Judgment Call Read Online Free PDF Page A

Toni?”
    â€œAccording to a spokesman for the Bisbee Police Department, when officers were dispatched to Ms. Highsmith’s residence in Bisbee’s San Jose neighborhood, they found no evidence of a struggle or of foul play. Her vehicle, a white 2006 VW Passat with Arizona plate number AZU-657, is also missing. At this point, officers assisted by K-9 teams are doing a thorough search of the nearby area. They’re also checking with area hospitals to see if Ms. Highsmith may have suffered some kind of medical emergency. Anyone with knowledge of her whereabouts is urged to contact the Bisbee Police Department.”
    â€œLet’s hope they’re able to find her,” the anchor said, “but it turns out Ms. Highsmith’s disappearance isn’t the only news from Bisbee today. What else is going on?”
    â€œAs many of our viewers realize, we’ve been doing daily coverage of the trial of Alma DeLong, a Tucson-area businesswoman who owned Caring Friends, a now-defunct organization that operated inpatient care for Alzheimer’s patients all over southern Arizona. Second-degree homicide charges were lodged against Ms. DeLong in the deaths of three people who died while being housed at the Caring Friends Palominas facility. After a weeklong trial in Cochise County Superior Court and after almost two days of deliberation, the jury returned their verdict late this afternoon. Ms. DeLong was found guilty on all three homicide charges and on the charge of resisting arrest. She was found innocent on a related charge of assaulting a police officer.
    â€œHere’s what the son of one of the victims had to say after the verdict was rendered.”
    The screen switched over to a view of Bobby Fletcher standing outside the courtroom door, flanked on one side by Arlee Jones and on the other by Joanna.
    â€œHey, why didn’t you tell us you were going to be on TV tonight?” Butch wanted to know.
    â€œBecause I didn’t know for sure that I was. Besides, it was a walk-on appearance only. No spoken lines.”
    â€œAnd the case Jenny’s annoyed about is the one involving the missing principal?”
    Joanna nodded. “That would be it, since Debra Highsmith happens to be Jenny’s principal.”
    â€œWas that a live feed just now?” Butch asked.
    â€œI think so. Why?”
    â€œThat means they still haven’t found her.”
    â€œEvidently.”
    â€œIf it’s not your case, what’s the problem with talking to Jenny about it?”
    â€œWhat if she ended up carrying tales to school about it? That could cause trouble down the road, especially if what happened to Debra Highsmith turns out to be something more serious than her just going out for a solitary evening drive.”
    â€œThe reporter made it sound like she might have landed in a hospital somewhere.”
    â€œLet’s hope that’s all it is,” Joanna said. “Debra Highsmith has never been one of my favorite people, but I’d hate to see something bad happen to her.”
    A few minutes later, when the weather came on, Butch switched off the television set. “This is Arizona. The weather tomorrow is going to be just like the weather today. What say we go to bed?”
    They did. Their bedroom door had a lock on it, and they made good use of same. Afterward, Joanna slept like a baby. When the rooster-crowing ring of her cell phone jarred her awake the next morning, it was full daylight and the clock on the nightstand said 6:47. When she saw Jenny’s number on the caller ID readout, Joanna assumed Butch had forgotten to unlock the bedroom door before they went to sleep.
    â€œMom, Mom,” Jenny sobbed into the phone. “You have to come quick. I just found Ms. Highsmith.”
    Joanna sat up in bed, trying to get her head around what was going on. “You found her here?” she demanded. “At the house?”
    â€œI’m not at the house!”