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now we can. So, my love, it’s time.”
He turned to me, his eyes misted over, and nodded. “Time to let it go.”
* * *
As expected, Larry wasn’t in Montana, but with the Steels’ money and a private investigation team, along with help from the local police force and state patrol, Larry was picked up three days later in southern New Mexico. He’d been using an alias and had been working at a hatch chile farm, trying to make enough money to cross the border.
And in his personals? Colin’s wallet and phone.
That sicko had been the one who called me using Colin’s phone.
He’d been brought back to Grand Junction and was being held in the county jail for now. I sat, at the visitors’ window, waiting for him. I’d told Talon I was going, and I’d offered to take him with me, but he had chosen not to come. Probably just as well. I wasn’t sure he could have held it together. I’d had to nearly tie him down—along with Jonah and Ryan—to keep him from going after Larry himself.
I didn’t know what I was going to say to Larry. What could one say to such a sick person? He most likely had killed Colin, too, though with no body, a murder would be difficult to prove. There would be no reasoning with Larry. A psychopath couldn’t be reasoned with. Still, I had to try. The prosecuting attorney had offered him a deal if he named the two others. I was here to convince him to take it.
His hands and feet were cuffed when a guard let him in. He was dressed all in orange, the little hair he had in disarray and his countenance fatigued. He sat down and picked up the telephone.
“Jade,” he said. “Are you here to represent me?”
My eyes must’ve nearly popped out of my head. Had I heard him right? “I’m the acting city attorney now, Larry. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t represent you. I’m not sure the mayor would look too kindly upon me moonlighting to represent my former boss who happens to be a child molester.”
He sighed. “You’d be surprised what the mayor is capable of.”
“It shouldn’t surprise me what you’ve turned out to be capable of, Larry. I mean, with your questionable ethics and all. Still, I never would’ve thought you to be such a sick criminal.”
“That’s because I’m not a sick criminal, Jade.”
I laughed out loud. Couldn’t help myself. “You do know that we have ample evidence against you.”
“I had nothing to do with that other guy’s disappearance. I don’t know how his things got into my possession. As for the other stuff, I was coerced. I’ve told the police the whole story. They’re offering me a deal if I name the two others.”
“First of all, you were not coerced. You’re a sick pedophile, Larry. If you were truly coerced, you wouldn’t have taken your turn with him like the other two did.”
“I’m telling you, they forced me.”
“They forced you to get a hard dick for a little boy? Sure.” This conversation was rapidly coming to an end. “Look, I’m not here to argue the point. I know exactly what you did. Talon told me everything. What I’m here for is to ask you to take that deal. I want those other two brought to justice.”
Larry shook his head. “I can’t.”
“Why not? You’re going to prison no matter what. Are you afraid of them from prison?”
“I won’t roll over on them. They would do the same for me.”
“Really? You think they would? Didn’t you just say you were coerced? And aren’t they the ones who had you beaten to a pulp when you helped Talon escape?”
His eyes lit up. “You’re right. I helped the boy escape. Don’t I deserve some compassion for that?”
“Jesus Christ. This wasn’t just some kid. It was heinous no matter what, but he was your nephew, for God’s sake.”
Larry’s lips trembled. “He wasn’t supposed to be there. When the other two brought him back, I begged them to let him go.”
“So you weren’t one of the ones who was at that little shack that day with Luke Walker?”
He shook his head. “No. Those were the other two. When they brought him back and I recognized him, I told them they had to let him go. That the Steels were important people.”
“Larry,” I said through gritted teeth, “tell me who they fucking are.”
“I can’t. They’ll kill me.”
