AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Protocol.”
They went a few rounds like that. All his arguments against “protocol” fell on deaf ears. His request to follow his escorts in his own car had been denied, as had his request to know their destination.
It turned out to be an old, large two-story house situated in the center of a heavily wooded and isolated property about ninety miles east of Dallas and two counties over from their department’s jurisdiction. Which they also refused to explain.
During the drive there, he’d pretended to doze in the back seat of the unmarked sedan and didn’t waste his breath asking more questions of or arguing with the laconic pair.
He had saved his protests for Compton and Perkins. Summing up his explanation for his recent change of address, he said, “Now you know. I broke up with Shauna and moved out of the condo we shared. I didn’t have the TV on this morning, so I didn’t know anything about her broadcast until you called and told me.”
As ever, Perkins’s reaction was that of a drowsy cat. He blinked once, slowly.
Compton was glaring at Calder as she repeatedly turned a pencil end over end on the dented metal desk that separated them. Click went the sharpened tip; thump went the eraser.
“Why didn’t you tell us about your breakup and relocation when we saw you yesterday?”
“Because my personal life isn’t any of your business.”
“The devil it isn’t,” she said. “It’s definitely our business to know if you spoke to Ms. Calloway following our meeting yesterday.”
“In fact, I did. She was waiting for me outside the precinct as I left.”
“So she knew you were there.”
He explained that Shauna had seen him when he’d arrived and had waited until he came out.
“What was she doing there?”
“She’d learned about the breakthrough, although she didn’t know what it entailed. At least she claimed not to.”
“How did she hear about this development?”
“She admitted to having a source inside the precinct.”
Even Perkins reacted with a start. Compton said, “Which department?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did she tell you who this individual—”
“No. And before she’d tell you, you’d have to cut out her tongue.”
Perkins surprised Calder by mumbling, “That could be arranged.”
Compton dropped the pencil she’d been toying with and linked her hands on the desktop. “Mr. Hudson, did you tell Ms. Calloway, or give her any hint, about what we discussed?”
“No.”
“Nothing?”
“Nothing.”
Compton again looked at Perkins, but Perkins was staring at Calder in that impassive way of his, which was beginning to grate. “I didn’t tell her a fucking thing,” he said with succinct emphasis.
“I wouldn’t have even if she had prodded me, but she didn’t, because I told her straight off that I couldn’t talk about what was said in that meeting. I don’t know where she got her information, but it wasn’t from me. Now, that’s the last declaration of innocence you’re going to get from me. If you want to grill me on this further, I’m calling my lawyer.” He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest.
Perkins was the next to speak. “Who broke up with whom?”
“It was my doing.”
