How do you survive being shot and left for dead in the Chihuahuan Desert? By being found by a beautiful wildlife photographer willing to risk her life to save yours.
A bitter ex-cop fights for his life after he runs to the sound of gunfire on the Ri...
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Doctors stopped Tillie's drip that morning and removed the breathing tube. The nurse said it would take a while for the full effects to wear off. Clute was back at the door at 7 a.m.
Mendocino called Amos. "Did you get a name yet on the connection to Rogers?"
"Yeah. He's a two-time loser."
"Squeeze him," Mendocino said. "If he's got two convictions, he'll roll over."
"Tillie's alive and the suspect is dead. I'm not having any luck getting the higher-ups to do anything but close the case. You want to help me convince my chief deputy to let me bring in Sartain and the other guy for questioning?"
"If you think it would help."
Amos's disgust was on display. "I don't see how it would hurt. They consider it cleared."
"What about motive?"
"As far as anyone here is concerned, Rogers went in there to rape her or rob her or both. There's no evidence or reason to suspect murder for hire."
Mendocino had no response.
"You ever been to the sheriff's office?"
"No."
"I'll text the address."
"Headed there now."
At the sheriff's office, Amos pulled Mendocino aside. "The connection's name is Rex Frazier. He's been convicted twice on drug charges. He works at Bar W Security Department, too."
"All three of them working for Bar W?" Mendocino felt his cheeks burning as he followed Amos into his chief deputy's office. Amos made introductions.
"Amos told me about you." Henderson extended his hand. "Says you believe Rogers is good for a lot more than the attack on Tillie. You think we should keep digging into him."
"I do."
Mendocino laid out his cards. "We know Rogers attacked Tillie. He worked security at Bar W Truck Stops. This contact of his, Rex Frazier, works there, too. And the head of the department is Ed Sartain. I recognized Sartain as the man who gave the orders to kill a woman in Big Bend last February. My eyewitness statement alone isn't enough for the FBI."
Mendocino tried to get a read on the room, but he couldn't. No expression on the chief deputy's face and he couldn't read Amos's either. "Anyway, Rogers was caught red-handed. No pun intended. Since Sartain and Frazier both worked with Rogers, it's as simple as asking them to help you understand his motives for hurting Tillie. Based on how you read them, go from there. I think they're all three wrapped up in the murders of five migrants, including the one case in your county."
He paused, still trying to read the room. Henderson was staring, blank-faced while Amos leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. "I think this started with the murder of John David Watson."
