Skeleton Canyon

“You think it’s hers, then?” Joa

“Who else’s would it be?” he asked. “As soon as we can get the body transported, we’ll have to search the rest of the area up here, just in case. And we’re going to have to hurry. The storm’s almost here. Get her loaded into that truck on the double.”

“Truck?” Joa

Ernie nodded. “Deputy Raymond brought along his pickup. He can take her back to Bisbee in that.”

Joa

“What do you mean, no?” Ernie countered.

“Just what I said. We’re not going to haul Bria

That a

“I’m sure,” she said. “Load her up.”

As Deputies Raymond and Lindsey hurried to comply, Joa

“Don’t worry, Sheriff Brady,” he said. “I’ve learned my lesson. Besides, if we get into any trouble, the wrecker’s already here.”

“I don’t even want to think about it,” she said. With the storm boiling in from the south, the possibility of vehicles getting stuck was one consideration. What was far worse, however, was the thought of Angie, out by herself, lost and afraid in a storm of that magnitude. She knew nothing at all about the desert. If a fully loaded vehicle couldn’t stand up to a flash flood, what would happen to her if she made the mistake of stepping into a raging, water-filled wash?

l don’t want to think about that, either, Joa

The rain hit long before Angie made it to the road. Within seconds she was soaked to the skin. Her hair was plastered down around her face. The downpour was startlingly cold. Looking like this, I’ll never catch a ride, she thought despairingly as she ducked through the strands of barbed wire that stood between her and the narrow ribbon of pavement. Angie was enough of a hitchhiking veteran to know that most drivers wouldn’t stop for someone who was soaking wet. Why would they want to put some muddy bedraggled wreck into a perfectly clean and dry car?

Still, what choice did she have? Treading carefully, she picked her way across the rain-slick blacktop and positioned herself on the far side of the road. Through the pouring, slanting raindrops, no vehicles were visible as far as she could see in either direction. It looked as though it was going to be a long damned wait.

She stood in the rain for what seemed like a very long time. Peering blindly off to the east, she didn’t even hear the car bearing down on her from the west until it was almost upon her. When she did hear it, she turned just in time to see a VW bug flash by. It looked like Maria

A few feet beyond where Angie stood the VW’s brake lights flashed on. Skidding dangerously back and forth across the center line, the car came to a stop and then the backup lights came on.

Angie ran forward, meeting the vehicle just as Maria

“What do you think? That I’m out for a Sunday ride?” Maria

Summoning as much dignity as she could, Angie walked around to the far side of the car and got inside. “I knew they were looking for me,” she said. “I heard the sirens, but I didn’t want them to find me.”

“Why not? It’s pouring rain.”

Angie’s eyes filled with tears. “Because De

Reverend Maria

It took several minutes for the body and Doc Winfield’s satchel to be loaded into the Eagle. After that a series of several backing maneuvers were necessary before Joa

“On the way back to Bisbee, Jaime and I will stop by and see this Ignacio Ybarra down in Douglas.”

Joa

“Are you kidding? Half of Jaime’s relatives live in Douglas. Finding him won’t be a problem. What about going to see the O’Briens? Do you want us to handle that, too?”

Joa

“After I drop the body off at the morgue, I’ll go home, clean up, and change. Call me as soon as you get in. We were the ones who went out to see the parents yesterday. We should be the ones to go there today.”

Ernie gave her a half-assed salute that was at once both mildly teasing and respectful. “Right, Chief,” he said. “I’ll give you a call as soon as we hit town.”

As he backed away from the car, Joa

“I appreciate this,” George Winfield said as they started down the mountain. “The truck might have done the job, but you’re right. It wouldn’t have shown the proper respect.”

“What about the autopsy?” Joa

“Tomorrow,” Winfield answered. “Unless you need it sooner.”

“No,” Joa

“Friday, between nine and ten,” George said confidently. Joa

George Winfield shook his head. “No, by looking at her watch,” he said. “It stopped at nine fifty-one on Friday, June fourteenth. It could have been broken during the initial attack or during the plunge off the mountain. I’d say from the condition of the body that disposal took place within an hour or so of lime of death.”

“I see,” Joa