Didnt see you inside and thought Id missed you. Sorry Im running late. I had to pick up my wife and son and give away a bride before I could get here. He stopped a few feet away and tipped the brim of his hat before extending his hand in greeting. Im Patrick Martinez.
Joanna Rhodes. Recognizing the name and the general description of dark hair and Irish-blue eyes given her by the bureau chief in Durango, Jerry Ortiz, she reached out to shake hands with the Kenner County sheriff. Youre not late, Sheriff. But Id like to remind you that I could just as easily have rented a car and driven myself to your office.
He grinned. Well, that wouldnt say very much for western hospitality, now, would it.
Knowing she was meant to smile at the friendly remark, she curved her mouth into a practiced arc. But when he reached for the handle of her suitcase, Joanna tightened her grip. Long before shed reached the age of thirty-three, shed learned to take care of herself in every way that mattered. Ive got it.
With a nod, he turned to walk beside her. Then lets get you out of the rain and get you briefed on the investigation. Despite her show of independence, his longer stride got him to the doors first, and he pulled one open for her. He glanced up at the late afternoons overcast sky as she walked through. Were expecting storms on and off all weekend long. This little sprinkle is just the prelude.
She remembered the all or nothing weather patterns from her childhood. Summers could be beastly hot and dry, yet still be chilly at night. Winters were frigid, especially up in the mountains. And the transitional seasons in between promised torrential rains and flash floods, or blizzards, depending on the temperature. The area was probably going through its spring thaw right now, when massive snowmelts at the higher elevations filled the rivers and streams in the areathe same streambeds that would be bone dry come autumn. But she wasnt here to reminisce or discuss the weather. How far are we from your office? I understand it shares a building with the crime unit?
Once they cleared the terminal, the sheriff pointed to the officially marked black Suburban parked at the curb. With a beep from his key chain, he opened the back door behind the passenger seat. You can toss your bag in here.
Thank you.
His cowboy-style manners were charming but unnecessary. And once they were both inside the car, he seemed to accept that she was more interested in answers than in making new friends. Weve got a smoothly integrated system here in Kenner County. Budget constraints being what they are, the practicality of housing the area law enforcement units in one location made it a no-brainer. A briefing room, locker rooms, executive offices, plus the interview rooms, lineup room and temporary lockup are located on the first two floors, while most of the crime lab is housed upstairs on the third. Weve got a fourth floor for storage. He shifted into Drive and pulled onto the highway leading into town. Well be there in ten minutes.
Through the rhythmic swish of the windshield wipers, Joanna watched the landscape change from scrub brush to the metal prefab buildings of a growing industrial park. They passed a neat and tidy residential area nestled in the foothills, filled with square, pueblo-style houses, bungalows and larger Victorian reproduction homes. Finally, Sheriff Martinez turned his car toward the brick and stone buildings that marked the downtown area. Kenner City was a quaint, bustling enterprise of a town, nestled in a bowl between mountain peaks. It boasted striped awnings and pinewood balconies, and flags flew above nearly every storefront and business.
Not one trailer park in sight. No run-down liquor store on the main drag. No tattered teenage girl running the streets, looking for her parents in seedy bars and back alleys, hoping theyd be happy drunk and cooperate with her efforts to get them safely home, instead of mean drunk and belligerent, or just flat passed out from whatever party or paycheck theyd drunk their way through on any given night.
Everything here was charming and well kept and scrupulously cleana far cry from the Ute reservation where shed grown up, just a few more miles down the road.
She knew she was expected to say something, to make conversation to pass the drive time. But Joanna had made a career out of watching and assessing before she spoke, learning to listen without saying more than was required. Even before her training, idle chitchat had never come easily for her.
The sheriff didnt seem to have that problem, however. The hotel where youre booked is just a block from our location, and I figured youd be doing your interview of the suspect there. If you do want to go somewhere, one of my deputies will be available to drive you. Or we can loan you a vehicle if its not in use. He slowed as they drove through the heart of downtown, touching his hat to pedestrians hurrying along the wide sidewalks. As they passed the last few businesses, he pointed out a diner-style restaurant with bright lights and lots of windows called the Morning Ray Café. Thats my moms place. You can get all three meals there. Its good, down-home cookin thatll fill you up.
The gleam of pride was obvious in his tone and smile. Joannas mothers idea of a home-cooked meal had involved ripping open packages and zapping them in the microwavewhen she remembered to fix any meal at all for her daughter. Joanna had turned herself into a fairly accomplished cook by the time shed finished the third grade, simply as a matter of survival. But the lack of three square meals a day growing up had been the least of her problems.
The sheriff reached across the seat and tapped her elbow to pull her attention from her thoughts. He pointed to an imposing building with a gray brick and white stone facade on the corner at the end of the street. Theres your hotel. Used to be a mining office, but now its completely remodeled inside. Want to check in first?
Alarmed to realize her thoughts kept drifting to the past instead of focusing squarely on her present assignment, Joanna resolutely straightened in her seat. Lets go directly to your office. I want to familiarize myself with my surroundings before I meet the suspect Im interrogating.
You want the home field advantage? he teased.
Something like that. They had almost driven out of the far edge of town before Joanna spotted the rambling four-story building with signs that read Kenner City Sheriff and Kenner County Crime Unit. I read the file from Supervisor Ortiz, but Id like to get your take on things since youve worked more closely on Agent Graingers murder. What can you tell me about your suspect, Sherman Watts?
Good. She got the name out without so much as a stutter of hesitation.
Focus on the job, Joanna. Watts is just a job.
Hes a local troublemaker. Been convicted and jailed on any number of petty crimesmostly drunk and disorderly, a couple of assaults.
A-assault? That was a definite hesitation.
But Martinez, fortunately, didnt pick up on the way she stiffened in her seat. He pulled into a slanted parking space in front of the building. When Watts is drunk, he can get mean.
So some things never changed in Kenner County. You dont have him in custody?
We suspect hes been doing odd jobs for the Nicky Wayne crime family out of Vegas, like helping Waynes hit man, Boyd Perkins, hide out in the area. However, what we believe and what we can prove are two different things. Thats why hes still a free man. But hes definitely a person of interest weve been watching. Could be he had nothing to do with the murder, and hes only funneling information to themsomeone sure seems to be.