“Yes, yes, that is true. I didn’t want to come in to work, though. I would rather have stayed on the missing student case but I need the money…Now, I don’t have much time. I bought a phone card, ten minutes. Let me explain about the Moreno case and my involvement. You see, I have been on the waiting list to move to our Central Detective Unit for some time. It’s always been my goal to be a detective. Well, last week a supervisor told me that I had been selected for a junior position at CDU. And, far more surprising, that I would be given a case to supervise—the Moreno homicide. I had believed it would be a year or more before I would even be considered for the unit. And to be given a case myself? That was unthinkable. But I was, naturally, delighted.

“Then I was told I’d been selected because the case was merely administrative at that point. A cartel was behind the death—as I told you before. Probably from Señor Moreno’s home country of Venezuela. Certainly the sniper had already left the country, returned to Caracas. I was to gather the evidence, take some statements at the inn where Señor Moreno died and send the file to the Venezuelan national police. I would be the liaison if they wished to come to Nassau to investigate further. Then I was to assist some senior detectives running the case of the other murder I mentioned.”

The prominent lawyer.

More clanging, shouting. What was it, a slot machine payoff?

There was a pause and then Poitier called to someone nearby. “No, no, they’re drunk. Just watch them. I’m busy. I must make this call. Escort them out if they get belligerent. Call Big Samuel.”

Back to Rhyme: “You are suspecting conspiracy at the top, dark intrigues, to quash the Moreno investigation. In a way, yes. First, we must ask, why would the cartels want to kill him? Señor Moreno was well liked in Latin America. The cartels are businessmen first. They would not want to alienate the people they need for workers and mules by killing a popular activist. My impression—from some research I have done—is that the cartels and Moreno tolerated each other.”

Rhyme told him, “Like I told you, we feel the same.”

The corporal paused. “Señor Moreno was very outspoken against America. And his Local Empowerment Movement, with its anti-U.S. bias, was growing in popularity. You know that?”

“Yes, I do.”

“And he had connections with organizations that had terrorist leanings. This is no surprise either, I’m sure.”

“We’re aware of that, as well.”

“Now, it occurred to me that perhaps—” His voice lowered. “—your government wished this man dead.”

Rhyme realized he’d been selling the corporal short.