Page 47 of Bad to the Bone

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“Don’t even go there,” Crae said. “I could blame myself for talking Lee into this in the first place. But reconnecting with you is worth it to him. Don’t doubt that. We’ll get this cleared up, however long it takes.”

Sam was waiting when they arrived at the police station and took them around the reception area to her desk.

“Can we see Ricky Lee?” Alex asked.

“I wouldn’t recommend asking right now. Chief Cowart had Ricky Lee in interrogation, and Ricky Lee refused to answer any questions until he’s represented by his attorney.” Sam glanced at Crae.

“Working on finding a local criminal lawyer now,” Crae affirmed. “Our attorney will call me as soon as he has one lined up.”

Sam frowned. “Technically we have the ability to deny any person the right to visit a prisoner for any reason. As pissed as the chief is with Ricky Lee, I wouldn’t put it past him to refuse to let you see him. He can’t deny him the right to see his attorney,” she added when Alex opened his mouth to protest.

“Why was he pulled over in the first place?” Crae asked.

“We got an anonymous tip a few days ago that Ricky Lee was behind the recent rise in drug sales.”

“Alanna heard that rumor too,” Alex said. “I thought it was just bullshit.”

“Especially since the first incidents happened before Ricky Lee arrived in town,” Sam agreed. “But Greg Hankins has been itching to find something to pin on Ricky Lee since he pulled him over the day he and Crae got here. I think it was just pure blind luck he found something.”

“If he didn’t have probable cause to search the car, that might be grounds to throw out the evidence at trial,” Crae objected.

“You could be right, but in the meantime it doesn’t help get Ricky Lee out any sooner.”

“So we can’t do anything but sit here and wait?” Alex ground out. His gut wrenched as if it was about to burst through his chest like the monster inAlien.

“Actually, I do have one possible lead. To’mo—Officer Narcomey—called while you were on the way here to let me know they picked up the dealer who sold the coke to their homicide suspect. After a little negotiation, he gave up the name of the guyhegot it from—Jordan Hicks. Interestingly enough, Hicks works at Tillman Motors as a mechanic.”

“I know him,” Alex said. “At least, I know who he is. He graduated in the same year as Alanna.”

“To’mo checked with Tillman’s service department, and Hicks has called in sick to work the past two days. To’mo’s going over to his apartment to see if he can pick him up there.”

“Don’t tribal police only have jurisdiction if the crime is committed by a Native?” Crae asked.

“Oklahoma law changed a few years ago to recognize tribal police as state peace officers,” Sam answered. “Especially at the casinos, it didn’t make sense for Native police to have to call in a state officer to make an arrest of a non-Native committing a crime. And when offenses cross jurisdictional areas, like this one seems to, we work in cooperation with each other. If Hicks is apprehended, To’mo is going to bring him here so we can interrogate him together.”

Sam had hardly finished speaking when her desk phone rang. “Burchart.” She listened for a moment and nodded. “Great, send them on back. I’ll bring them to Interrogation.”

As she hung up the phone, Alex recognized To’mo entering the squad room from around the front desk, escorting a skinny young blond man in handcuffs.

“That’s the guy who tried to break into the Lincoln!” Crae said in an undertone to Sam.

“No wonder he’s been calling in sick.”

“Could he have planted drugs in the car to frame Ricky Lee?” Alex asked.

“I’d swear he never made it inside before I stopped him,” Crae replied.

Sam looked thoughtful as she stood. “Officer Narcomey, thank you for your assistance. If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you to our interrogation room.”

“Officer Burchart.” To’mo nodded to Alex and Crae and led his prisoner past where they were sitting. Hicks glanced in their direction and suddenly tried to struggle out of To’mo’s grip.

“Keep that freak away from me!” he shouted, pointing at Crae. “It damn near kneed my nuts off!”

“That would be when you were breaking into the Lincoln belonging to Ricky Lee Jennings two days ago?” Sam asked him. “We didn’t have your fingerprints to match to the vehicle at the time, but we’ll take care of that now.” To Alex and Crae, she said, “Wait here. I’ll get back to you once we’re finished up.”

About twenty minutes later, Sam returned, looking grave. “I love perps who think they’re so smart they don’t need a lawyer. But this guy doesn’t have enough on the ball to be running any kind of a drug ring. He’s strictly minor league. Between Crae and To’mo’s witness, and once we match his fingerprints to the Lincoln, we’ll have enough to charge him with automotive burglary and sale of a controlled substance. He won’t admit to anything, though. I asked him if Odell put him up to the break-in, but he insists all Odell pays him for is doing dealer prep.”

Something nagged at Alex’s memory. “Sam, remember when you brought Ricky Lee back to fill out the paperwork for the Lincoln? Odell asked Matt Skerring to have Hicks do the dealer prep before Ricky Lee left.”