Lazy Bird a Seth and Ava Mystery Read online

  “I’m wondering how you keep track of missing persons,” Ava said.

  “Well, now, that’s a good question,” Martha said. “Not one the feds asked.”

  “Huh,” Ava said.

  “Let’s see. . .” Martha said. “We received a grant from the government to upgrade our filing system. It was a great deal of work, but we were able to convert every single case we had to digital format.”

  “You did a nice job, too,” Ava said. “At least the digital file that we received is one of the best we’ve ever seen. We always request the hard copy because the digital files are never complete. This one was perfect.”

  “Well. . . thank you,” Martha said, sounding embarrassed. “I did most of the work myself. I don’t mind hard work, but this was a mess.”

  “I bet,” Ava said.

  “Anyway, that’s how we found your cold case,” Martha said. “There’s no one here who worked on the case. We just forgot all about it until we converted all of our files to digital. I submitted the paperwork to have the CBI take a look at it.”

  “That’s how we got it,” Ava said.

  “That’s great,” Martha said. “I’m glad my efforts are paying off.”

  “They certainly are,” Ava said. “What about your missing-person reports?”

  “Oh, yes,” Martha said. “I lost track of your question. I apologize.”

  “It’s late,” Ava said. “Or early.”

  “That’s kind of you,” Martha said. “I’m just old. Let’s see. I told you about digitizing the cases and finding the cold case and filling out the paperwork. You want to know about missing persons.”

  “Please,” Ava said.

  “We never got there,” Martha said. “It sounds dumb, even to my ear, but we finished the case files and stopped. It never occurred to me that we should do the missing-persons cases.”

  “They are not digitized?” Ava asked.

  “No, ma’am,” Martha said. “In fact, they are sitting in a three-ring binder on my desk. I intended on spending this winter copying them and putting them into the system.”

  “Could I get a look at those missing-persons’ cases?” Ava said.

  Martha was silent for a long moment.

  “Will you get a warrant?” Martha asked.

  “I’d rather not get a specific warrant,” Ava said. “It could send a flag through the system.”

  Martha didn’t respond.

  “I have a warrant for the entire case,” Ava said. “Would that work?”

  “Let me check,” Martha said. “Hang on.”

  She put Ava on hold. Ava leaned against the back wall of the elevator until she slid down to sit on the floor of the elevator. Martha returned to the phone.

  “You still there?” Martha asked.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Ava said. “What did you find out?”

  “I spoke with our counsel and we agree that your warrant for the case covers everything including the missing persons’ cases,” Martha said.

  “Will your counsel. . .” Ava asked.

  “My daughter,” Martha said. “I called her on the other line.”

  “Phew,” Ava said with relief.

  Martha laughed.

  “She’s good at keeping her mouth closed,” Martha said. “You shoulda seen her yesterday. She was furious that the feds were here pushing people around.”

  Martha chuckled.

  “We looked you up, too,” Martha said. “You’re quite a woman.”

  “Thank you? I think?” Ava asked.

  Martha laughed.

  “I know what you look like, Ms. O’Malley,” Martha said. “If you come, I will show you my missing-persons files. But only you. Right now, I’m not feeling too trusting of people.”

  “I’ll be there,” Ava said. “This afternoon?”

  “I’m going to take this binder home with me,” Martha said. “It’s safer. Tomorrow’s my day off. Today, now, I guess. You can meet me and my daughter at my house.”

  “Got it,” Ava said. “May I have your phone number so I can let you know when I’m close?”

  Martha gave her phone number. Ava put it into her phone.

  “Address?” Ava asked.

  Martha gave Ava her home address.

  “Don’t tell a soul,” Ava said. “I mean, your daughter is probably okay but no one else.”

  “Got it,” Martha said. “I’ll see you this afternoon.”

  “I’ll be there,” Ava said.

  Martha hung up the phone.

  Ava limped her way to her bed. She couldn’t face a shower, so she changed into her bed clothing and fell into bed. Seth stirred when she got into bed, but he didn’t wake. Ava set her alarm for six in the morning.

