Dead Cold Mysteries Box Set #1: Books 1-4 (A Dead Cold Box Set), Blake Banner [classic children's novels txt] 📗

a cab back to the precinct and get a court order to check Peter Gunthersen’s accounts.”

She looked surprised. “What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to stay with Baxter. I want to see where he goes after we scare him, or if anybody visits him.”

He was already in the office when we arrived, and looked surprised when we walked in.

“Detectives!” He smiled like a man who isn’t amused. “I wish you’d called. I am just on my way out.”

I smiled back with the same feeling and sat at his desk. “No, Baxter, you’re not. We are going to talk.”

He stood.

Dehan pulled up a chair and sat beside me. She looked up at him and said, “Sit.”

He sat.

I said, “Tell me about Geronimo dos Santos.”

All the blood drained from his face. He made like a goldfish for a moment, then shook his head in an “I have no idea who that is” fashion.

I said, “Are you about to lie to me, Baxter? I would think carefully before you do that. Because if I know that dos Santos is your client, and he is involved in a homicide and you lie to me, that’s your license gone right there. Is it worth it?”

He swallowed. “Homicide?” He glanced at Dehan. “My client is interested in the case. That isn’t the same as being involved…”

“How about Ernesto Sanchez’s murder? How about Danny Schultz’s murder?” I studied his face a moment. He looked scared. “Do you know what you are getting yourself into, Baxter?”

“I don’t know anything about Ernesto Sanchez or Danny Schultz…”

Dehan snorted. “But Geronimo dos Santos sure does. You led us on a pretty wild goose chase, Baxter, but we unearthed a few things, and let me tell you, pal, you are running with the wolves on this one.”

I nodded my agreement. “People who do odd jobs for dos Santos seem to wind up dead shortly after. Usually shot with a .38. Does that sound familiar?”

He was thinking, fast, but not clearly. He said, “Danny Schultz…”

He knew who he was. Dehan cut in, “He was shot through the heart. Just like Steve. Do you know who shot them?”

Before he could think about it, I said, “Let me make it easy for you, Baxter. You don’t need to tell me whether Geronimo is your client; I already know he is. All you need to do is tell me about him. Who is he? Where is he? What is his deal? What’s his game? Do that for me and I will let you keep your license.”

“Jesus, Stone!”

“What’s it going to be, Baxter?”

“I don’t know that much, and that’s the truth! Before you start threatening me again, the fact is I don’t know much about him at all. He plays his cards real close to his chest. He’s a weird fucking guy, I can tell you that much.”

“Where is he from?”

He shrugged. “The name is Brazilian, but he talks a lot about Spain. About a castle near Santiago de Compostela, Soto Mayor or something like that. So maybe he’s Spanish. I don’t know. It belongs to the church, and he was a custodian of the library there.”

“Where is he now?”

“All I can tell you is that he is in New York. Where, I have no idea.”

“How do you contact him?”

“I don’t. He contacts me.”

Dehan cut in, “How often?”

He hesitated, “Once every day. Before you ask, I don’t know what time. It’s randomized.”

I thought for a moment. “Would he agree to meet me?”

Baxter laughed. “No way. The minute I tell him you know about him, he will vanish.”

“Don’t tell him.”

“I don’t plan to.”

“Will you give me permission to tap your phone?”

His jaw sagged. “No. I’ll tell you what, Stone, I’ll give you my license, you wipe your ass on it and then flush it down the can. What do you think it will do for my business if it gets out I let the fucking cops tap my phone?”

“Okay!” It was Dehan. “Keep your pantyhose on, Baxter. We need to talk to this guy. He’s involved in a triple homicide. We could use your help.”

He pulled a face. “Aw, you’re breaking my heart, Detectives. So go investigate! I’m not here to wet nurse you. I got a business to run.”

“How about Tammy? You find out anything about her?”

“No. How about you?”

“Nothing you don’t know already.”

“Jeez, and me just a one-man operation. Go figure.”

“Okay, Baxter. Have it your way.” I stood. “But be careful. If I am reading him right, and I am, dos Santos is a dangerous man. People around him and Tammy Gunthersen wind up dead.”

He watched us leave. He looked scared.

Downstairs, it was already getting hot again. We got in the car, and I put the air-con on. I drove Dehan to the end of the road, and she jumped out to get a cab back to the 43rd. Meanwhile, I drove around the block, parked forty yards down the road, and waited. I waited for half an hour. At ten o’clock he came down, crossed the road, and climbed into his car, a cream Toyota. He headed south on Melrose. I let him get away a bit, then did a U-turn and followed at a distance. He joined Third Avenue and continued south all the way down to where it meets Morris Avenue. At 138th Street, he turned right and crossed the Madison Avenue Bridge. Over the river, he turned in to 5th Avenue, and I followed him down all along Central Park as far as East 68th, where he turned left, and left again into Madison Avenue. He crossed East 69th and parked on the left. I stopped short of the junction and pulled over.

I saw him get out of his car and lope across the road