Read Online Killshot (1989) by Elmore Leonard - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elmore Leonard
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think he hit the house even. The heavyset one pushed him and it looked like they started to argue with each other, the younger one pointing this way. I think there was blood on his face and the front of his jacket. The heavyset one gave him another shove and got him in the car. Then he went around to the driver's side and got in. They made a U-turn and drove away, north."
Carmen noticed the police called her Carmen and Wayne Wayne, but they called Nelson Davies Mr. Davies. He had arrived with the police, Nelson wearing a suit and tie as always, a matching hanky in the breast pocket.
The questioning was done in the office lobby, Carmen telling her story several times: to the local Algonac officers, both of them who were on duty, to investigators from the Michigan State Police, an officer from the Township Police and four deputies from the St. Clair County Sheriff's office. All those different uniforms. She could see Wayne was irritated. First, because he was supposed to meet Lionel and had to stay here and second, because of the way they asked him questions, almost as though what happened was his fault. Beginning with, What was he doing in Mr. Davies's office?
Did he tell the two guys he was Mr. Davies?
Did he let them think it?
Did he try to get tough, antagonize them?
Did he realize he could have endangered the lives of the other people in the office?
Wayne said that was why he got the two guys out of there. They were so sure he had the money, he didn't see any choice but let them think it.
They wanted to know if he was trying to kill them with that crowbar.
Wayne said it was a sleever bar, or some guys called it a connecting bar or rod, they used it in their work to pry the ends of iron beams, get them to fit snug. He said if his intention was to kill those two guys he would've gone for their heads. He said, "What I don't understand, why don't you go over to Walpole and find out who drives an '86 Cadillac? That shouldn't be too hard."
Some of the police didn't care for this kind of talk. One of the sheriff's deputies asked Wayne if he had an attitude problem. Wayne, who'd walk off a job if the raising-gang foreman showed poor judgment, said, "No, sir, I'm just curious why you're sitting around here with your finger up your butt."
Carmen didn't blame him for being arrogant. Especially when the deputy told Wayne if the guy he'd thrown out the window was seriously injured, the guy could take him to court. Wayne said, "It might be the only way you'll ever see him."
They were the ones with the attitude. Carmen saw them as either very serious and impersonal, not showing any kind of sympathy except to Nelson, or they were condescending and treated her like a child. "Now, Carmen, you think you can tell us again exactly what you saw?" And she'd hear Wayne say, "Jesus Christ." At one point Nelson asked her to make a fresh pot of coffee for the officers. She didn't dare look at Wayne.
He showed his irritation while she managed to keep hers inside. Until, listening to Nelson and the police talking, it sounded as though they'd known about the two guys all along. When Carmen asked Nelson about it he said, "Well, of course. One of them called me."
"But you didn't tell anybody," Carmen said.
"I told the police."
"I mean any of us, my husband."
"Because the guy called again and changed the arrangement," Nelson said. "If he was coming to Wildwood then we had to, well, the police had to set up a surveillance. We had to think of the safety of the homeowners out there."
Carmen listened to Nelson saying he wished the two guys had come out to Wildwood. They sure would never have suspected those people raking leaves were police officers.
"You could've called Wayne, told him not to come."
Nelson said, "What?" He said, "To tell you the truth I didn't think he was coming anyway. Or if he did it would only be, well, as a courtesy."
"To humor me?" Carmen said.
Nelson grinned. "You said it, I didn't." He looked over at Wayne. "Am I
Carmen noticed the police called her Carmen and Wayne Wayne, but they called Nelson Davies Mr. Davies. He had arrived with the police, Nelson wearing a suit and tie as always, a matching hanky in the breast pocket.
The questioning was done in the office lobby, Carmen telling her story several times: to the local Algonac officers, both of them who were on duty, to investigators from the Michigan State Police, an officer from the Township Police and four deputies from the St. Clair County Sheriff's office. All those different uniforms. She could see Wayne was irritated. First, because he was supposed to meet Lionel and had to stay here and second, because of the way they asked him questions, almost as though what happened was his fault. Beginning with, What was he doing in Mr. Davies's office?
Did he tell the two guys he was Mr. Davies?
Did he let them think it?
Did he try to get tough, antagonize them?
Did he realize he could have endangered the lives of the other people in the office?
Wayne said that was why he got the two guys out of there. They were so sure he had the money, he didn't see any choice but let them think it.
They wanted to know if he was trying to kill them with that crowbar.
Wayne said it was a sleever bar, or some guys called it a connecting bar or rod, they used it in their work to pry the ends of iron beams, get them to fit snug. He said if his intention was to kill those two guys he would've gone for their heads. He said, "What I don't understand, why don't you go over to Walpole and find out who drives an '86 Cadillac? That shouldn't be too hard."
Some of the police didn't care for this kind of talk. One of the sheriff's deputies asked Wayne if he had an attitude problem. Wayne, who'd walk off a job if the raising-gang foreman showed poor judgment, said, "No, sir, I'm just curious why you're sitting around here with your finger up your butt."
Carmen didn't blame him for being arrogant. Especially when the deputy told Wayne if the guy he'd thrown out the window was seriously injured, the guy could take him to court. Wayne said, "It might be the only way you'll ever see him."
They were the ones with the attitude. Carmen saw them as either very serious and impersonal, not showing any kind of sympathy except to Nelson, or they were condescending and treated her like a child. "Now, Carmen, you think you can tell us again exactly what you saw?" And she'd hear Wayne say, "Jesus Christ." At one point Nelson asked her to make a fresh pot of coffee for the officers. She didn't dare look at Wayne.
He showed his irritation while she managed to keep hers inside. Until, listening to Nelson and the police talking, it sounded as though they'd known about the two guys all along. When Carmen asked Nelson about it he said, "Well, of course. One of them called me."
"But you didn't tell anybody," Carmen said.
"I told the police."
"I mean any of us, my husband."
"Because the guy called again and changed the arrangement," Nelson said. "If he was coming to Wildwood then we had to, well, the police had to set up a surveillance. We had to think of the safety of the homeowners out there."
Carmen listened to Nelson saying he wished the two guys had come out to Wildwood. They sure would never have suspected those people raking leaves were police officers.
"You could've called Wayne, told him not to come."
Nelson said, "What?" He said, "To tell you the truth I didn't think he was coming anyway. Or if he did it would only be, well, as a courtesy."
"To humor me?" Carmen said.
Nelson grinned. "You said it, I didn't." He looked over at Wayne. "Am I
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