Page 139 of In Cold Blood
Noah took out a large photo he’d printed from the footage and slipped it across the table. Hendrix eyed it. “The video you gave to Parish. The one that I took a look at only has the white truck and yet the original has a van heading southeast close tomidnight, then back north after the murder.” He took a deep breath before dumping more on him. “Then who could forget this…?” He slipped in front of him another sheet of paper. “Rishi printed this off. You see, I think Luke knew someone from the Sheriff’s Office was helping Harry Carter but I don’t think he was exactly sure who it was at least until later. To be honest, I thought it was Callie.” He glanced at her. “No offense, Callie.” He shrugged. “You know, being that she was in charge of going through my brother’s computer and phone with Rishi. But here’s the strange part, she asked this morning if I had found anything of interest, and I said, ‘Well, that depends, did you?’ What was it you replied, Callie?” he asked, not taking his eyes off Hendrix.
“No,” she said.
“That’s right. To which I replied, ‘Nothing significant, right?’ And then Callie replied, ‘That’s what I was told.’” He paused before saying the next thing slowly. “That’s what she wastold.”
He stared at Hendrix. “You were the one that looked it over. To take a load off her plate. And right there on the sheet, it reveals the files that you deleted from my brother’s computer on said day. After, you told Callie you found nothing of significance. But you see, my brother must have known that someone might get their grubby hands on his technology. I’m sure if I searched his home, I would find a backup drive, however, when you’re dealing with large amounts of video and cross-sharing between devices, it’s easier to place it on the cloud. Which is what he did. But then he switched off synching just in case those files on his computer were deleted. That way, he would still have a way to access them via another computer as long as he didn’t synch with iCloud. I was able to obtain those files with the help of Rishi. You know, Hendrix, he really is an asset to this office,” he said sarcastically.
Hendrix stared at the wall. His body stiffened.
Noah continued, “Now I figure the only reason why youwould have overlooked this — all of this — is you thought someone else would take care of it, or you lacked attention to detail, or you were under pressure from someone looking over your shoulder. Am I getting warm?” Hendrix said nothing. Noah continued. “Don’t worry. It’s hard to keep track of all the lies, isn’t it? Of course, who’s going to bat an eye at DNA found at the scene of a potential suicide when officers are trampling all over, taking out guns and whatnot.” Hendrix cut him a glance. “After Cyrus pulled that stunt with the gun, you kind of knew he wouldn’t have a leg to stand on and so you took him out before we got our hands on him.”
“You’re reaching.”
“Am I?”
Noah noted a change. Hendrix folded his arms.
“Let me guess, you want that lawyer now?” Noah leaned forward. “Thing is, I think you’re going to need a public defender as few private attorneys would touch this, and Cyrus Keller’s lawyer — Jack Grayson — ah… let’s say he’s been convinced to no longer represent assholes involved with murdering law enforcement officers.”
Just as Noah was about to mention the phone records and how the call to the university had gone missing from the call history, there were two loud cracks.
Callie was out the door in a flash.
Noah was right there in her shadow, closing the door behind him.
Farther down the hall, multiple deputies filled up the second interview room. There was a huge commotion. Loud voices. A tangle of arms. Noah slipped through their midst to find Harry Carter on the ground, bleeding out, two rounds in his body.
A deputy was already trying to apply pressure to the wounds.
“He grabbed my gun. I…” Roberts said, backing up, hands out, his skin pale.
Noah glanced at the state trooper who had been in the room with him. He nodded, confirming he was telling the truth. Less than a minute later, it was over.
Harry Carter was gone.
He’d taken the easy way out.
He’d see no trial, no prison cell, not like his pal next door.
By the time EMTs arrived, the only thing they could do was cover his body and wheel him away.
As Noah left latethat evening, after the state troopers had gone, his mind was awash with the events of the day. Axel hopped into the back of the Bronco and Noah ruffled his hair, telling him he’d done a great job and that Luke would be proud.
Callie approached. “He’s not the only one that Luke would be proud of.”
Noah turned toward her.
“You heading back to Kerri’s or to the hospital to check on Parish and Ed?”
“Already seen Parish.”
“He’s out of the coma?”
“Yeah. He’s told State he won’t be returning to his field position but he will continue to work for them, just in a limited capacity.”
“How’s he doing?”
“Rough. But he’ll survive.”
