A Dead Red Miracle

by R. P. Dahlke

  "I understand completely," she said, grinning. "Just don't let Damian see it, or he'll want to take it out for a spin. How're you going to do it?"

  "Pizza, of course."

  She looked at her watch. "Good. You'll explain the play to Damian, then? He'll be here any minute."

  Thinking back to all the nonsense he's put us through, I said, "If he shows at all."

  "I'll bet you five dollars he will. I’m taking the files home. If you find Joey Green, push him to turn state's evidence on Wade Hamilton."

  <><><><><>

  Damian arrived at five minutes before five. He threw his backpack onto a chair and ran fingers through his recently showered curls.

  "You ready to roll?" I asked.

  "Where's the pizza?"

  "That's one of our methods to getting skips to come to the door. But, if you behave yourself, I'll buy you pizza after, okay?"

  "I guess," he said, with a shrug. "So what's the first thing we do?"

  "We order pizza, of course."

  I swiveled around in my chair, picked up the phone and punched in the number for Papa John's Pizza.

  "I'd like to order a large with everything on it," I said. "Yes please, delivered." I recited the girlfriend's house number and street. "My boyfriend already called it in? Gee, that's great. I work in Sierra Vista but I'm on my way home now, what time will you deliver? Six? Thanks."

  I hung up and grinned. "Saddle up, Geronimo, we've got work to do."

  Damian popped out of his chair and slammed out of the door before I could mention that he didn't have to run.

  He was waiting for me on the sidewalk. "Hurry up, we're going to miss the delivery," he said. "Where's your car?"

  I had to lean over my knees to catch my breath. Darn kid. All that unnecessary energy was beginning to annoy me. "You came in a car, didn't you? We'll go in yours. You can write up an expense report and give it to our client."

  "Okay. Wait. You said, client. You mean my mom, don't you? I don't know. My uncle Ian supports me while I'm training, but I don't think my mom will like me charging her for extra gas."

  "We have a different client," I said. "Someone who doesn't want Joey screwing up and losing parole." If I guessed right, Joey's mother was living off a bribe Wade Hamilton paid to keep the mom quiet and Joey in prison. It was only fair that we put Damian's gas on our expense report, especially if we got Joey to roll on his former boss.

  We took Damian's beat up old blue truck out to Benson, found the girlfriend's apartment and parked close enough to see if anyone went in or out of the unit, but not so close that we could be spotted.

  Five minutes later, pizza delivery rolled in. I hopped out and told Damian to stay in the truck. Naturally, he didn't listen and got out to follow me.

  I put a hand on his chest to stop him. "Lesson number one. One person per job. Two people show up and Joey will think we're the cops. Now get back in the truck and wait."

  "No way. If he worked for Wade Hamilton, he knows who killed my dad."

  "Damian, what went on with Joey Green and Wade Hamilton was years after the shooting. It's his testimony against Wade that could mean the difference between getting Wade to opt for a plea on your father's murder or not. Now will you please go sit in the truck?"

  When he reluctantly agreed, I trotted over to the delivery car and retrieved the pizza before the kid could get out of his car.

  But before I could get to the apartment, Damian grabbed the wide flat pizza box out of my hand and pushed me aside. I stuck out my foot and tripped him. One minute he was headed for the ground and the next he twisted around so that he landed on his back, the pizza box held aloft, just asking me to accept it.

  "Well, that was stupid," I said, removing the box from his hand.

  Holding it securely between both hands, I started out again for the door to the apartment.

  Even while I was still shaking my head at his silly maneuver, he tackled me around the knees. I slammed into the ground like a tree felled in the forest, and the last thing I remember was the distinct smell of pepperoni pizza.

  <><><><><>

  I awoke to hear Damian calmly explaining his position on gun control.

  I groaned and reaching up, felt an icepack and the hand that held it. I looked up and a wide-eyed girl with stringy blond hair was staring at me.

  "Where's Damian?" I asked the girl.

  She pointed to Damian standing next to a young man in jeans and a T-shirt tied to a kitchen chair.

  "Wha… what's going on?"

