Left to Murder (Adele Sharp #5) - Blake Pierce Page 0,59
did you give your van to?” Adele said. It wasn’t the first time she’d asked the question. And it wasn’t the first time he dodged it.
“I want to speak to my lawyer,” he said.
“Lawyer is coming,” Adele said. “Wouldn’t you rather tell us who you loaned that van to? You’re young, what…” Adele said, glancing at the file beneath her elbow. She made a big show of looking through the envelope, even though she’d memorized the information already. “Only nineteen?” she said, giving a low whistle.
John looked at her. “Nineteen?” He winced. “A murderer at that age? You’re not gonna survive in Gen-pop,” he said.
The kid looked at John, and then back to Adele. “Seriously, I can’t understand a single word he’s saying.”
John’s expression darkened. Adele interjected before he could retort. “Look, kid, I get it. You’re loyal. I can tell. Whoever you’re backing for, I’m impressed. Really.”
“All I wanted in the world was to impress you,” the kid muttered.
Adele shook her head and looked at John; he shrugged back at her.
For nearly the last half hour, they’d been trying different tactics, but the kid wouldn’t talk. He was tight-lipped, and seemed to be simply waiting for his lawyer. Already, they were stretching things as far as the law was concerned. Soon, they would have no choice but to step back and give the kid what he wanted.
Adele sighed, shaking her head. “You know what, I have to say, I do admire your loyalty,” she said. “Look, we both know you didn’t do this. You couldn’t have. You never left the country. But whatever; I figure the best I can do is to let you think about it a bit. Can you at least do that?”
He looked warily at her, clearly noting the sudden change in her mood. Still, he seemed glad they were no longer yelling at him, and he hesitantly nodded once. “I can think.”
“Good,” Adele said, before John could lunge at the low-hanging fruit and make some obnoxious comment. “I’m glad. I know you’re being loyal, and I respect it, but there are lives on the line.”
He shrugged, but didn’t reply.
Adele made a big show of sighing. “You know what, I appreciate your time. And honestly, I’m sorry about your car. We didn’t mean to break your window.”
The kid rolled his eyes, but didn’t say anything.
Adele said, “I’d like to give you a phone call. Just to make it up to you. You can call anyone; your lawyer will be here soon as it is.”
The kid hesitated, and his eyes narrowed for a moment. He glanced from Adele to John, but then said, “Where are you taking me to make that call?”
Adele held up her hands. “Nowhere, no tricks. We’ll leave, and we’ll bring the phone in here for you.”
The kid looked up at the camera. “You have to turn that off too.”
Adele made a small crossing motion over her heart. “The light will stop blinking, and you’ll know it’s done.”
The kid crossed his arms now and leaned back. His hands were still cuffed, and the loose chain rattled beneath his wrists as he shifted. Adele gestured at John and Agent Carter. The two of them got up and left the small interrogation room, following Adele out into the hall.
She pointed at Carter and said, “Get him that phone, please. And turn off the camera.”
Agent Carter winced. “I’m not sure if—”
“Just do it,” John snapped. “Be useful for once.”
Agent Carter looked hurt, but didn’t protest anymore. Over the last few hours, Carter seemed to have grown more and more frightened by the tactics the two agents were employing. But Adele didn’t care. Right now, she needed to catch a killer before he murdered someone else.
As Carter hurried off to fetch the phone and set up the call, Adele looked at John.
“Think it’ll work?” John said.
“Probably. He’s covering hard for someone. You only do that for family.”
“Think he’ll call whoever he’s covering for? What if he’s involved?”
Adele shook her head. “He’s involved, but not in any way that ties into the bodies. I think he’s just covering for someone he cares about. He’s only nineteen.”
John shrugged. “I killed someone at eighteen.”
Adele breathed heavily. “Well, let’s hope he’s not much like you then.”
***
Adele watched through the opaque glass as Agent Carter waited patiently for the boy to stop talking, hang up, then wave through the window. Carter stepped into the room then and retrieved the phone.
The boy looked back up toward the camera; the red light had stopped blinking.