Missing and Endangered (Joanna Brady #19)(85)

In the bullpen Jaime, Ernie, and Deb welcomed Garth to the team. Later, during the conference-room party, Joanna made two announcements as opposed to one—Garth’s promotion, of course, and also Sunny Sloan’s recent decision about becoming a deputy.

By two o’clock everyone at the Justice Center—including the jail guards and the guys out in the motor pool—had tucked in on their share of pizza. Knowing that Carol would be making Jenny’s favorite homecoming meal—green chili casserole—for dinner Joanna limited herself to a single slice of pepperoni pizza.





Chapter 40





It was another forever day for Kendall and Peter. Mommy was sleeping late again, only this time she really was in her bedroom. Kendall had checked to be sure, and Mommy was snoring. She hadn’t gone out the night before, and much to Kendall’s relief, Randy hadn’t come over. That meant Mommy had been home alone and drinking far too much. Kendall knew that, too, because she’d counted all the empty bottles in the recycling.

They had been outside playing and were about to go back inside for lunch when Mrs. Walkup’s son pulled in to her driveway with a Christmas tree tied on the top of his car. Kendall and Peter watched while he cut the tree down and carried it inside.

“Are we going to have a Christmas tree, too?” Peter asked.

Daddy was the one who had always decorated the tree and helped them hang their stockings.

“I don’t know,” Kendall said with a shrug. “Ask Mommy.”

It was after lunch and halfway through Frozen again when Mommy finally got up. Even though she was supposedly drinking coffee, she still smelled of beer, and her coffee didn’t smell like plain coffee either.

“When are we going to put up our Christmas tree?” Peter asked.

“What Christmas tree?” Mommy snapped at him. “Who says we’re going to have a friggin’ Christmas tree?” Except she didn’t say “friggin’.” She said something else—a very bad word—and Peter fled the kitchen in tears while Kendall remained where she was, too shocked to say anything at all.

“Well?” Mommy snarled at her. “What are you hanging around for? I suppose you want a Christmas tree, too. Well, wanting one and having one are two different things.”

Without another word Kendall followed Peter into the bedroom. She found him lying on his bunk sobbing. Eventually he cried himself to sleep. From out front Kendall heard the chatter and laughter of kids on the street as they made their way home from school. She couldn’t help but wonder what they would be doing this afternoon. Maybe some of them would be at home putting up their own Christmas trees.

They probably wouldn’t be hiding out in their bedrooms hoping their mommies would drink enough beer to fall back asleep.





Chapter 41





By 3:00 P.M. Joanna had almost finished wading through her daily mishmash of paperwork. Leon Hogan’s funeral was scheduled for early afternoon the next day, and she planned on being there, but tomorrow morning she’d need to attend the board of supervisors meeting in order to discuss and defend her requested budget increases. That meant she needed to go home tonight with a clean desk and a clean slate. Otherwise, come Monday morning, she’d be buried.

“Hey, boss,” Deb Howell said, popping her head inside Joanna’s office. “Garth and I are on our way out to Sierra Vista to bring Madison Hogan in for questioning.”

“I thought today was his day off,” Joanna countered.

“It was,” Deb replied, “but he wants to get his feet wet, and there’s no time like the present. The more he can see or do before Ernie leaves, the better.”

“Fair enough,” Joanna said.

She put down the report she was reading and glanced out the window. Bright morning sun had given way to overcast skies. Without having caught a moment of TV news and weather, she was startled to see occasional wind-driven snowflakes whipping past her window.

It was winter, after all, and Bisbee was known to be a mile-high city. That meant snow wasn’t completely out of the ordinary. Still, it surprised Joanna to see it. And suddenly, more than anything else, she wanted to be away from her desk and out of her office.

“Mind if I tag along?” she asked.

Deb frowned. “With Garth riding shotgun, someone will end up having to sit in back with Madison.”

“Not to worry,” Joanna said. “I’ll drive myself. I never laid eyes on Madison at the crime scene. I’ll be interested to see what she’s like.”

“Okay,” Deb said. “See you there.”

Butch called as Joanna emerged from the tunnel at the top of the Divide. “Hey,” he said. “I just woke up from a long winter’s nap. How’s it going?”

“I’m on my way to Sierra Vista, following Detectives Raymond and Howell, who are about to bring Madison Hogan in for questioning.”

“Did I hear you say Detective Raymond?”

“Yup, you certainly did. I gave him the news this morning and made it official at an impromptu pizza party at lunchtime. And that’s not all. Sunny Sloan told me this morning that she wants to become a deputy. I was able to find her a training slot at the Arizona Police Academy starting right after the first of the year.”