Dead Man's Hand (40 page)

“
Listen, he
killed my officer and there
’
s no way you
’
re taking him.
”
Dale moved closer to t
he colonel.

“
We
’
ll
see about that,
D
etective.
”
In one swift motion, the
c
olonel
pulled out a cell
phone. He turned his back, made a call and held a short conversation. When he had hung up, he turned back around to face Dale.

“
So?
”
Dale asked.

The colonel only smiled.

As if on cue, Dale
’
s cell
phone rang. He answered without taking his eyes off the
c
olonel.

“
Dayton
.
”

“
Let it go.
”
He heard his sergeant
’
s voice.

“
Yeah. But…
”

“
I said, let it go.
”

“
Yeah.
Okay
,
Sa
rge.
”
Dale
slammed the phone
shut
and addressed the colonel.
“
Okay, you seem to
have some pull in my department. But we have some questions for your client, questions that are imperative to our investigation.
”

“
He
will not be answering questions from
your department.
I have your answers.
”

Dale licked his lips.
“
So what can you tell me?
”

“
He w
as hired by a man named Ace Sanders to kill Calvin Watters. He was paid half upfront
and
the other half was to be paid on completion of his mission. Of course
,
that never happened. His employer never used his name, but
my client,
being a thorough
M
arine, conducted his research and knew who he was working for.
”

Before Dale could ask another question, the Colonel continued.
“
He
is no longer in your custody. The
M
arines wil
l take over from here
.
”

Dale
’
s shoulders sagged.

Baxter would never
undergo a civilian court trial for homicide. As bad as it seemed, Dale couldn
’
t help but smile at the poetic justice. Having Watters turn Baxter into a one-legged man,
some justice had been served.

Dale and Jimmy watched Hughes turn and leave.

“
Wow, he thinks his shit don
’
t stink.
”

“
Yeah,
an asshole. But we have to let him take Baxter.
”

“
What do we do now?
”

Dale would keep investigating the cop killing in hopes
of finding evidence that he could
give to the Marines and perhaps make their court-martial and sentencing more severe. B
ut at the same time, he knew that he
’
d
already found the real killer, so there
wa
s no cop-killer on the loose to search for, only potential evidence
—
a very slim hope at best.

“
Back to square one
, Jimmy
. G
rant
’
s original murder investigation. At least we have hearsay testimony through the colonel that Sanders hired Baxter.
Of course we can
’
t use it because Baxter will be gone.
That still doesn
’
t link Sanders to the first three murders, but it does strengthen his motives.
W
hy would he want Watters
dead, if it
’
s not because he knows too much about the murders?
”

Baxter might have escaped civilian justice, but to Dale, Watter
s
’
form of justice had been much greater and much more devastating. And he also realized that the military could be vindictive with those who betray their uniform and country.

“
Let
’
s go tell Watters.
”

“
What the fuck do you mean he
’
s leaving?
”
Calvin squeezed out, his throat constricted from emotion. He couldn
’
t believe what the detectives were telling him. He
and Rachel had just spent four
days locked up, hiding from both the police and a hired kill
er. Their lives had changed beyond recall
. His body hurt, his girlfriend was in hiding
and
he had to sit and listen as the dicks on the job let Baxter go.

“
I know how you must be feeling,
b
ut our hands are tied. The Marines
wanted Baxter long be
fore we did and they have dibs on him before
the Vegas Police
,
”
Dale
said.

“
This is bullshit!
”
Calvin tried to stand,
but
the pain won over.
“
Give me a hand, will ya?
”

The detectives helped him to sit up on the edge of the bed. He knew that he shouldn
’
t be blaming them. They
’
d done all they could. But Calvin was feeling th
e aftereffects of the last four
days
and
he needed someone to take his frustrations out on.

“
How are you
r injuries?
”
Dale
asked.

“
Better.
”

“
Want some?
”
The detective held out a tin of Skoal but he declined.
Dale
jammed in a chunk.
“
I thought all you athletes did this?
”

Calvin smiled but said nothing. He put his good hand on the bed railing and placed all his weight on it, pushing himself
to his feet. He
still had trouble with balance.

“
I need to get out of this stuffy room.
”

“
How about
a walk?
”
Detective Mason
spoke for the first time since the introductions.

Calvin hobbled on stiff legs across the room. The detectives opened the door just
as
Baxter
was
being wheeled past
.
He
was uncovered
,
w
hich
reveal
ed
his bandaged, shortened left leg.

He wore a hospital-issued
,
sleeveless gown
and
Calvin saw a tattoo of two eagles flying head-to-head and the letters USMC printed under them on Baxter
’
s right arm.

Like Calvin,
he
had substantial bruising and scratches
to his face and arms
. Calvin
’
s
and Bax
ter
’
s eyes met
before
Baxter
looked away
.

Dale
spoke.
“
I think for the first time in his life,
he
feels defeated.
”

“
Where are they taking him?
”

“
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, which
is the major
West Coast
base of the
United States Marine Corps
. It
’
s
in
San Diego County
.
Hughes is organizing Baxter
’
s probable court-martial for whatever he did that resulted in that s
pecial high-priority warrant. He
’
s
Bax
ter
’
s defense attorney
.
”

The three men watched Bax
ter being wheeled down the hall and
into a cordoned
-
off wing. They exited the room
and
walked in the opposite direction.

“
What now?
”
Calvin asked, his eyes shifting between detectives.

“
I thought I would have
an opportunity to interrogate Baxter. All we can do now is focus on the first three murders. Here
’
s what we have.
”
Dale
scratched the stubble on his chin.
“
Baxter
’
s confession is more evidence against Sanders,
but it
’
s only hearsay,
not admissible in court.
”

“
Fuck the court. We need
to—
”

Dale
grasped
Calvin by the arm.
“
I
f you
’
re going to work with Jimmy and me, you have to think like a cop, not a bone breaker.
”

Calvin nodded, but he didn
’
t like it.
“
Sorry, go ahead.
”

“
Baxter
’
s direct confession advance
s the investigation
in understanding the person we
’
re pursuing.
Sanders could have done the other murders himself or used another hired hand.
Willing to pay to have you killed is only one mental and psychological step away from personally committing homicide. We now know that Sanders fits the profile of the very rare and small number of people who are capable of deliberately committing murder, when the vast majority could never cross that line, even in life or death self-defense.
”

“
What
’
s his next move
?
”

The detective smiled
.
“
O
nce Sanders discovers his
hit man
has failed, he
’
ll
w
orry about what Baxter might say to us
. And then what you might say to us. So he has to act fast.
But with Sander
s
’
range of contacts, we have to factor in the possibility that he
’
s already
learned about Baxter
’
s arrest
.
T
hat should shake him even more
.
”

“
If
he knows that, then in all likelihood he
knows I
’
m in custody to
o
,
”
Calvin said.

“
That
’
s what we
’
re thinking
.
”

Jimmy
cut
in.
“
He
’
s got to be sweating.
We
’
re not sure he won
’
t try to get you even while you
’
re in the hospital. At this point, we
’
re not sure what Sanders is capable of.
”

Calvin added.
“
I have direct confirmation from Shawn Grant that Sanders and Linda Grant were having an affair.
He
’
ll want to squelch that.
”