Part 29 (1/2)
fact I'm only to blame for two-thirds of them.”
He looked at me for a moment that stretched on. I wanted to turn away or move, but I didn't.
”So, did Jade have an alibi for last night?” I asked.
”A woman. A client. Susannah Atwood.”
”She confirmed?”
He nodded.
”And did she have anyone to corroborate her story?”
He rolled his eyes. ”Sure. Jade. Why? Do you know her?”
”I know of her. Sean knows her. She has a reputation as a social dragonfly.”
”Don't you mean b.u.t.terfly?”
”No.”
He raised his brows.
”I know her type,” I said. ”Susannah might just think providing an alibi to a murderer is the oral s.e.x of the
new millennium. I wouldn't trust her. Then again, I don't trust anyone.”
I checked my watch and moved away from the counter. ”I'm going to throw you out now, Landry. I've
got a dinner date with the devil.”
”Which one?”
”Van Zandt.”
As I went in search of a pair of shoes, I told him what I'd learned through Sean and through Interpol via
Armedgian. I had told Van Zandt I would meet him at The Players at eight. I had wisely declined his offer
to pick me up.
Landry stood staring into the closet, hands on his hips. ”You're telling me you think this guy could be as.e.xual predator, but you're going out to dinner with him?” ”Yes.” ”What if he killed Jill Morone? What if he's got Erin stashed somewhere?” ”Hopefully, I'll learn something to help nail him.” ”Are you on crack?” he asked, incredulous. ”Are you stupid?” ”He won't try to pull anything with me,” I said, coming out of the closet one heel on, one in hand. ”First: He knows he doesn't scare me and can't control me. Second: He thinks I'm worth money to him as aclient, not as a victim.” ”And if he's just a f.u.c.king pervert who wants to rape you and slit your throat?”
”Then I will have made a gross misjudgment of his character-which I haven't.” ”Estes, he may have killed that girl last night, for all you know. He lied about seeing her. He was there atThe Players. The bartender and the waitress said he was there, drooling all over the girl. We'd havehauled him in by now, but we don't know where he is.”
”What time did he leave the bar?”
”No one could say for certain.”
”So pull him in and rake him over the coals if you want,” I said. I stepped into the bathroom and looked
at my hair. There was nothing to be done about it. ”I'll gladly spend the evening in the tub reading a
book. But if he's got Erin stashed somewhere, he's sure as h.e.l.l not going to tell you about it.” ”And you think he'll just up and tell you?” Landry asked, blocking the doorway. ”Like that's some kindof smooth line: wanna come back to my place and see the girl I kidnapped? Jesus Christ!”
”So tail us! What are you getting so upset about?”
He shook his head and turned around in a circle, moving back into the bedroom. ”This is why I don't
want you involved in this,” he said, pointing at me as I came out of the bathroom. ”You've got your ownagenda, you run off half-c.o.c.ked-” ”So look the other way,” I said, pus.h.i.+ng his finger out of my face, my temper rising. ”I'm a private citizen, Landry. I don't need your permission and I don't need your approval. If I turn up dead, you'll know who to arrest. I'll make your f.u.c.king case for you. You'll be a hero in the Sheriff's Office-getting rid of me and catching a killer all in one fell swoop.”
”It's not my job to let you get yourself killed!” he shouted.
”Believe me, if I haven't done the job myself by now, I'm not about to let some hump like Van Zandt do it for me.” We were nearly nose to nose, the air in the scant inches between us charged with electricity. Landry held whatever it was he wanted to say tight in his chest. Maybe he was counting to ten. Maybe it was all he could do to keep from strangling me with his bare hands. I didn't know what he was thinking. I was thinking I was standing too d.a.m.n close to him.
”I was good too, Landry,” I said quietly. ”On the job. I know that's not what anyone wants to remember about me, but I was good. You'd be a fool not to take advantage of that.”
Another eternity came and went. We stood there staring at each other like a couple of angry porcupines -all defenses up. Landry blinked first and took a step back. I thought I should have been proud of that, but what I felt was more like disappointment.
”Van Zandt wants to impress me,” I said. I went back into the closet and found a small clutch purse to stash my microca.s.sette recorder in. ”He wants to come across like a hotshot, but his mouth is bigger than his brain. I can get him to say things he shouldn't. I'll tape the conversation. I'll call you after.”
”After what?” he asked pointedly.
”After coffee,” I said. ”I draw the line at prost.i.tuting myself. Glad you have such a high opinion of me, though.”
”I'm glad you have a line,” he muttered.