Page 137 of One of Us Is Guilty

We both had the same thought.

‘Well, I mean, Larkin was probably told he wouldn’t be needed today. I’m sure he was instructed to come to court tomorrow,’ said Harry.

‘He was here for the opening of the case. He hasn’t shown up to court since we talked in Taco Bell,’ I said.

Harry whispered, ‘How much did he get from Dekker?’

‘A hundred grand, all in. That’s not enough for a cop to disappear.’

‘Maybe he asked for more. Or maybe he told them about your little talk.’

‘He wouldn’t have said a word. He gave me that journal, but he didn’t have to. I didn’t push that hard. He could’ve lied about it. I wonder if some part of him wanted to do the right thing. Either he’s somehow gotten more money from them, enough to disappear, or they figured he’d been turned and took him out.’

‘If they took out a cop, that means they’re getting desperate,’ said Harry.

‘I don’t know,’ I said. ‘Sometimes I wonder about the way the world has turned. Laws and rules don’t apply when you’ve got all the power. Fewer people are willing to stand up for what’s right any more. They can shoot people on Fifth Avenue and walk away now. Just like they said they could.’

Harry said, ‘The world may have changed, but people are still the same. There will always be people who fight back, who call out the injustices.’

‘We’re a dying breed,’ I said.

‘Speak for yourself. I’ve got a lot of drinking to do when this case is over. I’m not planning on dying for a long time.’

‘You’re a real badass, Harry.’

‘That’s what my ex-wives say. Well, something like that.’

Hanging up his phone call, Riley came over to me with a dark look on his face.

‘We can’t find Detective Larkin,’ said Riley.

‘You mean you’ve lost him,’ I said.

‘No, he’s just not answering his phone.’

‘Has anyone seen him since yesterday?’

‘No.’

‘Then you’ve lost him,’ I said. ‘That’s quite an achievement. He’ssix foot three and four hundred pounds. He’s unlikely to have slipped down the back of your couch.’

‘We’ll get him. In the meantime, I have one more witness. It’ll take an hour to get him here, but I’m going to call Patrick Vanderpool.’

56

Eddie

In the lawyer consultation room, Vanessa was still mopping at her pants and blouse with napkins.

‘I’m sorry about the glass of water. I could have warned you, but it would have looked fake if I had.’

‘I understand,’ she said. ‘The jury seemed to get the point.’

‘I’m glad you saw that. If we keep on this path, there’s a chance we can get an acquittal. But only if you do what we discussed. After Patrick testifies, the prosecution have one more witness. If they can’t find them, I think the judge will push the case on and give the DA permission to call Detective Larkin later. That’s okay – we won’t object. Larkin was a hand grenade. He could go off in anyone’s face. There’s no way of knowing how that would’ve played out. He might have admitted to outside interference in the case, or he might not. It would have been messy and risky for all sides. You just remember what we talked about. Remember exactly the answer we gave you and repeat that precisely.’

She nodded. ‘I’ll do it. I won’t let you down.’

Harry came into the room and said, ‘Patrick Vanderpool is here. We’re due back in court.’