her pillow. Patty assured Josie that she would be in Artemis by 8:00 that night and would stay as long as Brenda needed her. Patty had been shocked and concerned for her sister, saying she would come immediately, but Josie hadn’t been able to glean much about Patty’s relationship with her sister, or her feelings toward Billy.

When Josie hung up the phone she sat beside Brenda on the bed and explained that her sister would be at the hotel by eight that night. Brenda nodded without speaking. Josie left reluctantly, worrying they would have another suicide on their hands by morning.





SEVENTEEN

Josie pulled into her parking space the next morning at 7:30 to find Turner sitting in her car in front of the PD, talking on her cell phone. When Josie got out of her car, Turner rolled down her window and beckoned for her. She finished her conversation and hung up her phone but didn’t set it down.

“Take a look at this,” she said.

“Would you like to come in the office?” Josie asked, slightly annoyed that Turner expected their business to be conducted outside, next to her car, and predictably on her terms.

“Can’t. I’m due in court this morning. Check out this video.” She passed her phone to Josie. “Press the play button.”

Josie did as instructed and watched a grainy black-and-white video, showing what appeared to be the entrance to a store or commercial building. After several seconds of seeing nothing she looked at Turner. “What am I looking at?”

“Don’t look away! It only takes about thirty seconds. This is video surveillance taken at a Quick Mart just off Interstate 10 at nine thirty Sunday night. The video is time-stamped. Want to guess the location?”

Josie said nothing. She watched as two people walked up to the building. Even on the small screen of Turner’s phone Josie could identify Billy and Brenda Nix walking side by side up to the door.

“That video’s taken in Sonora, Texas. That means they left the Hell-Bent at six p.m., just like they said they did. That’s a three-and-half-hour drive. No way they could have left their home at seven fifteen and made it to the Quick Mart by that time.”

Josie nodded, impressed. “I’ll need the original tape as evidence.”

“Already done. I e-mailed you the store manager’s contact information. I told him you’d be calling. I wanted to show you it this morning though before I got stuck in court all day. Brenda called me last night. She’s a mess.” She put her hand out of the car window to take her cell phone back from Josie. “I don’t know who killed Ferris Sinclair. But somebody is playing hell with my client. Brenda Nix is an innocent woman.”

“Do you think Billy committed suicide?” Josie asked.

Turner pointed a finger at Josie. “That’s why you get paid the big bucks.” She rolled her window up and backed out of the parking space.

Josie smiled. Turner often pissed her off, but she couldn’t help liking her at the same time.

Lou had just taken over the computer from the night dispatcher and was catching up on messages when Josie entered the PD. Before Josie could say good morning to Lou, the bell rang and she turned around to see Doug Free walk in.

“Morning,” he said.

“Hey, Doug. How’s it going?”

“The fire marshal, Ned Franklin, just arrived this morning. He drove into town late last night. We’re headed over to the Nixes’. I apologize for not letting you know sooner.”

Josie put her hand up to stop him. “You don’t owe me an apology. You have enough on your plate right now.”

“It’s been a tough week. We’re still dealing with the aftermath at the mudflats. Ned would like to have you with us this morning if you can make it.”

“Absolutely. I’ll let Otto know where I’m headed, and I’ll see you over there.”

Josie walked upstairs to the office, where she found Otto digging through his filing cabinet. He turned and looked at her, his face slack and his eyes tired.

“Good news, Otto.”

“We could use a bit of good news about now.”

“The fire marshal is in town. I’m headed over now to meet with him and Doug at the Nixes’.”