Missing and Endangered (Joanna Brady #19)(59)

“This is actually a courtesy call,” she said. “One of my homicide investigations is about to intersect with one of your cases, and I wanted to be sure we’re all on the same page.”

“What case would that be?” he asked.

“Randy Williams,” she answered.

She could just as well have set off an M-80 in the middle of his office. The man actually blinked. Eugene Autry would never have made it as a poker player. Too bad for him—Joanna had been playing serious poker for years.

“Obviously, I can’t comment on ongoing cases,” he said, which was in fact an outright admission that there was an ongoing case. “What homicide?” he added a moment later.

“You may have heard about our officer-involved shooting last week,” Joanna said casually, “one in which a man named Leon Hogan was killed in a shoot-out with one of my deputies. The late Mr. Hogan and his estranged wife, Madison, were involved in a contentious divorce. I’ve just come from the divorce attorney’s office. While investigating the wife’s background, a private eye turned up the fact that she has an ongoing relationship with a Mr. Randall J. Williams. He also learned about your behind-the-scenes interest in Mr. Williams’s . . . shall we say . . . activities?”

“Who’s this private investigator?” Autry wanted to know.

Joanna forced herself to stifle a smile, but turnabout was fair play. “As you know,” she repeated, “I can’t comment on ongoing investigations.”

“So why are you here, then?” Autry asked.

“If you want to keep your involvement with Williams under wraps, we need to work together. Your call. My investigation is moving forward regardless, and his connections to the drug trade will be out in public for all to see.” With that, Joanna stood up and made as if to leave.

“Wait,” Autry said. “Sit.”

Joanna sat.

Autry took a deep breath. “I’m well aware that Randy Williams is the scum of the earth,” he said, “but in this business occasionally we end up having to work with guys like that.”

“You’re using him as a confidential informant?” Joanna asked.

Autry nodded.

Joanna’s Cochise County included eighty miles of U.S.-Mexico border. She understood that the DEA was trying to plug the holes that allowed illicit drugs to pour across that border. She also understood that having a CI inside the cartel-related drug scene could do a lot to interrupt the flow. But right now two innocent little kids were caught up in this drama as well.

“Okay,” she said. “All cards on the table. I’m aware that Williams has the potential of turning into a valuable asset for you, but I’m here to serve notice. If he is somehow connected to our homicide, we’re going after him full tilt. Do I make myself clear?”

There was a long pause. Finally Eugene nodded his assent. “Do what you have to do, Sheriff Brady,” he said. “Let the chips fall where they may.”

“Fair enough,” Joanna replied, rising to her feet. “Thank you.”

She left his office feeling considerably taller than five-four. She was a small-town sheriff who had just told the feds to back off, and wonder of wonders they had!





Chapter 25





When Jenny finished with her final, she went back to Conover Hall and was relieved to see that Beth wasn’t in the room. She had at least one final that day, maybe two. Jenny didn’t remember how many exactly, but that’s probably where she was. Outside, the weather was clear, yet warm enough that some of the accumulated snow was starting to melt.

With her last final still several days away, Jenny decided that spending some time outside was better than being locked up inside, so she put on riding clothes and headed off to see Maggie. The horse-boarding facility Jenny and several other rodeo-team members utilized for both boarding and training was on the Lazy 8 Ranch, located several miles out of town, partway between Flagstaff and Munds Park. There were barns and stables for boarding, along with both indoor and outdoor arenas for practice. The Lazy 8 was also home to Equine Helpers, a horse-therapy program for special-needs kids. In order to accommodate their activities, during the winter the ranch maintained a network of snowplowed trails that allowed less capable riders to enjoy wintertime riding adventures.

Jenny and Maggie spent the better part of two hours doing barrel-racing practice runs in the indoor arena. At the end of practice, though, sensing that Maggie was restless after being cooped up for so long, Jenny stripped off the saddle and the two of them ventured out into the still-snowy landscape. Giving Maggie her head, the two of them trotted along at a distance-eating gait for close to half an hour.

Jenny loved being out in the snowy quiet with her horse. It was exactly the break she needed from the pressure of finals and the continuing drama with Beth. When it was time to reverse directions, Maggie was ready to go at a full gallop. Only toward the end did Jenny pull the horse back to a cool-down walking pace.

Once in the barn, Jenny was delighted to run into Nick Saunders, her best friend on the rodeo team. Nick and his coal-black gelding, Dexter, were standing outside the horse’s stall, where Nick was giving Dex a thorough grooming. Jenny slipped off Maggie and prepared to brush her down as well.

“How’re you doing, Saras,” Jenny called over Dexter’s back.