Exit Wounds - J. A. Jance [91]
Suddenly, a dial tone replaced the sound of Edith Mossman’s voice.
“She hung up on me,” George said, staring first at the phone and then at Joanna.
“I don’t think she liked what you had to say.”
“No kidding! But it’s true. My job is to release the body to the mortuary. It’s up to the family to figure out who takes charge from there.”
“Mr. Mossman to see you,” Nell Long announced over the intercom.
“Saved by the bell,” George Winfield said, raising an eyebrow as he rose to greet the newcomer Nell Long showed into his office.
Somehow Joanna had expected there to be more to Eddie Mossman than what she saw. He was a pint-size bantam rooster of man, only an inch or two taller than Joanna’s five feet four. Wiry and tanned, he had a bottle-brush mustache and piercing blue eyes. For some reason, he seemed familiar, even though Joanna doubted she had ever seen him before.
“Dr. Winfield?” Mossman asked.
George nodded. “That would be me,” he said. “And this,” he added, indicating Joanna, “is Sheriff Joanna Brady.”
Edward Mossman wasn’t interested in pleasantries. “As I told you on the phone, I’m here for Carol’s body.”
“And as I told you on the phone, it hasn’t been released yet,” George returned evenly. “I haven’t yet prepared the death certificate. When it’s finished, I’ll be releasing the body to Norm Higgins at Higgins Mortuary and Funeral Chapel. I believe your mother has already discussed arrangements with them. If you want to change those, you’ll have to discuss it with them and her.”
“I’ve already been to see Norm Higgins. Tried to, anyway. Since Mother has already made a deposit on those ‘arrangements,’ as you call them, no one at the Higgins outfit will give me the time of day. I want the body to go to someone else. I’ve contacted a mortuary over in Nogales that’s accustomed to transporting bodies in and out of Mexico. I want you to release Carol’s body to them.”
“I’m sure Norm Higgins could assist you with that as well,” George Winfield replied. “In the meantime, I think it would be more to the point if you and your mother met and sorted this whole thing out before you involve some other mortuary in an already complicated situation. Your mother—”
“My mother’s an interfering old lady,” Ed Mossman said. “She has no right to usurp my authority like this. After all, I am Carol’s father. Doesn’t that give me some right to decide about things like this? And who the hell are you to say that I don’t? If I have to go back there, find Carol, and carry her out of here myself, my daughter’s body is coming back to Mexico with me. Understand?”
With that and still bristling with anger, Ed Mossman slammed his doubled-up fist on the top of George’s desk. The Tiffany crystal clock Eleanor had given her new husband as a wedding present skittered toward the edge of the desk. George caught it in time and returned it to its original place.
Thinking things had gone far enough, Joanna stepped into the fray. “Excuse me, Mr. Mossman,” she put in. “If you’ll allow me—”
“Allow you what? I believe I was speaking with Dr. Winfield here,” Mossman growled at her. “I don’t remember anyone asking for your opinion.”
“No one asked because they don’t have to. I get to give my opinion, because it happens that my department is investigating your daughter’s murder,” Joanna returned evenly. “Like it or not, that means you’ll be speaking to me and to my investigators. In the meantime, Mr. Mossman, I would advise you to have a seat and adopt a less threatening demeanor. If not, I’ll be forced to call for backup and throw you in jail for disturbing the peace. Is that clear?”
“I’ll try to keep that in mind,” Ed Mossman sneered, but he did settle himself into a chair.
“Good,” Joanna said. She reached into her purse, removed her cell phone, and used her one-touch dialing system to reach Dispatch. “Are either Detective Carbajal or Ernie Carpenter in yet?” she asked.
“Jaime’s here at the office,” Larry Kendrick said. “As I understand