Read Online Murder on Easter Island by Gary Conrad - Free Book Online Page A

butchery, but it could never be proven, so he was kept on the police force. He’s very well educated — even got a degree in Criminal Justice at Rutgers before he started his career in law enforcement. He has a reputation as someone who gets the job done, one way or another,no matter the cost — just like when he murdered and tortured his fellow Chileans. If I had my way, I’d put him behind bars and —”
    The door popped open, and a man in a black suit with neatly combed silver hair came into the room, looking as if he’d just stepped out of the latest issue of GQ . He wore a white shirt and a red checkered tie, and his black leather shoes were polished so highly they could blind anyone who dared to admire them for too long. Following him was a tall, muscular man in a grey suit and sunglasses.
    As the silver-haired man sat down behind the desk, he said, “My name is Salvador Diaz, and he—” pointing to the other man now standing behind him, “is my bodyguard.”
    A deafening silence followed as Diaz studied his audience with cold and distant dark eyes. Finally, looking at José, he said, “You must be Detective Tepano, the one who blew the lid on this investigation and completely screwed things up?”
    José’s brow furrowed as he admitted, “Yes, I am José Tepano.”
    “And you,” he said, turning to Daniel, “you must be Detective Fishinghawk — the one who goes by Hawk — from New York City?” He sarcastically added, “The prima donna we’ve all heard so much about?”
    Daniel straightened in his chair and met Diaz’s stare.
    He’s trying to intimidate us, Daniel thought. He felt like laughing in Diaz’s face. But he suspected that might not be such a hot idea.
    Diaz turned back to José. “Young man, after what you’ve done, if I had a choice, I’d throw you in the slums in Santiago chasing drug dealers, and you’d be dead by the end of the week.” Diaz shook his fist at José, a flashy ebony ring on the middle finger of his hand. “How dare you bring this case to the public? The only reason I don’t get rid of you is because in Chile, you’re a hero for blowing our cover. The newspapers would all go crazy if I fired you, and I’d come under public scrutiny. God knows I’ve had enough of that in my life already. I’m stuck with you, and you’d better work hard or you’ll be gone, gone, gone . Understand?”
    José nodded.
    “Good. Now you,” Diaz said with a growl, turning once again to Daniel, “I can’t send you back home with your tail between your legs for the same reason. I’d get rid of you — our hope and our salvation — but there would be a public outcry. I promise you this, though, the minute this case is solved you will be out of here and back to New York City as fast as I can snap my fingers.”
    Daniel refused to respond and continued to stare at him.
    “So, gentlemen,” Diaz continued, “it seems we have an understanding. I have brought in five of my top investigators from Santiago, and I want all of you tocrawl under every damned rock on this damned island and find me our killer. I’m telling you — one way or another — in the next month we will have our man. No later. Every second we delay means less money for Chile and this worthless place. If you ask me, we should have left it as it was: an island full of half-naked savages whose only skills were raising sheep, sweet potatoes and carving cheap wooden curios for tourists.”
    José turned beet red and started to stand. Daniel put his hand on José’s shoulder and pushed him back down in his chair.
    Diaz pretended not to notice. “Now get out of my office and hit the streets. We’ve got a murderer to find. And believe me, we will find him.” With that he picked up the phone on his desk and waved Daniel and José out the door.
    As the door closed behind them, José whispered to Daniel, “He’s exactly like I thought he would be — a real piece of shit. ”
    Daniel was worn out after a long day of