Ryder tossed a few more grapes into his mouth then held the door open for her to go ahead.

Sterling’s stomach tensed as Ryder started the recording equipment. He stated the date and time and full names of all present, then looked at Heidi. ‘You can start when you’re ready.’

‘Rodney Garrett is a paranoid control freak,’ Heidi said, looking at Sterling. ‘Ida can vouch for that. He didn’t like her because she recognised him for what he was. Oh, sorry, should I call you Nerida?’

Sterling stared at the woman across the table, her body aching from the injuries Heidi had inflicted on her. If she hadn’t grabbed the Glock in time, she’d be lying on a slab in the morgue right now. ‘You can call me Detective Sterling,’ she said coldly.

‘What can you tell us about this drug ring?’ asked Ryder.

Heidi hesitated. Her lips parted, then closed. Finally, she said, ‘Rodney Garrett . . . is the drug lord of the mountains.’

Sterling’s heart pumped faster, causing her back and shoulder to throb. Steeling herself against the pain, she looked at Ryder. While he showed no reaction to Heidi’s words, she could imagine Flowers cheering in the viewing room. Like her, he’d taken an instant dislike to Garrett.

‘You picked the wrong person to stand up to, Detective Sterling. You’ll have to watch your back in future.’

‘You’re in enough trouble already,’ Ryder said. ‘Do you want me to add threatening a police officer to the list?’

Sterling could imagine Heidi rolling her eyes at that statement, if she’d been able to.

‘We’ve been to the compound with the dogs,’ said Ryder. ‘Is that the headquarters of this drug ring?’

‘Yes. He won’t be there now, that’s for sure.’

‘There’s a general warrant out for his arrest,’ said Ryder. ‘The whole state is on alert. He won’t get far.’

When Heidi said nothing, Ryder went on. ‘How did you become involved?’

Heidi inhaled sharply, as though Ryder’s words alone had caused her injury. ‘Well, you can thank my twin brother for that,’ she said quietly.

‘What was Art’s involvement?’ Ryder asked.

‘He got mixed up with them when he was young. He was friends with Rod, and then Rod started going out with the younger sister of one of the guys in the gang. They started using, and it got a hold on them. Then they started supplying. He and Rod were on the bottom rung of the ladder back then.’

‘Was this around the time they were done for supply?’

‘Yes. After a while my twin brother decided he’d had enough. He wanted to buy a plane and shoot through, so he began skimming money off the top of his sales, the idiot.’ Heidi did little to disguise the venom in her voice.