Skeleton Canyon

The telephone rang. “I’ll get it,” Joa

And it was. “Sheriff Brady?” Ernie Carpenter asked. “What big ears?”

“Frankie Stoddard and her police sca

“That’s right,” he said. “I forgot all about her. It’s a good thing I’m calling on a phone then.”

“Why? What’s happening?”

“Jaime and I just made arrangements for a deputy to come pick up Ignacio Ybarra and bring him in for questioning. I’ll ride back to the department in the patrol car with them while Jaime drives the van.”

Joa

“Wait until you see him,” Ernie said grimly. “He looks like hell. Claims somebody beat him up, but he won’t tell us who it was or where it happened.”

“If you’re bringing him to the department, I’ll meet you there.”

Joa

Oops, I’ve gotta go. I’ll have to mail this tomorrow along with Saturday’s letter as well. You’ll probably get them both on the same day-Tuesday, I hope.

Love, Mom

Joa

That’s odd, she thought. Maybe she’s working.

Except, when Joa

Concerned, Joa

“Mari,” Joa

“You’ve called the right place,” Maria

“She’s okay, I hope,” Joa

“No,” Maria

“Her car!” Joa

“When she and De

“Oh, no,” Joa

“Oh, yes,” Maria

So was Joa

“She’s staying with us for tonight, at least,” Maria

“Other than her car, though, she’s all right?” Joa

She had heard De

“She’s fine,” Maria

“Give Jeff Daniels a hug for me,” Joa

“I’ll be glad to tell him,” Maria

“I don’t know who your sources are,” Joa

“‘That’s dreadful,” Maria

“We don’t know that yet,” Joa

There was a long pause while neither woman said a word. “Are you all right?” Maria

Maria

“Sorry, Mari. There’s another call. I’ve got to go.” She winched the other line. “Yes?”

“Excuse me, Sheriff, but there’s a man out here named Burton Kimball. You know, the attorney. He says Detective Carpenter is bringing in one of his clients. Mr. Kimball is supposed to be present for the interview. I talked to Dispatch. They didn’t know anything about it. Kendall Evans said I should talk to you.”

“Thanks,” Joa

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Tall, broad-shouldered, and with his brown hair going gray at the temples, Burton Kimball stood in front of the lobby display case examining the photographs featured there-pictures of all the previous sheriffs of Cochise County, up to and including Sheriff Joa

Joa

“The Women’s Club did a great job of putting this display together, but how come most of these guys look like they have a corncob stuck up their butts?” Burton asked Joa

After a day filled with thorny complications and unrelenting tension, Cochise County’s leading defense attorney’s comment was so unexpectedly lighthearted and welcome that Joa