Perceiving my wavering support as a betrayal, Walker launches into an impassioned defense of his jurisdiction and his need to prove to the people of his parish that the era of police corruption has come to an end. While Kaiser suffers patiently through this, my cell phone vibrates. Slipping it partway out of my pocket, I see a text message from a number I don’t recognize. I almost ignore it, but then a little voice tells me I can’t afford to ignore anything today. Sliding the phone farther out of my pocket, I see this message:
This is Walt. Ur father’s been taken. I’m on my way to Natchez. ETA 8 mins. If we don’t find Tom quick, he’s dead. He could be already. (Yeah, it’s me, boy. We first met on the Alvarez case.)
The final parenthetical sends a chill across my neck and scalp. Someone trying to lure me outside might claim to be “Walt” or “Walt Garrity,” but no one involved with this case could possibly know that Walt and I first met during a murder case in Houston, when he worked as an investigator for DA Joe Cantor.
If we don’t find Tom quick, he’s dead. He could be already. . . .
Walker is still pontificating to Kaiser, who quietly responds in logical counterpoint that has no effect whatever on the sheriff. While this clumsy dance continues, my mind slips quietly but inexorably free from its moorings. Too much has happened too quickly over the past few days, and I’ve had too little rest to process this new information with anything like objectivity.
“Penn?” says Sheriff Dennis. “Did you hear me?”
“I’m sorry. What?”
Kaiser is watching me with an inquisitive gaze, and I can’t summon a mask to put him off. All I can think about is marching back to the cellblock and sticking a gun in Sonny Thornfield’s mouth and forcing him to tell me where my father is. Given the circumstances and the time frame, it seems the only logical thing to do.
“Penn?” asks Kaiser. “What’s the matter?”
“I’m fine,” I lie, blood pounding in my ears. Walt’s desperate text message is unspooling continually across my field of vision, like the news crawl on CNN. “I just hit a wall. All this talk . . . not enough sleep.”
Sheriff Dennis is watching me with equal concern from behind his desk. Before Kaiser can say anything else, Walker leans forward and says, “Agent Kaiser, you’ve gathered a lot of valuable psychological information. And you seem to have had it for quite some time. I suppose you were going to act on it sometime in the future, but in the meantime, Henry Sexton is dead. Sleepy Johnston is dead. And two of my deputies are, too.”
Kaiser tries to interrupt Dennis’s flow, but I don’t hear a word he says. If we’re going to find my father, neither Kaiser’s tactics nor Walker’s will be fast enough. I need answers now. After closing my eyes a moment to settle my nerves, I take out my cell phone and text Walt:
Understood. Wait for me or Sheriff Dennis in the Conc. Parish sheriff’s west parking lot.
Then, after a covert glance at Kaiser, who’s speaking earnestly to Sheriff Dennis, I text Walker the following:
You have to let Kaiser question Snake. I just got a life or death message about my father. Hostage situation. I need instant answers or he’s dead. As soon as Kaiser gets going with Snake, isolate Sonny where no one can hear him scream. Retired Texas Ranger Walt Garrity will be waiting in west pking lot in 5 mins. Bring him inside to assist. Text me when it’s set up. Walt is old school, tough as a boot heel. Help me, buddy. I’d do it for you. P
Walker may not want to comply with my demand, but he can’t refuse the only man who knows that he planted drugs on the prisoners now locked inside his jail. While Kaiser continues his impassioned plea, I hold up my cell phone where only Dennis can see, then quickly lower it. Sheriff Dennis isn’t the most subtle man alive, but he manages to cover his confusion quickly enough to prevent Kaiser from noticing our exchange. When his cell phone pings a few seconds later, Walker takes it out casually and glances at it as if dealing with some routine request from one of his men. Then his big eyebrows knit like those of a wise old hound pondering some unfamiliar animal.
“John,” I say, to distract Kaiser, “you’re crazy if you don’t use the meth against the Double Eagles. You’ll never have more leverage than you do right now.”
Before Kaiser can reply, Walker sighs heavily, as though in surrender, then says, “I tell you what, Agent Kaiser. You’ve convinced me to give you a shot. One shot. Let’s walk over to the interrogation room, and I’ll have Snake Knox brought in. I’ll give you your chance to play him the way you want. We’ll see how you do. After that, we’ll reevaluate the situation.”
Kaiser blinks in surprise, but he loses no time getting to his feet and following Walker into the hall. As he leaves the office, I pick up the vibe of a man who feels he’s been manipulated but isn’t quite sure how. I shut the door and call Walt’s cell phone back.
“Talk to me, Penn,” he says. “What’s your status?”
“I’m still inside the CPSO. We were about to interrogate Snake Knox and his crew.”
“I’m real close to you. There isn’t time to catch you up on everything. From the signs I saw, I think Tom is probably being held by some of Forrest Knox’s SWAT guys, but I don’t know where. Snake Knox might, though.”
“We can’t get to Snake. But Sonny Thornfield might know, and we can get to him. Where’s Forrest now?”
“Less than five miles from you, at a house on Lake Concordia. But that Redbone’s with him, Ozan. I sneaked into the house and searched it. Tom’s definitely not there.”
“Do you think Dad could be at that hunting camp in Lusahatcha County?”
“Not likely. I just got out of there myself.”
“It’s a big place, though, right?”
“A few thousand acres, at least.”
“Then we need to get a look at it.”
“You’ll never get a warrant fast enough. These guys have connections all over Mississippi and Louisiana. We’ve got to twist the truth out of somebody who knows.”
“I’m on it. I want to check out Valhalla. With some luck, maybe I can arrange an overflight of the property. One that won’t require a search warrant. Meanwhile, you get your ass into the CPSO parking lot and wait. I’ll either come out to get you or send Sheriff Dennis out. And you be ready to twist somebody hard.”