A look of frustration had taken up residence on her boss’s face. Mattie could tell how important he deemed Brody’s involvement. “He’s cooperating. He gave me the report that I asked for. We can confirm his presence here in the office and out on patrol Wednesday afternoon. He checked in regularly. By Thursday, he was searching for Ms. Howard. He gave me his patrol log, which includes an extensive list of all the places he went. He worked alone but continued to check in, so it would’ve been impossible for him to be up at the gravesite.”
Mattie felt she needed to weigh in. “You can count on knowing where Brody stands, and I’ve never known him to hold back. His reaction when we discovered Adrienne’s gravesite was no exception. He appeared to be devastated.”
Stella nodded, looking thoughtful. “Let’s talk to him together, Sheriff, before we decide. But I have to say, I know him to be sort of a hothead, and I’m not sure it’s best to allow him to play a central role in our investigation. Even if we can confirm his innocence.”
Stella’s cell phone pinged, making her look at the screen. “This is a message from one of my techs,” she said. “We got a hit on the print we took from the stamp and sent to IAFIS.”
Mattie felt a surge of adrenaline. “That’s fantastic!”
Stella continued to read her message aloud. “Ramon Vasquez. Has one charge of misdemeanor possession of narcotics: marijuana possession back in the day. No current warrants for his arrest.”
“Did they search for an address yet?” McCoy asked, his face alive with excitement.
“Sure did. Vasquez has a Colorado driver’s license with an address listed on a county road outside of Willow Springs.”
The town where the letter had been postmarked. Mattie looked at Stella. “Can we bring him in?”
Stella gave her a grim smile. “You might be jumping the gun, Deputy. Let’s go question him first and then decide.”
As Mattie stood, Robo got up and hurried toward the door. “Hold on a minute, Robo,” Mattie said, looking back and forth between her colleagues. “This feels like a big break. Too important for us to screw up. I want Brody in as backup, just in case this guy decides to run.”
Stella exchanged a look with McCoy. “All right, let’s talk to him now, Sheriff.” And then to Mattie: “Be ready to roll in twenty minutes. I’ll ride with you and your partner.”
As she drove down a lane that marked the entrance to Ramon Vasquez’s place, Mattie checked her rear view mirror and saw Brody making the turn behind her. They’d driven the highway toward Willow Springs with flashing lights but no sirens, and they’d made excellent time. Stella shifted in her seat on the passenger side, easing her handgun from her shoulder holster under her jacket and then replacing it. As if sensing their amped-up adrenaline, Robo stood to look out the windshield as they approached the house.
Sitting inside a copse of evergreens with several dilapidated outbuildings, the small clapboard farmhouse looked like it might be abandoned. Mattie parked in front of the cracker-box one-story, a coat of fresh paint long overdue, its windows blocked by curtains from the inside. She turned off the engine as Brody pulled up alongside. A ragged, gray picket fence enclosed the yard, its gate hanging askew. They exited their vehicles, Mattie making the decision to leave Robo inside his compartment, at least for the time being.
“I’ll go to the door,” Stella said. “Mattie, you stay with me. Brody, you go around back.”
After going inside the yard, Brody split off to circle around the house. Mattie followed Stella as she stepped up on the porch and knocked on the door.
No answer. No sign of activity. Stella rang the bell. Mattie heard the soft echo of the bell inside, but still no one answered the door.
Mattie was wondering if they were wasting their time when a loud crash resonated through the house. She and Stella exchanged a quick glance the very moment they heard a roar coming from Brody on the other side of the house.
“We’ve got a runner!” Stella shouted, as she jumped off the porch and headed around the building.
Mattie hit the door-popper button on her utility belt, and the driver’s side door of her SUV sprang open, the door to Robo’s cage opening automatically. Mattie shouted for him to come. He leaped through the cage door, over the driver’s seat, and out the door, hitting his stride as he fell in beside her. She ran around the building taking the side opposite from Stella.
“Heel!” Stopping at the corner of the building with Robo at her side, she eased forward to take a peek. Stella was heading away from her toward a broken-down building that looked like it had once been a garage.
With Robo at heel, Mattie sprinted after her, catching up within seconds. “Where are they?” She kept her tone low, searching the buildings for sign of Brody.
Stella had pulled her handgun. “I don’t know. Haven’t got a visual.”
“Stay behind us,” Mattie told her. “Let Robo take the lead. He’ll find them.”
Not knowing if the fugitive was armed or not, Mattie decided to put Robo on a leash. Taking one from her utility belt, she snapped it on his collar. “Search. Let’s find the bad guy.”
She encouraged him with her voice while she let him go out in front the full length of the leash. She was relying on a physical response people have when experiencing fear. Endocrine sweat. Patrol dogs were taught to track it in lieu of a scent article. She hoped Vasquez was afraid and that’s why he ran.
Robo quartered the area, nose to ground, and picked up a scent trail within a few seconds. He surged forward to the end of the leash, taking Mattie with him. They ran toward the line of spruce that marked the edge of the wooded area surrounding the property. Stella fell behind as Mattie and Robo outdistanced her.
Hackles rose on her dog’s neck as he ran. Trees limited her view. Where’s Brody?
Robo started to bark. Pulling at the end of the leash, he broke through the trees with Mattie close behind. She saw Brody ahead of her. He tackled a guy that was running in front of him, bringing him down and falling on top of him.
Mattie struggled to hold Robo, not wanting him to bite the fugitive if he was under Brody’s control. And she certainly didn’t want him to bite Brody by accident.
Brody must have outweighed the man by thirty pounds. It looked like he didn’t need assistance, so she stood back for a moment. Robo continued to bark and pull against her. Brody straddled the guy and turned him face up.
Then Brody reared back, his right hand raised in a fist, and he punched the guy square in the face.
Shocked, Mattie commanded Robo to guard. He settled and crouched into guard mode as she dropped his leash and leaped onto Brody’s back. His elbow came at her and popped her in the eye.
Seeing stars, Mattie grabbed Brody’s arm and held on. She heard Stella shout, “Stand down, Deputy!”
Robo rushed in, snarling at Brody. “Out, Robo!” she shouted, hoping to divert an attack. Brody tried to throw her off, but Mattie hung on.
“Vasquez, freeze!” Stella shouted. “That’s enough, Deputy.”
Something got through to Brody, and Mattie felt the fight go out of him. Releasing his arm, she told Robo to guard and moved away. “Ramon Vasquez, don’t move,” she said, her voice gruff. “Don’t move or this dog will attack.”
Robo hovered as if on springs, growling. Any movement might set him off.
Remaining still, the man on the ground shielded his face with his arms. “Jesus,” he muttered, “don’t let him bite me.”
“Stay still, Vasquez, and I’ll call off the dog.” After making sure that the man complied, she called Robo off.
Robo remained crouched and alert, suspicious glances darting between Vasquez and Brody.