Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 102394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
“And you said…”
“Nothing. Didn’t see anything. Don’t know anything. They said they’d come back today to see if my memory improved.”
“It better not.”
It was difficult to not roll my eyes. “I know what I’m doing.”
“I don’t want the cops finding whoever tried to hurt my daughter before I do. Whatever punishment they’d give him won’t be nearly enough. I’m going to make that fucker regret the day he was born, one chopped-off finger and toe at a time. Did you get a look at the guy?”
For a few heartbeats, I considered telling him the truth, that I might’ve gotten a look at the shooter a few minutes before all hell broke loose. I wanted the guy who had tried to hurt Juliette to pay, too. But something stopped me from letting Vince dole out the punishment. I shook my head. “I didn’t see anyone. Wish I had.”
“You think of something that could help track this dead man down, you come to me, not the cops. Understood?”
I felt like punching this asshole, yet I had to swallow every ounce of my pride. “Of course. How long you in town for?”
“At least a few days.”
“What about the meeting at the rooster?”
Vince’s eyes narrowed. “How do you know where the meeting was supposed to be held?”
Shit. My heart started to race, and I hoped it didn’t show up on the monitors I was attached to. My captain had told me about the rooster, not Vince, and Juliette had explained where it was. I had no choice but to bluff. “You called to tell me about the meeting and said not to let Juliette out on Friday, remember? What is the rooster anyway? A bar or something?”
Vince rubbed his chin, and his eyes went out of focus. It looked like he was trying to think back to our conversation. I held my breath until he finally nodded. “Yeah, all right.”
Relief flooded me. I needed to be more careful in the future. Vince and I talked for a few minutes and then the door to my room swung open again. I froze when I got a look at the man standing in the doorway. Fuck. Chief Olson. He stepped into the room, and his head swiveled between Vince and me. No recognition or look of surprise registered on his face. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve sworn Olson didn’t know who the guy standing at my bedside was.
“Sorry to interrupt.” Chief Olson held up a hand. “I didn’t realize you had a visitor.” He smiled at Vince. “I’m Detective Olson from the LAPD. Just came to see if Mr. Callahan remembers anything from yesterday. Sometimes we get lucky after a victim has had a chance to settle down, and details resurface. But if now isn’t a good time, I can come back later.”
Vince seemed barely able to contain his amusement. “It’s all right. He’s all yours. I’ve got a nurse I need to discuss something with anyway.” He winked at me, looking like the cat that swallowed a canary, and leaned down to whisper in my ear. “Dumb fucks.”
Of course, the dumb fuck was Vince. But he left my room smiling like the devil himself. Chief Olson watched him walk down the hall before shutting the door.
“Ignorance really is bliss, huh?” He chuckled. “Unless that guy is one hell of an actor, he had no clue that I’ve got an eight-by-ten glossy of him hanging in my squad room, along with the rest of his buddies.”
“His ego lets him believe everyone else is stupid.”
Olson shook his head. “That’s how most of those guys eventually fall. They get sloppy because they think they’re untouchable.” He lifted his chin. “How you feeling today?”
“Like the nurse came in and dug the bullet out with a spoon this morning, rather than just changing the dressing.”
“They’re not giving you anything for pain?”
“It’s bad enough I’m sitting here with no gun, barely able to move while guys like Ginocassi are walking in and out of my room. I can’t take shit that makes me groggy.”
“Sucks.” Chief Olson nodded. “But I guess that’s a good call. What was Vince doing here anyway?”
“Came to thank me for taking a bullet for his daughter. Said he’s going to be hanging around a few days.”
“What about the meeting they were supposed to have? I know your captain was looking forward to picking up one of the guys in town for it.”
I shrugged. “Postponed, I guess. Can’t imagine they’d have it without one of the bosses.”
He nodded. “Anything else? I don’t want to stick around too long in case Vince and his guys are waiting until I leave. You’re not supposed to have anything to tell me, so I shouldn’t be here more than a few minutes.”
“No.” I hesitated for a few seconds before finally deciding I needed to land on the right side of this mess. “Actually…I remembered something this morning. There was a guy acting suspicious at the farmer’s market, maybe five minutes before the shooting. Never saw him before. I thought he might’ve been tailing us. Short. Stocky. Dark hair, tan complexion with a big hook nose. Wore a leather jacket that looked like one of those old Member’s Only types.”