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“No dice.That guy is three sheets to the wind.And when we searched the motel room, we found the remains of an eight-ball and an empty blister of Percocet.”
Kate found herself thinking wistfully about the Percocet; the pain in her shoulder was mounting.It was close to midnight now; they’d brought Sullivan and the girl back to Douglas Cove for interviews, but Chief Daniels had suddenly decided to do everything by the book.They were in his office, arguing the toss.The air was stale, the heating too hot, everyone on a short fuse.
“They’re not going anywhere.You can speak to them in the morning, once I’ve had a nurse look them over and declare them fit.”
At that moment, the girl’s voice came through loud and clear from the cells at the back of the building.
“I amnota hooker, I’m amassoos!Board-certified, asshole.”
“And if you’ve got your man, Agent Valentine, what difference do a couple of hours make?”
“Because if he isn’t our man, he could still have vital, time-critical information about whois.”
Marcus entered the room with water and a couple of painkillers he’d rustled up from somewhere.She took them gratefully.
“Can I make a suggestion?”Marcus asked.“We don’t charge him.We don’t record it.We have an informal chat with Sullivan before he goes night-night.Then we interview him by the rule-book after breakfast.Win-win.”
Daniels didn’t look happy.But he hadn’t said no.Yet.
“Chief?”
After a long pause, Daniels nodded.
“You think the girl’s involved?”he asked.
“We’ll try to establish that immediately,” Kate said.“If she isn’t, we’re happy to hand her over to your custody.”
“I don’t want herinmy custody, frankly, screeching all night.But she did assault a Federal Agent.”
“I guess she’s only trying to make a living,” said Marcus.
Daniels didn’t find that funny.As he went off to fetch Sullivan, Kate tried flexing her shoulder.She winced.
“You okay?”
She smiled at him.“I’ll live.”
“It was a good bust.”
“Thanks.”
Daniels returned with Sullivan, who had a few cuts from the tussle in the alleyway.He looked rough, though: sweaty and red-eyed with inflamed nostrils.
“You can use my office,” Daniels said.“You want him cuffed?”
“Your call,” Marcus said to Kate.
Kate looked at their prisoner.“Are you going to give me trouble, Mr.Sullivan?”
He shook his head.
They waited until Daniels had left, then arranged themselves around the chief’s desk.Kate sitting opposite Sullivan, Marcus next to him, uncomfortably close.The office smelled like a gentlemen’s club, or what she imagined a gentlemen’s club would smell like: leather furniture, cologne, cigars.
“Who’s the girl?”Kate asked.
“Her name is Effy and she’s a masseuse,” Sullivan said.“I never met her before tonight.I just saw a leaflet in the motel reception.Honestly,” he added, “we met in the bar because she likes to meet her clients somewhere public.You can’t be too careful.”
“Ain’t that true,” Marcus observed.“You can wind up with murderers and all sorts.”He nipped out of the room to talk to Daniels.
