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Theo wanted answers about the blood he’d seen at Judge’s flat—answers he knew he’d never get from Madeline Coffey.
“Did you kill Sergei’s driver?”
No answer. Theo choked him with another jerk of the chain, then released the tension just enough for the man to answer.
“The coward stuck a pistol in his mouth. No need to kill him.”
“What about Amongus?”
“Who?”
Theo gave the chain another tug. “Amongus Sicario.”
Before he could answer, there was a knock at the door, which startled both men. Theo ignored it, but another knock followed and it was more of a pounding.
“Open up! It’s the police!”
Theo didn’t answer. “Quiet,” he whispered to his attacker.
The same officer spoke. “Your neighbor reported a disturbance. Is everything all right?”
Theo had three options. Answer and let them in. Answer and tell them to go away. Ignore them and hope they would just leave.
“The key is in the lock,” said the officer.
Theo had left it there.
“If you can hear me, stand away from the door. We are going to open it.”
That eliminated option three. If he answered and sent them away, what would he do with the Russian hit man? Kill him in cold blood? Even if he did, Sergei Kava would send a replacement to finish the job.
“I’ll be there in one minute,” Theo said in a voice loud enough for the police to hear.
He checked to make sure the Russian was securely chained, then rose and stepped toward the door, thinking about how to explain.
“There was an intruder,” Theo said through the closed door. “I took care of him, he’s still alive, but you’ll see him as soon as you open—”
The door flew open. Uniformed police officers charged into the flat and took Theo to the floor. In seconds, Theo was facedown beside the Russian, with hands cuffed behind his waist.
“He brought me here to kill me!” the Russian shouted. “The gun is his!”
“That’s a lie!” shouted Theo.
“He’s a kidnapper!” said the Russian.
“Quiet!” the officer said. “We need to sort this out. Now, which one of you knobs stole the neighbor’s chain?”
Theo could hardly believe his ears. Seriously? They wanted to know about the stupid chain around his neighbor’s flower garden?
“That would be me,” said Theo.
Chapter 35
Wednesday morning. The courtroom was exactly as they had left it. Only the faces in the packed public gallery had changed.
Jack knew what the prosecution’s next witness was going to tell the jury, having deposed him. Still, it stuck in his craw to hear Florida Department of Corrections Inmate No. M60795 swear to tell “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”
“Good morning, Mr. Paxton,” the prosecutor said.
