Page 115 of Rest In Pink

“You’re a cop. You can’t just give me the money.”

“I never turned it in,” I said. “The only ones who know I have it are Faye and Pete.”

“I want my money now.”

“I don’t have it. It’s locked up in the bank vault. I can’t get it until they open tomorrow morning at nine.”

“So, the bank knows.”

“I called in a favor and they let me put a briefcase in the vault. They have no idea what’s in it.”

“You’re lying.”

I didn’t reply. This could go either way. If he really wanted the money more than he wanted to hurt the town, he’d negotiate. I looked over at Liz, who was watching me. Faye and Pete were now sitting on the back of an ambulance and Mac was checking them. The only thing wrong with them was their lack of humanity, and Mac couldn’t fix that.

“Tomorrow,” Mickey said. “You get that money right after the bank opens. Don’t lose your phone. I’ll tell you where to give it to me.”

I felt a small bit of relief. “Why did you try to burn down Porter’s Garage? They have nothing to do with the Blues.”

He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t hang up. I pushed on.

“Who gave you the fifty thousand to kill Thacker?”

“Why would I tell you that?” he asked, confirming he had done it for hire.

“Do you owe the person who hired you any loyalty?”

Mickey laughed. “Tell you what, cop. That’s your bonus. You don’t chase me. Don’t put out an APB on me after I get the money, and I’ll call you when I’m safe and tell you who it is. You can nail them for murder one. That’ll look good for you, won’t it?”

“That’s worth it to me,” I lied. “Did you give him the computer?”

“Nice try. I didn’t say it was a man. That was part of the deal.”

“And whoever it was wanted Thacker dead?”

“They wanted him to stop,” Mickey said. “Dead is the only way I know to really stop someone. You know a better way?”

I clenched the phone tighter. “You do anything tonight or tomorrow, anywhere, the deal is off. You better hope there’s no lightning tonight. No accidents. Because if anything burns. Anything bad happens. Anyone gets hurt. The deal is off and we’re tracking you down.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hey, one other thing. I don’t want you bringing the money. Send it with that Lizzie Blue. I want to see more of her.”

“No.”

“Oh, yeah, you will,” he said and laughed.

And then he hung up.

I went back to Liz.

“I’m going to need a favor from your mother.”

“She owes me one,” Liz said.

I told her what was needed and she nodded. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Thanks.”

“Did you hear him?” she asked.

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