Read Online Code of Silence: Living a Lie Comes With a Price by Tim Shoemaker - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Tim Shoemaker
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Hammer paused, letting those words sink in. “Maybe it’s a friend of yours. You need to help him. Maybe you noticed someone acting strange, out-of-character, or nervous this morning. You come see one of us.”
Riley Steiner and his pack actually scanned the room, like finding the witness was a game.
Hammer looked down at the gym floor and then looked at the students again. “You’ll be helping us catch a brutal criminal, and you may just be saving your friend’s life. The man who put Frank Mustacci in a coma will want to silence an eyewitness as well.”
The student body had never paid attention like this for any assembly Cooper had ever seen. Hiro squirmed next to him.
Hammer paced along the front row of the bleachers and waved the folder in the air. “In this folder I have the names of thirty-two boys who may fit one of the key pieces of evidence we found at the crime scene, and we’ll narrow that number by at least ten before the day is over.”
A list? Cooper wanted to slip between the boards at his feet and hide under the bleachers. Was his name on that list?
“We’re talking about a witness to an attempted murder and armed robbery.” Detective Hammer paused and scanned the crowd slowly.
Stay calm, Coop. Stay calm.
“We will find our witness. But if you know something, please talk to one of us. To do anything less is really helping the suspect get away with murder … or attempted murder. Nobody wants to live with that on their conscience.”
Cooper felt a tremor pass through Hiro.
Was she buying this nice cop routine? Clown face was wearing a cop uniform. So was Elvis. If police were involved in the robbery somehow, none of them could be trusted.
“Now, we intend to interview many of you. All of you if necessary. Each of you will receive a permission slip explaining theprocess. The interviews will start Monday and will be conducted by a trained juvenile officer with at least one of your parents present.”
Cooper stared at his feet. No way did he want to go through an interview. How would he bluff his way through
that?
And Gordy? He’d never make it.
“I’ll sit in on most of the interviews personally,” Hammer said. “And I’ll tell you right now,” he tapped the side of his head, “I have a built-in boloney detector.”
The cop paced back to the podium and leaned on it. “Let me say one more thing. We’ve got fingerprints right now. We’re working on DNA samples, and I’ve got one other piece of evidence that will open the door to finding our witness. It’s just a matter of time. I believe he’s right here in this gym.”
Muffled gasps escaped from groups of girls clinging together all over the bleachers. Like they thought the witness was a criminal, too.
I’m a victim.
Cooper felt like his stomach was going to turn itself inside-out. What other piece of evidence? What would open the door?
A key. My house key to be exact.
“Let me say this directly to the witness: You are holding up a criminal investigation. Not smart. Don’t wait for the interviews Monday. See me after the assembly.”
Fat chance. The truth was, the police should focus on finding the guys who nearly killed Frank. Or maybe Cooper would have to find a way to find them himself.
Hammer brought the mic closer to his mouth. “And one more thing. You
need
protection. The longer you wait to come forward, the greater the chance you’ll be found by the suspect or suspects. That’s just plain crazy. I can help you.”
The detective was using scare tactics now. Cooper was sure of it. But it was working.
Hammer paused and gave a long hard stare to the crowd as if he was watching for someone to blow their cover with a nervoustwitch. “You come see me. Time to give it up.” One corner of his mouth turned up in a crooked smile. “Either way, I gottcha, boy.”
I gottcha, boy.
The words seared Cooper’s mind like they were fresh off Frank’s grill. The same words the Clown used at the door.
God help me.
Riley Steiner and his pack actually scanned the room, like finding the witness was a game.
Hammer looked down at the gym floor and then looked at the students again. “You’ll be helping us catch a brutal criminal, and you may just be saving your friend’s life. The man who put Frank Mustacci in a coma will want to silence an eyewitness as well.”
The student body had never paid attention like this for any assembly Cooper had ever seen. Hiro squirmed next to him.
Hammer paced along the front row of the bleachers and waved the folder in the air. “In this folder I have the names of thirty-two boys who may fit one of the key pieces of evidence we found at the crime scene, and we’ll narrow that number by at least ten before the day is over.”
A list? Cooper wanted to slip between the boards at his feet and hide under the bleachers. Was his name on that list?
“We’re talking about a witness to an attempted murder and armed robbery.” Detective Hammer paused and scanned the crowd slowly.
Stay calm, Coop. Stay calm.
“We will find our witness. But if you know something, please talk to one of us. To do anything less is really helping the suspect get away with murder … or attempted murder. Nobody wants to live with that on their conscience.”
Cooper felt a tremor pass through Hiro.
Was she buying this nice cop routine? Clown face was wearing a cop uniform. So was Elvis. If police were involved in the robbery somehow, none of them could be trusted.
“Now, we intend to interview many of you. All of you if necessary. Each of you will receive a permission slip explaining theprocess. The interviews will start Monday and will be conducted by a trained juvenile officer with at least one of your parents present.”
Cooper stared at his feet. No way did he want to go through an interview. How would he bluff his way through
that?
And Gordy? He’d never make it.
“I’ll sit in on most of the interviews personally,” Hammer said. “And I’ll tell you right now,” he tapped the side of his head, “I have a built-in boloney detector.”
The cop paced back to the podium and leaned on it. “Let me say one more thing. We’ve got fingerprints right now. We’re working on DNA samples, and I’ve got one other piece of evidence that will open the door to finding our witness. It’s just a matter of time. I believe he’s right here in this gym.”
Muffled gasps escaped from groups of girls clinging together all over the bleachers. Like they thought the witness was a criminal, too.
I’m a victim.
Cooper felt like his stomach was going to turn itself inside-out. What other piece of evidence? What would open the door?
A key. My house key to be exact.
“Let me say this directly to the witness: You are holding up a criminal investigation. Not smart. Don’t wait for the interviews Monday. See me after the assembly.”
Fat chance. The truth was, the police should focus on finding the guys who nearly killed Frank. Or maybe Cooper would have to find a way to find them himself.
Hammer brought the mic closer to his mouth. “And one more thing. You
need
protection. The longer you wait to come forward, the greater the chance you’ll be found by the suspect or suspects. That’s just plain crazy. I can help you.”
The detective was using scare tactics now. Cooper was sure of it. But it was working.
Hammer paused and gave a long hard stare to the crowd as if he was watching for someone to blow their cover with a nervoustwitch. “You come see me. Time to give it up.” One corner of his mouth turned up in a crooked smile. “Either way, I gottcha, boy.”
I gottcha, boy.
The words seared Cooper’s mind like they were fresh off Frank’s grill. The same words the Clown used at the door.
God help me.
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