“I need a verbal answer, Maria.”
“Yes, Ma’am, it’s the truth.”
Estelle glanced over at Torrez, who nodded. They heard a vehicle in the driveway. “Stout’s here,” Torrez said.
“What will they do to him?” Maria whispered.
“There’s no way to predict what a jury will decide,” Estelle said.
“But it was all my fault. I hit him.”
“That part was your fault,” Estelle said. “And maybe you had good reason. What happened next was Al’s fault. It’s that simple.”
“Do I need to find a lawyer?”
“Yes. You do.”
Chapter Forty-six
they going to cut on me today. Al Fisher let the pencil fall.
“One day at a time, Al. Whatever it takes. And every day, you’ll improve. Just think ahead.”
Oh yeah. Funy joke. Think ahead to WHAT. He made a strange growling sound as if he were trying to spit out of the side of his mouth. One of the suction tubes gurgled. didn’t take you long.
“What, to find Myron Fitzwater? You told Sheriff Torrez where he was. Did you think that Torrez wouldn’t remember?”
Al coughed. Eventually he opened his right eye and stared at Estelle. He wrote the next message in three jerky efforts. dumb as a box of rocks.
“Many people have made that mistake about Robert Torrez. Are you ready to tell me what really happened with your brother?”
told you.
“You think a Grand Jury will believe it was an accident? Or even suicide?”
dont matter. He paused for a long moment. one, two, three. it don’t matter.
He tried to shift his body, and pounded one foot on the mattress in frustration. something you gotta do.
“Something I have to do? What?”
leave danny alone. He didt have anything to do with any of this. and Lupe. he took the deer, but that’s all. AND
The capital letters were hard for him, and he stopped, exhausted.
“And what, Al?”
maria.
“Al, you know I can’t make promises about Maria. There are so many things she should have done that she didn’t do. The district attorney will review the whole case and after that, it’s his call. He’ll decide whether or not she’s to be charged. We could argue about her hitting Myron in the head with the stick. We could argue that was self-defense, or that she was afraid for your safety. But the law is clear. We have to look beyond that single strike with the stick.”
Al’s one visible eye was closed, but the bedside monitors said that his vitals were stable. What was going on in his mind was another question.
“She knew, Al. She knew that you shot Myron Fitzwater three times in the back. That’s where it all starts.”
The pencil twitched. He was going…
“You could have walked away, Al. You and Maria, both. You could have called somebody on your cell phone. You know, after Maria smacked Fitzwater in the head, you could have just walked away. Connie would have been left with a boyfriend with a terrible headache. She had to know that Fitzwater was acting in the wrong. He was no cop, he had no enforcement responsibilities. But your trigger-happy response changed the situation, Al. And Maria knew what you did to Connie. She knew what you meant by ‘taking care’ of the situation. And she kept quiet.”
For many seconds, Al lay so quietly that Estelle thought he’d gone to sleep. Eventually his fingers scrabbled with the pencil, and he wrote, slowly and carefully, i ruint her life, didt i.
Estelle kept any trace of sympathy out of her voice. “Yes, you did.”
The pencil drew circles as if trying to decide what letter to start with, and finally settled on the one he liked best. i got to help her, then.
“That’s not going to happen, Al. You’re not going to lie to cover for her.” She watched him digest that. “You think on that now, Al. Hurt as you are, you think on it. And what you decide to do will tell the world a lot about what kind of man Al Fisher really is.”
More from this Author
For other books, upcoming author events, or more information please go to:
www.poisonedpenpress.com/Steven-F-Havill
LIES COME EASY
The Twenty-third Posadas County Mystery
“Master of mystery Steven F. Havill accomplishes that rare and remarkable feat of making each book in his compelling series even better than the one that came before it. With meticulous attention to detail and a warm storytelling style, Havill transforms ordinary people into extraordinary. Evildoers, no matter how twisted and complex, don’t stand a chance against hard-working Estella Reyes-Guzman and her legendary mentor Bill Gastner. If you haven’t yet discovered these wonderful mysteries, you are in for a treat!”
—Anne Hillerman, New York Times bestselling author
EASY ERRORS
The Twenty-second Posadas County Mystery
“Fans of the long-running series will be drawn to the backstory here, which fills in gaps in the stories of both Torrez and Gastner. They will also respond to the qualities that have made this series so appealing over the years: meticulous plotting, multidimensional characters, sharp dialogue, and a vivid sense of place. This is one of the very best entries in a consistently excellent series.”
—Wes Lukowsky, Booklist (starred review)
“Havill keeps his relentless hold on readers with bits of wisdom from veteran Gastner, creating a powerful sense of place in his portrayal of the bucolic southwestern New Mexico community.”