  She fell into a dreamless sleep and awoke to her alarm clock. Seth rolled over to look at her.

  “Crazy day,” Ava said. She kissed him. “Go back to sleep.”

  He stroked her face and went back to sleep.

  Ava got out of bed, took a shower, swallowed down her pain meds, and got dressed. She went downstairs to find an empty kitchen. She made a pot of coffee. While she waited, she called Bob and Nelson and explained what she thought was going on. Luckily, the men agreed to go with her to Mancos.

  She poured coffee into three travel mug and left messages for Leslie and Fran. She caught Joan before her early morning walk. Joan confirmed that she would not speak about the case to her FBI husband. Ava doctored her coffee and put the top on the travel mug.

  Grabbing her backpack, she tucked the travel mugs of coffee into the backpack and went out through the backyard to the garage.

  The team SUV was sitting in their secure garage. As she’d learned to do, she checked the vehicle for explosives or other tampering. The vehicle seemed to be exactly as it was when she’d parked it here before getting shot.

  She started the SUV and pulled out of the garage. She waited for the garage door to close before heading off to fill the SUV with gasoline. She picked up Bob, and they drove to Nelson’s house.

  Nelson was standing on the street with a bag full of warm blueberry-lemon muffins that his partner had made for their journey. Nelson insisted on driving, so Ava got into the back.

  They set off for Mancos.

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  Eight

  “Ava?” Nelson said from his spot behind the wheel.

  Ava had climbed into the back of the SUV. They’d laughed and talked their way out of town, but once they’d driven past Buena Vista on the 285, she’d lain down on her side and fallen sound asleep.

  “She’s completely out,” Bob said.

  Bob reached around to shake her. His hand touched her thigh. She gasped and sat up.

  “Ow,” Ava said.

  “Your leg is hot to the touch,” Bob said, glancing at Nelson. “Is it okay?”

  “I’m fine,” Ava said. “Just tired. What’s going on?”

  “Why don’t you let Nelson take a look when we stop?” Bob asked.

  Nelson nodded.

  “Sure,” Ava said. Looking around, she asked, “Where are we?”

  “We just about to enter Mancos,” Nelson said. “Do you have the address?”

  Ava rattled off the address to Martha’s house. Mancos is nine blocks of civilization in the middle of mountain desert nothing. They continued on the 160 until they turned right. Nelson stopped for gas. While they filled up the SUV, Ava dragged herself to the bathroom to brush her hair and throw water on her face. When she stood up from the toilet, she was surprised at how painful her leg was to stand on.

  She limped her way back to the SUV. She made it into the back seat. With the door open, she sat on the bar seat and rolled her yoga pants up to look at her surgical scar. Her thigh was swollen and felt hot, even to her.

  Nelson came to her and looked at her leg. He grabbed her wrist to check her pulse. He scowled and touched her forehead.

  “Does it hurt?” Nelson asked.

  “A lot,” Ava said
. “It’s been doing so well. I don’t have any idea why it’s so sore.”

  “Lack of sleep, heavy work pressures, driving across the state,” Nelson said. “It looks infected. Can you hold on until we get back to town?”

  Ava nodded.

  “I’m going to head in, and then we’ll get to Martha’s,” Nelson said. “I’ll check your leg again when we’re done with Martha. If it’s as hot or hotter, we’re going to stop at the pharmacy and get some antibiotics and pain meds.”

  “Okay,” Ava said.

  “No arguments,” Nelson said.

  “No arguments,” Ava said.

  “It must really hurt,” Nelson said.

  Ava nodded. Nelson went into the gas station to use the restroom. Bob came out of the station and got into the passenger seat.

  “Did he take a look?” Bob asked.

  “It’s infected,” Ava said.

  “Great news!” Bob said with a sigh. “Could this case get any worse?”

  “Yes,” Ava said, chuckling. “We could have a psychopath chasing us.”

  “That would be so normal for us,” Bob said.

  Bob and Ava laughed. Nelson came out of the gas station and got into the driver’s seat. He started the SUV and turned on the navigation GPS. They drove out of the gas station and turned in the direction of Martha’s home.

