“Yes, I heard about what happened at the Auto Show. Let me ask you, did O’Reilly agree it was Slice chasing this Jasmine Cruz?” Bernadette asked skeptically.
“Dan wasn’t even there when it happened. I saw the whole thing, and I’m convinced it was him. That’s why I’m determined to protect Amanda, don’t you see? First Rosario Sangrador, then Jasmine Cruz. This guy is on a witness-killing spree.”
Bernadette harrumphed. “That’s an exaggeration. One dead witness does not a spree make. Rosario, I accept. She was an eyewitness, about to testify. But Jasmine was Slice’s baby’s mother. It was probably a domestic dispute. Besides, even if it was Slice at the Auto Show, he didn’t push her. She jumped.”
“She fell. He chased her out there, and she fell. She had a little girl. She never would’ve jumped.” Melanie flushed with indignation on Jasmine’s behalf.
“You can’t know that. Anyway, you shouldn’t even have been at the Auto Show. Not only did it waste time, but it got you all tangled up in this girl’s death. Can’t you focus on basic leads to track Slice down? You need to keep your eye on the ball.”
Melanie choked back her anger. She needed Bernadette on her side.
“Okay, whatever. But it’s still reasonable to think Amanda is in jeopardy, isn’t it? She is an eyewitness. Won’t you speak to Nell Benson?”
“I don’t know, Melanie. Romulado has really begged me to leave the Bensons alone right now.”
“ Bern, not for nothing, but what is he doing in the middle of all this? First he hires Flanagan, then he criticizes me for interviewing Amanda. Now that Amanda is able to talk, she should be interviewed. Period. I know you agree. You’re too good an investigator not to.”
Watching the play of emotions across Bernadette’s face, Melanie actually felt sorry for her. She wished she could ask Bernadette openly whether Rommie was meddling in the case in other ways and, if so, why Bernadette was allowing it. But she didn’t have that kind of relationship with her boss.
Bernadette stood up abruptly. “Here’s the deaclass="underline" I’ll speak to Romulado about the Amanda Benson situation. He can talk to Nell. Maybe we can make some progress that way. But in the meantime you need to do your legwork. Amanda is hardly your only avenue of inquiry. Look at this desk! Didn’t I tell you to clear it off?”
“Yes, but-”
“No buts! I say clear it off, you clear it off. God knows, you could have Slice’s address sitting here in a subpoena response, and you wouldn’t even know it.” Bernadette looked at her watch. “It’s almost five now. You have half an hour. Then you’re coming with me to a retirement dinner I have to attend. What do you think of this suit, by the way? Too matronly?”
Bernadette wore a cherry red suit with a short-sleeved jacket, bright gold buttons, and a skintight skirt.
“Not at all. But-”
“Normally I like to show a bit of cleavage for evening. If you’ve got it, flaunt it, I always say. But I needed something I could wear to that meeting in D.C. this morning.”
“It’s very sexy,” Melanie said. Inappropriate, but sexy, she thought.
“You think so? Good.” Bernadette looked down at herself, smoothing her skirt.
“But how can I go to a retirement dinner when I have so much work-”
“Look, Romulado will be there. Maybe we can work something out on the Amanda Benson front. Half an hour, be there or be square,” she said, walking out the door, giving Melanie no chance to protest further.
30
HE DIALED AND LISTENED TO THE PHONE RING at the other end, tapping his fingers.
“FCI-Otisville. How may I direct your call?”
“Extension 6239.”
“One moment, please.”
He lit a cigarette while he waited.
“Inmate Records, Grasso speaking.”
“Sal. Hey, brother, how’s the Harley?”
“Oh, it’s you. What’s up?”
“You got that stuff we talked about?”
“You still at that same number?”
“Yup.”
“Call you back in ten minutes from another phone.”
HIS PHONE RANG ABOUT AN HOUR LATER.
“Hello?”
“It’s me,” Grasso said.
“That wasn’t no ten minutes, pal.”
“Hey, I’m doing you a fucking favor here!”
“Not like you’re not getting paid.”
“With what you’re paying me, I’m not risking my job, understand? Now, you want it or not?”
“Depends. Is it anything good? I’m not interested in hearing Diaz jack off for an hour while he talks to some bimbo.”
“Hey, don’t knock it till you try it. You wouldn’t believe some of the shit I hear. Girls moaning and shit, talking dirty. Real graphic. It’s like calling a 900 number, except free.”
“Ah, you’re all fucking perverts up there.”
“Okay, so how’m I gonna get the disk to you? I ain’t e-mailing it ’cause that leaves a trail.”
“Like I said, what is it first?”
“Nah, it’s real good. Diaz called a female prosecutor, I forget her name-”
“Melanie Vargas?”
“Yeah, that’s it. Says he got some hot information about a murder, and she better come visit right away. But get this: ‘The people around you are dirty,’ he says, ‘so watch out.’”
“Huh. He said that?”
“Yup.”
He paused, thinking.
“Hello?” Grasso said.
“Yeah, I’m still here. Do we know if she visited him yet?”
“Didn’t get a chance to check the log.”
“Well, do that. Right away. I need to know. It makes a difference.”
“Okay, but there’s gonna be an extra charge for that.”
“Don’t worry. You’ll get compensated. Hey, listen, I got another proposition for you. It requires a little more risk on your part, but the payoff is that much bigger.”
“Like, how much you talking?”
“Substantial. Could go into the five figures, depending on the service performed.”
“Huh, sounds very interesting. You got my full attention.”
“Okay, here it is. What are my options if I want to make this cocksucker Diaz disappear?”
31
WITH THE AFTERNOON SUN BEHIND HIM, DOLAN Reed stood in front of the picture window, towering over his desk like some enormous statue of a dictator. His face stood out bright red against the glare. Only years of practice prevented Mary Hale from cowering as she approached him.
“What the fuck is this?” he shouted, throwing a piece of paper across the desk at her. She reached out and took it, forcing herself to move slowly and calmly. She sat down in a chair in front of his desk and settled her reading glasses unhurriedly on her nose. She found it worked best with him never to show fear.
“This is, or would appear to be, a subpoena from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for all documents held by us pertaining to the Securilex transaction,” she stated matter-of-factly.
“I can fucking see that, you moron. Didn’t I tell you to handle this Melanie Vargas person?”
“Served by fax, I would note. Not proper service unless we agree to accept it that way.”
“What are you suggesting? Call her up and say we don’t accept it? That’s idiotic.”
“It would buy us a couple of days to respond while they effect proper service,” Mary pointed out.
“A couple of days to shred, you mean!”
Her placid face betrayed no emotion. She’d have to consider what she’d do if he instructed her to destroy documents called for by a subpoena. Things between them in recent times had not been to her satisfaction. Cleaning up his messes was no longer as rewarding as it had once been, so why subject herself to criminal liability? Her mind flew forward, rapidly making calculations. She had it in her power to incite a coup. But she’d see. She’d see how she felt when the time came.