Mona chuckled, “It’s not always high tech. We used personal emails.”
“I’ll be. I think I’m too paranoid sometimes.”
“Doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.”
At that moment, Sheriff Danny Montoya walked by and saw them through the window. He gave Hunter a hand signal saying he was coming to her.
Mona drank the last of her coffee, packed up the laptop, put a tip on the table as she said, “I need to finish packing. I drive to Midland tonight and fly out tomorrow morning.”
“You don’t waste any time, I’ll give you that.”
“This trip is going to be a vacation just to de-stress. I’ll wait until the last few days of it to look for a place to buy, Then I’ll be back. Take care of yourself.” She left, stopped to say hello to the Sheriff, then went out the door and down the street.
The Sheriff sat in Mona’s chair, “Want to go with me to see if Riffey’s in his apartment?”
“His apartment’s here in Alpine?”
“Nope, Presidio. I was here buying a few things at Morrison’s hardware when I got a call. Seems like an old couple was talking to neighbors about events and heard that one of the fugitives was named Riffey.
They just happen to be renting an apartment above their garage to someone by that name. I have two deputies watching the place now, in case he comes out or enters.”
“You don’t know if he’s inside?”
“That is what I’m going to find out. And you can come along if you want.”
“I need to call my PAIC.”
“I already talked to him, and he okayed it. But you don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”
Hunter put two dollars on the table and stood. “Seems like a good day for a drive to Presidio. I’ll leave my truck at the house if you’ll pick me up.”
“You got it.”
CHAPTER 9
Danny took the key from the Lermas and led the way up the stairs to the apartment. Hunter stood to the side, pistol out as he opened the door and entered. She followed and moved to the left.
The apartment was empty, except for Riffey’s clothes and a few dirty dishes in the sink. Danny called up the two deputies to inventory everything and take items for samples of DNA. Hunter said, “He left a good bit of stuff here.”
Danny said, “I think he’s close. Maybe in Ojinaga, or at some other house here in town. He’s not ready to leave.”
“Think he’s planning something?”
“We have to believe he is.”
Hunter holstered her pistol. “He warned us last time, gave us information that helped.”
“So you think he’s on our side?”
“I don’t know. I’m not sure he knows.”
Danny said, “His record was all minor offenses for drinking, weed, nothing violent.”
“He’s a vet, too.”
“Afghanistan, one tour.”
Hunter shook her head, “I can’t figure him out.”