Arnie spoke through clenched teeth, “I won’t explain my actions to you or anyone else. Neither will I excuse what I’ve done. I’ve come this far, and it’s too late to back down.”
Robert leaned forward, his expression tense, his eyes narrowed. “It’s never too late. All it takes is one truth and to stick to it.” He wanted to grab Arnie by the collar and shake some sense into him. “You want me to tell Stan everything I found?” He pointed to the paper in front of the chief.
“I am sorry, but this is the position you’ve put me in. Now,” Arnie straightened up in his chair, “I see you’re determined to continue. You do it on your own, at your own risk.” He picked up the sheets of paper and pulled the metal trash can from under this desk. “Good thing the janitor just came by.” He struck a match on the box and lit the edge of the paper until it caught. He held it until the paper had fully engulfed in flames, then dropped it into the metal can. When the entire report had burned, he reached for his coffee cup and poured the liquid over the flickering flames. A hiss and sputter and the smell of coffee and burnt paper was all that remained. Robert got up to leave.
“I know you’re on the right track, but I can’t back you or show any support,” the tired voice sounded behind him as he reached for the knob. “You’ve heard my official word.”
“They win, again,” Robert spoke low. Arnie looked at him but gave no facial or verbal response.
Robert walked back and leaned over the desk, his palms bearing his weight. “Helen identified the two ex-cons as the two who were in the diner at the same time the Stevens’ were. They left before Karl did. I doubt that was set up. I made the circuit from the diner to the Corbett house and then to the river. It all fits. I figure Karl got to Corbett’s house per the plan, the two jumped him, drove the family in the car to the river, where they pushed it in. I wonder how they got the gun, that was stolen from Meier & Frank? That seems a bit coincidental it was found not far from their abandoned car.”
“You don’t have a motive. It’s all supposition, and you’ve no proof,” Arnie answered quietly.
“It’s not supposition, and you know it, but you’re right about one thing. I don’t have solid proof to stand in court.” Robert dropped his chin to his chest in defeat.
“I’m not going to authorize any more labor or money to continue the search for this family. It’s gone on long enough. If we let it die, the media will too, eventually.”
“That’s it? Another case slotted for the unsolved files,” Robert accused.
“Robert, you’re selfish. Think of the officers who you’ll put in danger if I let you pursue this.”
Robert didn’t answer. The long friendship he had with Arnie ended there. He couldn’t be associated with a dirty cop, no matter how far up the ladder the man sat. Arnie could sit in his chair until the day he retired. Robert wouldn’t attend the party.
“You don’t think I’d be so stupid as to give you the only copy, do you?” Robert pointed to the trash can.
“No, Robert. That’s one thing I know, you aren’t stupid. This is just a visual reminder of how easy it is to get rid of you and your so-called evidence. Remember that.”
“Chief, we’ve been friends through thick and thin these past years. In all, that’s gone down, I never got the impression you were on their side.” He held his palm up to stop the man seated from speaking. “All this time you’ve been collecting my reports and handing them off, so they knew how close we were getting. If you fail in all this, I won’t be feeling sorry for you.” Robert didn’t bother to shut the door when he left. ~~~
Robert muttered, “Come in” at the soft knock on his door. Barbara entered and gave him a curious look.
She sat down in the chair across from his desk. “Spill it.”
He glared at the papers. “I went to see the chief. It seems he has his position because of his connections. They’re telling him what to do. Threatening him, as they are me. He’s close to retirement, and I understand he just wants to get out of here and live somewhere else. I’ve been doing what I want on my own, but not officially. I got a call from Stan. He’s scared. He got a call from someone whose voice he didn’t recognize and didn’t identify himself. The man told him he was to keep a crew at the Cascade Locks site looking for bodies. He wasn’t to follow any leads or suggestions I might give him. He told me I can do what I want as long as it has no connection to him.” Robert gave a false laugh. “He doesn’t want any of my notes or reports. I wonder why.”
Barbara listened, not speaking until he finished. She sat without moving for a moment, then leaned forward, talking low, “Robert, the clues are there. Do you want to continue with this? Is it worth it? What do you hope to get out of pursuing this search for the Stevens’ killer?”
Robert glared at her and anger rose from somewhere, flooding his chest and moving up to his face. “Whose side are you on? Is this what you had in mind all the time, to persuade me to stop my investigation? Did someone put you up to this? Did you become my friend so you can manipulate me?” The last words were harshly spoken, disappointment seeping in.
She held up her hand to stop the tirade. “Stop! Stop right there, mister! Never in this entire time have I not backed what you and Jake are doing. I’m asking you to evaluate your reasons for continuing when you’ve been pulled off the case. Do you still think there’s enough evidence to make a conviction?”
Robert shook his head.
“Then do you think you’re going to find the evidence to make a conviction or even pin it to one suspect?”
Again, Robert shook his head.
“Then who are you angry at? The mob? There is nothing you can do there. The chief, because he pulled you off the case? Now you can do what you want, when you want, and you don’t have to report what you find to him or Stan. I don’t see the problem here. Do you?”
Robert shook his head. There was a slow grin that began at the corners of his mouth. His eyes were on Barbara, and she tilted her head looking at him.
“What are you grinning for?”
“You.” Robert stood and pulled her to her feet, put his arms around her and hugged her tightly. “I needed that. You’re the right one to put me in my place. I was sinking in a hole, and you pulled me out with your logic.” He kissed her.
“I’m here for you,” she whispered when she could talk. “I think we might have an audience. I know the glass is frosted, but we’re still visible.”
“I don’t care.” He gave her a quick kiss and stepped back, putting a little distance between them. “Any time I’m acting like a self-obsessed idiot, don’t hold anything back. Let me have it.”
She opened the door. The sound of furious typing and conversation filled the air. “You can be sure of that.” She went out, leaving the door slightly open.
Chapter 20
Robert finished the last of the paperwork and dropped it into the out basket on his desk. He stretched and folded his hands behind his head. He hadn’t read the paper today. The corner stuck out from the stack of case folders that Nate slapped on his desk earlier that day.
He looked at his watch. Jake should be back soon from interviewing the Lutz family. They had a criminal connection, even if it was only by association. The number of their family members who had seen the world from the back side of a cell verified the fact. Now the one man he wanted to find to interview had disappeared. He and his little friend from California were blown away in the Gorge wind.
He grimaced at the apparent leads they had to follow. He’d just read one that claimed Mrs. Stevens had been married before and the ex-husband had something to do with the family’s demise. He threw that one on the no pile right away. There’d been no previous marriage. It was one of the first things he’d checked on both Karl and Debra.