I hear snores filter through into the bathroom and roll my eyes at this man’s audacity. He’s in here sleeping while his men are trying to stay alert for their night shifts. This is the most opportune time as any so I slip out of the bathroom and quickly move into the office. He has his legs propped up on the desk and his hands are crossed across his stomach.
I head over to his desk and lean against the wood right beside his chair. Yes, this would be so easy if I decided to just slit his throat while he slept, but that’s not the plan.
I thrum my fingers along his desk and wait for him to rouse. He sleeps lightly because at the soft sound of my fingers, he bolts upright in his chair. Must be helpful when he has to pretend to be awake at a moment's notice.
His eyes meet mine and they widen with surprise but then dim with reservation. McKay knew I was coming for him and he either has accepted his fate or feels he can get out of it. I’m excited to find out which one it is.
“I knew you’d show up sooner rather than later.” He says calmly.
I don’t answer him and continue to thrum my fingers on his desk. His eyes watch the movement and his body is stiff with tension.
“How are you going to try this?” He asks. Try this? This man doesn’t know a damn thing. I don’t try anything, once I decide to kill someone it’s done. Except for Carlos, I’ll always regret not hanging that fucker by his neck.
“Wilson.” I say calmly as I look him directly in the eyes. “I appreciate what you did with the Halbert situation. That cover up was well done.”
“It was that or have everything blown up for the public’s viewing pleasure.”
“And we wouldn’t want that would we?” I taunt him. “Nobody should ever find out that Fire Chief Wilson McKay watched their little boys and girls. Brings them treats at the park and invites them to look for his lost puppy.”
“Lost puppy?” He looks at me with confusion.
“Listen,” I walk around his desk and stand in front of him. "I'm going to be straight with you. I know the shit you're doing, I know your preference for young children, and I know you are corrupt as fuck. You took money to cover up Halbert's horrific death."
"You did that." He looks at me with wide eyes.
"Yes, I did do that. I cut off the one thing that controlled him and you covered that up. As long as the money is right, you will deceive anyone. As long as the money is right, you will hurt children or watch them being hurt."
"I don't participate in anything to do with children, yes if the money is right I will fib on cause of death or fire." He leans on the desk and looks me in the eyes. "I was part of the department when your grandparents car was found completely burned."
I know this already and I was hoping he would bring it up. "Oh?"
"Funny one, that." He leans back in his seat. "To me, it looked like arson through and through but for some reason the Fire Chief then marked it as an engine combustion."
"There should be some official reports about it around here huh?"
"Let's say there is," he pinches the hair on his chin. "Would that make you disappear?"
"No." I answer honestly. "I live here, I'm not going anywhere."
"Would you back off of me?" He asks.
"No, but I would give you a chance to make things right."
"How so?"
"By telling me about the corruption in the force and with Moore. By leading me in the direction I need to go to cleanse out the rot in Whitsborough. And then, you yourself would have to change."
He gets up from his chair and I slip my hand in my hoodie pocket to run my fingers along my knife.
I follow him down the hall and into an old filing room.
"You came just in time, a lot of these closed cases will be destroyed in a few days." He looks back at me like I'm so lucky. Fuck off, I knew this already.
"Here we go." He pulls out an old banker's box and hands it to me. It's light and I grin as I think about how much information is in here. Obviously, bypassing all lies.
I follow him back out into the hallway and place the box by the exit door. Then I follow him back and into his office, closing the door behind me.
"Moore is tricky and no real friend of mine." He states as he sits back down. It's funny how fast they turn on their friends when their lives are on the line. "He was always in with the likes of Halbert and Greene. Those parties they held, the meetings in the basement of the town hall just weren't my thing. I don't know what you heard but I'm not into children and I don't rape women."
Right.
"I went because it was better than being viewed as against them. They would come here-much like yourself-and threaten me or worse." He continues. "I did whatever it took to keep them off my back."
"Did you recruit children?"
"I was asked to but never fulfilled my end of that bargain."
Yeah right.
"Did you participate in the rapes at all?" I ask him.
"Only when Tonya provided her prostitute friends and they were always willing."
Liar.
"Halbert and Greene were the sick ones, Moore and Cox like to watch, and I show up to keep my position."
Pants on fire.
"I see." I nod.
"How can we keep this relationship going? Do you want me to tell you when Moore has a cover up? We don't have anymore meetings since you killed most of the members."
Boo hoo.
I go back to leaning in front of
