Outlaw Mountain

Susan grimaced and nodded ruefully. “What about identifying Mother’s body?” she asked. “Should I drive on up to Tucson and do that today?”

“Why not talk it over with your brother first,” Joa

For a moment, Susan Jenkins’ face almost dissolved in tears, but then she got a grip on herself. “You’re right,” she said with a sigh. “With Mother dead, it’s about time Clete and I grew up.”

“Try to keep a handle on your temper,” Joa

“I’ll do my best,” Susan said.

She went back to the Sebring, climbed in, and started the engine. She was about to drive away when Joa

“What about your brother?” Joa

“Clete always needs money,” Susan replied. “There’s never been a time in his life when he didn’t. When we were kids, he used to come to me, begging to borrow some of my allowance. Now that he’s been elected mayor, he can act like he’s a big deal and throw his weight around all he wants, but he wouldn’t be where he is today if Mother hadn’t bailed him out of trouble time and time again.”

Susan Jenkins paused and frowned. “Wait a minute, you’re not suggesting Clete might be responsible for this, are you? Surely not. He’s an A-number-one jerk at times, but he loved Mother to pieces. He’d never do anything to hurt her.”

“I’m sure he wouldn’t,” Joa

If nothing else, Alice Rogers deserved that much consideration.

CHAPTER SIX

While Joa

“I’m looking for my wife,” he said, “Susan Jenkins. I heard there’d been some trouble out this way. I thought I’d better come check.”

Now that he had identified himself, Joa

He clambered out of the car. He was a tall, broad-shouldered man, with a deep tan and movie-star-quality good looks. Peeling off his Stetson, he walked toward Joa

“I’m Sheriff Joa

He shook his head and peered back up the road the way he had come. “That woman drives like a bat out of hell,” he said. “She always has. The insurance premiums on that little red jitney of hers run me a fortune. So she’s gone then?”

Joa

“What about that?” Jenkins jerked his head in the direction of Fran Daly’s van, the one bearing the logo of the Pima County Medical Examiner’s office. “What’s going on?”

“We’re waiting for them to bring out the body,” Joa

“It is Alice then?” he asked.

“We don’t have a positive ID yet,” Joa

“In that case I’d best be heading on home,” Jenkins said, turning back toward his car. “I don’t want Susie Q. to have to deal with this all on her own.”

After Ross Jenkins drove away, Joa

“Joa

Sighing, Joa

“Houghton. That’s in Pima County, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Well, that’s a relief anyway,” Eleanor said. “This should be one case George won’t be called out on. We’re having company for di

Dr. George Winfield, Eleanor’s new husband, was also Cochise County ’s recently appointed medical examiner. At first Joa

“And that’s what I’m calling about,” Eleanor added accusingly. “Di

Eleanor stopped cold. Joa

“I said, he answered the phone!”

“Of course Butch answered the phone,” Joa

“I spoke to Je

There it was, out in the open-the source of Eleanor Winfield’s outrage. Butch Dixon had spent the night at Joa

At the time, however, Joa

From Joa

“Yes, Butch spent the night,” Joa