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He eyed their prisoner as they walked into the living room.
Cal met the agent’s gaze and nodded. Vic was marginally acquainted with him from the El Paso District Office.
Vic led Escareno to a chair by the sliding glass doors and said, “Sit down.”
The prisoner wore an air of boredom and superiority that Cal figured was setting Vic’s nerves on fire.
Vic jumped right into the interrogation in Spanish, but, after thirty minutes, was nowhere near getting information from the shooter.
While Banning kept an eye on Escareno, Cal went with her into one of the bedrooms. She said, “I think it’s time to pull out the big guns.”
He nodded.
She pointed to him. “Good cop.”
“Yep.”
She thrust her thumb at her chest. “Bad cop. We’ll lead him down the garden path. Offer him WITSEC for the good stuff. Threaten him with the cartel for not cooperating.”
“I’m with you,” Cal said.
They returned to the living room, and Vic said, “Like I said before, we’ve got you on three murders, Hector. Ballistics will match your gun to the bullets in the victims. You’ll get the death penalty.”
Cal jumped in. “But the news isn’t all bad, Escareno. If you cooperate and give us the information we’re looking for, we can set you up with full witness protection—for life. And those murder charges? They go away.”
Hector scowled, but behind the expression, he looked thoughtful.
Vic took over again. “Of course, things could also go the other way. I could let it slip in all the right places that you’re cooperating with us. It won’t take long for your cartel friends to find out. And without protection, what do you think your chances are, Hector?”
The shooter’s eyes flickered, and he looked out through the sliding glass doors.
Vic let him think it over.
Cal bit back a smile. He liked her style.
The man finally looked back at them and said sullenly in English, “When does my witness protection start?”
Cal pressed his lips together. Of course the asshole spoke great English.
“That depends on what you can tell us. It needs to be good. WITSEC is an expensive program. We don’t hand it out to every little crook.”
The man’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not every little crook.”
Vic said. “Prove it. Where and how did the drugs cross the border, Hector?”
And he told them. That and more. Like the fact that he’d shot Azul and her mother and the other man because the woman had been his girlfriend. When he’d stopped in to see her unexpectedly, she’d been with someone else.
Banning went out for pizza at 9:30 p.m., and they all ate before Banning, who was Vic’s relief early the next morning, went home to get some sleep.
“You’re the second bedroom on the left, Hector,” Vic said.
The man yawned and walked down the hallway to his room.
Vic yawned, too, and looked at Cal. “How about you get here tomorrow at noon? We can start back then.”
“You’re exhausted. You sure you don’t want me to stay here with you?”
She shook her head. “I’ve got this. Go get some sleep.”