  The girl breathed deeply and patted a spot over her heart. "Thank God, you're alive. He said we'd go to prison if you died."

  "I'll live." I handed her the ice pack and addressed the burly young man in the chair. "I presume you're Joey Green?"

  "Yes, ma'am."

  I nodded and wobbled to my feet. Hanging onto the edge of the couch I said, "Damian, can I talk to you outside, please?"

  Closing the door behind me, I pushed a finger into his chest and promptly felt dizzy.

  Damian grabbed me by the shoulder. "You okay?"

  "I will be. As soon as I kick your butt." But still a bit woozy, my words sort of lost their punch.

  "You should thank me," he said. "I know the pizza guy from the gym. He's also a friend of Joey's. I got in there and cuffed Joey before he could warn him."

  "You used my cuffs? He could get a lawyer and have you arrested for illegal restraint."

  "Uncle Ian says I can do a private citizen's arrest anytime I want. Besides, you're not legal either and Joey is all set to talk. All you gotta do is ask him."

  My head hurt and I smelled like pepperoni pizza, but other than that I was fine and considering that Joey was tied to a chair, he seemed to be completely relaxed.

  "You have to uncuff him, Damian. We're not here to arrest him; we're here to give him the good news about his former boss."

  "I did that already," he said. "I told him everything; that you knew Joey got a bum deal when he was sent to prison and that you needed his testimony against Wade Hamilton. Do I still get pizza?"

  Okay, so it hadn't gone exactly as planned and Damian was still a pain in the ass but I got what I came for, didn't I?

  "Sure," I said. "I'll pick you up a whole one on the way home."

  .

  Chapter Sixteen:

  Damian's pizza was half eaten before I dropped him at his uncle's house. I congratulated Ian on his nephew's sleuthing abilities, didn't mention the kid tackling me in the parking lot or that he'd stolen my cuffs to use on Joey Green.

  On the way home, I called Pearlie, gave her the update and reassuring her that I still had her taser, I went back to reading street signs; Apache, Navajo, Yaqui, Cochise and even a Geronimo. Damian's middle name and his nickname at the gym was Geronimo. His uncle Ian named one of his champion quarter horses Geronimo. What was it about the name Geronimo that made me think I was missing something?

  Was that what the old Apache yelled when he leaped to his death? Now, that would make sense; WW II Rangers yelled Geronimo when they jumped out of airplanes, didn't they? But somehow, I thought it was three words, but what? I shook off this latest round of obsessive behavior and aimed my Jeep for home.

  Happy to see Caleb's SUV parked next to our house, I pounded some of the dust from my boots onto the welcome mat and opened the front door. "Helloooo," I called. "I’m home!"

  He was on the patio, stretched out on a chaise lounge. He turned at the sound of my voice and held up his empty glass.

  I grabbed the pitcher of iced tea from the fridge, a glass for me, nudged open the French doors and set the icy pitcher onto a small table between the two chaise lounges. With a deep sigh, I looked down before sitting and saw that Hoover had claimed my spot.

  Caleb laughed and swatted at the dog. "Go lay down on your own bed, you mutt."

  "I presume you're talking to Hoover, not me, right?"

  He grinned. "Unless you've changed your name when I wasn't looking."

  I refil
led his iced tea leaned back and tried to relax. "You're home early."

  "I have some news," he said, sitting up.

  My earlier good mood evaporated. "Bad news, I suppose?"

  "No, no. I’m pleased to say that Andy Sokolov's tenure as child molester was a huge overstatement. He was fifteen and babysitting a seven-year-old terror. When he'd had enough of her shenanigans, he put her over his knee and spanked her bottom."

  "Well that doesn't sound so awful, but I suppose the parents reported him."

  "He got a court ordered psychologist and probation."

  "I’m glad to hear it. I know how much you like and respect Andy. Wait a minute. Caleb, if he was under eighteen, his record would've been sealed. How did you get this information?"

  "I asked him."

  "Oh, Caleb! You know we aren't supposed to let any of Ian's suspects know we were looking at them."

