Free Hold of the Bone by Baxter Clare Trautman

City?”
    â€œAt a body shop on Western Avenue. They were doing some work and dug up what we believe are his remains.”
    â€œHow do you know it’s him?”
    Frank notes that Sal seems more curious than upset. “Like I said, we can’t be certain until we get the dental records from the VA, but he had some identification on him.”
    â€œWhat kind of identification?”
    â€œI’d rather not say. Some details haven’t been released yet.”
    â€œI see.” She glances at the ground as if it offers encouragement, then back to Frank. “You said he was buried?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œAt a body shop.” Arriving at the obvious conclusion, she states, “You’re saying he was murdered.”
    â€œThat’s what it looks like.”
    â€œI see.”
    Frank wonders what she sees. After this much time it’s understandable that Sal’s not upset about her father’s death, but it’s odd she’s not concerned he was murdered.
    â€œIs that all? Can I go now?”
    â€œIs that all? Your father was murdered, Miss Saladino.”
    â€œI understand that. But to me he’s been dead a long time.”
    â€œOkay, but I still need to ask more questions.”
    â€œMy dogs are penned. I don’t like to keep them waiting.”
    â€œIt won’t take long. If I could—”
    â€œAm I under arrest?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œI’m going home. If you want me, that’s where I’ll be.” Sal thuds up the steps into the store. The screen slams behind her.
    Frank appeals to Gomez. “Well?”
    â€œWell, Jesus, Mary, and her husband Jo. I was off at two, you know.”
    An engine growls and Sal drives from behind the store in a rusted pickup. Sun and dust have faded it the color of Sal’s eyes, the same pale blue of the summer sky.
    Waving the dust away, Gomez wags her head sorrowfully. “Come on, City. Let’s go. May as well get this over with. You go up there on your own, you’re liable to get lost and I’d have to go in and find you anyway.”
    Frank hesitates. “I don’t want to put you out.”
    â€œIf you dilly-dally another damn minute, I might change my mind. You coming or not?”
    Frank listens to the fading pickup and wonders where it will lead. She nods at Gomez. “Let’s go.”

Chapter 11
    A couple hundred yards from the store, the paved road ends behind a locked gate. Sal has left it open and Gomez drives through.
    â€œWant to close it?” she asks Frank with more command than question.
    Already Sal’s dust is settling and her pickup is out of sight. Frank bolts the gate and before she can shut the squad car’s door Gomez accelerates after the vanished pickup. Lifting a rooster tail of dust, she says, “Better roll your window up unless you still want to be eating this at dinnertime.”
    Frank does but already fine grit covers the dashboard. “How far do we have to go?”
    Gomez laughs. “Sit back, City. We’re just getting started.”
    The road climbs steadily between emerald fields of alfalfa and vineyard. The vines are broad and gnarled. Frank comments that they look old.
    â€œThey are. Aliottis planted them long before anyone had heard of California wine. They used to make some of the best in the county, but now they sell all their grapes to some winery down south. I forget which one. Going to do any wine tasting while you’re here?”
    â€œI don’t think so.”
    â€œWell, you should. We’ve got some of the best wineries in the world.”
    The green crops give way to yellow grassland dotted with cattle and broad oaks. Stealthy gray fingers of chaparral reach down from the mountains. Gomez pauses at an unmarked crossroads.
    â€œI thought you knew where you were going?”
    â€œIf you hadn’t dragged your feet getting in the car, I wouldn’t have lost her.”
    Frank