Skeleton Canyon

“The truck ran off a cliff out in the Peloncillos,” she said. “It turned over several times. It looks as though Bria

Katherine closed her eyes. “She died instantly, then?”

Joa

“Yes,” Katherine said. “Of course.”

“Tell me something,” Joa

The change in Katherine’s demeanor was abrupt. “What exactly do you mean by that?” she demanded. “And what does a question like that have to do with my daughter driving her truck off a cliff?”

She’s doing it again, Joa

“It’s just curiosity more than anything,” Joa

“He was in real estate,” Katherine returned. “Real estate and construction both. He was a major player in the development of Paradise Valley up in Phoenix. Over the years, he diversified enough so that when it was time to sell out and come down here, he was able to make a good deal of money-funds that are still coming in, by the way. If you’re asking me whether or not my husband hangs out with lowlifes who would do this kind of thing-a kidnapping, I mean-I’ll tell you right here and now that he doesn’t. David O’Brien may be a little overbearing at times, even unreasonable occasionally. But my husband is a highly principled man. If you don’t believe me, there are any number of people you could ask. Wally, for instance.”

“Wally?”

“Wally Hickman,” Katherine O’Brien said. “Years ago, before Wally went into politics, he and my husband were business partners.”

Joa

Katherine O’Brien nodded. “You know him., don’t you?”

“Not personally.”

“Well, I do, and so does David. Wally and his wife, Abby, are good friends of ours.”

Sheriff Joa

Joa

“So?” Katherine asked defensively. “There are lots of unreasonable people in the world. If you think of all that’s happened to David over the years, I believe he has more grounds than most for being difficult.”

“He made that quite clear himself,” Joa

“What any right-thinking parent of a rebellious teenager would have done, Sheriff Brady. He would have grounded her for the rest of her life.”

Before Joa

Taking Katherine by the arm, he led the two women into a spotless lab. “I must apologize for having to show you your daughter in her current condition, but…”

Katherine swallowed hard. “That’s all right,” she said. “I understand.”

Having been away from the awful smell of decaying flesh long enough to clear her nostrils and lungs, Joa

Katherine walked forward far enough to glimpse it, then she stopped. Sagging against Doc Winfield, she nodded. “It’s her,” she whispered.

“You’re sure?”

“Yes. I recognize the birthmark on her neck.”

“Very well.” Winfield went to the head of the table and covered the bag with a clean white sheet. “Wait,” Katherine said. “What about her jewelry? Along with the truck, her fa-Ihn’r gave her a diamond ring for her eighteenth birthday. I’m mire he’ll want to have that back, and her class ring as well.”

Winfield pulled out a form and consulted it. “I’ve inventoried both of those items on the personal effects form,” he said. “Along with her purse, wallet, watch, and the earring as well, hill for the time being, I’ll have to hold on to all of them. The watch we’ll most likely have to keep indefinitely.”

“Why’s that?”

“It might prove helpful in setting the time of death. Everything else you’ll get back, of course, once the investigation is complete, but-”

“What kind of earring?” Katherine interrupted.

“It’s a single pearl,” Winfield answered. “Looks to be of pretty good quality. The other one must have fallen off somewhere. The only reason this one wasn’t lost as well was that the post was smashed flat.”

“I don’t want it,” Katherine said at once. “The earring or the watch. Just give me the two rings. Those are all I care about.”

“But, Mrs. O’Brien-”

“The watch is a cheap Timex. It’s of no consequence whatever. The earring is different. Bria

“You don’t understand, Mrs. O’Brien,” Winfield interjected. “once personal effects are no longer required for evidentiary reasons, I’m required to turn them over to victims’ families. If I were to keep any items that had appeared on inventory sheets, I would be in clear violation. If it was reported, I’d be out of a job.”

“Very well,” Katherine said. “If that’s the case, when the time comes, I’ll make sure I’m the one who collects Bree’s things. That way I can take care of it myself. You won’t have to have anything at all to do with it.” She backed toward the door. “Is that all? Can I go now?”

“Yes,” George said. ‘‘Thank you so much for your help. Please accept my condolences and extend them to your husband as well.”

Katherine nodded. “Thank you,” she said. “I will.”

Joa

“Yes.” Katherine O’Brien stopped with her hand on the doorknob. “You’ll have to forgive me, Sheriff Brady,” she said. “I can’t answer any more questions, not right now. Since it’s confirmed, I must go home and tell my husband.”