“Yep.”
Nava left as abruptly as he’d come in, and Wade went straight to work.He wouldn’t be investigating any old bones today.He was in and out of the office all day, moving from one task to another.It was well past quitting time when he got a call from Jackson Nava.Wade had been about to leave the station, but he answered anyway.
“Hendricks.”
“It’s Jackson.I just stopped in at the Crazy Horse to interview Elvira Franklin.”
“How did it go?”
“I’m actually calling because I saw your mother inside the bar, and now she’s getting behind the wheel.”
“My mother is driving?”
“It appears that way, yes.She’s got a friend with her who can hardly walk.”
“Describe the friend.”
“Pretty brunette, midtwenties.”
Wade cursed under his breath.Mary was drunk with his mother.Too drunk to drive, which was her job.He expected this kind of behavior from Wynona, not Mary.It felt like a betrayal, even though he had no claim on her.
“How do you want me to proceed?”Jackson asked.
“Follow her.If she makes a violation, pull her over.I’m on my way there.”
“Ten-four.”
Wade stayed on the phone with Jackson as he left the station in a rush.His mother didn’t need another DUI, but he was more concerned about a serious accident.His mind raced with possibilities, including a head-on collision.Maybe he should advise Jackson to do a sobriety check and avert disaster.
“She’s driving slow and steady,” Jackson said.
Wade exceeded the speed limit to reach the area.He spotted his mother’s green Subaru at the traffic light, turning left on Rocksprings Road.She appeared to be heading home.Jackson’s squad car followed at a discreet distance.Wade pulled into the queue behind him.His heart rate eased with every mile gained.
“I’ll take it from here,” Wade said.“Thanks for the heads-up.”
“No problem.”
Wade ended the call and tossed his phone aside.He watched as Jackson diverted to a side street and left him to it.Wade’s concern for his mother, which had faded into relief, transformed again into anger.He couldn’t believe she was driving without a license.Mary deserved to be fired for failure of duties.
As soon as they arrived at Nolan Ranch, Wade exited his vehicle.He came in hot, storming toward his mother’s Subaru.
Wynona whirled to face him, hands on her hips.“Did you send a deputy to follow me?”
Wade could tell she’d had a few drinks.
He ignored her question and posed his own.“Why are you drinking and driving?”
“Who says I was drinking?”
“I do.You’re lucky you didn’t get arrested again.”
“You are so overdramatic,” she said.“I’m not even drunk.”
He wrenched open the passenger door to yell at Mary, who might actually listen to him.What he found gave him pause.Mary was slumped in the seat, eyes closed.When he shook her shoulder, she didn’t rouse.
“Leave her alone,” Wynona said.
“What’s wrong with her?”
