Josie sent Marta a text asking her to meet them at the PD. She said she was already there typing a case report, working a swing shift. When Josie and Otto entered the office, Marta sat down at the conference table with her notepad. It was obvious from her lack of friendly chatter that she was still angry with Josie over not allowing Isabella to stay at her house.
Josie recapped the conversation they’d had with Ryan Needleman and Josh and Macey Mooney. Marta quickly warmed to the conversation, asking questions about the major break they’d had in the case.
Otto finally said, “Have you talked with Isabella today? Or the doctor?”
“No. I’ve been working another case. But I think the psychiatrist was supposed to work with her again this evening. He was hoping to be at the trauma center by six.”
Josie looked at her watch. “Damn. I have that charity dinner the mayor expects me at for his wife.”
“I can explain the situation to the doctor. Let him know we desperately need her to open up about the trip and her attacker,” Marta said. “I’ll see what he thinks.”
“I appreciate it. It’s five-fifteen now. I’m going to stop by and talk to Manny and see about getting Isabella a room at the motel for the next week. I’ll see what the sheriff can offer, but we just don’t have the manpower to continue dedicating an officer to a room twenty-four hours a day right now.”
Marta nodded.
“If the doctor agrees, can you talk with her tonight? Explain that we’re trying to help make her safe by arresting the men that abused her? But she has to help us locate those other women before this gets even worse. And we have to find out what happened in the pasture when the other woman was shot.”
“I’ll do that. Hopefully with the doctor in the room with me.”
“And will you talk with the doctor about moving her into Manny’s tomorrow morning? At least for a few days, until we can figure out how to relocate her with family?” Josie said.
Marta nodded.
“Otto, can you get online and look for a couple photos of Ryan?”
“Won’t he have a mug shot from the fight at college?”
Josie shook her head. “They kicked him out of school, but no charges were filed. I’m guessing you’ll find some photos of him from playing sports in high school. We’ll have Josh’s mug shot. Put together a photo lineup. Get at least six photos, nine if you can. Get them to Marta so she can take them with her tonight. We’ll see if Isabella can identify Josh and Ryan.”
“Will do,” he said.
“Okay. I have to go change into something other than a uniform. We’re all good?” She glanced at Marta.
“We’re good. I understand,” she said. She frowned and nodded once, indicating the argument was over.
“Once we confirm with Isabella, I’ll brief the prosecutor and bring both men in for questioning,” Josie said.
*
Josie got into her jeep and called Nick to let him know she was headed to the charity event with her mom.
“Hanging out with the rich and famous tonight?” She could hear the smile in his voice.
“Neither. I’m hanging out with the do-gooders.”
“What’s wrong with people trying to do good?” he said.
His question made her pause. “I don’t know. Nothing’s wrong with them. They’re good people.”
“Then why call them do-gooders? Why do they irritate you?”
“It’s the self-righteous people who throw their good out there for praise that irritate me.”
“So give them a little praise. What’s wrong with that?”
“I think you’re trying to harass me.”
He laughed. “I’m not. I’m just trying to understand you. You’re a complicated person sometimes.”
She sighed. She couldn’t explain her reasoning to herself at times, so how could she expect Nick to understand her? She changed the subject. “What are your plans tonight?”
“I’m on stakeout. We had a big breakthrough this morning. We know where the victim’s being held. We hope to close in tonight with a rescue. I won’t see you tonight. Maybe tomorrow if everything goes well.”
“That’s great. Just be careful, stay safe. And let me know what happens.”
NINE
After a quick shower and change into a yellow sundress and sandals, Josie pulled her hair up into a clip and left the house in a rush to pick her mom up at Manny’s by 5:50. Her mom was standing by the curb and had the jeep’s door open before Josie had reached a complete stop. She hopped in, smelling like a mixture of perfume and hair spray and deodorant and lotion and all the other cosmetics she had no doubt applied.
“Lord have mercy, Josie. I’d have thought after all these years you’d have figured out how to get somewhere on time.”
Josie pulled away from the curb, drove to the stoplight, and turned left, heading a half mile out of town to the Artemis Fellowship Church.
“I have a job to do, Mom. I can’t just leave an investigation because I have a dinner date. It doesn’t work that way.”
“You know I hate walking into somewhere late.”