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Ten minutes later, Fuentes came back on the line. Dance knew from the first word, "Chief," what the story was going to be.
Madigan sighed. "You're sure he's gone?"
"There weren't that many people inside, it being early. Yeah, I'm sure."
"Damn," Stanning muttered.
But the limp in Fuentes's voice came from another source as well. "And I have to tell you.... While I was keeping an eye on the theater? I was in the restaurant?"
"I know, you told me. What?" Madigan growled.
"Somebody broke into my cruiser."
"Go on."
"I wasn't thinking, I had a Glock in the backseat. It was in a box and under my jacket. I don't know how anybody could've seen it or thought it was there."
Dance knew from the way he volunteered the information that the gun hadn't been hidden at all.
"Goddamn it!" Madigan shouted.
"I'm sorry. It should've been in the trunk. But it was completely hid."
"It shoulda been home. That's your personal weapon. It shoulda been at home."
"I was going to the range tonight," the deputy said miserably.
"You know what I gotta do, Gabe. Don't have any options."
"I know. You want my service piece and shield?"
"Need 'em. Yeah. I'll get the paperwork done today. We'll have the inquiry as fast as we can but it'll be three or four days. You're out of commission till then."
"I'm sorry."
"Bring your stuff in." He stabbed the speakerphone button.
Harutyun said in his low, stress-free voice, "It could be one of the gangs."
"It's not one of the gangs," Madigan snapped. "It's our fucking stalker. At least if we find it on him, he'll go to jail for a long, long time. Hell, this's one clever son of a bitch. He got Fuentes suspended and a nice big gun, to boot."
Dance looked at the lyric sheet they had pinned up on a badly mounted corkboard.
"Where's he going to strike? A river ... a river."
"And," Crystal Stanning added, "who's he got in mind for the next victim?"
Chapter 23
"MARY-GORDON, STAY OFF that. See the sign?"
"It's not moving, Mommy," the six-year-old pointed out. Suellyn Sanchez reflected what perfect logic that was. The warning sign on the baggage carousel: STAY OFF THE MOVING BELT.
"It could start at any minute."
"But when the light comes on I can get off."
How they tested the limits.
