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Jim turned in a slow circle. “I’ve got to do something.”
“Did Vinnie give you a time limit?”
He nodded. “Eight hours.”
“Then you’ve got time. You don’t have to make a decision right now. Give it a couple of hours, Jim,” Chief Wilcox pled. “Give us time to track them down before you make that call to the D.A. All right?”
Jim pushed a hand through his hair. His pulse was throbbing in his throat and temples, and every nerve ending seemed raw. He looked at Wade, then at Caleb.
And he felt like Caleb read his mind, because he leaned closer and said, “Let’s take a ride out to Vi’s house. You can talk to Kara.”
God that sounded like the answer. “I should be looking—”
“Alex and Mel are working from there. Maya’s on the phone, working that angle. You can check and see what they’ve come up with.”
He almost sagged in relief just at the thought of getting Kara’s input on this. He sent a look at his chief. “Call the D.A. Tell him what’s going on, all of it. Tell him to have things in place, be ready to drop the charges, have the forms ready to file, everything but his signature. And have him get the fax number for Vinnie’s lawyer. I want this to go through instantly once I give him the word.”
“Okay. I’ll do it just as you say.”
Jim nodded, turned to Wade and Caleb. They both seemed to understand without a word.
* * *
Tyler frowned at the phone, then up at the man. “Hey, it stopped workin’!”
“It did?” Vinnie took the motel room phone from him, then messed with it a little. “Hmm, I guess there must be a problem on the line.”
The lady looked at the man and rolled her eyes.
“Don’t worry, kid, it will be fixed in no time. And then we’ll call your dad again.”
Tyler pouted and crossed his arms over his chest. “We could use that one,” he said pointing to the cell phone on the bedside table. The one with its battery out and sitting beside it.
‘“Fraid that one’s busted too, kid,” Vinnie replied. “Hey, I got some games and stuff. You want to see?”
Tyler lifted his eyebrows. “Sure, I guess.”
“Sure. It’ll be fun. And we’ll get some takeout. Angela, go get us some food, huh? You like pizza, kid?”
Tyler brightened a little more. “It’s my favorite. But I don’t like onions or green peppers or mushrooms on it.”
“Is there anything youdolike on it?”
“Pepperoni!”
Vinnie smiled at him, seemed more friendly all of the sudden. “Pepperoni it is, kiddo. Angie, go find us the biggest pepperoni pizza you can, huh? Double cheese. And some sody pop, too. What kind you like, kid?”
“Grape!”
“Grape?” Vinnie made a face so funny that Tyler laughed out loud. “Grape then. Get us grape soda, Ang. I’m gonna teach the kid here how to play video games while you’re gone.”
“I already know how to play video games!” Tyler exclaimed.
The lady heaved a sigh, like she was irritated with him, but she grabbed a coat and went out the door.
“Hey, Tyler, wanna try something fun?” the man said.
“What?” Tyler asked.
