Waiting

Crivaro asked, “Can you give us his address?”

“Certainly,” Casal said, taking a sheet of paper out of the drawer and handing it to Crivaro. “Here you go—his name, Social Security number, phone number, and address. Also, the last day he worked here—exactly two weeks ago today.”

Crivaro thanked him for his cooperation, and Riley followed the two agents out of the store.

She was startled when, as soon as they were outside, Crivaro grabbed McCune by the shoulder.

“What do you think you were doing back there?” he asked angrily.

McCune looked surprised.

“You mean showing him that photo? I wanted to see his reaction, of course.”

“It was a stunt,” Crivaro said. “I don’t like stunts.”

McCune’s face reddened with anger.

“A stunt, huh?” he said. “Are you telling me you trust that Casal guy? He seemed as suspicious as hell to me. Actually, he gave me the creeps, the way he talked and all. He didn’t even give us a good look at his face.”

That’s true, Riley thought.

But it really hadn’t occurred to her to suspect Casal of anything.

Crivaro paced back and forth, barking at McCune.

“So you just thought you’d put the screws to him, huh? You decided to go for some kind of instant confession. Figured you’d get a lot of glory if you succeeded. Well, let me put your mind at ease about something. Casal’s not our killer.”

“How do you know?” McCune asked.

Crivaro rolled his eyes and said, “Didn’t you get a good look at him? He’s blind as a bat without those glasses, and he’s as skinny as a rail. Our killer abducted two women—at least one of them probably forcibly. Then he managed to subdue them. Can you imagine Casal pulling that off?”

Looking as embarrassed as angry now, McCune began, “Maybe with an accomplice—”

Crivaro interrupted, “There wasn’t any accomplice. My every instinct tells me our killer acts alone. And he’s sure as hell not Danny Casal. Casal’s maybe an important witness, though. We’re all just lucky you didn’t spook him into not cooperating.”

McCune hung his head and shuffled his feet.

Crivaro jabbed his finger at him.

“Now listen to me. No more stunts, not when you’re working with me. If you get any ideas, talk to me about them first. This is not the Boy Scouts. Initiative is not a virtue right now. Either I call all the shots, or you can get off the case.”

In a whisper, McCune said, “I hear you. It won’t happen again.”

“It sure as hell had better not,” Crivaro growled.

A silence fell among the three of them.