“Excellent. You’re good, Archie. Really, really good.” The double meaning hung in the air between them until Sam cleared her throat and her dirty mind. “Are you willing to tell Farnsworth what you overheard?”

“If it means getting rid of Stahl, you bet your ass I’ll tell him.”

“We’ve got to play this right so we don’t miss our chance to nail that bastard. Let’s wait until you get the prints back, and we’ll take the whole thing to the chief all sewn up in a neat package.”

“Good plan.”

“Could you see who he was talking to in the lounge?”

“Not without giving myself away,” Archie said. “I’ll keep you posted.”

“Thanks for the heads up.”

“No problem. I know he’s been after you since they gave you his command, so I figured you could use a little ammo against him.”

“You figured right.”

“I can’t believe he was stupid enough to call from a phone inside the house.”

“Arrogance, pure and simple. He never thought he’d get caught.”

“I hope we can nail him. I hate cops like him who make the rest of us look bad.”

“Me too. Thanks again, Archie.”

“Anytime.”

Before she left the office, she called Gonzo’s cell phone to check his status.

“Hey, LT. What’s up?”

“Anything to report from the field?”

“Nothing yet. We’ve got patrol officers fanned out looking for blood.”

“Did you hear anything from Carlucci about the transport of Collins?”

“Just that he pitched a huge fit. Said he hadn’t done anything wrong. He squawked about having an airtight alibi. The usual.”

“Any talk of lawyers?”

“Not that she said. Beckett has him in interrogation two, waiting on you.”

“Good, thanks. Keep me posted on the blood.” Ending the call, she walked into the pit. “Cruz, let’s talk to Mr. Collins.”

“Fill me in.”

Sam told him about Collins’ financial situation as well as the state of his home when Hill visited him there the day before.

“Who smashes up his own stuff like that?” Cruz asked.

“Let’s find out.”

When Sam and Freddie burst into the room, Collins leaped to his feet. “What the hell is this about? I talked to Agent Hill yesterday—”

“Have a seat, Mr. Collins.”

“I demand to know what is going on!”

“Have a seat, Mr. Collins,” Sam said, more deliberately this time.

He flounced into the chair, still seething.

“Now, let’s start over, shall we? I’m Lieutenant Holland. This is my partner Detective Cruz. He’s going to record our conversation.” She nodded to Freddie, who turned on the tape recorder that sat on the center of the table.

He rattled off the time and date. “Lieutenant Holland, Detective Cruz, interview with Garrett Collins, general manager of the D.C. Federals in the Willie Vasquez homicide investigation.”

“I had nothing to do with what happened to Willie! I told Hill that.”