Part 34 (1/2)
The comment was simply meant to break the tension, and to some degree it worked. At least it brought the beginning of a grin to Hunt's face. ”It's a concern,” he said, ”but I try not to let it get me down.”
Hunt said, ”Pick up, Devin. It's important.”
After a few seconds, the inspector's voice came on. ”In the middle of dinner, Wyatt, this better be good.”
”Good enough,” Hunt said. ”What if I were to tell you I've found Alicia?”
”Have you?”
”I'm asking you. What if?”
”I'd say keep an eye on her until I can get to where she is and put some cuffs on her. Where is she?”
”You'd arrest her? Even without the DNA on the scarf?”
”We got that just before I went home today. It's Como's. So we got her.”
”Except, as it turns out, you still don't know where she is.”
”But you do.”
”I never said that.”
”Don't get wise, Wyatt. Where is she?”
”I could get her to come here.”
”Again. Where?”
”Here. Home. The warehouse.”
”Okay. So do that.”
”I will try.” Hunt paused. ”Provided you promise you won't arrest her.”
Juhle's laugh exploded in the phone. ”And why, pray, would I agree to that?”
”Because I'm also going to have your murderer.”
”You are, are you? And who's that?”
”I could tell you, but it wouldn't do me or Alicia any good.”
”She's Alicia now, is she?”
”She's also my client.”
”She's what?”
”You heard me.”
”When did that happen?”
”That doesn't matter either. Not to you. What matters is you promise you don't arrest her.”
”Until when?”
”Until I get you the murderer.”
Another small bark of humor. ”Well, I'm going to say 'h.e.l.l, no' to that, Wyatt. I have evidence against Thorpe and if I see her, I'm going to arrest her.”
”Then all bets are off.”
Juhle paused for a long beat. ”You're saying you know who the killer is?”
”I am. I do. And I'm saying if you want to find out, you promise no arrest. End of story.”
”And what if you're wrong?”
”I'm not wrong.”
”So we take Alicia downtown, then if you prove we're wrong, we let her go.”
”Nice try, Dev. But what really happens is once you get her booked, it's almost impossible to arrest anybody else. Why? Because not only have you just given your second suspect a built-in defense-'Oh, it was Alicia Thorpe last week, Your Honor, but this week it's really my client X who did it'-but also because a second arrest for the same crime makes you and Sarah both look stupid.”
”No, that wouldn't-”
”Bulls.h.i.+t. Listen to me. You arrest her now, Alicia's charged with specials”-multiple murder special circ.u.mstances-”and gets no bail. The DA says she can argue some other dude did it at her trial. But meanwhile, once Alicia's in jail, your real killer is tipped to all the evidence and can make their own story tighter, if in fact they don't leave town. That's what really happens, Dev, and you d.a.m.n well know it. So I can't tell you who the murderer is. You'll just say 'thanks for playing' and arrest my client. I've got to show you. And I can do that. But first I need your word. No arrest. Nonnegotiable.”
A long silence. Then, ”Last, best, and only offer, Wyatt. You get your dog and pony show. I'll come over, but if I do, somebody's going to jail. I'm thinking it's Thorpe, but I'll give you a chance to convince me it's someone else.” After another short pause, he asked, ”Where is she now?”
”Doesn't matter,” Hunt said. ”A secret place. Mickey found her. But the point is I've got him bringing her down here.”
”Why would she do that? Come down there?”
”Because Mickey's convinced her this is the safest place she could be. She believes Mickey.”
”s.h.i.+t.”
”You keep saying that.”
”You know why? It keeps being appropriate. s.h.i.+t s.h.i.+t s.h.i.+t. What am I supposed to do about Sarah?”
”I'm not sure she could agree to the conditions.”
”So now I cut my partner out of it. I know you're not a cop, Wyatt, but that kind of behavior is frowned upon down at the Hall.”
”Yeah, well, I appreciate that. But what's happening is happening now. This is all the warning I can give you.”
Wyatt heard the soft exhale of resignation and decision. ”Okay,” Juhle said. ”Twenty minutes, half hour.”