Rattlesnake Crossing

Belle blinked. 'Only one,' she said.

'Who's that?'

'Talk to Ruben Ramos,' Belle replied.

'Ruben Ramos? You mean Chief Ramos over in Benson? You're saying the Benson police chief is one of Clyde's friends?'

Belle shot her head slightly. 'The chief's son. Ask him about his son. Ask him about Frankie.'

That was what Joanna had come to Belle's room looking for-a single name that would put her inside Clyde Philips' circle of intimates. Now that Joanna had one, she rose to go.

'Before you take off, Sheriff Brady, tell me what I'm s'posed to do.'

'About what?'

'About a funeral. I ain't Clyde's wife no more, but there ain't nobody left but me to plan a service. That's pretty hard to do with me lyin' here flat on my back.'

'The body's been transported to the morgue here in Tucson,' Joanna told her. 'It's over at the Pima County Medical Examiner's office. Dr. Fran Daly is the investigator who'll be doing the autopsy. When that's done, she can release the remains to whatever funeral home you choose. You'll have to let her know which one.'

'I ain't worried about no funeral home,' Belle said. 'It's what comes later's got me spooked.'

'Later? What do you mean?' Joanna asked.

'The funeral part is what bothers me. What do I do? Go ahead and have a regular one in church with a casket and all that? Or what?'

'That's up to you, of course. You said something earlier about your pastor. Ask him. I'm sure he'll be happy to ad-vise you, and he could probably conduct an appropriate service for you as well.'

'You mean in the church?'

'Why not?'

'Clyde never went to church. Never so much as set foot inside one, not even when we got married. A justice of the peace did that.'

'Check with your pastor,' Joanna urged. 'I don't think Clyde's attendance will matter. Besides, funerals are for the living. Have the kind of service that will give you the most comfort. And remember, the last I heard, churches were supposed to welcome sinners.'

'That's true,' Belle Philips said. 'But only up to a point. My pastor talks a good game,' she added. 'But when it comes to livin' it, he sometimes falls a little short.'

Don't we all, Joanna thought. Just ask Marianne Maculyea.

After leaving Belle's room, Joanna walked as far as the elevator before turning around and walking back to the nurses' station, where a young man stood perusing a chart. His name badge read 'Tony Morris, R.N.' Finally seeming to sense Joanna's presence, he looked up. 'May I help you?'

'You do blood work when patients come in here, don't you?'

'Yes. Why?'

'And you check for AIDS and HIV?'

'Yes.'

'Do the patients know that?'

'They should. It says so plain as day right there on the admission form.'

'If someone tested positive, would you let them know?'

Tony Morris's hackles seemed to rise. 'Look-'

Joanna cut him off by handing over one of her cards. 'I'm not faulting your procedures,' she said. 'You know Belle Philips, the lady down the hall with casts all over her body?'

Tony Morris nodded.

'There's a good chance that her former husband had AIDS when he died,' Joanna continued. 'I just talked to the woman. I don't think she has a clue about what was going on.'

'You're saying her husband might have infected her and she has no idea.'

'That's what I'm afraid of.'

The nurse shook his head. 'Christ,' he said. 'People like that deserve to be shot.'

Maybe nobody shot Clyde Philips, Joanna thought. All the same, it sounds as though he got what he deserved.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Back in the ICU waiting room a few minutes later, Joanna found that Jeff Daniels was still involved with friends from Bisbee. Moving away from the group, she settled onto a couch in the corner and called the Pima County Medical Examiner's office. Joanna more than half expected to be told Fran Daly wasn't in, but to her surprise, the woman picked up her own line after only one ring.

'Don’t tell me somebody down there has found another body,' Fran grumbled when she realized Joanna Brady was on the line. 'How long before Doc Winfield comes back?'

'He's due in on Monday.'

'Thank God for that,' Fran said, 'although, at the rate things are going, you people could probably have another three or four cases stacked up for me by then. What do you want?'

'I'm calling about the Clyde Philips case,' Joanna said. 'Have you had a chance to work on the autopsy yet?'

'Sure,' Fran said. 'I tossed him in the van when I went hauling ass out to the Triple C. I've been working on it in my spare time. Give me some slack, Sheriff Brady. You know what I've been up against.'

'Sorry,' Joanna said, 'but I just finished talking to Clyde's ex-wife, Belle Philips. She doesn't believe her husband committed suicide. She said that she knew he had been dragging around some in the last few months, but I don't think she had any idea he might actually have been sick, and I don't think the possibility of HIV or AIDS ever crossed her mind. She also doesn't think he ever went to a doctor. According to her, he didn't believe in them.'

There was a long silence on the other end of the line. 'Are you saying Clyde himself might not have known he had it?'

'It's possible,' Joanna allowed. 'Belle also told me that Clyde was a pedophile, although that's not the word she used. Wittingly or not, he could have infected any number of other people.'

'Including his ex-wife. What a bastard! I was going to put the autopsy off until tomorrow,' Dr. Daly said, 'but I suppose you want it done right away.'

'Actually, yes,' Joanna replied. 'I really would appreciate it.'

'Give me your number,' Fran Daly said with a weary sigh. 'I'll give you a call as soon as I finish.'

After she hung up, Joanna sat for a few minutes. Her initial impression had been that Fran Daly was something of a pill. In two days of working with her, she had discovered that, personality conflicts aside, Dr. Daly was nothing if not a consummate professional. The fact that she was willing to go ahead and work on an autopsy even after spending the whole afternoon in the broiling heat of a crime scene was impressive. It showed a dedication to her work that went above and beyond the call of duty.

For the better part of the next two hours, Joanna stayed at the hospital, visiting with some of Jeff and Marianne's other friends, and with Marianne herself when she showed up at the hospital about a quarter to eight. She looked better than Joanna had expected-the extended nap had done her some good-but she was still a bundle of high-strung nerves.

'I knew you were coming, Joanna,' she said. 'I meant to be back here sooner so we'd have a chance to visit, but Jeff called the hotel and canceled my wake-up call. He said he thought I needed the rest more than I needed to see you.'

'I'd say he was right,' Joanna said.

'You've talked to him, then?'

'A little. He's been so busy meeting and greeting that I haven't had much of a chance. How are things