Firebreak (Josie Gray Mysteries #4)(85)

Josie hung up and made it to Presidio in half the time it usually took. In Presidio, she weaved between traffic on the busy small-town streets, scanning the road for midsize white cars. She passed one white Accord, but the driver was male. Once she pulled onto Highway 67 and onto a straight shot she scrolled back through her calls and found the number with the Tennessee area code. She pressed send and after what seemed an eternity, Patty answered her phone.

“Hello?”

“Patty. This is an important phone call. This is Chief Gray, but I don’t want you to acknowledge you’re on the phone with me. I believe you could be in danger. I want you to smile and say you’re visiting your sister. You’ll be home in a few days.”

There was hesitation, and then in a halted voice she said, “Yes, I’m visiting my sister. I’ll be home in a day or two.”

“Patty, we believe your sister killed Billy. I need you to pull over at the next exit with a gas station. As soon as you can get away from Brenda you call this number and tell me where you are. You hang on to the keys, tell Brenda you’re sick, and that you need to walk around the parking lot until you feel better. Say something. Smile, say, yes, that’s fine.”

“Oh, yes, that’s fine.”

Josie could hear the tension in her voice and hoped Brenda wasn’t paying attention. “Can you just tell me what road you’re on? As if you’re telling me what route you’re taking home?”

“Oh, sure. We’re taking Interstate 10 home, we’re just outside Alpine.”

Josie heard a voice in the background. “Who are you talking to?”

“Oh,” Patty said, “just a friend.”

“Who are you talking to?” Brenda repeated, her voice louder this time.

Josie said, “Tell her my name’s Pam.”

“Okay, talk more soon.”

The phone went dead. Josie tried to call back and received voicemail. She called Brenda’s number and received voicemail.

She called Susan. “I talked to Patty Netham. They’re just outside of Alpine. I’m guessing forty miles from the interstate. I told her to pull off at the next rest stop. I think Brenda caught on that something was wrong.”

“I’m just coming into Alpine. I’m running ninety-five, so I’ll be on them any minute. How far out are you?”

“I’m fifteen minutes behind you. You have backup that way?”

“No. Call dispatch for me. I’ll let you know as soon as I make contact.”

“Be safe. Her sister could be in danger if Brenda has a weapon.”

Josie recognized Lou Hagerty’s voice as she dispatched the make, model, and license number of Patty Netham’s car. Josie called dispatch to get every car available on 67 outside of Alpine searching for Netham’s car.

Josie called Otto and filled him in. For the next thirty minutes she drove in silence, waiting to hear back from Susan. The hills and beige countryside blurred through her side windows as she whisked around the other cars.

The phone rang. “It’s Susan. I’m behind a white Honda Accord, two females in the front seat. The plates match the number. I’m five miles from I-10.”

“Okay. I’m two miles behind you. Pull her over before we hit the interstate. Wait for me. We’ll approach together.”

Josie’s phone rang again.

“Josie, it’s Lou.”

“We’ve got Brenda. I’ll call you in a few.”

“Hang on. You better hear this. Yvonne Ferrario just returned your call. I told her you wanted to know if Brenda talked to her that day at the Hell-Bent. She said she and Brenda sat out back to talk because the smoke was bothering Yvonne. Yvonne said Brenda went back into the building when they were done, and Yvonne left at about six.”

“Lou. I have to go.”

“Hang on! When Yvonne pulled out of the Hell-Bent at six o’clock, she followed Hank Wild down Highway 67, headed toward Artemis.”

“Son of a bitch.” Josie took a second to process the news. The information changed everything. “You’re the best. Call Marta and get her over to Hank Wild’s house. Don’t let him leave. Place him under arrest for withholding information if she has to.”

Josie hung up and tried to figure out the new information in relation to Brenda and her obvious relationship with Hank. Brenda hadn’t left the Hell-Bent to kill Ferris. Hank had. And he set Billy up to take the fall. That’s how Hank “knew” all the details.

Josie saw the flashing lights up ahead on the highway and was relieved to see Patty Netham’s car pulled off on the right side of the highway. As soon as Josie pulled up Susan got out of her car and they stood to the side of her police car. “I just got a bombshell. I don’t have time to explain. Call Otto and tell him to get back to Artemis. Tell him to call Lou for details and to watch Hank Wild. Don’t let Hank leave town.”

Josie approached the passenger side of the white Accord and knocked on the window. Brenda rolled the window down looking terrified.

Patty bent her head so that she could see Josie outside. “What is going on?”

“Brenda, I need you to follow me back to my car. I need to speak with you.”

Brenda looked paralyzed, as if she couldn’t figure out the next step.

Josie repeated, “I need you to step out of the car.”