  “In 100 yards, turn right,” the navigation GPS said. “To reach your destination, turn right in 100 yards.”

  Nelson turned right.

  “Oh. shit,” Bob said.

  Ava leaned forward from the back seat so that she could see what was going on.

  “Your destination is on your right,” the navigation GPS said. “You have arrived at your destination.”

  “It just got worse,” Ava said.

  Nelson pulled the SUV to a stop at the police caution tape that was stretched across the street. A house on the right was ablaze. Bright yellow flames shot through what had been the roof. The fire had already spread to the roof of the house next door. What had once been a perfect green lawn was brown from the heat of the fire and covered with shards of broken glass from when the heat had blown the windows outward.

  Martha’s house was surrounded by firemen. Water from multiple fire hoses poured into the house and onto the one next door.

  “I assume that the house on fire is Martha’s house,” Bob said.

  “Yep,” Ava said.

  “They are loading someone into the ambulance,” Nelson said. He turned off the vehicle and got out. “I’m going to get some antibiotics.”

  Nelson jogged over to the ambulances just as a thirty-something woman was about to step in.

  “Who are you?” the woman asked.

  The woman’s face was a mask of suspicion and rage.

  “Dr. Nelson Weeks,” Nelson said.

  “From Denver?” the woman asked.

  Nelson gave her a slight nod. The woman seemed to relax. An errant tear slid down her face, but she wiped it way with her hand.

  “Your mother?” Nelson asked.

  She nodded.

  “How is she?” Nelson asked.

  “I don’t know,” she said. “I just got here.”

  “I’ll go see,” Nelson said, stepping into the ambulance.

  He spoke with the paramedics and stepped out of the ambulance.

  “She was watering the garden in the back when the house went up,” Nelson said. “She has a mannequin?”

  “She makes clothing in her spare time,” Martha’s daughter said. “My daughter has a dance, and Mom’s been working on her dress.”

  “She set the mannequin up so it was in the window,” Nelson said. “Behind a filmy drape.”

  “And?” Martha’s daughter asked.

  “They shot the mannequin and set the house on fire,” Nelson said. “She was standing in the garden when it happened. She turned toward the house, and the windows blew out. She was hit by a piece of window in her arm and passed out from the pain. She hit her head when she fell backwards.”

  “She’s okay?” Martha’s daughter’s voice cracked as she spoke.

  “Yes,” Nelson said. “They’ll check her out at the hospital. My guess is that she’ll stay overnight, and she’ll be out tomorrow.”

  “Really?” Martha’s daughter asked.

  “Really,” Nelson said. “I need to give my colleague a shot, and we need to get a set of missing-person reports.”

  “But. . .” Martha’s daughter said.

  “She said that they are in the shed,” Nelson said. “She said that you have a key. If that’s true, we should get them in case whoever did that comes back or is still here.”

  Nelson gestured to the growing crowd of people who came to watch the action.

  “I’ll show you,” Martha’s daughter said. “I have the key in my pocket.”

  “Great,” Nelson said. “We’ll take you to the hospital when we’re done.”

  “Deal,” Martha’s daughter said.

  Nelson gestured to the SUV. Bob jogged over to them, and Ava stumbled behind. The ambulance doors closed. They followed Martha to a shed in the back of the garden.

  Martha’s daughter took out a key and unlocked the door. She went into the shed and returned with three-ring binder filled with single sheet documents.

  “Ava?” Martha’s daughter asked.

  “That’s me,” Ava said.

  “Tessa, Tessa Greenfield,” she said. “I’m Martha’s eldest daughter.”

  “The lawyer?” Ava asked.

  “I’m the DA here,” Tessa said.

  “Nice to meet you,” Ava said. “Shall we head to the hospital to see your mom?”

  Tears suddenly rolling down her face, Tessa bit her lip and nodded. They walked back to the SUV. Ava sat down on the seat behind the driver’s seat, and Nelson came to her. He took a vial from his pocket and filled a syringe.

  “Pull up your pant leg,” Nelson said.

