Dead to Rights

“You don’t have to do that,” Joa

“Why not?” Angie returned. “Greenway School is just a little out of the way. It won’t take more than a couple of minutes for me to drop her oil. That way you can go to bed. You look like you need it.”

Unable to argue, Joa

She staggered into the bedroom and dropped fully clothed onto the bedspread. Je

“I don’t think so,” Joa

Sound asleep, she didn’t stir when Je

Joa

“Dick Voland asked me to call you. There’s going to be a telephone conference call with someone from the governor’s office at eleven-thirty. Can you make it?”

“I’ll be there,” Joa

As Joa

Climbing out of the Blazer, Joa

As soon as Joa

“What’s happening?” Joa

“Mr. Voland, of course,” Kristin answered. “He was here when I arrived. Detective Carpenter showed up a few minutes ago, along with Tom Hadlock.” Tom Hadlock was the jail commander. “Deputy Montoya is here, but he probably won’t be included in the conference call. He’s out front dealing with the reporters.”

“Better him than me,” Joa

Cup in hand, feigning a briskness she didn’t feel, Joa

Joa

Voland shrugged. “Politics as usual,” he said. “It’s no big thing. Whenever something off the wall happens, Governor Hickman wants to be in on it. He probably wants to be reassured that this isn’t something that’s going to come back and bite him in the butt during the next election.”

“What’s going to bite him?”

“Ha

“How could what happened to Ha

Voland shrugged. “You know. Allegations of possible police brutality. Violations of constitutional rights. That sort of thing.”

Joa

“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Ernie said. “And it sure as hell won’t be the last.”

When the phone rang, Joa

“Lydia Morales with the governor’s office is on the phone,” Kristin said.

“Put her through.”

Lydia Morales sounded young-about Joa

“Black or Hispanic?” Joa

Lydia paused. “Well, certainly you understand how, when a prisoner dies in custody, there can always be questions of racism or police brutality or…”

“Or violation of constitutional rights,” Joa

“Right,” Lydia Morales confirmed brightly.

Hearing Lydia’s response, Joa

“You never answered my question about Ha

Joa

“Ha

“Help what?” Joa

“How this thing is handled,” Lydia returned. “The kind of press it’s given. Believe me, trying to fight a racism charge is tough. Definitely lose/lose all the way around.”

Joa

AII her life, Joa

‘What you’re saying, then,” Joa

The question stopped Lydia cold. “I’m sure I…” she began

“Perhaps you could give Governor Hickman a message for me,” Joa

“Were?” Lydia Morales repeated. “Don’t you mean weren’t?”

‘No,” Joa