Skeleton Canyon

“I haven’t had a chance to call anyone,” Joa

“Well,” Eleanor returned, “it hasn’t been any too pleasant for me, either.”

Joa

Joa

“Well, yes,” Eleanor allowed. “I was worried about what you’d think. Of George and me. Of what we’ve done. I was afraid you’d be furious.”

Now that Eleanor had brought up the topic, Joa

“Furious?” Joa

It was Eleanor’s turn to sound surprised. “You mean you’re not? George said you were fine about it, but I didn’t believe…”

“I’m disappointed maybe,” Joa

Eleanor gave an audible sigh of relief. “You don’t mind, then?”

“George Winfield’s a nice man,” Joa

“A snowbird,” Eleanor replied. “Why, I don’t know what you mean-” She stopped. “Joa

Joa

“I don’t know,” Eleanor said. “George was talking about doing something in September. I’ve been thinking more about that long Fourth of July weekend. With four days, maybe your brother and Marcie could come out from D.C.”

Joa

“What kind of party were you thinking of?” Joa

“I don’t know,” Eleanor said, sounding uncertain again. “I just wanted to have a little reception of some kind. Something small and tasteful. George seems to think we should do the whole thing. Have a ceremony, repeat our vows, cut a cake, and everything. What do you think, Joa

The very idea of Eleanor Lathrop’s flying in the face of small-town convention somehow tickled Joa

“You could have it at my place,” Joa

Once again Eleanor was taken aback. “You’d do that?” she asked. “For me? You mean you wouldn’t mind going to all that trouble?”

“It’s no trouble, and of course I wouldn’t mind,” Joa

Eleanor swallowed. When she spoke again, she seemed near tears. “Nothing would please me more, but you understand, I’ll have to talk all this over with George first.”

“Certainly,” Joa

There was a sudden flurry of activity out in the lobby. Even through the closed door Joa

“But the Fourth of July is a holiday,” Eleanor objected. “Wouldn’t Maria

Just then Joa

“Joa

Startled by all the activity, Joa

“Look,” he was saying, “I don’t care who you are. You can’t just barge in here-”

“Dick,” Joa

Angie darted away from Dick Voland and came dripping across the carpet to Joa

“De

“I don’t know. Not for sure. I was talking to him on the phone when someone broke into his trailer. It sounded like whoever it was had a gun. I tried calling back, but there was no answer.”

Dick Voland let go of Angie’s arm and backed off a little. “De

“De

“Out in the mountains. Right around five.”

Joa

Angie shook her head. “I don’t remember exactly. It’s someplace around where the body was, I think.”

“In the Peloncillos?”

Angie’s face brightened. “Yes,” she said. “That’s it.”

Joa

“Not exactly,” Angie said. “I can show you, but I can’t tell you how to get there. It was near a cemetery, though-a cemetery with a wall around it.”

“That would have to be Cottonwood Creek Cemetery,” Dick Voland supplied. “That’s the only one I know of in the area that fits that description. Sheriff Brady’s busy right now. Why don’t you come out to the desk sergeant and give your information to him?”

The bedraggled young woman shot the chief deputy a baleful look. With the notable exception of Joa

“Dick,” Joa

“I believe so. He drove into the sally port a few minutes ago. He’s probably over in the booking room right now.”