Left for Dead: A Novel by J. A. Jance

Author:J. A. Jance [Jance, J. A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, General, Mystery & Detective, Thrillers, Murder, Murder - Investigation, Mystery Fiction., Women Sleuths, Arizona, Reynolds; Ali (Fictitious Character), Mexican- American Border Region
ISBN: 9781451628586
Google: u2wXXoemVW8C
Amazon: 1451628587
Publisher: Touchstone
Published: 2012-02-07T00:00:00+00:00

27

7:00 P.M., Sunday, April 11

Tucson, Arizona

Ali’s decision to call Haley Marsh turned out to be nothing short of brilliant. Haley left her son, Liam, with her roommate long enough to come meet Lucy and Carinda and to take them in hand. Two long days in the hospital had taken their toll. The novelty had worn off. The girls were tired and cranky and wanted to be somewhere that wasn’t a hospital waiting room or hallway. Within minutes of meeting Haley, Lucy and Carinda were more than ready to go play at what she assured them them was a “real” house.

When it was time for them to leave, Jose was sleeping again. Ali was helping load the girls and their gear—clothing, toys, and car and booster seats—into Haley’s minivan when she saw DPS Lieutenant Lattimore striding across the parking lot. Ali was on the phone to Juanita Cisco before he made it into the lobby.

Juanita had come by earlier and given Jose a retainer to sign, but she had told Ali she wanted to be physically present if Lattimore showed up for fear Jose might say more than was good for him. Ali hurried back inside and was waiting outside the door to Jose’s room when the lieutenant came down the hall from reception.

“You again,” he said when he saw Ali barring his way.

“Yes,” she said. “Me again.”

“I’m not sure what you’re doing here or why you think it’s okay to interfere with a police investigation,” Lattimore said.

“Jose is a victim of a crime,” Ali countered, stalling for time. “I think you’ve lost sight of that.”

“I haven’t lost sight of anything. When a crime victim is involved in illegal activities, it’s usually a good place to start looking for the perpetrator. That’s true even if the crime victim happens to be a police officer. I need to talk to Mr. Reyes and see if he can help me clear this case.”

“He told me the shooter was a woman—a woman wearing a head scarf.”

“So he’s been talking to you, but he can’t talk to me? And what did he mean by that—that she’s a Muslim or something?”

“He said a scarf. Just a scarf. And sunglasses. Cataract-style sunglasses.”

“I’d rather be hearing this from him than from you,” Lattimore said.

Juanita Cisco arrived on the scene, wearing garden clogs and a loose-fitting smock. It was clear she’d come to the hospital straight from doing yard work. She was short and dumpy, with a set of jowls that made her face resemble that of a pit bull—an angry pit bull.

“I’m Mr. Reyes’s attorney,” she announced. “You won’t be hearing anything at all from him unless I give you the go-ahead. Understood?”

Lattimore wasn’t a happy camper, but he nodded. “All right,” he said. “We’ll do it your way.”

Since no one told her otherwise, Ali followed the attorney and the detective into Jose’s room. There were still machines and plenty of beeping monitors. Jose had been asleep when the girls left, but he was awake now.

“Jose, it’s Juanita,”

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