  "I'll get to that in a minute. The other news is that Wade Hamilton's twenty-foot fishing boat was found abandoned at Patagonia Lake today. The park ranger wasn't surprised to see the boat on the water, but all day without moving from the same spot got him worried. Wade's truck is there with a day use permit stamped for day before yesterday. Except for an empty whiskey bottle in the bottom of the boat, there was no sign of him."

  "Don't they usually check the day use tickets at the end of the day?" I asked.

  "The ranger on duty for the last couple of days has been reprimanded."

  "So, where is he?" I asked.

  "Santa Cruz County Search and Rescue sent their scuba team to scour the bottom. As soon as Ian Tom found out it was Wade's boat, he called me. I've been out at the lake most of today, but so far," Caleb said, looking at his watch, "no one has called to say they've found him."

  "Why did you tell Andy he was on the list?"

  "It just didn't seem fair to Andy, so I asked. He confirmed his alibi with a printed itinerary. Twenty people can vouch for his whereabouts during the hours someone killed Ron Barbour."

  I wasn't happy about it, but if Caleb's trust in his best friend took a turn for the worse, no one would be quicker to make it right than my husband.

  I mentally cringed. I'd just scolded Caleb for letting one of Ian's suspects in on our case, when Damian's inept attempt to corner Joey Green may have had something to do with Wade's disappearance. I would have to accept some of the responsibility, but since I'd promised not to withhold anything from him, I told him about Damian and finding Joey Green.

  Caleb looked shocked at the notion that I should trust the kid. "Damian broke into your office again and you reward him with a job?"

  "We're short-handed," I said, waving my hands around in the air. "It was either recruit him or he'd continue being a nuisance. It's Wade's ex-bookkeeper that's the holdout."

  "Why?"

  "She's terrified of him."

  "What does he have on her?"

  "His culpability in the burglaries with Joey Green. But when she tried to tell someone in law enforcement, they told Wade. Wade fired her and has continued to threaten her with annual reminders in the form of sympathy cards sent to her home. She won't talk because she doesn't trust anyone."

  "Is she sure it was an officer of the law? Lalla, we haven't had a problem in the department since Abel Dick and that was the first incident with Cochise County's law enforcement in twenty years."

  Deputy Abel Dick had been sucked into a murderous scheme to defraud landowners of their property as well as covering up a murder. Unfortunately, his redemption came too late.

  I hopped off the chaise and paced the length of the patio. "Wade's bookkeeper didn't actually say who it was, only that it was someone she thought she could trust. I assumed it was a cop or a deputy. Maybe a lawyer?"

  "Did you get a sense that she'd talk if she knew Wade is missing?" Caleb asked.

  I looked at my watch. "Suzi and Emily usually work until seven."

  He sucked down the last of his iced tea. "Suzi's shop is in Wishbone, right? Let me put Hoover in the house with his supper and I'll join you in the Jeep."

  <><><><><>

  On the way to see Emily, I got an earful from Caleb about Damian. "He's too young, too foolish. You can't trust him not to take matters in his own hands."

  "Damian is willful," I said, "but he's right about one thing; the sheriff's department won't reopen his father's case without proof and he's determined to get it."

  Caleb hummed, but otherwise didn't offer any more opinions for the fifteen-minute ride to Suzi's.

  Turning off the engine, he said, "Ready?"

  "Yes," I said.

  I let Caleb, as police chief, break the news to her that Wade was missing and presumed dead.

  Grabbing a Kleenex out of the box on the counter, she blew her nose and with a trembling smile, said, "Sorry. It's just after all these years…. You really think he could be dead, Chief Stone?"

  "Or, he's slipped across the border into Mexico," Caleb said. "Either way, I doubt you have to worry about Wade Hamilton bothering you again."

  She huffed out a bitter laugh. "And there I was wondering why I hadn't gotten an anniversary card from him."

  "Has he tried to get in touch with you recently, Emily?" I asked.

  "No and I thought it odd, because I'm always a wreck about now wondering what spiteful trick he'll use this year. But if he's dead… "

  "I have more good news. Even if he is found alive, Joey Green is now willing to testify against him."

  "I can't believe it. I'm free. Oh God, I can't wait to tell Henry."

