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Da
“Shut up, you arrogant prick.” The playful tone dropped from his voice. “She’s okay. But you just be very careful what you say to our friends, huh?”
It all fell together. Somehow Evan must have known that he’d been brought in for questioning. This was his way of making sure Da
“Good boy. Gotta go.”
And then the phone went dead.
Oh God. The unthinkable had somehow gotten worse. He didn’t buy Evan’s deal for a second. There was no way he’d let Karen go, not now. He’d almost certainly kill Tommy and Richard, and they were far less dangerous to him. If Da
One of them hers.
Detective Matthews stepped over and looked at Da
For a moment, Da
He was the only hope Karen and the others had.
Da
39
The two-way glass between them dimmed Da
“How do you want to do this?” Matthews asked.
“I’ll start alone.” Nolan straightened his tie, fingers feeling as clumsy as usual. Every morning Mary-Louise tied him a perfect half-Windsor – it was part of her morning ritual, a domestic incantation to bring him home safe – but by day’s end, the knot had usually degenerated into a lumpy half-hitch.
“You know, the dude seems awfully cool. You sure he’s dirty?” Matthews asked.
Nolan smiled. “Your experience, how’s somebody done nothing wrong react when you put the cuffs on?”
“They start telling me I don’t need them.”
“Exactly.” Nolan made a final tug at his tie. “Da
Da
“So,” he said, “I’m obligated to remind you that you can have counsel here if you like.”
“Do I need it?”
Nolan shrugged. “I just want to ask you a few questions.”
“This is about Patrick?” Da
“Mostly.”
“I can’t believe what happened. We’re still shocked. If there’s anything I can do to help, I’d be glad to.”
The mask was back up, Nolan noticed. “Let’s start with you telling me how you knew him.”
“We grew up together.” Da
Still, Nolan let him talk, prompting here and there with questions to keep it flowing. Timing was crucial. He spent more than an hour establishing the basics, just letting Da
“You guys have been friends all along, right? So you knew what he did.” Nolan made it a statement, holding his gaze on Da
“Sure.” Da
“And you felt okay being friends with a felon? I mean,” he paused, readying the barb, “this guy was a real piece of shit.”
A vein in Da
“Yeah?” He paused, changed tacks, trying to keep Da
“This?” Da
“That scratch up your hands, too?”
Da
Nolan didn’t return the smile. “I was wondering if maybe it had to do with that thing you came to see me about.”
“Evan?” Da
Fifteen years as a cop gave you an eye for reactions. Da
“I guess he realized I wasn’t much of a target for a shakedown.” He shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe he got tired of the weather. Either way, I haven’t heard from him.”
Nolan nodded slowly. It was a good play. Any admitted contact with Evan would give Nolan something to hammer away at. He knew Da
Unfortunately, evidence was in short supply. Unless circumstances changed, the only way he was going to get somewhere was if Da
“So who killed Patrick?”
The sudden change of topic seemed to throw Da
“I think you do.” Sean stood up and leaned into the table, his hands on it, using the height advantage to bring more power to his gaze. Da
“Huh?” His tone stu
“I think you hired him to get rid of Evan, and Evan took him down. Which means, basically, you killed him.”
Da
“We’ve got you on tape, asking Patrick to call you about a job. Sounding desperate. This is a couple days after Patrick’s supposed to have finished Evan off, and you’re getting worried.”
“What tape?” Da
“Come on, Da
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Remember,” Nolan said, trying a different direction, “Evan is still out there. And I’m sure he figured out who sent Patrick after him. You’re going to need protection.” He could see that something was churning in Da
Da
“Help us out and this can all be over.”
He’d made his play, and knew he’d hit a nerve. Nolan kept his eyes hard, his body language aggressive, wanting Da