Outlaw Mountain by J. A. Jance Read Free Book Online

collector types got a chance to see the kind of work Jeff does. I think they were impressed. My guess is he’ll get some more business out of it. Advertising. The main thing we did, though, going and coming, was talk. Jeff’s really worried about Marianne.”
    “That she’s going to quit the ministry?”
    Butch turned to study Joanna. “She told you then?”
    “This afternoon. She says her letter of resignation is written and ready to hand in at the next board meeting.”
    “That’s what Jeff’s worried about. In their family, Marianne has always been the major breadwinner. Jeff has the garage, and he does excellent work, but Auto Rehab, Inc., is a long way from making a profit or from being able to support a family of three. Jeff doesn’t know what they’re going to do. Did you say anything to Marianne, try to talk her out of it?”
    “1 tried to talk her into seeing a doctor,” Joanna said. “She’s depressed, and understandably so. I told her she needs to give herself a chance to feel better before she does anything rash.”
    “Is she going to?” Butch asked. “See a doctor, I mean?”
    “I don’t think so. I’ve known Marianne Maculyea since we were both in junior high. She’s always had a mind of her own.”
    Just then, the phone rang. Joanna hurried across the room to answer it.
    “Sheriff Brady?”
    Joanna recognized the desk sergeant’s voice as soon as Lisa Howard spoke. “Yes, Lisa. It’s me. What’s happening?”
    “You remember that missing person’s case Chief Deputy Montoya filed earlier this evening?”
    “On Alice Rogers?”
    “Yes,” Lisa answered.
    “What about it? Have they found her?”
    “They haven’t found her yet, but they did locate her car.”
    “Where?”
    “At the border crossing in Nogales. Four young Hispanic juveniles tried to drive it across the line. When Border Patrol ordered the vehicle to stop, they all bailed out and made a run for it. Three of them were picked up by Federales. They’re in jail in Nogales, Sonora. The fourth one wasn’t armed but he looked like he was. He was shot in the leg when officers opened fire. According to the Santa Cruz County dispatcher, he’s being airlifted to Tucson. University Medical Center or T.M.C., I’m not sure which. We’re hoping that he’ll be able to tell its where they left Alice Rogers.”
    “How bad is the kid hurt?” Joanna asked.
    “No way to tell at this point. I talked to one of the EMT’s who treated him at the scene. His best guess is that once they get him to Tucson he’ll go straight into surgery.”
    Unaware that she had been holding her breath, Joanna let it out. The word “juvenile” could cover a lot of ground—from relatively harmless joyriders to cold-blooded gang-based killers. Depending on which variety Alice Rogers had encountered, she was either more or less likely to have been left alive. Unfortunately, the clock was ticking. With each passing hour the odds of her continued survival were vastly reduced.
    “Has anyone let Frank Montoya know what’s going on?”
    “I called Chief Deputy Montoya first thing,” Lisa Howard said. “Just before I called you. He said to tell you that he’s heading down to Nogales to see what detectives on the case have to say. After that, he’ll go to Tucson. He wants to be available when the suspect comes out of surgery and can speak with investigators.”
    “Thanks for keeping me posted, Lisa,” Joanna said. “Tell Frank to let me know what develops.”
    “Regardless of how late it is?”
    “Regardless.”
    Joanna hung up the phone and put it back down on the counter. Butch Dixon was studying her from across the room. “Bad news?” he asked.
    She nodded. “A missing person,” she told him. Briefly Joanna filled Butch in on what had happened.
    “Are you going to have to go in?” he asked.
    “I don’t know yet, and I won’t for a while.”
    Butch stood up and began to clear his place. “This wasn’t exactly how I hoped the evening