She studied his damaged face for several seconds. “Been in a few fights?”
“A few.”
“What do you want?”
“My own private jet.”
“Cute. What do you want with me?”
“That’s much more specific, but you already know why I’m here, don’t you.”
“I gotta pretty good idea. You a cop?”
“No.”
She took another deep drag and blew it out slowly.
Nathan leaned forward slightly. “What did he say to you on the phone the other night?”
Her face showed instant understanding. “That little slut, what did she tell you?”
“I’m asking the questions from now on.”
“The fuck you are. I don’t have to tell you jack.” She blew smoke in his face and smiled.
In a lightning-fast move, Nathan snatched the cigarette from her fingers and flicked it at her. In a shower of red sparks, it bounced off her forehead.
“Hey, asshole. Who the fuck do you think you are?”
He engaged Amber’s stare. “I’m the one who’s asking the questions. You’re the one who’s going to answer them.” Nathan softened his tone. “It doesn’t have to get rough. We can talk like mature adults right here and now, or you can be tortured in a soundproof room, screaming in agony. I’m good either way.”
“Some cop you are.”
“I’m not a cop.”
“Who are you?”
“A vested third party.”
“A bounty hunter? Ernie told me someone like you might come around.”
“And.”
“He said if I talked, he’d kill me and Janey.”
“Does he know she’s his daughter?”
“Hell no.”
“Do you know where he is?”
“No.”
Nathan watched her reaction closely.
“I don’t,” she said. “I’d give his ass up if I did. He’s a piece a shit.”
She wasn’t lying. “Tell me about his old hangouts, places he liked to go, people he knew. Anything that might help me find him.”
Sheldon half laughed. “Places? He liked to play pool for money, but he wouldn’t be doing that now, would he? The only people he knew besides me were his brothers.”
“Why’d you visit him when he was locked up?”
She considered the question for a moment before answering. “Don’t get me wrong, Ernie’s a first-class jackass, but he still got a raw deal. The DUI thing? His court-martial?”
“What about it?”
“That dumb broad walked right in front of his car. I know, ’cause I was there, sitting next to him when it happened. It wasn’t his fault. We weren’t even speeding and he wasn’t really drunk. He got railroaded ’cause she was some sort of big-shot lawyer from a rich beaner family.”
Nathan leaned forward. “I find the word
“Okay, whatever. No need to get pissed off. Anyway, her dad was some kind of government fat cat. She was the one hammered that night, not Ernie.”
“That may be true, but the law only recognizes the legal limit and Ernie was beyond it. He had a long history of insubordination and alcoholism.”
“He still got screwed. He was real bitter about the whole thing. It’s all he ever talked about. He swore to get revenge someday. I told him he should just forget about it and move on. After he hooked up with his older brother, I never heard from him again until his call the other night.”
“Did you believe him, about getting revenge?”
“Yeah, I did. Still do. One thing about Ernie, he don’t forget about shit like that. At the time, I felt sorry for him. I don’t now, but I did back then.”
“So what changed?”
“I did. I decided I wasn’t going to put up with his shit anymore. After he got out, he was worse than ever. He was always yelling and screaming. I could never do anything right. Nothing was ever good enough for that man.”
Nathan didn’t want to pursue this line, he already knew about Ernie Bridgestone’s pathology. “Is there anything else you can think of that might help us find him?”
“Not really.”
“Do you mind if we put a trace on your phone, in case he calls again?”
“Knock yourself out.”
Nathan grabbed a pen from his shirt pocket and wrote his name and cell number on a napkin. “If Ernie calls you again for any reason, tell him Nathan McBride is looking for him. Remember it. Nathan McBride.”
“I’ll remember, but I pray I never hear from that piece of shit again.”
“I need your help.”
“Forget about it, I’m not doing nothing to put me or Janey in danger.”
“There’s a million-dollar reward.” That got her attention. Then he took a few minutes to lay out his plan and her part in it.
“I don’t like it,” she said, “even with the money you’re offering me over and above the reward, which I might or might not get.”
“If it doesn’t work, you still keep my fifty grand, if it works, you’re a million dollars richer.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Nathan stood. “He murdered twenty-four people.”
She lit another cigarette. “I said I’ll think about it.”
“Remember, if he calls, don’t talk to him on your work or home number. Drive a few miles down the road and find a pay phone. Make sure you’re not followed. Write the number down and arrange a time for him to call you back. After he calls, wait a few minutes before calling me. And be sure you mention my name, Nathan McBride.”
“What so damned important about that?”
“He’ll know.”
She squinted her eyes and took another hit on the cigarette.
“Also, if he calls, verify that Janey’s his daughter.”
“I don’t like that either.”
“Think about it, Amber. Put the pieces together.”
She was quiet for a few seconds. “You’re thinking he’ll want to see her.”
“That’s right.”
“What makes you think he gives a damn? He never has before.”
“That’s true, but he didn’t know about Janey.”
She didn’t respond.
“Janey’s outside. Don’t give her a hard time for talking to me. I didn’t give her a choice. She’s just trying to do the right thing. I hope you will too. Let her drive you home. If you get behind the wheel, those two over my left shoulder will probably arrest you.”
She looked in that direction. “Thanks for the heads-up.”
Nathan left her sitting there and walked over to the clean-cut guys. “It’s a little warm in here for Windbreakers.”
They didn’t reply.
