Now the big cop was mad. That meant he wasn’t thinking. I pounced on the moment and said, “I took the bullet out of the chamber when I knocked the shit out of you earlier.” I saw the surprise on his face and knew I had been right.

Then he acted. Quickly. His left hand sprang onto the back of the pistol so he could rack it.

I barreled into him, knocking him back and batting away the pistol before it was operational. We tumbled onto my mom’s new laminate floor, and I got a good shot on his chin with a closed fist.

He didn’t give up. He hit me with an elbow that made me literally see sparkles. I sprang away from him and to my feet. He rolled to one side and was up quickly as well. I glanced around the floor but had no idea where the gun had gone.

We squared off. All I could think was how much I was going to enjoy this. Tharpe had a lot to answer for, and I was about to exact payment. Then I saw movement behind him. I heard a loud thunk and Tharpe dropped to his knees, then lay out flat on the floor.

When I looked up, my mom was holding her heavy cast-iron skillet.

She shook her head and said, “That guy is an asshole.”

“Tell me about it.”

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

I HANDCUFFED THARPE behind his back and around the legs of a wooden chair with his own set of cuffs. When he came to, he tried to give us a tough expression, but it’s hard to do when you’re trussed up like a steer at a rodeo. It had no effect whatsoever.

I pulled a chair close, but not too close. I eased into it so he could see that I’d taken his pistol, which I had found under the TV, and tucked it into my belt. I said, “Don’t feel bad. You’re not the first victim of my mom’s frying pan. She clocked my brother a couple of months ago. I don’t think he’s right yet. I wish she could back me up on the street sometimes.”

Tharpe glared at me as he growled, “You understand the deep shit you’re in?”

“You think? Let’s call the Ulster County sheriff and let them sort this whole situation out.” I pulled my phone from my pocket and started to punch in numbers.

Tharpe said, “Wait.”

“Why?”

“Maybe we can help each other.”

“I’m listening.”

“If I get the box and you let me run, I’ll give you a video statement that’ll clear your brother.”

“You think that’ll be enough?”

“Yeah. I’ll tell them I did it. I’ll confess to killing Pete. And then I’ll run for the hills.”

“Fine,” I said. “I have both keys. Do you have the code?”