Instantly, it dawned on Mattie how she could get at least one of her suspicions out in the open. “There’s a gray Ford Escape I saw out at the hot springs yesterday morning. It’s got a similar shape.” She glanced at Brody, as if including him in the conversation, and observed his face had taken on the color of a rich burgundy.
“There’s about a thousand gray SUVs with that shape around the region. Are we gonna try to track down all of them?” Brody asked in a sarcastic tone.
Mattie spread her hands and shrugged. “We’ve got the hot springs crowd as people of interest. Maybe a coincidence, maybe not.”
“You didn’t happen to take down the plate, did you?” McCoy asked.
“Well, actually, I did. No reason to, really, but I knew we should be on the lookout, and it was the only car where I parked. Ran the plate, too. Belongs to Adrienne Howard, no priors, not even a speeding ticket. Met her while I was there. Pleasant woman. Massage therapist.”
It wouldn’t take a poker pro to read the anger on Brody’s face now. Interesting.
Stella added the woman’s name to the list of people to investigate.
“We can answer the questions regarding Grace Hartman’s involvement with drugs and using her dog as a mule with a no to both, in my opinion.” After an eye sweep around the room to see if there were any objections, Stella turned to write “Missing Cell Phone” under the word “Diary.” “The Hartmans called and said that they’ve realized there’s no cell phone among the belongings we’ve found. They can’t find it at home either, and calling it goes directly to voice mail. I believe the killer took the phone and removed the battery so it couldn’t be located. Maybe disposed of it, maybe kept it.”
Stella moved her pen to under “Victim 2: Mike Chadron” and wrote “Dogs Found Near Denver.” “As you also know by now, the dogs have been located, and Deputy Johnson is on his way to get them and bring them back in Chadron’s trailer. From hearsay reports, it appears they’ve been used as mules, like Belle. In the interest of being thorough, we should have them examined to make sure they’re clean. Sheriff, can we do that?”
“Yes, the department can spring for it. Deputy Cobb, will you make the arrangements?”
“Yes, sir.”
“To update our list of persons of interest,” Stella said, moving her pen, “I can clear Justin McClelland, our local attorney. He was more than delighted to have me visit him at his office and thought it hilarious that he might be a suspect. He has a solid alibi for Friday morning, verified by his secretary and a list of three clients he met with. Also, he seemed happy to tell me how he got the money for his new caddy. He got a settlement from his ex-wife, an independently wealthy heiress whom he sued for psychological damages. Says he represented himself, too.”
Mattie glanced at Brody, wondering if he’d added the man to the list the day before as a diversion for the detective. His complexion had toned down, but he immediately met her gaze as if aware of hers. Not wanting to stir up his belligerence, Mattie looked away and back at Stella, who had resumed talking.
“Brody, did you find out anything about the tournament or the people in it?”
“I was in Phoenix the same weekend the gun went missing, but I was at a different tournament. There were four tournaments there that weekend. I never crossed paths with Brinkman or his buddies. I also reached Brinkman by phone, and he answered my questions the right way. His stolen gun report appears to be legit.”
Stella stared at Brody for a few moments, seemingly thinking. “You know which one of these tournaments Brinkman was in?”
“Yep.”
“I’ll follow up from here then. I want to talk with the pro at the golf course he played at, see if I can discover anything there. Moving on, I think you all know my update on Dean Hornsby. I plan to continue to focus on him and now Ms. Adrienne Howard, so we’ll keep an eye on the hot springs. Mattie, do you have anything to add on the O’Malleys?”
“I talked with the son Tommy and his mother yesterday. He told me he and his dad have new jobs and have been hired to work at the mine in Rigby. I spoke with the payroll manger there this morning, and neither one of them is employed at the mine. Tommy seems to be feeding me a line to divert suspicion over an increase in cash flow to the family.
“In addition, a social worker visited the family this morning. There are signs of domestic abuse—bruises on Mrs. O’Malley’s face. She denies being hit by her husband. She also denies that her children are at risk and states that they now have money for groceries. The worker plans to revisit tomorrow, but there’s not much she can do if the woman won’t cooperate.
“I’m not liking either one of the O’Malleys for the homicides at this point, but I do think that at least young Tommy knows something about our drug traffic problem. We might be able to get something out of him that leads to our killer.”
Stella nodded, her face serious. “It’s time we questioned them together.”
“I agree,” Mattie said.
“Will you go over there with me after this meeting, Mattie?”
“I planned to stop by on patrol this afternoon anyway.”
“This investigation takes priority,” Sheriff McCoy said, “so manage your patrol duties around it, Deputy.”
“Yes, sir.” Out of the corner of her eye, Mattie could see Brody cross his arms over his chest, but he remained silent.
Stella turned back to the board. “Looking at the case here, is there anything that comes to mind? Any additions? Leads? Ideas?”
“You’re wasting your time looking at Adrienne Howard,” Brody said, his voice a growl. “I know her. She has nothing to do with this.”
Stella took on a trace of her sweet smile. “Then I’ll find that out when I talk to her. She’s only a person of interest. No harm, no foul.”
The group sat in silence, staring at the grid. Mattie could feel Brody steaming in the back of the room while she searched the board. There was something there that bothered her, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
Her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. When she pulled it out, she saw that Cole was calling. She realized Stella was watching her. “This is the vet,” she told Stella as she tapped the screen to take the call. “Hello. Mattie Cobb here.”
“Mattie. Thank God I reached you.” His voice held an edge she hadn’t heard in it before. “The kids are alone at the house. They heard someone trying to break in. Belle barked and they think he ran, but they don’t know. I’m thirty minutes away, and I need someone there now to make sure they’re safe.”
Mattie’s chair screeched as she stood abruptly and started toward the door. Robo followed without prompting. “I’m on my way. Hold on a moment.”
All the others were watching her now. “Intruder at the Walker house,” she said to McCoy.
“Do you need backup?”
“They think he ran already. I’ll call in if I do.”
“Go, Deputy.”
“I can be at your house in two minutes,” she said to Cole. She hit the station door at a run, Robo on her heels, and headed for the cruiser. Within seconds, he bounded into his compartment. She secured his cage, belted herself into the driver’s seat, and headed toward the highway, talking to Cole at the same time. “Call the kids and stay on the line with them until I get there. All the doors are locked, right?”
“Yes. I’ll call them now.”