Page 115 of Cougar Point

Lucas stopped pacing and leaned against the wall, staring at his audience. Thundercloud wasn’t giving anything away, wasn’t admitting anything despite everything he was saying. That was a good sign. It would be important later.

“So you brought her out here. You told Greenwood to call the search off, knowing he could explain that once the kidnap was revealed. You held her captive in that salmon plant. I don’t know exactly when you got there yet, but I’m guessing the Monday. She was in captivity just over a week. What did you do with her in there? Torture her? Rape her?”

Thundercloud’s eyes narrowed.

“Don’t act offended, I know you cut her fucking finger off.”

Lucas scratched his head. “So you held her there for days. She ate there. She slept there. She pissed and shit there. She bled there. How’d you clean up, Thundercloud? You hose it down?”

Thundercloud’s face betrayed not a flicker of emotion.

Lucas shook his head. “Not good enough. You should have burned the place to the ground. And even then…”

Thundercloud said nothing. Still. Lucas couldn’t help being a little impressed. A lot of other guys would be protesting, saying they had nothing to do with anything he was talking about. He knew how to keep his mouth shut.

That was a good sign.

“It would have worked. You were going to take the payout from Greenwood and then kill his wife, and you knew the police would assume he did it. But something went wrong. You killed her before you got paid. What happened?”

No response. Not that he had expected one.

“I’m speculating here, and it doesn’t really matter, but I think someone—probably not you—left a door unlocked and she got out. She didn’t get far, though. You or Duke ran her down and she hit her head in the struggle. After that, she was no good to anybody. You dumped the body and hoped you would still getthe money. But when Greenwood found out she was dead and that the police were looking at him, he killed himself. Leaving nobody and nothing who could tie it to you.”

Lucas paused for effect, then reached into his pocket.

“Almost nothing.”

He showed Thundercloud Melissa Milligan’s ID card from Greenwood’s company.

“That was all it took to make the connection. As soon as I had that and the salmon plant, I put it all together. And here’s the thing, Thundercloud. It was a great plan. Olivia would have disappeared, you would have got paid, and Greenwood would have taken the fall. If somebody hadn’t fucked it up, it would have gone perfectly.”

Thundercloud waited until he was sure Lucas had finished before he finally spoke. His voice was calm, like he was commenting on the weather.

“So if you think this is true, why are we having this conversation in my house?” Careful not to make any sudden moves, he got up off the couch. He went to the blinds and looked up and down the street. It was empty of people. No police cars screeching to a halt. “Why aren’t you arresting me?”

“Arrest you?” Lucas shook his head. “Why would I want to do that? No. I’m not going to arrest you. I’m going to make you a proposal. This time, I’m going to help you do it right.”

SEVENTY-FIVE

The paramedic checks Lucas’s bandage and they try unsuccessfully to get him to go with them. Ronnie and I go to see Lucas and he fixes me with a gimlet eye. “What do you want?”

“Aren’t you glad to see me?” I say.

“No.”

That’s pretty plain. It’s also not true. His ego demands I acknowledge what a fine specimen of detective manhood he is. He’s still a dick. A dick-tective. He mistakes my smile for bonding. The only thing I feel like bonding with him is my fist to his face. Except I can’t do that since he saved Ronnie’s mom from being killed. Not until I confirm my suspicions.

“Inquiring minds want to know, Lucas,” I say.

“You mean, how did I find them?”

“Sure, start with that.”

He speaks as though he’s in court, running through a prepared statement.

“In a nutshell. I learned Thundercloud was deeply involved in this. I checked and he worked for the company that owns this bunker. It was one of their old storage places for hazardous materials. Long since abandoned. What better place for a hideaway? I followed Duke here. I heard shooting. I came inand saw Duke pointing a gun at Mrs. Marsh’s head. Vinnie and Thundercloud and Milligan were dead. Or at least I thought so. Mrs. Marsh was on the floor pinned under the body of her brother. I didn’t know if she’d been shot but Duke was ready to kill her. I shot him. I got Mrs. Marsh out to my car and went back in to see if there were others. Maybe more kidnappers. Maybe more victims.”

He touched the bandage over his abdomen and winced theatrically.

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