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can’t believe you’d go out there without calling me. We’re supposed to be working this case together, Chief St. Claire. How can we do that if you cut me out?”
    Maybe Sophia wouldn’t have tried to cut her out if she could trust her. But Lindstrom had been childhood friends with Leonard Taylor’s sister, and she’d made it clear that she didn’t think Leonard was guilty of wrongdoing. Besides that, the woman was a high-strung pain in the butt. With her red hair slicked back into an unforgiving ponytail, she even looked uptight.
    â€œYou’re a bit too intense, you know that?” She closed the door. “Any chance you could calm down?”
    Lindstrom’s eyes widened despite the pull of that ponytail and her mouth opened and closed several times. “Calm down? How do you expect me to react to what you did?”
    Pretty much the way she was reacting. But Sophia’s first obligation was to bring a killer to justice, and she had to protect herself and her job at the same time. As much as she wanted to believe these murders weren’t politically motivated, the possibility remained. From what she knew about Leonard and those who’d rallied around him, she wouldn’t put it past Lindstrom to “miss” some clue or sit on a piece of evidence long enough to make sure she was publicly shamed, maybe even fired, before the case was solved.
    â€œLook, we have a job to do, so why don’t we get to it?” Sophia said.
    â€œAnd forget about this morning?”
    â€œWhy not? It wasn’t that big a deal.”
    â€œYou know it was,” she said. “But you won’t have control much longer.”
    Sophia straightened. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    â€œThe FBI is putting together a task force. They won’t tolerate anyone who plays the maverick.”
    Contrary to what Lindstrom seemed to believe, Sophia welcomed the help. In fact, she’d requested it. “You think I don’t know they’re planning to get involved? I just wish they’d hurry. Because of those shake-ups in the Sierra Vista Resident Agency, they haven’t been able to get on it as quickly as I’d hoped.”
    â€œYou want their help but not mine?”
    â€œThey’re not good friends with my enemies.”
    â€œYou’re the only one who can’t leave the past where it belongs. And I’m tired of you trying to stonewall me. Sheriff Cooper will hear about this.”
    â€œFine. Call him right now if that’s what it’ll take to get you to focus on something else.” Sophia wasn’t too worried. She knew Cooper liked her. They’d already discussed her concerns about Dinah. He’d explained that he didn’t have anyone else he could assign right now and asked her to have patience and do the best she could. He’d also said that he, too, had contacted the FBI.
    She and the detective had a stare-down. Finally Lindstrom huffed, set her bag on the floor and sank into the worn seat opposite Sophia’s desk. “What did you find this morning?”
    Sophia took the brown sack containing the shell casings from her desk and handed it over.
    Lindstrom opened the top and gazed down at them. “What’s with the bulge?”
    â€œI don’t know, but a defect like that would be handy if we ever came up with the murder weapon.”
    â€œLooks like a .45 of some sort.” There was still a sulky quality to her voice.
    â€œI’m hoping a ballistics expert can tell us the make of the gun.”
    â€œUnlikely. There might be fingerprints, though. Have you checked?”
    â€œI’m leaving that for the crime lab.”
    Lindstrom returned the sack with the shell casings. “Anything else?”
    â€œFive hundred pesos. A love note. And a number.” Sophia slid the paper she’d just used to make that call across her desk so Lindstrom could see it.
    â€œThat’s not a