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“That’s where the sheriff was found.”
Sangster knew that Telemaco referring to Burke as “the sheriff” was a sign of respect for the old lawman, and he appreciated it.
“Sure,” he said, “coffee sounds fine.”
They each got a coffee in real cups rather than Styrofoam and took them to a table.
“What was the sheriff up to, Sangster?” Telemaco said, purposely not using “Stark.” He had found out Sangster’s name last year, when they were both in Las Vegas. Apparently, he hadn’t bothered to fill his partner in.
“I don’t know,” Sangster said. “He didn’t tell me he was up to anything.”
“So ya’ll don’t know what he was doing in Pirates Alley close to midnight?”
“No idea.”
“And if ya’ll did, you’d tell me, right?”
“Why wouldn’t I? I’d like to find out what happened to him.”
“You mean you’d like me to find out what happened to him, right?” Telemaco said.
“That’s what I mean.”
“Did he say anything to you just now?”
“Nothing that made any sense,” Sangster said, without hesitation. Maybe he didn’t kill people for a living anymore, but he was still a pretty damn good liar.
“Like what?”
“He was mumbling,” Sangster said. “Said he made a fool of himself, got caught. Not much else.”
Telemaco sat back and rubbed his gray-and-black stubble thoughtfully.
“What the hell was he doin’, working a case of some kind?” he leaned forward. “Was he doing any P.I. work?”
“No,” Sangster said, “not that he told me.”
“You guys are tight, right?” Telemaco asked. “He’d tell you a thing like that?”
“Yes, he would.”
“Well, we didn’t get much out of him, either,” the detective admitted. “I’ll have to try and talk to him again when they get him into a room. Meanwhile, maybe Williams is finding something helpful.”
“Yeah,” Sangster said, “maybe.”
“I need something from you, Sangster.”
“What’s that?”
“I need your word you’re not gonna get in my way on this.”
“Why would I?”
“Because you have a history of takin’ things into your own hands. You’re not gonna try to deny that, are you? Not after Vegas.”
“That was my own business,” Sangster said. “This is Burke’s business.”
“And now it’s mine,” Telemaco said. “I don’t want you in my business.”
