"Dennis said he saw another man in the police station once when you were there. He didn't see the guy's face, but Dennis thought he was tellin' Sentz to lay off. Did you see anyone there?"
"No."
"Do you know who that might've been?"
"No. But I wouldn't be-I mean-" Torres stopped, started again. "I know Sentz said he was going by the book. And it's true. Technically there were no grounds for action. But we all know that those rules are written mostly to give officers the ability to allocate manpower as necessary and to get rid of crackpots. Cases that aren't really cases. Thomas wasn't a crackpot. He was intelligent, resourceful, and obviously very worried about his wife."
"Still, if the rules are on the books…"
"Sentz had discretion. I've seen him use it before. If he wanted to start an investigation, he'd start an investigation. He'd find a way to make it good."
"But he never did that for Dennis Thomas."
"Exactly. Not even after seven days, when it was pretty obvious something had happened to her. That part was… unusual."
"Why did you think he was stonewallin' Thomas?"
"I don't know. But I can't help but think there was a reason. That's why I finally got something going myself."
"You did?"
Torres nodded. "I got one of the other detectives to sign off on it. Someone who didn't know the whole story. Sentz was furious when he found out. But we did find Joslyn Thomas."
"Not in time."
"Yeah." Torres's head lowered. "Not in time."
"And Dennis Thomas attacked Sentz."
Torres frowned. "He wasn't the only one who wanted to."
"What do you mean?"
"Sentz came in angry, furious. He was out for my blood. He was hurling abuse and outrage. But the fact is, Joslyn Thomas was in danger and we found her. It would've been a good time for him to be contrite and admit his mistake. Instead he came in like he didn't care about the woman who had just died. All he cared about was that someone went over his head. It was just twisted. Didn't make any sense."
Loving pondered that a long moment. "And Thomas attacked him?"
"Yeah. But Sentz went after him beforehand. Threw him down, scraped up his face. He was the first one to get physical."
"What about all those ugly things Thomas supposedly said? The threats."
"He said them. But put it in context. The man's stalling caused his wife enormous pain. He acted angry that we found her. He physically manhandled him. He had him arrested!" Torres shook his head. "I think I would've said a lot more than that if it had been me."
"Why do you think Sentz was so determined not to investigate? And so angry when you did?"
"I don't know. It was weird. No one will say anything now, because they don't want to get crosswise with Guillerman. But it was really bizarre."
"What about that deal at the hotel? The stakeout. There had to be somethin' goin' on there."
"I don't know much about that. It was very secret. Certainly nothing they'd share with a desk clerk."
"How did they pick the men who would be involved?"
Torres moved in closer, dropping his voice another notch, as if what he was about to say was particularly sensitive. "It was all the Benedict's Bunch. Sentz. Shaw. Conway. A couple of others."
"The what?" Loving had been investigating this case a long time, but this was a new bit of terminology. "What did you call them?"
"It's a reference to St. Benedict's. The hospital."
The hospital where Joslyn Thomas worked. "What did those cops have to do with the hospital?"
"They were moonlighting there."
"As what?"
"The word was, they were security."
Off-duty cops working as hospital security? He supposed it was possible.
"But I think there was more to it than that."
"Why?"
"I don't know exactly. I could just tell they were up to something. The whispers. Furtive looks. Sudden disappearances. Covering for one another."
"Cops always stick up for one another."
"This went way beyond that." Torres wrung his hands together. "Look, it's true I'm new on the force and I don't know all there is to know."
"Sounds like you know a heck of a lot."
"I worked hard to become a cop. I'm proud of where I am. I'm the first guy in my whole family to go to college. First to wear a uniform, you know? It means something to me. And I don't like it when-when someone else tarnishes what I worked so hard to get."
"So what are you tellin' me about these men, Joe?"
"I don't have any proof."
"But…?"
Torres inhaled deeply. "I thought they were dirty. I think they were involved in something dirty. Maybe that's why they were at the hotel. I wouldn't be surprised if it explains this whole mess."
"How long had this been going on?"
"I don't know. Long enough."
"And you think it has something to do with Joslyn Thomas?"
"I wouldn't be surprised. Especially after Sentz repeatedly refused to look for her. That was not something any normal red-blooded person would do. Unless he were covering something up."
"Are you sayin' what I think you're sayin'?" Loving moved in tighter. Despite the darkness, he managed to look the man straight in the eye. "First Joslyn Thomas disappears. Now the husband is on track to disappear. And every time, the same guys are involved."
"That's how I see it."
No wonder he hadn't come up with anything. He was totally barking up the wrong tree. And so was Ben.
"Who did they report to at the hospital?"
"Sorry. I don't know."
"What department?"
"I still don't know."
"Any hints? Clues? Anything that might tell me where to look?"
"I'm sorry." He glanced nervously over his shoulder. "I think I should go now."
"Wait." Loving pulled a card out of his back pocket. "Before you leave. Take this. I want you to see Ben Kincaid."
"I can't do that."
"He'll take care of you."
Torres began backing away. "I told you, I can't do that."
"It's important. He needs to hear this."
"I can't testify."
"Then he'll have you swear out an affidavit."
"No!"
"We can protect you."
"You can't. Not enough."
"At least talk to him. Or talk to Thomas."
"No!" Torres moved backward, fast.
"It's important, Joe. A man's life is on the line."
"I won't testify."
"He can subpoena you."
"No!" Torres turned and began to run.
"What are you afraid of? Losing your job?"
"I'm afraid of losing my life!" Torres shouted back. And then he disappeared into the night.
Loving didn't bother chasing him. What would be the point? Even if he caught him, he couldn't make him talk. And the truth was, Torres was right to be concerned for his life. Smart, even. Cops did not like being ratted on, especially by one of their own. Other people came after cops, they circled the wagons. But when it was one of their own mounting the challenge…
Well, he had a right to be concerned.
Loving checked his watch. Hell with the bar. He wasn't likely to get more than he already had. He'd drive crosstown to St. Benedict's. He had no idea what he was looking for. But he needed to find something. Something Ben could use in court.
Time was running out fast. If he didn't come up with something useful soon, it would be too late.
22
"A mistrial?" Dennis looked back at Ben, perplexed. "Why would I want that? We've been in trial more than a week!"
"There are a million possible reasons. You're the defendant. And you're not currently in jail. Time is on your side."
"Do you think we're losing? Is that why you want to start over?"
"No. I have no idea what the jury is thinking. But we have taken some hits. This could be our chance to start from scratch."
Ben had asked Dennis to come to the courthouse conference room early so they could discuss this all-important issue before he saw the judge. Mistrial was a delicate subject. A corporate defendant will always go for it; given the time value of money, the longer they can delay paying a judgment, the better. But with human beings, there were many more emotional issues. Humans wanted closure, resolution. Even if the trial process was nerve-wracking, even if they were uncertain about the result, there was always a strong desire to get it over with.