longer.
“You’re working for us. You took our money. Best you remember.”
Riley’s eyes were empty. Hicks figured he had a gun, but this didn’t mean he could use it. He glanced at the goons. Big men, big targets.
Hicks said, “Best you remember why I’m the guy you hired.”
Hicks got out and returned to his car.
33.
Elvis Cole
They marched him into Hollywood Station like they owned the place, Gregg and a herd of U.S. Marshals. The watch commander led them to a conference room. It was one of the nice conference rooms with a big-screen monitor, a large shiny table, and clean chairs. The Marshals had juice.
Gregg and his herd walked past, but Urman steered Cole into the room and pulled out a chair.
“Sit.”
Cole sat.
“Can I have my phone?”
“What phone?”
Marshal humor.
Urman left, and locked the door. They had taken Cole’s phone, his wallet, and his watch. They locked him in the room, but they did not book him, photograph him, or handcuff him. They did not advise him of his rights. Cole told himself this was a good sign, but knew it meant nothing. Something had changed. In the time since they left his office, the marshals had learned something new, and gone to battle stations.
They made him wait.
The door opened after about an hour, and Gregg and Steinaway walked in. An older man with a big head and a thin woman with spiteful eyes came in with them.
Cole smiled brightly.
“Thank you all for coming. Meeting’s adjourned.”
Zero reaction.
Gregg introduced the man and the woman as they sat.
“Detectives Braun and DeLako with LAPD. You’ve already met Deputy Marshal Steinaway and myself.”
Cole recognized Braun’s name, but ignored him.
“It’s been all of two hours, Inspector. What’s with the show of force?”
Gregg removed the Stetson and placed it on the table. The hat was as big as a manhole cover.
“Have you spoken with Mr. Pike since we last saw you?”
“No, sir. I have not.”
Steinaway grinned, as nasty as a razor cut.
“Liar.”
Gregg met Cole’s eyes and did not look away. His eyes were calm.
“Who is Isabel Roland?”
“Never met the lady. I don’t know.”
Cole waited for Steinaway to call him a liar, but she rattled off a series of facts.
“Your partner and known associate is one Joseph Pike, no middle initial. Several days ago, Mr. Pike prevented two gentlemen—a Christopher Karbo and a Donald Bender, both now deceased—from kidnapping Ms. Roland.”
Cole said, “He’s a good man, that Joe.”
Gregg nodded toward Braun and DeLako.
“Detectives Braun and DeLako are the case detectives. They’ve interviewed both Mr. Pike and Ms. Roland.”
Braun started to say something, but Steinaway cut him off.
“That same evening, Ms. Roland phoned Ted Kemp two times, and left messages on his voice mail.”
Cole was watching Gregg. Gregg nodded along with Steinaway, but his eyes never left Cole.
“We have the voice mails and phone records.”
Steinaway wasn’t finished.
“Late yesterday afternoon, Ms. Roland phoned Kemp again. The timing and content of the three calls suggest she was unaware of his death. Further, materials found in Kemp’s home indicate a longtime relationship with the Roland family, particularly her parents.”
Steinaway smiled. Her smile was wide and mean, and said she had saved the best for last.
“And earlier today, Kemp received two calls from Elvis Cole. The first was a hang up. The second, Mr. Cole left a message. He mentioned the name Isabel Roland. Shall we play it?”
Cole shrugged.
“Imposter. Probably a Russian agent.”
Steinaway smiled even wider, and looked at her boss.
Gregg laced his fingers and took over. His hands were so big they looked like giant tarantulas.
“Ted Kemp was tortured. He was repeatedly cut, beaten, shot multiple times with a 10-millimeter pistol, and finally killed. We believe he was tortured to extract witness information. We believe one or both of Ms. Roland’s parents were that witness, and the person behind Kemp’s murder sent Karbo and Bender to kidnap their child.”
Cole sat back. The amount of information the marshals developed in very little time was impressive.
“Believe? Don’t you know? You’re the Marshals Service.”
Steinaway flushed.
“Fuck you, Cole. You think we keep a big book, we can look it up? This shit is secret.”
Gregg silenced her with a wave.
“We’ll know by tonight. Until you showed up in Palmdale, Ms. Roland wasn’t a factor. But you did, and you led to your partner, who’s connected to Ms. Roland.”
Steinaway finished strong.
“Who left messages on a dead marshal’s voice mail. Like you. You see how this works?”
Braun cleared his throat and spoke for the first time.
“Pike phoned this morning from Ms. Roland’s home. He was concerned. She’d told a friend