Kop by Warren Hammond

Author:Warren Hammond
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Science Fiction, General, Police, Imaginary places, Fiction
ISBN: 9780765351364
Publisher: Macmillan
Published: 2008-04-29T04:00:00+00:00

The sun eventually burned through the clouds and doused the street with rays that made wet cars twinkle as they drove by.

Maggie said, “I can’t believe they were cellmates.”

“I can’t believe it either.” My brain short-circuited every time I thought about it. Our hitman was cellmates with our original suspect. I slouched into the seat cushions.

Maggie was pumped. “What about Kapasi’s sister? Brenda Redfoot was looking at Zorno for her disappearance. Can you believe it; Kapasi gets sent up to the Zoo and ends up rooming with his sister’s killer. Can you imagine his grief, losing a sister like that and not knowing that the murderer was sleeping in the next bunk? He was the last person he saw every night; the first person he saw in the morning. Do you think Zorno knew?”

“I’m sure he did. Serials have long memories. I wouldn’t be surprised if Kapasi told him about how he had a sister that disappeared. Zorno would have figured it out—probably played it real cool asking questions like, ‘How old was she?’ and ‘What did she look like?’ Meanwhile he’s sitting there the whole time, knowing what he did to her. He probably still has her lips stashed away somewhere.”

“Do you think Kapasi hired Zorno to kill his lieutenant?”

My mind said, “No. It was the mayor. Paul couldn’t be wrong about this.” My mouth said, “Could be. We know Kapasi had motive. If somebody gave me a bum gun and sent me into combat, I’d be angry enough to kill.” I left it at that. I was stringing her along, letting her think whatever she wanted. It was the mayor who was behind this. Kapasi and Zorno being cellmates was just a coincidence. It had to be.

Maggie started questioning herself, reasoning it through. “But why hire Zorno when you could kill Lieutenant Vlotsky yourself? Maybe Kapasi was just a tough talker. He didn’t have a violent background. He was just a scam artist. He didn’t have the guts to do the job himself, so he hired Zorno. Little did he know that the guy he hired, the guy he roomed with in prison, killed his own sister.”

“Where’d he get the money? That was a large pile of cash we found in that mattress.”

“Kapasi was dealing opium and running games in the Army. He used the profits to buy Zorno. That has to be it. Maybe he sold the mystery POWs back to the warlords. That might net him enough money.”

Pieces were falling into place. I tried to mentally poke holes in her reasoning, but the more I poked, the more her theory made sense. But it had to be the mayor that bought Zorno. Paul needed it to be the mayor.

Maggie asked, “Can we get in to see Kapasi?”

“Not yet. Paul’s trying to get the mils to let us in to see him. He’ll tell us when he gets through.”

Maggie nodded.

Zorno came out and tromped in our direction. I sank down as far as I could with this creaky old body.

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