Dead to Rights

Oh, well, she told herself. I’ll call him as soon as I get back to the office. In the meantime, she turned back into the parish hall. By then, the serving line at the buffet had almost disappeared. Taking a plate from the stack, Joa

Once the luncheon was over, Joa

“The Border Patrol is ecstatic to get the goods on this guy,” Voland told her. “They’ve been trying to put him out of business for years. What I can’t understand is what’s keeping Ernie. He should have been here to oversee the questioning. He was going to the Buckwalter funeral this morning but I expected him back long before this.”

“I sent him home,” Joa

Voland’s eyes bulged. “With all the cases we’ve got hanging fire? How could you send him home? He’s the only detective we have left.”

“Why is that?” Joa

“Why?” Voland shrugged. “The two other guys put in their twenty years and bailed out.”

“I know that,” Joa

“Yes, but I was waiting for Ernie to tell me he was ready.”

“What were you really waiting for, Dick? For hell to freeze over? It just did. We’ve had five violent deaths in as many days, and we’ve only got one detective to cover too many bases. What’s wrong with this picture?”

“But Jaime’s not ready yet. He’s still too young.”

“No, he’s not,” Joa

“Yes, but-”

“But nothing, Mr. Voland. Do it.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Chief Deputy Voland replied. “I’ll get right on it.”

“And one more thing. Have you talked to Ruth since last night?”

Dick Voland flushed. “No.”

“Are you going to talk to her?”

“She threw me out,” Voland said. “What’s the point of talking? I’ve made some calls. I think I’ve lined up an apartment. I’m supposed to go look at it after work.”

With that, he turned and stomped out of her office. Joa

Relieved, but sorry, too, Joa

“Philip Dotson?” Joa

“He’s Reed Carruthers’ nephew and Ha

Here it comes, Joa

Time to be a grown-up, Joa

After a moment’s reflection, she pressed the intercom talk button. “I’ll see him, Kristin,” she said. “Go ahead and show him in.”

By the time Kristin ushered the visitor into the office, Joa

Dotson, a tall, spare man in his late forties or early fifties, bore no family resemblance to his dead cousin. He was carrying a cowboy hat, an old one made of worn gray felt.

“‘Tragic?” he repeated with a shrug of his narrow shoulders. “I don’t know. Couldn’t be helped none, I guess. It was bound to happen.”

Joa

“Reed Carruthers was a son of a bitch, if you’ll pardon the expression, ma’am. It’s a wonder somebody didn’t cave his head in a long time ago. His poor wife-my Aunt Ruth-was my mother’s sister. For starters, Aunt Ruth is the one who shoulda done it. There may be meaner men on the face of the earth; I just haven’t had the misfortune of meeting any of ‘em. Leastways not so far. And as for Ha

“You’re saying she was mentally disturbed?” Joa

“Amongst the family, we always said she was just plain crazy-crazy and dumb both. She got away from her old man once when she run off and married that trucker from Drip-ping Springs, Texas. What nobody could ever figure out was why she come back home once that marriage broke up, or why she stayed, either one. Guess she thought she just didn’t have no other choice. The thing is, if she’da left him, she pro’ly coulda made it on her S.S.I. Aunt Fra

“Your cousin was receiving Social Security income based on what?” Joa

“Who knows?” Dotson said. “On account of being crazy, I expect. Disabled, one way or the other. I’m sure my uncle never let her keep none of the money to spend on herself. That wasn’t his way.”

Joa

“So what can I do for you today, Mr. Dotson?” Joa

“I just come to town to retrieve the bodies and make arrangements. Only havin’ one body sent back, really. My uncle’s go

“Has anyone given you your cousin’s personal effects?” Joa

Dotson shook his head. “Not so far. The lady out in the lobby told me I should come here to talk to Detective Carpenter, exceptin’ I guess he’s not here, so I ended up with you instead.”

Joa

While they waited, Joa

“Sure,” he said. “Reed slammed it in a door once years back to keep Ha