Liar Liar - James Patterson Page 0,70

shouldn’t have happened in your life all the way back to your daddy knocking your mama up with a future rehab regular. But you know what? I’ve done you a favor. I’ve gone down that road already, and I can tell you there’s nothing at the end of it.”

Whitt straightened slightly.

“We’ve all made mistakes trying to catch this murdering arsehole, Regan Banks,” Tox said. “But sitting around crying about it isn’t going to make it happen.”

Whitt straightened completely. His partner’s words seemed to fill him with vitality. He looked at the whiskey bottle in his hand and seemed to make a decision. He threw the bottle down, shattering it against a lump of sandstone sitting nearby.

Tox stared at the glass shards in the dirt.

“You could have just—” He sighed. “Never mind.”

“Give me back my gun.” Whitt put his hand out. “You’re right. We’ve wasted enough time already.”

“No chance, mate.” Tox shoved him down against the base of a nearby tree. He wrenched the knife from Whitt’s belt and forced it into his hands. “You’re gonna be the standing sentry. Sit here and wait. If anything comes within five feet of you, close your eyes and start stabbing.”

“But—”

“You’re the one who’s got your heart set on the blame game,” Tox said. “It’s not gonna be my fault you got yourself killed because you can’t handle your spirits.”

He patted Whitt on the shoulder, turned, and left him alone in the dark.

Chapter 87

TWO OFFICERS ESCORTED Pops to the tactical truck, rifles up. He was led into the red-lit interior, where Woods was sitting at a foldout table surrounded by maps and laptop screens, a group of men around him. He didn’t even look up when Pops entered. The crew inside the mobile unit appeared to be watching footage fed from a drone fitted with a heat-seeking camera.

“Deputy Commissioner Woods,” Pops said, drawing the uncomfortable attention of all of the men before him except the man he addressed. “I’m here to officially request that this operation be aborted for the safety of my officer, Detective Inspector Harriet Blue.”

Woods said nothing, still refused to look up from the screen that was casting a green light on his face. The officers behind him glanced at one another. Nigel Spader was standing in the corner, a headset clamped to his ears, looking at a sheet of numbers. When he spotted Pops, he raked the headset off.

“Chief Morris,” Nigel said as he advanced toward him, “I can help you with any inquiries you have. Let me escort you to the roadblock.”

When Nigel grabbed his arm, Pops shoved the junior officer in his narrow chest.

“Back off, you brownnosing, coattail-riding worm,” Pops sneered. “You’re only here because I clued you in to Banks’s plan.”

Woods was ignoring the entire exchange unfolding at the edge of his table, as though it wasn’t happening at all.

“Jeez, the picture quality isn’t great,” he said to one of the officers nearby, pointing at the screen before him. “What’s that? Is that a person or an animal?”

“The drone camera is brand-new tech,” a young officer said, clearing his throat. “The one on the chopper’s better, obviously, but we don’t want to spook the targets by doing flyovers.”

“The targets,” Pops said, putting his hands on the table. “Woods, have you briefed these men about the possible appearance of my officer? Is she considered a target? Because if she is, I’d like to know on what authority you—”

Woods glanced up at Pops and sighed. “Chief Morris, you’re a suspended officer interfering in an active police operation at this very minute. Can you say whatever it is that you need to say and then leave?”

“Have you authorized the men out there for use of necessary force against Blue?” Pops asked.

“I have.”

“You can’t do that without an arrest warrant!”

“Just watch me.” Woods smiled.

Pops looked around the room. “You all heard that, didn’t you? Harriet Blue has not been formally charged with a crime. Even if you did try to get a warrant now, all you’d have is resisting arrest at best, which doesn’t justify force. Harry’s wounded. Did he tell you that?”

The men shifted, looked away.

“This man is endangering her life by setting up a sting for an innocent officer of the law.”

“Harriet Blue is a dangerous individual.” Woods stood, his barrel chest expanding. “While we have not set up this sting to catch her specifically, I anticipate that she’ll come wandering in, making a hysterical show of herself, just the way you have, Morris. And I intend on taking