The Sentry - By Robert Crais Page 0,56
that view was hidden.
“After I spoke with Brown, I talked to Jared. Jared told me things that put the lie to everything this woman told you about herself. It’s not good, Joe. It’s pretty damned bad.”
“What?”
The cat crouched at Pike’s feet. Its tail snapped and twitched as Cole repeated Jared’s story. Cole kept it brief, but left nothing out.
“If you want to talk to him again, I’ll go with you, but I believe Jared is telling the truth. When I left him, I took some things from their house that should have their prints, and gave them to John Chen. I don’t know that these people are in the system, but they might be, and the prints might help us figure this out. Also, I spoke with Lucy. Until we hear back from Chen, all I could give her were their names, but her investigator is going to see what he can find in New Orleans. That’s it. That’s been my day.”
Pike seemed to sway, as if pushed by a breeze, only the air was still.
“I’m sorry, man. If you want me to call off Chen and Lucy, I will.”
Pike turned toward the canyon and placed his hands on the rail. Cole wondered if he needed the rail to stop swaying.
“No. Don’t call them off.”
“All right. You want another beer?”
Pike shook his head.
Cole said, “What do you want to do?”
“About what?”
“We’re in this because you want to help this woman. I’m fine with that, but now, well, maybe things have changed.”
“She still needs help.”
“Okay. If that’s what you want.”
“That’s what I want.”
The cat whipped and twitched its tail at a furious rate, and its eyes were dangerous slits.
Cole said, “I’m sorry, man.”
His phone rang. Cole wasn’t going to answer, but decided to give Pike some time. He covered the grill then went inside for the phone. He scooped up the handset a second after the message machine, and spoke over the recording.
“Hey, I’m here. Don’t hang up—it’ll stop.”
“Mr. Cole?”
Cole didn’t recognize the man’s voice.
“That’s right. Who’s this?”
“My name is Charles Laine. You were at my home today on the canal. You spoke with my housekeeper about my surveillance system.”
Cole glanced outside to signal Pike, but Pike had left the rail.
“Yes, sir. Thanks for getting back to me.”
“Not a problem. Is this about the police investigation? The police came by yesterday.”
“Yes, sir, same thing, but I am not a police officer. I’m a licensed investigator working in private employ.”
“I know. I have your card here. Irma says you asked if we record the camera feed.”
Cole looked at the opposite end of the deck, but still did not see Pike.
“Yes, sir. We’re looking to identify two men who might have passed by your house yesterday morning.”
“I might be able to help. The system I have here records, but I’m not sure if you’ll see enough of the street. I know you can see some of it, but the camera is set up to show people who come to the gate.”
“I understand. Could I take a look at whatever you have?”
“Sure. I’ll try to burn a copy tonight. I’ve never done it before, but I have an instruction booklet somewhere around here. If it works, I’ll get it over to you tomorrow. If not, maybe you could come here.”
“That would be great, Mr. Laine. Thank you.”
When Cole put down the phone, he went back to the deck. He wanted to share the one piece of good news he had gotten that day, but when he stepped outside, Joe Pike was gone.
“Joe?”
The cat was gone, too.
“Joseph?”
The canyon swallowed his voice.
Cole went to the rail. Down below, the first few flickering lights twinkled in the shadows. Darkness pooled in the deeper cuts like purple mist, and would climb as the sun died until it consumed him. But not now, and not yet.
“It’s going to be okay, buddy. It only hurts for a while.”
His voice a whisper meant only for himself.
Then the cat growled, somewhere to his right and below on the slope. It started low, and spiraled louder like a terrible war cry until it filled the canyon with an anguished wail as if the cat was in pain. Cole thought it was the cat. He was pretty sure it was the cat.
Cole leaned over the rail, trying to see. He stretched as far into space as he could, trying to find the cat by listening to its scream, but saw nothing. The cat was there, but so well hidden he could not be found.
Sometimes