Chapters (95)
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Sixty-Six
- Sixty-Seven
- Sixty-Eight
- Sixty-Nine
- Seventy
- Seventy-One
- Seventy-Two
- Seventy-Three
- Seventy-Four
- Seventy-Five
- Seventy-Six
- Seventy-Seven
- Seventy-Eight
- Seventy-Nine
- Eighty
- Eighty-One
- Eighty-Two
- Eighty-Three
- Eighty-Four
- Eighty-Five
- Eighty-Six
- Eighty-Seven
- Acknowledgements
- About the Author
- Also by David Swinson
- Thank you for buying this ebook, published by Hachette Digital.
I’m in the back of an ambulance parked in the motel’s lot, not cuffed but being watched closely by two uniforms from the Alexandria PD. Left side of my face is swollen. The ice pack they gave me helps. My shirt was cut off by the EMTs and replaced by a light blanket over my shoulders. There’s a second ambulance for the big man, though he won’t be needing it. His body’s still inside the motel room, being checked out by homicide detectives and the coroner. Several marked cruisers here, too, and a couple unmarked. The chief himself responded. It’s a small department, and most of them are solid workers. It’s a city that has its share of crime, so something like this isn’t a surprise. But it is to me.
Should have turned Biddy and Diamond in right away. Diamond would probably still be alive right now, and, most important, I wouldn’t have had to kill someone. I’ve seen people die, mostly when I was on the job. It all stays with you, even the sweet smell of fresh blood. Worse, the look on his face is gonna stay with me.
The EMT bandaged my hand and my shoulder. They want to transport me, but I refuse. I still got my right hand and shoulder. I’d rather take myself to the hospital, but the detective on the scene, Earl Campos, insists on driving me himself. I guess they’ve got too many questions, none of them really answered yet.
I hate to do it again, but Millhoff and Hurley need to be notified. Likely this is the man who murdered Diamond. I give Detective Campos their contact information. I’m sure I won’t be getting any favors from them soon. Campos moves away from me to notify them, then comes back a few minutes later and says, “Both of them are on the way.”
He slips his police notebook in his rear pants pocket.
“Neither of them knew anything about this motel room, though. Got the impression they were upset. Good thing you still have friends on the department.”
“I’d be pissed at me, too, if I were in their shoes.” I look back at the motel, lit up with police lights. “Thing is, I’m taking Robert Givens on as a client, so I didn’t have to tell them. Of course, being the ex-cop I am, I would’ve turned over evidence if I’d found it. Givens assured me that all he had was clothing and other personal items. I was just going to secure them for him. I did see a crack pipe on the floor and picked it up, but I dropped it after the big man jumped me.”