10:00 P.M., Saturday, April 10
Sedona, Arizona
“You’re not going to believe what’s going on around here,” Ali told B. later that night when he called to say good night. She went on to give him a shorthand version of what her parents had told her about selling the Sugarloaf.
“And that’s not the half of it,” she added. “My mother has no intention of retiring. Once they get moved, she’s planning to run for mayor of Sedona. When she dropped the mayor bomb at the dinner table, I thought Dad was going to have a coronary on the spot.”
To Ali’s dismay, B. seemed to find the whole idea exceptionally funny. “That’s what I like about your parents,” he said. “They’re always full of surprises. On the one hand, your mother figures she’s old enough to live in a retirement community, but on the other, young enough to start a career in politics! Sounds like she wants to have it both ways.”
“That’s pretty much what my father said,” Ali conceded. “And when she let on that she hoped I’d agree to be her campaign manager, he lit into me and accused me of keeping the whole mayor-run thing a secret from him.”
“Had you been keeping it a secret?”
“Since I only found out about it this afternoon, I don’t see how I can be considered guilty as charged.”
“If your dad is as upset as you say he is, what are the chances he’ll try to back out of signing the papers on Monday?”
“I suppose it could happen,” Ali said, “but I doubt it.”
“From my point of view, your mother could be a great mayor,” B. added. “She’s short on political theory and long on common sense. That might be an excellent combination for public office.”
“Not according to my father,” Ali said with a laugh.
“How are you with all this?” B. asked.
“I’m not sure. I should be happy that they have a chance to retire while they’re young enough and healthy enough to do things they want to do …”
“I think I’m hearing an unstated ‘but’ in there,” B. said.
“The Sugarloaf has always been part of our family,” she said. “Even when I was living out of state and only home for the holidays, everything revolved around the restaurant.”
“Change is tough,” B. said. “Even change for the better.”
“Thanks,” she said. “I’ll try to keep that in mind when I’m on my way to Tucson tomorrow.”
“What for?”
“Donnatelle called tonight. Things have just gotten way worse for Jose and Teresa Reyes. Jose’s boss, the Santa Cruz County sheriff, stopped by the hospital earlier to let Teresa, Jose’s very pregnant wife, know that evidence found at the crime scene has put Jose under suspicion of drug trafficking. And Teresa’s former mother-in-law evidently rode in on her broom this afternoon in time to hear all about the drug-dealing allegations. Now she’s questioning if her granddaughters-her deceased son’s children-are being raised in a ‘suitable’ environment. Donnatelle is concerned that she might be considering launching a custody fight.”
“Alleging drug dealing is a long way from being convicted of same,” B. observed.
“That’s true,” Ali agreed, “but with everything that’s going on, I’m not sure Teresa can make that distinction. According to Donnatelle, the scene at the hospital was the straw that broke the camel’s back. She’s afraid Teresa might have a total breakdown, and she knows her pretty well. I’m going down first thing in the morning to see what, if anything, I can do to help.”
“Like what?” B. prompted.
“Like be there,” Ali said. “Sometimes that’s the only thing you can do.”
Lying awake after she got off the phone with B., Ali thought of something else she could do. While Teresa was dealing with the immediate health crisis, it probably hadn’t occurred to her that Jose might need a good criminal defense attorney every bit as much as he needed quality medical care.
In the long run and as a police officer, Jose would probably qualify for help from the Arizona Police Officer Legal Defense Fund, but that might take time and paperwork. But what about the short run? According to Donnatelle, the DPS investigator had not yet come by the hospital to interview either Jose or Teresa. Maybe that was something Ali could do-make sure that when it did happen, there would be someone on tap, looking out for their best interests.