‘I’m all for a clean air policy,’ I said. ‘I gave up smoking years ago. Have a real bad habit with caffeine, though. I get cranky when I haven’t had a coffee. Any chance of a brew?’
‘You don’t seem to have a problem when it comes to killing,’ Chambers said. ‘Is that another of your bad habits?’
‘Self-defence,’ I pointed out, ‘and in defence of life. What would you rather have me do, Detective, allow the Logans to continue raping and murdering innocent women?’
‘You could have come to us.’
‘You saw what happened when the police were involved.’
‘That son of a bitch Lewin isn’t indicative of the entire force.’
I shrugged. I didn’t intend having a pissing competition with Chambers, but my flippancy was allowing him to get his way. I changed tack. ‘I’ve already covered everything in my previous statements. I’ve nothing to answer for and you both know it. I haven’t been arrested, and I don’t expect to be. So what’s the real reason for bringing me here?’
‘The real reason?’ Chambers gave me a look of disbelief.
‘I have no idea.’
Chambers snapped a glance at Witherspoon. ‘Can you believe this asshole?’
The older cop just lifted his shoulders noncommittally.
Frustrated, Chambers slapped his palms down on the table. The sound ricocheted round the small room. It engendered a blink of annoyance from Witherspoon, the first time he’d looked anything but a genial guy.
Witherspoon turned to his partner and said, ‘Go get our guest a cup of coffee, Andy. I’ll handle this.’
Chambers stood up quickly, maybe aiming for dramatic effect, but the action was thwarted by the bolted-down seat and he swayed in place to check his balance. ‘Don’t see why we’re pandering to him. Jesus H. Christ! It’s a bloodbath out there and all we’ve got is his word that he’s one of the good guys. That goddamn file says otherwise, you ask me.’
Chambers wasn’t playing bad cop, he really was pissed.
He stabbed a finger at me. ‘There’s still the issue of the gun you were carrying. I could push for charges over that, don’t forget.’
He had a point. I wasn’t licensed to carry a firearm here in Arizona. If he wanted to be a bureaucratic arsehole he could indeed have me brought up on charges — if I admitted to having taken the gun to the ranch. ‘I told you already… I took the gun off Samuel Logan when he tried to kill me and Joan Walker.’
I could see he didn’t buy the lie, but what else could he do? I’d told Jay to say the same thing, the one concession to self-preservation we’d agreed on during the drive to Holbrook. ‘I have a problem with your type,’ he said. Then without another word he yanked open the door, slamming it behind him.
‘You think he’ll spit in my coffee?’
Witherspoon chuckled, but all pretence of humour had been put aside now. He rolled his neck, then leaned forward on his elbows and clasped his hands together. He stared at me for a moment. ‘I were you, I’d wait until you were outta here before drinking anything that isn’t from a sealed container.’
‘What’s his problem with me? I just helped save the lives of three innocent women. You’d think he would be pleased.’
‘He doesn’t like vigilantes.’
‘I’m not too fond of the term myself.’
‘See, a guy once decided to take the law into his own hands. He used a shotgun and killed the man accused of raping his daughter. Shot him in the balls.’
I shrugged. ‘Just deserts.’
‘That’s why Chambers doesn’t like you. Your attitude. See, the way things turned out, the accused guy was innocent and was proven so when the real rapist was arrested later the same day. The guy who died… that was Chambers’ older brother.’
‘He has my sympathy, but what has that got to do with me?’
‘We’ve heard you’ve made a habit of taking the law into your hands.’
‘So you’ve likely heard about the type of men I’ve gone up against.’
‘Some cops would applaud you. Chambers though, he thinks that you’re a loose cannon. He thinks that you went to the Logans with only one thought in mind.’
I had no lie for him. Instead I asked, ‘What about you, Detective?’
He slowly unfolded his hands so that he could tap his fingers together. It wasn’t exactly applause, but he got his message across. ‘Doesn’t make a difference what I think. I’ve a warning to give you and you’d best pay attention.’
‘I’m listening.’
‘Samuel Logan escaped.’
‘I know. I heard. He took Officer Lewin’s cruiser after I left with the girls. He hasn’t been found yet?’
‘You know he hasn’t.’
‘And you’re concerned I’m going to go after him?’
‘Kinda sounds like something you’d do.’ He smiled but it was a hard look now. He placed his hands on the ring binder for emphasis. ‘And we don’t want history repeating itself. You get my drift?’
‘Loud and clear.’
‘It would be a shame if we had to lock you up… after all the good things you’ve done.’
‘Yeah. But it’s not something you need fret over.’
‘So you’re gonna do as I say? Forget about Samuel?’
‘I’m not interested in him. Soon as I’m out of here, I’m taking Jay and Nicole home. You’re welcome to Samuel Logan as far as I’m concerned.’
‘You said you shot him twice.’
I hadn’t mentioned that I’d put the second round into him when he was already on the floor and wasn’t about to now. ‘I did.’
‘So we don’t expect him to get far.’
‘That’s good,’ I said. ‘The sooner you get him the better. Like I said… he’s all yours.’
‘Keep thinking like that and you’ll be outta here in no time.’
‘No argument from me.’ I started to stand up, but Witherspoon waved me down again.
‘I thought we’d put things straight.’
‘We have. But I just sent for coffee. You don’t really think that Chambers will spit in your cup?’
‘It’s not spit I’m worried about. I’ve a bad feeling that it’ll taste distinctively salty after that jerk-off’s finished with it.’
Witherspoon chuckled, and the twinkle had returned to his gaze.
‘Go on. Get outta here, before I change my mind and lock you up until Samuel Logan’s safely behind bars.’
I looked down on him and the file. I gave him a none-too-subtle sly grin. ‘Samuel Logan’s safe from me.’
I meant what I said, but with one caveat: so long as he stayed away from the women.
28
A few minutes later I was standing out under the desert sun, squinting at the reflections of light bouncing off the edifices of glass and steel opposite me. In downtown Phoenix the air was full of exhaust fumes from the traffic stalled at the lights. There was a steady thrum of engines, a babble of voices, the swish of tyres from the cross street to my left. For a second or two I wished I was back in the solitude offered by the desert. I looked for a cab, but there wasn’t one in the queue on this side.
I didn’t take that coffee from Detective Chambers, and I was definitely ready for one. I looked for a Starbucks. The street here was dominated by official-looking high rises, but I thought there must be a coffee shop nearby. I checked my pockets for cash. Then I turned and walked to the right. It was a random decision and as good a direction as any. The detectives had been keen to bring me here but hadn’t offered to return me to Holbrook and I didn’t push them for a ride. I was happy enough to be out of their way because I’d much to plan and didn’t want them listening in.
I meant what I’d told Witherspoon. I did intend taking the women home, and if Samuel Logan ventured no further than the Arizona state border, then fine. But I didn’t believe he’d let things rest at that. I’d shot him twice — as far as I knew — but obviously not as badly as I’d hoped. Samuel struck me as the type who wouldn’t let things lie. Chances were he had a couple of priorities to see to, namely surviving his wounds and evading the manhunt that had been launched to find him, but then he’d want to get revenge on me for slaying his kin. Let him come for me: I didn’t fear him, and if the truth be told, I welcomed a second shot at the title. However there was one thing I was certain of: he wouldn’t demand a stand-up man-to-man encounter; he’d try to get to me by what he’d see as my weakness. He’d target the women first.