—Publishers Weekly
“In this prequel to One Perfect Shot, Undersheriff Bill Gastner is first at the scene of a fatal car crash; two of the victims turn out to be the siblings of his new deputy, Robert Torrez, fresh out of the police academy. Were the three teens being pursued, and where is the fourth passenger? Fans and first-time readers will follow the case step by step in this compelling procedural, which leads from the accident to a remote New Mexican canyon and another death.”
—Library Journal
COME DARK
The Twenty-first Posadas County Mystery
“The twenty-first Posadas mystery is a compelling mix of dusty small-town ambiance, complex plotting, and an authorial voice imbued with compassionate humanity. Each of the Posadas novels plumbs the collective heartbeat of a community. Those beating hearts belong to characters who range from despicable to saintly, but together they make up one of the most vivid worlds in mystery fiction.”
—Booklist
“Series regulars, including former undersheriff Bill Gastner, interact with a number of intriguing new characters, including Miles Waddell, the owner and sole funder of NightZone. Newcomers will enjoy this entry as much as longtime fans.”
—Publishers Weekly
BLOOD SWEEP
The Twentieth Posadas County Mystery
“Havill, in his twentieth Posadas County mystery, will keep readers guessing. He’ll also have longtime readers holding their collective breath to learn the fate of the series’ original protagonist, Bill Gastner, now 76, who shatters a hip in a fall. The Posadas County mysteries are carefully plotted, subtly written, and populated by an endearing, evolving cast of characters. A worthy entry in a fine series that appeals equally to procedural fans and to those who favor mysteries with a small-town setting.”
—Booklist
“The family-secrets angle makes this leisurely episode most likely to appeal to fans less invested in the nominal mystery than in the long narrative arc supplied by the extended family of Posadas County, in which everyone seems to be related to everyone else by blood or spirit.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“The story line is satisfyingly complex, but the novel’s great strength is its well-rendered setting, from the opening description of a silent, motionless antelope to the evocation of a dry riverbed. The concluding
note of empathy for the many people trying to cross the border is moving without being heavy-handed.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
NIGHTZONE
The Nineteenth Posadas County Mystery
“The nineteenth Posadas County mystery places the focus back on the retired Gastner after a few episodes in which the mysteries revolved around his successor. No matter the protagonist, Havill’s work is believable and well plotted, and never, ever includes a character who isn’t a viable human being. Another fine book in a terrific series.”
—Booklist
“Gastner’s capabilities are plausible for a septuagenarian, and Havill peoples the book with believable characters.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
ONE PERFECT SHOT
The Eighteenth Posadas County Mystery
“Gastner and Reyes complement each other well in an entertaining preview of a decades-long partnership. A welcome entry in an always satisfying series.”
—Booklist
“Undersheriff Bill Gastner of Posadas County, N.M., meets Estelle Reyes, the once-and-future undersheriff, in a welcome, well-wrought prequel...Gastner and Reyes charm from the get-go.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“This solid installment is the perfect introduction for new readers.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Grab this prequel to Havill’s winning New Mexico-set series to learn how Undersheriff Bill Gastner first met his new deputy, Estelle Reyes.”
—Library Journal
DOUBLE PREY
The Seventeenth Posadas County Mystery
“Havill is a master at using procedural details to expose the complexities of small-town relationships, but he also excels at drawing meaning from landscape. Like an archaeologist sifting history from the ground, Reyes-Guzman digs clues from the guano-splattered floor of the cave where the jaguar’s skull was found. One of the stronger entries in an always-satisfying series.”
—Bill Ott, Booklist
THE FOURTH TIME IS MURDER
The Sixteenth Posadas County Mystery
“The sixth Posadas County mystery featuring Reyes-Guzman—her predecessor, Bill Gastner, was featured in nine previous books—builds on the series’ strengths. The plot is revealed slowly and imaginatively. Reyes-Guzman is both an ambitious professional and family woman, forever fretting that she’s neglecting either the job or the family. And, as always, Havill insinuates small-town rhythms, prejudices, and concerns into the mix for a satisfying, intelligent mystery.”
—Booklist
“The Posadas County Mystery series notches its sixteenth with all its signature virtues intact: good writing, an unerring sense of place and a protagonist it’s a pleasure to root for.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Havill is especially good at showing how connecting facts depends on recognizing relationships within a family or a neighborhood. Arid, harshly beautiful Posadas County turns out to be full of captivating stories.”
—Publishers Weekly
FINAL PAYMENT
The Fifteenth Posadas County Mystery
“The action and suspense have been ratcheted up several notches here, but Havill’s always-sensitive depictions of human relationships remain the backbone of the series. Successfully blending light and dark elements is the key for any crime author basing a series in ordinary life, and it looks as if Havill, by darkening the brew just a bit, has once again found the right shade.”
—Booklist
“Havill takes the reader through an all-terrain investigation to an edge-of-your-seat finale.”
