Read Online A Crying Shame by William W. Johnstone - Free Book Online Page B

until he was out of breath. Joe sat calmly, taking it without comment, impassively waiting until Mike wound down.
    I’ll forgive you for that, Mike,” Joe finally said, after taking a deep breath.But I still won’t tell a lie. I know and you know the people have a right to know about those beasts of the devil.”
    Mike slammed a hand on his desk top, rattling a pencil holder, almost overturning a half-filled cup of coffee.Beasts of the devil? What in hell are you preaching about now, you asshole?”
    Joe folded his arms across his chest and shut his mouth.
    Joe? Listen to me! I’ve got a call in to Governor Parker’s office right now. I’ve spoken with Captain Sundra of the LHP and he agrees with what I’m doing. He thinks the governor will, too. Both judges here agree with me. We’ve got to sit on this for a time. Got to have some thinking room. You’re a minority of one, Joe.”
    Joe remained silent, but his eyes were blistering with fury—the eyes of a religious fanatic.
    Joe ... you’re a good cop, a bulldog, but you’re letting your religion get the best of you on this one. It’s overriding common sense. I’ll make a deal with you.”
    The hot eyes narrowed suspiciously.
    Maybe those things . . . those creatures, are the beasts of the devil. I don’t know, Joe. I know that what I saw—we saw—is a beast, for a fact. You want to rewrite this report stating the murderers were some sort of devil-worshipers ... fine, go ahead. You can even use the word inhuman if you want to; just be damned sure you use it in the right place and context. ’Cause, Joe, if you fuck me on this one, I’ll put your ass in isolated protective custody so far back in the woods somebody will have to pump daylight to you. Then I’ll tell everyone you went to L.A. for two weeks to a law-enforcement school.”
    You’d do that to me, Mike? To me?”
    Try me, Joe.” Mike’s voice was harder than the chief deputy had ever heard it.
    Joe sighed, picked up the report, slowly got to his feet. Yes, he thought. Yes, Mike would do just that.All right, Mike, I’ll ... rewrite this report. But I think you’re wrong. I think those . . . beasts are going to cause a lot more misery and bloodshed than you realize.”
    I hope you’re wrong, Joe.”
    I do, too. But if I’m right—and I think I am—it’s all on your head. And mine, too, now.” He left the room. Mike heard him say:I’ll have an official statement for you in about an hour, Mr. Blackwell.”
    It’s about damned time!”
    The phone buzzed on Mike’s desk.Yeah?”
    Governor on line four, Sheriff.”
    Yes, Governor?”
    I just spoke with Colonel Jeansonne of the LHP. He’s spoken with Captain Sundra of your distract. Monsters, Mike? I mean . . . beasts?”
    That is correct, sir. Monsters. Beasts. Right out of a horror movie.”
    A pause from Baton Rouge. A sigh.This is not a joke, now, Mike? I know how you guys like to kid around up there.”
    No joke, sir. The thing just last night killed Paul Breaux out at Despair Plantation and tried to attack—abduct, we believe—Paul’s sister, Linda.”
    I know the family. Fine old family. Jesus! I hear you’ve got some sort of mercenary working with you on this. Jon Badon. Colonel Jeansonne pulled the FBI package on him, Mike; he’s a bad one. Hired gun.”
    Yes, sir. I know he used to be. But I just deputized him about three hours ago. Special investigator.”
    Governor Parker’s reply to that, had it been printed and broadcast, would have cost him every Baptist vote in the state.
    Mike let the chief executive of the state of Louisiana cuss for half a minute.
    All right, Mike,” he finally said.Play it your way. What’s the plan?”
    We sit on it, sir.”
    For how long?”
    For just as long as it takes, sir.”
    Takes to do what,