questions such as, Was it was necessary? Did it save another person’s life? Would she do it again in the same situation?
But that wasn’t how things were turning out. There would be an investigation by DPS into the shootings. She needed to get the details and facts straight in her mind. But she found herself numb to the details, as if she couldn’t feel anything. She wanted to feel guilt or anger or even shame, but she just felt empty.
She called Escobedo to check on the details of the prisoner transfer, and he said it was complete. Three of the prisoners had been housed in solitary confinement until their status could be evaluated. Gutiérrez was in the infirmary but would most likely be transferred out the next day.
She stood at the window, looking at the clear blue sky and wished she were outside, walking through the hills up into the ponderosa pine behind Dell’s place. She imagined the smell of mesquite and baked earth and could feel the heat on her skin. The intensity of the last week was catching up with her. She was exhausted and having a hard time maintaining focus. She walked to the back of the office for another cup of coffee.
After Otto returned, they sat at the conference table and ate packages of mini chocolate-covered doughnuts. To Josie, they tasted as if they were dipped in paraffin, but Otto loved them. He finished his own package and started on hers.
“Someone killed Red and laid him out on Winning’s couch. Why didn’t they just drop him in the dirt? What’s the connection to her?” she asked. “It’s gnawing away at me, and I can’t get past it.”
Otto dipped the last doughnut in a cup of steaming coffee, swearing as half of it dropped to the bottom of the cup. “If Medrano is the connection, who knows? Those people have a flair for the dramatic. You ever notice that? Beheadings, dead bodies hung off overpasses, body parts run up flagpoles. Maybe laying out Red’s body in her trailer was some kind of artsy statement.”
She looked at her watch. “It’s after six. Winning ought to be at work. I’m going to drive over there again.”
“You want me to ride along?”
“No. I just need to get a feel for it again. Someone shot Red, stole his guns, flooded his basement, and moved his body to look as if he’d been shot in Winning’s living room. The only thing that makes any sense to me concerning motive is someone wanted his route. Somebody wanted the connection to the Mexicans. Bloster makes more sense than anyone else, but he’s got an alibi. And I don’t see him moving the body.”
“You ever get his work schedule confirmed?” Otto asked.
“Winning came home at eight thirty in the morning. She went to bed, woke up at five P.M., and found Red dead on her couch. Hack Bloster worked day shift that day. I’ve read the transcript for his radio contact with the dispatcher throughout the day. There were brief periods of time that he could have shot Red, but it seems unlikely. He’d have to have killed him, carried his dead body through the yard, and then positioned him in the trailer by himself, all while in uniform. It doesn’t feel right. Even if Hack killed Red, someone else was involved, too.”
* * *
Josie drove slowly down Winning’s lane, scoping out the deserted area. Other than Red’s place and Winning’s trailer, there wasn’t another house for miles. She pulled her jeep beside Winning’s black Eldorado and killed the engine. She scanned the area and saw no movement. The curtains were drawn on the trailer, and it appeared dark inside. Josie got out of her car and walked up to the trailer, tried the handle, found it locked, and was pleased Winning was taking precautions, although Josie couldn’t imagine whom the woman would leave with. She knew basically no one and was supposed to be at work.
She heard gunshots. A single, then three quick fires. Josie ran for her car, taking cover behind the front bumper. The shots were coming from Red’s place. Thirty seconds later, more shots in quick succession. Josie radioed Otto for backup, and then decided she would be less a target on foot than in the car. She ran down the line of pine trees that bordered the east side of the driveway. The shots were coming from behind the mound of dirt and bushes that covered the top of Red’s