—Publishers Weekly
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
The Fourteenth Posadas County Mystery
“The primary appeal of this series continues to be its evocation of daily life in a small New Mexico town.”
—Booklist
“A series that still feels freshly minted.”
—Kirkus Reviews
CONVENIENT DISPOSAL
The Thirteenth Posadas County Mystery
“...as intelligent, carefully plotted, and insightful as its predecessors. The original star of the series, former undersheriff Bill Gastner, drifts in and out of the action these days, but Havill has successfully switched the focus to Reyes-Guzman and her struggle to balance a young family and an all-consuming career. An outstanding series on all levels.”
—Booklist
“Literate, lively, and sharply observed as ever. Mystery fans who haven’t yet made the trip to Posadas County, consider yourselves deprived.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Longtime readers of the series will be happy to see that Havill’s retired protagonist, Sheriff Bill Gastner, is still on the periphery, but the undersheriff has proved herself a worthy successor in this third novel since Havill turned the spotlight on her; she’s young, smart and dedicated, and she has a nose for solving crimes. Of course, the real protagonist is Posadas County, a troubled but endearing locale that readers will want to visit time and again.”
—Publishers Weekly
A DISCOUNT FOR DEATH
The Twelfth Posadas County Mystery
“Interpersonal issues, usually sequestered behind closed doors in insular Posadas County, take center stage in both cases, as Reyes-Guzman follows a trail that leads from troubled lives on the edge of despair to her own thriving family. Mystery series too often lose their way when the author attempts to replace an appealing hero. Hats off to Havill for making the transition work smoothly.”
—Booklist
“Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman gets her second star turn here, and longtime fans of Posadas County, New Mexico, won’t mind a bit...A first-rate police procedural, small-town division. And Estelle’s a charmer.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“In carving out a little corner of New Mexico near the Mexican border, Havill has created an absorbing and entertaining universe.”
—Publishers Weekly
“New undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman hunts for the body of a missing/presumed dead insurance salesman. Because he was about to be indicted for fraud, the man may have voluntarily disappeared. Another death, meanwhile, seems caused by a local cop gone haywire. For fans of Southwestern mysteries.”
—Library Journal
SCAVENGERS
The Eleventh Posadas County Mystery
“Throughout this low-key, character-driven series, Havill has managed as well as anyone in the genre to balance the particulars of cop procedure with the often unspoken emotions at the core of small-town life. The focus on Reyes-Guzman and her family brings a different dynamic to the series, but the human drama remains equally satisfying.”
—Booklist
“Skilled investigation, happenstance and cooperation mesh through every phase of the puzzle, ushering the reader along to one satisfying conclusion.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Series star Bill Gastner has retired but still offers support to new County Sheriff Robert Torrez and Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman. Estelle subsequently juggles family problems while dealing with two murders in the nearby desert. Solid groundwork for a new series. For collections where Southwestern mysteries are popular.”
—Library Journal
RED, GREEN, OR MURDER
The Tenth Posadas County Mystery
“Havill shows us yet again how random bad decisions spur unnecessary tragedy. As always, a fine mix of village drama and carefully rendered police work.”
—Booklist
“Another highly entertaining entry that shows those unruly New Mexicans doing what they do best. Long may they stay homicidal.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Havill’s characters have a depth and a clarity that’s refined with every n
ew book in the series. It’s a pleasure to see them operate not merely as lawmen or suspects or witnesses but as members of a community where flaws and quirks are understood and accepted.”
—Publishers Weekly
BAG LIMIT
The Ninth Posadas County Mystery
“The quiet pleasures of small-town life are again at the center of this appealing series, as Gastner reaffirms his belief that even the encroaching evils of the modern world can be endured with the help of friends, family, and a properly prepared green-chile burrito.”
—Booklist
DEAD WEIGHT
The Eighth Posadas County Mystery
“Havill is every bit as good at evoking procedural detail as he is at capturing small-town ambience. This series continues to provide a vivid picture of change in rural America: small-town values under siege from within and without as a big-hearted sheriff tries to keep the peace one day at a time. Quiet yet powerful human drama resting comfortably within the procedural formula.”
—Booklist
“Nice, easygoing, entirely literate prose, and if the approach is a bit too ‘cozy’ for some tastes, others will delight in dollops of local color and in Sheriff Bill, of course, who may well be the most endearing small-town lawman ever.”
—Kirkus Reviews
OUT OF SEASON
The Seventh Posadas County Mystery
“Gastner’s calm, experienced leadership guides his staff, as well as FAA officials, through several prickly conflicts with a couple of fiercely independent ranchers. For readers, his considerate, methodical approach will prove a welcome change from the angry, violent paths trod by so many cops in other novels. Full of bright local color and suffused with a compassionate understanding of human motivation, this intelligent, understated mystery deserves a wide and appreciative readership.”
Lies Come Easy Page 28