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Decker stood a step forward. “We’ve got the guy who tried to kill Rachel Katz.”
“Tried!” said Childress before catching himself. “Wh-what are you talking about?”
“I had them transferred into another room, right after we met there this morning,” said Decker. “They’re safe.”
“Transferred? Nobody asked for my approval on that.”
“Well, there was obviously a good reason for that.”
“Look, I don’t know what you’re getting—”
He stopped when Decker started pacing around the room.
Decker counted his steps as he went. “We’re about the same height, you and me, Pete. Same length of stride. Six paces over from the wall to the end of Katz’s bed. Then two paces more to reach her chest.”
Decker glanced at Natty, who was watching him, spellbound. “You remember him pacing like that this morning, Natty?”
The detective slowly nodded.
“He was measuring the distance from the wall to the bed, so he could feed it to the shooter. Otherwise, he’d have been shooting truly blind into that room.”
“Bullshit! Prove it!” roared Childress.
In answer, Decker looked at Bogart.
The FBI agent took out his phone. “We got a warrant to tap your phone.” He held up his phone. “You sent this text out thirty minutes after you left the hospital. It gives out the measurements to target the woman.”
“And your guy was good,” said Decker. “All three shots hit where they were supposed to.”
“I don’t know what ‘guy’ you’re talking about.”
Bogart said, “Well, that’s funny, because theguywe just arrested for the attempted murders had your text on his phone. He’s already talked to us, Childress, and he’s already fingered you. Your ass is cooked.”
“I…I,” stammered Childress.
“But why not target Gardiner?” asked Decker. “Why just Katz?”
Childress shook his head and said nothing.
“Okay, did you tell Eric Tyson where Sally would be, Childress?” asked Decker. “When you arranged forherto be shot? Or did you just have her followed?”
The blood drained from Childress’s face. He stole a glance at a stunned Natty.
“Look, Natty,” began Childress. “It’s…it’s not like that. I…”
“You fuckin’ prick!” screamed Natty. His hand went to his holster, but his gun wasn’t there. He launched himself at Childress and managed to land a shot to the man’s gut, doubling him over, before Decker, who had been slow to respond to the man’s attack for some reason, grabbed him and pulled him away.
“Why?” screamed Natty. “What the hell did Sally ever do to you?”
“He used her, Natty,” said Decker. “Like I suggested to you before. He forced her to impersonate Susan Richards, probably by threatening to tell your wife about your relationship. Then he got scared when he found out Sally was helping me. When she came out of the park with me, he had her shot.”
Childress slowly straightened up, still gasping for air.
Miller stepped forward. “Not in all my forty years behind a badge have I seen anything like this. You’re a disgrace, Childress.”
“But you can make amends,” said Decker. “By helping us.”
Childress slowly shook his head. “This is a lot bigger than you think, Decker.”
“All the more reason to stop it.”
Childress said to Lancaster, “I want protection inside. I mean it.”
“What are you scared of, Childress?” asked Lancaster.
“You all should be scared,” said Childress. “Every last one of you.”