  Ava rolled up her yoga-pants leg. Before she could complain, Nelson jabbed the syringe into her thigh.

  “Yaow!” Ava said.

  “We’ll get ice at the hospital,” Nelson said.

  Nelson shook his head and started to move away.

  “What?” Ava asked when he stepped into the driver’s seat.

  “How long has it been since you had surgery for that leg?” Nelson asked.

  “Six weeks,” Ava said.

  “And we were forced back for this crap?” Nelson gestured to the house.

  The house had burned nearly to the ground. The flame was now out in Martha’s house and the house next door. The firefighters were flooding what was left of the houses with water.

  “It’s very weird,” Tessa said. “Nothing ever happens here. Nothing. My mom insists on working at the Marshal’s office because it’s so boring here. She finds this case and. . .”

  Tessa shook her head.

  “Where are they taking her?” Bob asked, turning around to look at Tessa.

  “I assumed that they are taking her to the hospital in Cortez,” Tessa said.

  “Mercy,” Nelson said. “In Durango.”

  He looked at Tessa in the rearview mirror.

  “They were concerned because your mother has had a terrible fright,” Nelson said. “She’s elderly. They want to make sure that she has all of the services she needs to get checked out thoroughly.”

  “Tessa, should we call someone for you?” Ava asked.

  Tessa shook her head.

  “I’m in the middle of getting divorced,” Tessa said. She started crying in earnest. “We’re living with my sister. My mom’s been like a rock for me. We lost a baby. I was eight months and. . . We just couldn’t get past it.”

  Bob glanced at Nelson. He gave Bob a slight smile, and Bob turned around in his seat. Ava put her arm around Tessa and softly stroked her back.

  “That’s a horrible thing to have happened,” Bob said.

  “My daughter is from another relationship, but he said our baby’s death
was my fault,” Tessa said. “That I was a freak — but when they did the autopsy it was something in his genes. When they told us. . . He knew. He knew that his genes were messed up, but he. . . and I. . .”

  Bob reached over the front seat and held Tessa’s hand.

  They drove for a while this way until Tessa stopped crying.

  “I’m so sorry,” Tessa said. “I don’t even know you.”

  “You know us now,” Ava said. “That’s Bob Parrish.”

  “The Bob Parrish?” Tessa said. “FBI forensics?”

  “That’s me,” Bob said.

  “How do you know Bob?’ Ava asked.

  “I’m kind of a forensics geek,” Tessa said. “I follow your lab, Ava, on social media. I’m always talking about the amazing work you do. I think forensics is awesome.”

  “It’s all in the details,” Ava said.

  Tessa nodded to Ava.

  Lost in their own thoughts, they drove in silence for the half hour it took to get to Durango. Nelson parked in the Mercy Hospital Emergency parking lot. They all got out.

  When Ava put pressure on her leg, she screamed with pain and collapsed. Nelson caught her and carried her into the emergency entrance.

  “Nelson Weeks, MD,” Nelson said to the nurse at the front desk. “I’m an ED doctor from Denver. This is Ava O’Malley. She had surgery six weeks ago for a broken femur, which now appears to have picked up an infection. I gave her an injection of Cephalexin into the wound.”

  The nurse leaned forward to look at Nelson’s Denver Health identification badge.

  “Do you know who Seth O’Malley is?” Nelson said.

  “The piano prodigy and detective?” the nurse asked. “Of course, I know who he is. Who doesn’t?”

  “That’s his wife,” Nelson said.

  The nurse gestured for Nelson to come around, and Nelson set Ava on a gurney. Still unconscious, Ava was rolled back into the Emergency Department.

  Nelson went out to the Emergency waiting area.

  “Let’s go find your mom,” Nelson said to Tessa.

  “What about Ava?” Bob asked.

  “She needs surgery,” Nelson said with a nod. He looked around the waiting room. “My guess is that she’ll be in surgery in an hour.”

  “We’d better call O’Malley, or he will be pissed,” Bob said.

  “Let’s find Martha first,” Nelson said.

  “You take Tessa and find Martha,” Bob said. “I’ll call O’Malley.”