two and bandaged the man’s hand as best he could with
the strips. The man’s eyes flickered open, showing white for a second before
the pupils rolled down. He tried to sit up.
“Lie still,” said
Harlan, holding him down.
“I can’t breathe.” The
man’s voice came in a strangled gasp.
“Where is he?”
“I need an ambulance.”
“I’ll call one as soon
as you tell me where Ethan Reed is.”
“How would I know
that?” The man groaned. Spittle muddied with blood dribbled from the edges of
his mouth.
“Listen to me, you’ve
probably got serious internal injuries. You might not have long left to live.
This could be your last chance to make amends, to save your soul. So why don’t
you tell me where Ethan Reed is?”
“Oh God,” whimpered the
man. “Oh God. I didn’t want to hurt anybody…I didn’t…I…” His voice faded out
and his eyes rolled again.
“Stay with me,” urged
Harlan, but he couldn’t keep the man from slipping back into unconsciousness.
He checked through the man’s pockets and found a wallet. Inside it there was
some loose change, a baggie containing a small amount of white powder, and six
credit cards, each with a different name. In the distance, he heard the wail of
approaching sirens.
Chapter
6
Harlan examined his
arms. Bruises were already beginning to flower where the punches had landed. He
folded his hands – which were trembling from the fading rush of adrenaline –
together on the table in front of him. He looked at the uniform standing by the
door of the interview room. “Don’t suppose you could get me a coffee and some
painkillers?”
The uniform nodded and
turned to leave. A short while later, Jim entered the room and put a
polystyrene cup and a couple of tablets on the table. “How you doing?” he
asked.
In answer, Harlan held
up his shaky hands. “What about our man?”
“Still unconscious.”
“Will he live?”
“The doctors aren’t
saying.”
“Who is he?”
“We don’t know. We’re
running his prints.”
Harlan took out the
gun. “I found this in his car.”
Jim looked at it with
distaste. “Seems like every scumbag out there is carrying one of those pieces
of crap these days. You’re lucky you didn’t get a bullet through your damn
fool–”
Before Jim could
finish, Garrett stormed into the room, and planting his hands on the table,
said to Harlan, “Just what the fuck did you think you were doing? You put
innocent peoples’ lives at risk out there tonight. Detective Monahan told you
to stay put and do nothing.”
“I’m not a cop anymore,
and I don’t take orders from anybody.”
“That’s right, Miller,
you’re not a cop.” There was a tone of stung pride in Garrett’s voice. It was
deeply embarrassing to him that one man, regardless of who that man might be,
had succeeded where several hundred officers and detectives under his command
had failed. Moreover, it was a blow to his career – it was no secret that he
was an ambitious man with an eye on the Chief Constable’s office. “You’re an
ex-con who’s failed to show for a meeting with his case officer. That’s a
serious parole violation. I could have you put back inside.”
“So do it.”
The two men stared at each
other, neither flinching. Garrett shook his head. “No. As much as it pains me
to admit it, our main suspect would still be on the streets but for you. That’s
why I’ve spoken to your case officer, explained that there were extenuating
circumstances for your failure to show.”
“Do you expect me to
say thanks?”
“No. I expect you to go
home and get on with your life. I don’t want to hear your name in connection
with this case again. If I do, I won’t hesitate to have you thrown back in
prison. Do I make myself clear?”
What fucking life ?
Harlan felt like saying, but he said, “Perfectly.”
“Good.” Garrett
straightened, casting Jim a stern glance as he turned to leave the room. “As
soon as you’re finished
the strips. The man’s eyes flickered open, showing white for a second before
the pupils rolled down. He tried to sit up.
“Lie still,” said
Harlan, holding him down.
“I can’t breathe.” The
man’s voice came in a strangled gasp.
“Where is he?”
“I need an ambulance.”
“I’ll call one as soon
as you tell me where Ethan Reed is.”
“How would I know
that?” The man groaned. Spittle muddied with blood dribbled from the edges of
his mouth.
“Listen to me, you’ve
probably got serious internal injuries. You might not have long left to live.
This could be your last chance to make amends, to save your soul. So why don’t
you tell me where Ethan Reed is?”
“Oh God,” whimpered the
man. “Oh God. I didn’t want to hurt anybody…I didn’t…I…” His voice faded out
and his eyes rolled again.
“Stay with me,” urged
Harlan, but he couldn’t keep the man from slipping back into unconsciousness.
He checked through the man’s pockets and found a wallet. Inside it there was
some loose change, a baggie containing a small amount of white powder, and six
credit cards, each with a different name. In the distance, he heard the wail of
approaching sirens.
Chapter
6
Harlan examined his
arms. Bruises were already beginning to flower where the punches had landed. He
folded his hands – which were trembling from the fading rush of adrenaline –
together on the table in front of him. He looked at the uniform standing by the
door of the interview room. “Don’t suppose you could get me a coffee and some
painkillers?”
The uniform nodded and
turned to leave. A short while later, Jim entered the room and put a
polystyrene cup and a couple of tablets on the table. “How you doing?” he
asked.
In answer, Harlan held
up his shaky hands. “What about our man?”
“Still unconscious.”
“Will he live?”
“The doctors aren’t
saying.”
“Who is he?”
“We don’t know. We’re
running his prints.”
Harlan took out the
gun. “I found this in his car.”
Jim looked at it with
distaste. “Seems like every scumbag out there is carrying one of those pieces
of crap these days. You’re lucky you didn’t get a bullet through your damn
fool–”
Before Jim could
finish, Garrett stormed into the room, and planting his hands on the table,
said to Harlan, “Just what the fuck did you think you were doing? You put
innocent peoples’ lives at risk out there tonight. Detective Monahan told you
to stay put and do nothing.”
“I’m not a cop anymore,
and I don’t take orders from anybody.”
“That’s right, Miller,
you’re not a cop.” There was a tone of stung pride in Garrett’s voice. It was
deeply embarrassing to him that one man, regardless of who that man might be,
had succeeded where several hundred officers and detectives under his command
had failed. Moreover, it was a blow to his career – it was no secret that he
was an ambitious man with an eye on the Chief Constable’s office. “You’re an
ex-con who’s failed to show for a meeting with his case officer. That’s a
serious parole violation. I could have you put back inside.”
“So do it.”
The two men stared at each
other, neither flinching. Garrett shook his head. “No. As much as it pains me
to admit it, our main suspect would still be on the streets but for you. That’s
why I’ve spoken to your case officer, explained that there were extenuating
circumstances for your failure to show.”
“Do you expect me to
say thanks?”
“No. I expect you to go
home and get on with your life. I don’t want to hear your name in connection
with this case again. If I do, I won’t hesitate to have you thrown back in
prison. Do I make myself clear?”
What fucking life ?
Harlan felt like saying, but he said, “Perfectly.”
“Good.” Garrett
straightened, casting Jim a stern glance as he turned to leave the room. “As
soon as you’re finished
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