Outlaw Mountain

She slipped into the Blazer and was reaching for the radio. Just then, as Andrew Styles went wheeling away, two people emerged from the garage. With one hand, Ross Jenkins leaned heavily on a rake handle. His other arm was wrapped around the supporting shoulder of Dena Hogan.

“Stop right there,” Joa

Dena raised her hands. “Don’t try to stop him,” she warned. “He’s got a gun. He says he’ll shoot me if you do.”

By then Joa

With that understood, it was easy for Joa

“Don’t listen to her,” Ross said to Dena. “Help me get in. You drive.”

They hobbled as far as the Blazer’s passenger door. Ross moaned in pain as Dena helped him up onto the seat. Then she closed the door. But instead of walking to the driver’s door, Dena Hogan left Ross Jenkins sitting in the car and walked straight over to Joa

“Can you help with a plea-bargain?” she asked.

“I’ll do whatever I can,” Joa

“I surrender then,” Dena Hogan said. “Ross is on his own.”

Joa

“Damn you, Dena!” Ross Jenkins raged. “Don’t you dare do that. This was your idea, remember? It was all your idea.”

“No, it wasn’t,” Dena countered. “You don’t believe him, do you?”

“I don’t have to,” Joa

By then one of the Sierra Vista officers sprinted around the back of the house and arrived at the spot where Joa

“We are, but he’s not,” Joa

The arriving officer took charge of Dena. “You heard her, Ross,” Joa

There was a long silence after that. In the background there was some radio chatter as two sets of dispatchers tried to make sense of what was happening. Joa

“Help me,” Ross Jenkins said. “It hurts real bad. I need a doctor. Now.”

“Right,” Joa

When we damned well get around to it.

CHAPTER TWENTY

After the danger was over, Joa

He came over long enough to check on her and then went to confer with the other officers. After a few quiet moments, Joa

“Can you hear me, Sheriff Brady? Are you all right?”

Feeling foolish, Joa

“I heard most of it. It’s awful to listen when something like that is going down and not be able to help.”

“You helped, all right, Tica,” Joa

“What’s the situation with the two suspects?”

“Ross Jenkins is being airlifted to Tucson for abdominal surgery. Frank Montoya is taking charge of Dena Hogan. He’ll bring her back to Bisbee. We’ll question her there and then book her into the jail.”

“Are you sure you’re all right?” Tica asked. “You still sound a little shaky.”

“I’m fine. I’ve got a cut on my leg. It’s not bad enough that I’ll need stitches or anything, but since I got it from a grass shears, one of the medics told me I should have a tetanus shot. Which reminds me. I need to go find Andrew Styles.”

“Who’s he?” Tica asked. “One of the Sierra Vista cops?”

“No, he’s the little kid who put the hole in my leg. He’s also the one who cut me loose. I need to let his parents know what a brave, quick-thinking son they’ve got.”

Joa

Still, not wanting to delay talking to Andrew Styles, Joa

“Mrs. Styles?” Joa

“Yes.”

“I’m Joa

“Andrew’s in his room,” Mrs. Styles said. “He’s grounded, but I suppose you can talk to him if you like.”

“Grounded? How come?”

“For riding his bike without permission, that’s how come,” Mrs. Styles returned. “Last Saturday he came home an hour and a half later than he was supposed to, and he lost his biking privileges for the whole week. But he’s home from school before his dad and I get off work, and-grounded or not-he went bike riding today anyway. One of the reporters came here wanting an interview. Having her show up blew the whistle on him and Andrew decided to come clean. That’s why I sent him to his room, and I expect him to stay there.”