AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’ll talk to them,” Oxenhandler said. He walked back down the hallway and into the interrogation room.
“You think they’ll plead?” Holly asked Skene.
“If they’re smart. We’ve got them cold, and I’d like to save the county the cost of a trial.”
“That would be good,” Holly said. She’d be happy to see the two in jail forever.
A few minutes later Oxenhandler came out of the interrogation room. “No deal, Marty. They maintain their innocence.”
“You’re a fool, Jackson.”
“It’s not the first time I’ve been told that.”
“I’ll ask for a preliminary hearing tomorrow morning,” Skene said.
“I’d like another day, Marty.”
“What for?”
“Don’t you think it’s important for the county to show at least the appearance of fairness in a case this important?”
Skene looked like exploding but held himself in check. “All right, the day after tomorrow at ten A.M. I’ll call you if that’s not all right with the judge.”
“Thanks, Marty,” Oxenhandler said.
Skene shook Holly’s hand, then Oxenhandler’s, and walked out.
“He’s in a big hurry, isn’t he?” Oxenhandler said.
“Can you blame him?”
“Yes, but it wouldn’t do any good. When did you start work here?”
“Couple of days ago. Chief Marley hired me from the military last month.”
“You done a lot of criminal investigation?” the lawyer asked.
“Yes.” She didn’t feel like trotting out her credentials.
“You think you could put an officer on checking out the origins of the gun you found and the gun Sweeney claims to own?”
“No,” she said. “We’re not going to do your job for you.”
Oxenhandler nodded as if he had expected that answer. “Well, good to meet you, Chief. I expect I’ll see you around.” He managed a small smile, shook her hand and left.
Holly watched him go. He shambled rather than walked, and he had the stoop that seemed to belong to most very tall people. He reminded her of somebody, but who? Abraham Lincoln, maybe, but he was better looking than that.
CHAPTER
13
H olly drove the chief’s car home after work. She stopped at the hospital on her way and went to the intensive care unit. Before she could ask for Dr. Green, he walked into the waiting area.
“Oh, Chief Barker,” he said. “I was just going to my office to call you. Why don’t you come in for a moment.” He led her to his office and offered her a chair.
“Has something happened?” she asked, worried.
“Chief Marley has shown signs of regaining consciousness,” the doctor said. “It’s preliminary, but people in comas don’t always just open their eyes and start talking. There’s been some rapid eye movement and some thrashing around, too; we’ve had to temporarily restrain him.”
