Chapter Fifteen
Dead End Odor
Willow
Dale finally spoke to two residents of the ranch who were willing to talk. They didn’t know too much, but one knew the names of a few people who lived on the ranch during the span of time when the man was killed.
He came home with the list and gave Willow a job.
She visited the St. Johns library and looked for missing persons reports during that time.
She loved the library and always returned home with the maximum number of books allowed, along with a few DVDs.
She loved National Geographic documentaries and romantic comedies that made Dale grumble.
He enjoyed a good espionage thriller, and she did her own complaining before they watched one because it was expected.
The librarian showed her how to use the microfiche to look up old newspaper articles.
“These rarely get used anymore, and it’s nice to see someone take an interest in the history these old stories hold,” she said.
Willow thanked her for the help and got to work.
Her primary search was in the county. She discovered a few missing persons articles, but on further investigation, two were solved.
She wrote down the name of the third person along with family information.
She moved on to Navajo, Greenlee, Graham, and Gila counties and added two additional names to her list. Dale told her to include the two counties in New Mexico closest to the Arizona border.
When her search concluded, she had nine male names that fit the age criteria.
She drove home feeling satisfied with her list. She found Dale in the living room with a ranch map spread out on the coffee table.
He’d marked the names of the old landowners with a red pen on their homesteads.
Only a few current owners had spoken to him, but it was enough to have a detailed map.
Willow was impressed by the information he gathered and placed her list next to the map.
“Good job,” he said. “There’s not much more we can do. I’ll take this information to the sheriff’s department tomorrow and see if they get off their hind ends and do something. Don’t get your hopes up,” he grumbled.
The next morning, Dale took off early.
He came home ninety minutes later, as mad as Willow had ever seen him.
“They all but laughed and told me to stop wasting my time.”
“You knew that’s what they would do. I’m surprised you’re this angry,” she said gently, holding back her own disappointment. She’d found the bones, and it hurt that the man would be forever unknown.
“I’m mad about the information I gave them, but furious over what I found out about Deputy Wallard.
” Dale practically spit the name out. “I talked to my friend at the sheriff’s department after Wallard showed up here.
He did a little investigating of his own.
The deputy is married,” Dale said furiously.
“He has a two-year-old son, and his wife moved to town three months after he took the job. You’re not the only woman he’s harassed.
His behavior caught up to him in Gila County, and that’s why he left. ”
“They didn’t fire him?” Willow asked.
“Their union makes it hard to fire law enforcement without heavy evidence. It saves money to simply pass bad cops off to other counties. My friend said Wallard joined the Apache County union the day he started work.” Dale shook his head.
“Eventually his behavior will catch up to him, but it could take years.”
“That’s too long,” Willow said emphatically.
“I didn’t see him in town, but if he comes nosing around again, I’ll make sure he knows I’ll make a complaint.
The Apache County Sheriff’s Office isn’t far from the wild west when it comes to rules, but cheating on your spouse is a hard line.
Even with the union, he can be placed on unpaid leave.
Usually, they move on when that starts happening. ”
“Then he becomes another county’s problem?” Willow asked skeptically.
“That about covers it.”
“Okay. I don’t understand, but I’ll live with it. I need to learn to handle these situations myself. I will learn,” she amended, her stubborn side rearing its head.
Dale took off his hat and ran his hand through his short hair before placing it back on his head.
“You’re right. I’m overstepping a bit, but I also know men like Wallard.
He’ll go after easier pickings when he knows I won’t back down.
In a normal situation, I would tell you to rack the shotgun and make sure the man knows you mean business.
When they wear a badge, it’s more difficult.
He has no right to be on this property. If he won’t stay away, we’ll make a formal complaint.
” Dale took off his hat again and dusted it against his pants leg.
Willow realized shortly after he moved in that he did this when angry or annoyed. He was both.
“Look,” he said when the silence stretched. “If it was someone besides a deputy, you could take care of it. A man needs to know you mean business when you say no, and racking a shotgun gives them the message loud and clear. Let me handle Wallard.” He looked straight at her. “Please.”
“Okay, I’ll stop arguing. You’re right about the deputy,” she admitted. “He scares me more because he wears a badge. I don’t want or need trouble.” She hesitated for a moment. “I’ve been thinking a lot lately.”
“Never a good sign,” Dale said with a grin.
“I’m trying to be serious here,” she chided.
He pantomimed zipping his lips.
“I rarely go to town without you.” She shrugged. “I guess what I’m saying is that I need to go out more. I’m really bad in social situations, and I want to stop being so dependent on you.”
Dale smiled at her. “I’ve been waiting for you to become more adventurous. I wasn’t going to push it. This was something you needed to settle inside your head. The last thing you needed was Wallard giving you trouble, but I promise he will be a non-entity very soon.”
He opened his arms, and she stepped into them.
The unknown bones still bothered her. The fact she’d been stopped from using her property to help women bothered her. The deputy was at the top of her bother list, but Dale loved her.
She had to start living.