also shorter in reality, but I figured that was probably heels, not bone deletion. I tried to at least figure out where the most recent modifications might fit into Teplova’s algorithms, but could figure out no statistical justification for them.
Frustrated, I flipped to reading the police report on the interview with Arthur. At least that read more clinically than Checker’s interrogation, but I was also sure he hadn’t told the police close to everything. I’d have to re-interview him myself.
I got the chance when Arthur stirred toward the end of my shift. His eyes cracked open. “Russell?”
“Yeah,” I said.
“Hey.”
I didn’t answer. I was glad he was all right, but not in any mood to simper.
“Water?” he whispered.
I found the water bottle next to his bed and stuck it within reach.
“Thank you,” he said, after managing a few sips.
“No problem.”
“Not talking about the water.”
“Well, don’t thank me for the rescue either. They let you go.”
“Pilar, she said something…” He shifted and grimaced in pain. “Catch me up?”
“You catch me up first.” I didn’t want him falling asleep again before I got some intel. “This isn’t over. Give me whatever you remember.”
“Yeah. Okay.” The words were weak, but he didn’t seem as out of it anymore. “Did it for the cops, I think it helped. Don’t remember much about when … I guess it was Friday. Got bashed in the head. Don’t think I saw who, though.”
“We think we know who.” Small favors D.J. had taken a break from the explosives obsession. “I’m glad he opted for blunt force trauma for once in his life.”
“We sure it was D.J.?” It looked like Arthur’s features tried to tighten into a frown, but then he found it too painful. “Couldn’t see, they had me blind through all of it, but the cat who had me the whole time—thought it was a woman.”
He’d said as much in the police interview, but I’d sort of assumed he was just trying to get the heat off Checker. “D.J.’s got a pretty high voice,” I said, digging back in my memory. “You ever meet him in person?”
“No. And I was tracking his sig on the bombs. Right, makes sense.”
“It’s not just him, though. He’s got some seriously supercharged people under his thumb.” I gave him a brief paraphrase of what Teplova’s surgical magic was capable of, leaving out the more personal connections to me. For now. I could tell him when he could stay awake for more than twenty seconds.
“Shit,” Arthur said, his face going slack.
“And he hasn’t been shy about the explosives either,” I continued. “He broke out the bombs on your office after kidnapping you, by the way. And on mine.”
“Oh, Lord. Russell, I’m sorry—I’m so sorry—” He covered his face with both hands.
“Not your fault.” I was much more pissed at him for other things.
“Yes. ’S my fault. I’m sorry, so sorry, they kept—kept pushing me to say who I’d been working with, who else might know. I swore it was only me, said I was alone in it, the truth, but they—they were going to dig, go after—I knew they’d find your name on my voicemail message anyway. I got this mad crazy hope…”
He’d given me away knowing D.J. and his cohorts would come after me. First, because he’d known I’d be easy to find anyway, but second, because he’d clung to the possibility that out of everyone, I would beat them, I would survive, I would outsmart them and turn around and come track him down.
Arthur had used me to protect Checker and Pilar, the people who actually worked with him. He’d used me to protect his family, for just that little bit longer.
“I’m sorry, Russell. I’m so sorry…” He was weeping now, into his hands.
Instead of adding to my resentment, the revelation made something inside me fold open like an unraveling flower. Arthur did trust me. In some ways.
In at least one way.
“I did get out,” I said. “You were right.” It had been mostly luck, but I decided not to add that. Or to reveal Tabitha had almost been blown up along with me. “It was a good call.”
“Shouldn’t’ve said—shouldn’t’ve said anything—”
“And who’s the person with the most clear-cut employee connection to you? Pilar, right? If D.J. was going after people who’d worked with you, she would’ve been the first one he found. Send bad guys to me instead of Pilar any day.”
He didn’t answer. I wasn’t sure he heard me.
I sighed. “Keep going. I want to know how D.J. got