expected to dispense a little justice, an old rhyme that
John Claude used to quote pounded through my head.
Or, as my no-nonsense mother used to say more suc-
cinctly, “Penny-wise, pound foolish.”
With better funding, more crimes could be solved
more quickly. In England, I hear they’re using DNA
to solve ordinary burglaries. Here in America we can’t
even afford to test for all the rapes and murders, much
less enter the fingerprints of every convicted felon into
a national database in a timely way.
283
C H A P T E R
34
Mayleen Richards
Thursday Morning, March 9
% While two squad cars headed for the old Buckley
place, three others peeled out for the Diaz nurs-
ery, blue lights flashing and sirens wailing, with Dwight
Bryant bringing up the rear in his own truck.
Mayleen Richards was keenly aware of not being in
on the kill.
“I think not,” was all Major Bryant had said when
she asked to go with them to arrest Ernesto Palmeiro
instead of confronting the women of Harris Farm #1
again.
A cold lump still lodged in her chest from hear-
ing Judge Knott say, “Miguel Diaz of Diaz y Garcia
Landscaping came to court with him last Friday and
spoke for him. It’s my understanding that he works
there now.”
284
HARD ROW
The judge had not once glanced in Mayleen’s direc-
tion, but coupled with the long level look she got from
Major Bryant when he denied her request, she was sure
they were both aware of her relationship with Mike.
And what about Mike? He knew of Palmeiro’s still-
born baby. Did he also know that Palmeiro had killed
Buck Harris?
There was no doubt in anyone’s mind now that he
