I felt like I’d solved everything until I thought about it for a minute. How could I prove where I’d found the key? What kind of evidence did I have to implicate the police officer in anything illegal? How would it help my brother? It would be my word against Tharpe’s. Although I knew I was beyond reproach, I doubt the legal system realized it.

At least, since I wasn’t an official police officer, I didn’t have to worry about how I obtained evidence or built a case. What I needed were a few more breaks, but finding this key was a good start.

I knew Tharpe couldn’t be the third partner. Neither Pete nor Alton would’ve trusted him. This key had come from Pete, and I was quite certain the beefy police officer had killed my friend for it.

Tharpe started to stir and I took that as my cue to leave. I scooted out the shattered back door and raced to my car down the street. I backed away so I wouldn’t have to pass in front of the house. As I reached the end of the street, I could see Tharpe stepping through the front door and standing on his front porch. That son of a bitch was tough. Maybe all that Marine bullshit about being tougher than everyone else was true.

I tried to make a stealthy getaway, but when you’re in a ten-year-old station wagon, trying to get away from a house you just burglarized, that’s a tall order.

At least now I had my suspect.

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

I SAT IN Tina’s Plentiful and downed a hamburger with two beers. After the night I’d experienced, I had earned a couple of beers. I had also earned the right to talk to Alicia, but I was disappointed to see she had a number of customers.

It gave me a few minutes to figure out what I was going to do next. I had two keys to the safe-deposit box that held some kind of crazy drug recipe worth a fortune and at least $650,000 in cash. I wanted nothing to do with the contents of the safety-deposit box, but I was trying to see how I might use it to help my brother.

When it was clear Alicia wouldn’t be able to sit and chat with me, I decided it was time to catch my mother up on everything that had happened. At least the stuff that wouldn’t scare the shit out of her. I intended to avoid the story about chasing a man with a gun or invading a cop’s home.

I pulled up in front of my mom’s neat brick house. All the neighbors were home from work and the street and driveways were filled with cars. I rapped on the front door as I poked my head inside and called out, “Mom?”