  "Are you now willing to tell us who it was you confided in about Wade Hamilton?" Caleb asked.

  "I'm glad to finally be able to talk about it," she said, looking directly at me. "It was Ron Barbour. He convinced me that he was working with the police on the theft ring."

  "I'm so sorry, Emily," I said, chagrined that the woman thought I might be part of Ron's deceit. "I had no idea, but then the last few days have been a real eye-opener on my former business partner's bad behavior."

  At my words the lines around her mouth visibly relaxed. "You too, huh?"

  "We'll talk about it someday, but for now is there anything else you'd like to share about Wade?"

  "One other thing," she said. "I saw the hefty check Wade made out to Joey's mom. I don't know if you'll be able to prove it, but I think it was in exchange for Joey's silence on Wade's participation in the theft of those cars."

  "Thank you for your time, Emily. I'll have a detective get in touch with you later today," Caleb said.

  In the car again, Caleb pried apart my fisted hands. "Hungry?"

  "Not really. I guess we have to add snitch to the growing list of reprehensible behavior for Ron Barbour."

  "You'll feel better after you eat," he said, putting the Jeep in gear and heading up Tombstone Canyon Road to Screaming Banshee's Pizza. Being close to the county courthouse, it was also his favorite place for lunch when he had to go to court.

  Nik was leaning over the bar, working on a new menu with the owner. When she saw me, she rounded the bar to give me one of her fearfully strong hugs. "Baby girl! Where you been?"

  Since Nik topped my five-foot-ten by two inches she could call me baby girl and give me huge hugs anytime she wanted.

  "Oh, an' look who you brought. How you doin', Chief Stone?" she asked, playfully punching him on the arm. "I haven't seen you in a couple of days."

  Caleb smiled politely and managed not to rub his shoulder until Nik excused herself for work.

  "That woman packs a mean punch," he said, rubbing the spot.

  I laughed at him, feeling somewhat better about this case since giving Emily the news that she was forever free of Wade Hamilton.

  We found a seat outside and when we ordered, Caleb said, "I almost forgot, Ian Tom got a judge to allow wire taps on the three suspects'."

  "In case Wade is still alive and decides to call home?"

  "It could happen, you know."

  "What about Jesse Jefferson?"

/>   Caleb looked away. "I tried, but Ian won't make an exception for Jesse just because he's our favorite pastor."

  "If he's wrong, his career as county sheriff could be on the line," I said.

  "Censured, reprimanded, or just not win his next election," Caleb said. He was reminding me that the job of county sheriff was an elected law enforcement position and maybe the reason why Ian Tom gave us the dubious honor of investigating three respectable men.

  Unable to come up with a solution to this problem we gave ourselves over to enjoying the food and the evening's entertainment. Tonight, Becky and her partner played a few tunes. Becky had a wonderful singing voice and Caleb and I leaned back, ordered another round of beer and left thoughts of criminals behind us for the rest of the evening.

  .

  Chapter Seventeen:

  The next morning I met Pearlie at the office with breakfast sandwiches and plenty of good coffee.

  "Oh, thank God! I'm starved," she said, grabbing a sandwich. "How'd it go last night? Joey give you any trouble, or did he fold like a weak card in a high stakes poker game?"

  I smiled at my cousin's reference to poker. "Joey folded easily enough. He's agreed to spill everything he knows about Wade Hamilton. Oh, and his mother came through with the check. Did the insurance company pay us yet?"

  "Yes," she said. "And with the check you got last night, we can pay our bills until the end of the month. Mentioning insurance companies, Detective Hutton called. Good job on getting Wade's bookkeeper to crack. The detective figures the insurance fraud alone will get Wade a one way ticket to prison."

  "If he's alive."

  "Detective Hutton said the divers were called off yesterday. Wade Hamilton better be dead," she said, "'cause if he ain't, I'm gonna want a piece out of his hide for killing Ron."

  "You'd rather have Ron back?" I asked. "You do get that the man has ruined our livelihood, don't you?"

  "Not yet, he hasn't and we still have his funeral to attend. Just a minute," she said, picking up the newspaper. "Lemme find the notice."