J.A. Jance - Dead Wrong

“It turns out there’s a lot we don’t know about the O’Dwyers,” Debbie answered. “Not only do they breed and sell the dogs, they also offer a venue for the fights and run a lucrative betting operation on the side.”

“Sounds like they’re a regular pair of entrepreneurs. I’m surprised someone hasn’t signed them up for the local chamber of commerce.”

“Right,” Debbie said. “The only question is figuring out which chamber of commerce applies.”

“What do you mean?”

“They’re pretending to operate out of New Mexico,” Debbie explained. “People who come to see the fights evidently use a road off I-10 that runs through New Mexico in order to gain access to Roostercomb Ranch through a back entrance. That way they don’t have to drive through San Simon, where extra traffic would be more noticeable.”

“Which also explains why the surveillance we set up in San Simon over the weekend came up empty,” Joanna said.

“Exactly. As far as sales are concerned, the kennel’s official address is actually a post office box in Road Forks,” Debbie added. “By operating in another state, they’ve managed to stay under everybody’s radar.”

“Until Jeannine started finding dead and dying dogs along I- 10.”

“Right,” Debbie agreed. “So is it time someone went over to Roostercomb Ranch and had a chat with them?”

“No,” Joanna said. “Absolutely not. Let’s see what we can do to get the goods on them before we make contact. That means, if and when you do find one of the gang of thugs who beat up Jeannine, let them know that we’re willing to deal. Tell them that the first guy who gives us enough evidence to convict Clarence and Billy O’Dwyer of conspiracy to commit murder can plan on getting special treatment.”

“A bargaining chip?”

“You bet,” Joanna said. “And if they’re taking bets, once we wrap them up I’m sure the feds will be interested in little things like income-tax evasion. It should turn into quite a nice package.”

“We’ll keep plugging,” Debbie said. “We’re motivated.”

“I know you are,” Joanna said. “But the hours…”

“Don’t worry about Bennie,” Debbie returned. “He’s having a great time with his cousins. Believe me, the extra hours are not a problem.”

Frank waited until she ended the call. “Sounds like you could be venturing into the unauthorized-plea-bargain business,” he said. “Shouldn’t you clear that offer with the county attorney before you make it?”

“I’ll call Arlee Jones first thing in the morning and bring him into the loop, but I’m not particularly worried about it. He’s so lazy he’d rather do a plea bargain any day. Actually trying a case would require his getting off his dead rear end.”

“Don’t hold back,” Frank said with a grin. “Why don’t you say how you really feel?”

“But there is someone else I need to call,” she added. “Sheriff Randy Trotter.”

Through the years Joanna had had enough dealings with Hidalgo County Sheriff Randy Trotter in New Mexico that his numbers were programmed into her cell phone. Minutes later she had the man on the phone.

“Are you still working?” he asked once he knew who was calling. “I thought you’d be off having your baby by now. What can I do for you?”

“What would you think if I said the names Billy and Clarence O’Dwyer?” Joanna asked.

“I’d think I was glad Roostercomb Ranch is mostly on your side of the state line,” Randy Trotter answered. “Those two guys are mean as snakes, and the less my officers and I have to do with them the better. Why?”

“Because it looks like they’re operating a criminal enterprise that straddles the state line the same way their ranch used to.”

“I don’t think I want to hear this,” Randy said, “but I guess you’d better tell me.”

It was ten after four and Joanna had just gotten off the phone with Sheriff Trotter when Frank pulled up in front of Anna Marie Crystal’s modest home on Short Street.

“You never did say how we’re going to play this,” Frank observed as they walked up the sidewalk. “Are you going to tell her about Leslie Markham’s resemblance to her dead daughter?”

“Not if we don’t have to,” Joanna returned. “For one thing, until we know whether or not her daughter is dead or alive, I don’t want to get the poor woman’s hopes up.”

Fritz, the silky terrier mix, began barking the moment they stepped onto the porch. Through the door they could hear Anna Marie muttering to herself while she shut off the blaring television set, confined the dog to the kitchen, and then came to the door. When she opened it, a thick cloud of stale cigarette smoke wafted outside.

“Oh,” Anna Marie said, looking at Joanna and shaking her head in apparent disgust. “It’s you again. What do you want this time?”

“This is my chief deputy, Frank Montoya,” Joanna said. “We’d like to talk to you for a few minutes if you don’t mind.”

“I’ve already told you everything I know about Bradley Evans,” Anna Marie said. “Personally, I don’t give a damn if you ever find out who killed him.”

“This is about your daughter,” Joanna said.

“About Lisa?” Anna Marie gave Joanna a shrewdly appraising look, but finally she stepped back into the room, allowing Frank and Joanna to enter. “What about her?”

“Do you mind if we sit?” Joanna asked.

“It’s okay, I suppose,” Anna Marie answered.

Joanna immediately chose a spot at the far end of the couch and seated herself next to an end table that contained a reeking ashtray. One of the stubs was still smoldering.

“What do you want to know?” Anna Marie asked brusquely.

“What can you tell us about your daughter’s marriage to Bradley Evans?” Joanna asked.

“I don’t see that it matters. I thought they were too young to be married. And I thought he was on the wild side and not ready to settle down. I thought he drank too much. Why? Why does any of this matter now?”

“Was Lisa unhappy with him?” Joanna persisted.

“Are you kidding? She was head over heels in love with the guy. And she told us-Kenny and me-that she was sure he’d straighten up once she had the baby.”

“Did she ever threaten to leave him?”

“Never.”

“You don’t think it’s possible she tried to run away from him?”

“If she did, he stopped her, didn’t he. Murdering her would be one way to keep her from leaving.”

“Yes,” Joanna said, “I suppose it would.” She eyed the ashtray where the smoldering cigarette stub had finally extinguished itself. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I seem to be thirsting to death. Could I trouble you for a glass of water?”

“All right,” Anna Marie said grudgingly. She stood up with a sigh and headed for the kitchen. Before the door had swung shut behind her, Joanna had collected the cigarette stub, stuffed it into an evidence bag, and shoved the bag into her pocket. Grinning, Frank gave her a quick thumbs-up.

Anna Marie returned to the living room with a glass of water in one hand and her yapping dog in the other. “I don’t know what any of this has to do with the price of tea in China,” she said.

“We’re trying to find out if it’s possible that Bradley Evans’s murder now has something to do with what happened to your daughter all those years ago.”

Anna Marie put down the dog. Then she collected the ashtray, her cigarettes, and her lighter and took them to the opposite end of the couch. She lit a cigarette and then blew a new puff of smoke into the already saturated air. By the time she looked back at Joanna, her countenance had changed.

“I certainly hope so,” she said fiercely. “I always thought the son of a bitch got off way too easy. I prayed every night for years that he’d die in prison. You see how much good that did. But he’s dead now, so why are you still asking questions?”