As the sheriff talked to the witness, Barnard went over to the woman on the couch. “I’m Detective Barnard.” He extended his hand.
The woman placed her hands in her lap. “Jeannie Bennell. My mom is… was Joyce Gillen.” She placed her fingers on her trembling lips.
“I’m very sorry for your loss. I’ll do everything I can to apprehend the person responsible for your mother’s murder. Did she have any strange incidents that she mentioned to you? Like in the past few weeks or even months?”
Shaking her head, she stared at the floor. “No. She never mentioned anything. If something were amiss or if she was worried about anything, she would’ve told me or my brother. This is just so terrible. Why would anyone want to hurt my mom?”
“That’s what I’m going to find out.”
After several hours at the crime scene, Barnard walked out into the bright sunshine. It was always surreal for him to leave a brutal crime scene and enter back into the ordinariness of life. It seemed as if there should be something different to mark the passing of a life, but there never was. Trees swayed in the breeze, birds chirped, and butterflies flitted around in the garden in front of the house.
Wexler came out, his jaw tight, his eyes narrowed; a couple of his deputies followed him. Silent with slumped shoulders, Barnard followed them to the patrol car as the body of Joyce Gillen, bagged and on a gurney, trailed behind.
Chapter Thirty-Two
The smiling faceof Joyce Gillen graced the front page of theAlina Post, mesmerizing Goldie. The woman looked very familiar, and he racked his brain trying to figure out where he’d seen her before. As he perused the article, he read that the charity she’d done a lot of volunteer work for was the same one his grandmother had devoted so much time to after he and his siblings were grown and out of the house.
“What’s going on?” Eagle asked as he sat down by Goldie, a coffee cup in his hand.
“I knew this woman.” Goldie tapped Joyce’s picture.
Eagle took the paper. “Fuck. That sucks what happened to her. How did you know her?”
“She worked on a lot of committees my grandma did for Volunteers Helping Native Americans. I remember bumping into her at some of the fundraising events.”
“When did the fuckin’ psycho go from raping to murder?” Eagle put the paper down.
“He offed another victim before this one. She worked at the rehab center. Now the fucker’s got the taste for blood.”
Eagle nodded. “When you take that plunge, there’s no going back. They get some rush out of it. It’s pretty sick.”
Goldie nodded as he took out his phone. He wanted to make sure Hailey was safe.
Goldie:Hey. U good?
Hailey:Ya. Good 2 hear from u so early in the am.
Goldie:Thinking bout u. Want 2 make sure ur safe.
Hailey:Safe n sound. Something came up. I’m going 2 Albuquerque.
Goldie jerked back. “What the fuck?” he muttered.
“Bad news?” Eagle asked as he stared at the TV.
“No. Just something I need more info on.”
Goldie:WTF?
Hailey:My best friend’s having a bday party. Wants me 2 come. Miss my parents, so can see both at the same time. Win-win.
Goldie:I don’t wanna talk bout this by text. I’ll pick u up @ 7:30 for dinner.
Hailey:Sounds good.
Goldie:Remember 2 text when u leave shop. Ruger will watch out 4 u tonite.
Hailey:K. Gotta go. Shop is crazy today.
