“You going to make a habit of breaking in?” Connolly said.
“That was hours ago, when I thought you’d need a ride. Then I just got fascinated wondering where you were. After being so anxious and all.”
“Well, I’m here now. Everything set?”
“Holliday will meet us there. Threatening to call the governor did the trick, just like you said. He’s not happy about it, though. Said you put his ass on the line and he doesn’t like it there. Christ, you’re a mess.”
“We drove all night.”
“Right.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
Mills grinned. “I haven’t seen a look like that since college. Larry Rosen, the pussy king. Just like Larry. Out all night and then he’d come back too shagged out to go to class. Except he’d want to tell us about it. You have fun?”
“Don’t be an asshole.”
“Hey, I didn’t say a thing. Better grab yourself a shower, though. The memory lingers on. Those cons down there get a whiff and they’ll start tearing the place apart.”
“Mills-”
“All right, all right. I’m just jealous, that’s all. I have to hand it to you-I’ve been here a year and I still can’t get laid.”
“How about just getting the car? I’ll be right with you,” Connolly said, stripping off his clothes.
“Okay. You sure you don’t want to get some sleep instead? This can wait, you know. They’ve got a signed confession and a witness.”
“Who?”
“The bartender in Albuquerque. Turns out he recognized him after all.”
“Was this before or after they took his liquor license away?”
“There were others. The guy was a regular. It’s him, Mike.”
“I just want to get a look at him.”
Mills shrugged. “Suit yourself. If it was me, after a big night, I’d get some sleep.”
“Well, that’s you. I don’t feel sleepy at all.”
But he slept all the way to Albuquerque, his eyes drooping as soon as they left the Hill and Mills’s cheerful voice faded into a background hum. By the time they reached the familiar highway he was out, not even disturbed by the sun on his face. They were in Albuquerque before he surfaced again, slightly groggy, and saw Holliday’s grim face.
The Albuquerque jail had none of the adobe pretense of Santa Fe; it was a streamlined modern government building in the post office pork-barrel style, official and utilitarian. Chief Hendron, on the other hand, was a throwback to the frontier one-room jail with a big key ring. He had the authority of height and carried himself with the swagger of one who was never far from his six-shooter. He was clearly put out about the interview, his natural belligerence hemmed in only by the threat of a higher authority, an even bigger bully.
“Holliday here says you got some special interest in this prisoner, is that right? You mind telling me what that might be?”
“It’s a government matter.”
“Shit, what isn’t?” He looked at Connolly’s ID and snorted. “Army Corps of Engineers is taking an interest in all kinds of things these days, aren’t they? I suppose we got to wait for the war to be over before you tell us what the hell you’re all doing here.”
“You’ll be the first to know.”
The chief looked at him. “Don’t go fresh on me,” he snapped. “Don’t you do it. I’m still the law around here, and I won’t have it.” He handed back the ID. “If Holliday vouches for you, I guess that’s that. But I’m not going to have you messing with my prisoner. You want to talk to him, you’ve got to have one of my boys with you. We got a self-confessed murderer back there and I still don’t know what business that is of yours.”
“The other victim was one of our men.”
“One of your men? That’s a good one. Now just what would one of you army engineers be wanting with old Ramon back there?”
“That’s what I’d like to know.”
“Helluva thing, that kind of shit going on in the army. If it was my outfit, I’d be ashamed.”
“If it was your outfit, so would I,” Connolly said and then quickly, before Hendron could reply, “Can I see him now? I’ll have Chief Holliday with me-that should satisfy your concerns about being alone. Has he got a lawyer?”
Hendron glared at him, ready to pounce, then backed down.
“He will have. You got one hour with him, that’s it. You just find out what you need to find out and don’t come back. You interfere with this case and the governor himself won’t keep me off your ass.”
“I appreciate your cooperation.”
Hendron stared at him again. “You do that. Holliday, I’m counting on you to make sure nothing goes wrong here. We’re going for a conviction on this one.”
“I understand you have witnesses?” Connolly said.
“Bartender saw them leave together. Some of the other, uh, patrons’ll verify that. Turns out old Ramon worked that parking lot before. No question he did it. We got a signed confession, you know.”
“So I heard.”
“Yeah, well, Arnold here will show you the way. You be nice and easy with him, now. Old Ramon come to a little grief the other night, so he’s probably not feeling his best.”
“What kind of grief?”
He smirked. “The kind they got in jail when you’re not too popular. Seems they don’t go for Ramon’s type back there. I guess he did better with the army engineers.”
