Again we fell silent. Although I appreciated the changed basis between us, I couldn't just let it go at that. I had to pick at the scab and know what lay under it.
'So how come I'm not a civilian anymore, Delcia? I don't mind, not at all, but I'd like to know why.'
'Maybe I need the opinion of an outside observer,' she replied. Her answer sounded coy, and I balked at the idea that she was putting me off again.
'Why?'
She sighed as though finally giving in to something she'd done her best to sidestep. 'Today, after I talked to you at lunch, I did some checking into the prosecutor who arranged Joey Rothman's MIP. There seem to be some irregularities in the plea-bargain arrangement.'
'Like what?'
'Like the charges should have been a whole lot stiffer than they were.'
'You mean drugs?'
She nodded. 'It wasn't a simple first offense, either. I'm still not sure how the prosecutor pulled it off. It could be nothing more than James Rothman's highly placed connections…' Her voice drifted away, leaving the sentence dangling.
'Or…' I prompted.
'You have to understand I've been curious about Ironwood Ranch for years. Not anything definite, not anything that ever made it as far as a conscious thought, but curious. There have been hints of trouble occasionally, but until the Rothman case, nothing ever got out of hand.'
'That's because Louise Crenshaw always kept a lid on it,' I put in.
'And Louise always had help,' Delcia added.
'Who?'
'Sheriff Heagerty,' she answered. 'He's a former client of Ironwood Ranch, and so's the MIP prosecutor. Not only that, Calvin Crenshaw was a major contributor to Heagerty's reelection campaign during the last two elections.'
'So what are you thinking?'
'That maybe they both got hung up in Louise Crenshaw's little sideshow.'
'That would explain a lot, wouldn't it,' I breathed, 'but do you have any proof?'
'I'm working on it. In my spare time, but I'm on real thin ice, and I can't afford to go through regular channels on this. That's why I'm using you as a sounding board. I need someone I'm sure isn't tarred with Louise Crenshaw's brush. She never managed to get her claws into you.'
I smiled at Delcia's comment. 'I thought I was the only one who noticed Louise Crenshaw's talons. So what do you think? Are the Crenshaws involved in this business too? Are they part of Joey's supply system?'
'Maybe, and maybe not. I don't know what to think. I sure as hell can't afford to disregard them, but the problem is, I'm pretty much working alone at least as far as Yavapai County is concerned. My guess is that Sheriff Heagerty wants me spread too thin to do anything constructive. If I hadn't been so tired, if I had been thinking straight, I would have asked for protection for Rhonda and Michelle both. Even then, it might not have helped, but still…'
She turned and looked me full in the face. 'As far as Rhonda's concerned, you saved the day. I want you to know I'm grateful.'
'You're welcome,' I said, 'for that and for saving my own ass too, but it would have been a helluva lot easier if I'd been armed. When that creep came after us, I felt like we were sitting ducks.'
'Do you ever go to swap meets?' Delcia asked suddenly.
The abrupt detour in the conversation sounded as though Delcia Reyes-Gonzales had reverted to her earlier game-playing.
'Swap meets?' I asked stupidly. 'You mean, like in garage sales?'
She nodded, but I shook my head. 'Not me. Buying somebody else's cast-off junk isn't my idea of a good deal.'
'Maybe you should check into them,' Delcia said seriously. 'In fact, I believe there's one at Phoenix Greyhound Race Track on Saturdays and Sundays. I'd try it, if I were you. It's on Washington, east of the airport. Do you think you can find it?'
'I'm sure I can, but why would I want to?'
'The guy's name is Zeke. From what I've heard, he's there every weekend. He sells guns. Used, of course. From a private collection.'
'Privately,' I said, getting the picture. 'So there's no three-day waiting period?'
'That's right.'
'And you're suggesting I go get myself one.'
'Who, me?' she asked innocently. 'Certainly not. I never said anything of the kind.'
Just then Ralph Ames walked up to the car and tapped on Delcia's window.
'Ralph Ames,' he said, introducing himself to her. 'Beau here is a client of mine. So's Mrs. Attwood. They told me inside that I'd find him out in the car with you. May I join you?'
He opened the door and climbed into the cramped back seat.
I completed the introductions. 'This is Detective Delcia Reyes-Gonzales, Ralph. She's from Prescott. How did you get here?'
Ralph smiled at her. 'We met on the phone.' He turned to me. 'When you two didn't show up at Vincent's I got worried and came here looking. From what I've heard, Alamo is going to want to burn you at the stake. The next time you try to rent a car from them, alarms will probably go off on Alamo computers all over the country.'
'At least I didn't take it to Mexico,' I said. 'That's the only thing I remember them telling me that I couldn't do. What's going on in there? It's taking a long time.'
'They're about finished,' Ralph said. 'I suggested that considering the circumstances it might be wise for Rhonda to come stay with us. For tonight anyway. I'm sure I'll be far more at ease if I know she isn't staying by herself. We'll leave the Fiat parked here in the lot and make sure we aren't followed when we go.'
I looked at Delcia. She was half dozing right there in the car. 'What about you?' I asked. 'Surely you're not going to drive all the way back home tonight.'
'No. My sister lives across town in Peoria. I'll stay there tonight. If Ralph here can give you and Rhonda a ride home, I'll go ahead and take off if you don't mind. It's been a long day.'
Ralph and I waited in La Posada's well appointed lobby until the detectives finished with Rhonda's room. She arrived in the lobby carrying a suitcase and small overnight bag.
'I guess you're stuck with me for the night,' she said apologetically. 'They told me I shouldn't stay here alone. And what about the paintings?'
'Don't worry,' Ames assured her. 'I'll let Vincent know what happened.'
We took her out to the car through the main entrance. Driving home, I made several quick maneuvers and doubled back once or twice, making sure we didn't have a tail. When we got to the house, Ralph insisted on parking the Lincoln in the garage.
Once inside the house, we settled down in the living room for a few minutes to recap what all had happened over the course of the evening. Ralph had heard bits and pieces from many sources. He was the one who gave Rhonda the bad news that Michelle was missing. She took that stoically enough, but when she heard that Guy Owens had been trying to coerce Michelle into having an abortion, she was outraged and wanted to get in the car right then and there to make the three-and-a-half-hour drive to tell Lieutenant Colonel Guy Owens what was what. We finally dissuaded her, but only barely.
Toward midnight, we ventured into the kitchen, where Ralph made us a late-night supper of cheese, cocoa, and toast. Munching away, we finished our play-by-play review of the evening at the kitchen counter, said our good-nights, and headed for our separate rooms. I was in bed with lights out when there came a light tapping on my door.
'Who is it?'
'Rhonda. May I come in?'
She came into the room and felt her way across to the bed. Once there, she sat down on the edge of it.
'What's the matter?' I asked. 'Is something wrong?'
