End Game (Will Robie #5)(125)

“I know so, bitch.”

“You know what, I think you may be right. I mean whoever heard of a millionaire on death row, right? It’s all about the high-priced lawyers. You buy justice in this country. Right?”

“Got that right, sweet cheeks. Maybe you got a brain after all.”

“But that only happens if there’s a trial.”

“Everybody’s entitled to a trial.”

“Not everybody.”

Randall looked incredulous. “It’s in the Constitution, you dumb-ass. And you call yourself a Fed. Jesus.”

“Yeah, but you have to be alive, right? No dead guys go on trial. I mean, what would be the point?”

Randall looked puzzled. “What the hell are you . . . ” Then realization spread over him.

“Exactly,” said Reel, right before she pulled the trigger.

As he fell dead to the floor with a hole in his face, Reel looked over at Robie. “You have a problem with that?”

“Problem with what?” replied Robie evenly.

“Some ways it’s good not to be a cop. All that ‘you have the right to remain silent’ bullshit.”

Robie looked down at Randall. “Well, he’s definitely silent now.”

She lowered the rifle. “Just saving the public the expense of a trial. The government doesn’t have a lot of spare cash.”

“Works for me. But we have to get Blue Man out of here fast, or he’s not going to make it.”

They both looked at the door through which Randall and the others had charged.

Reel said, “What do you think? Patti’s still out there. And our fake Nazi friend.”

“Actually, I’m right here.”

Robie and Reel whirled to look behind them.

Patti Bender was standing there with a gun held to the temple of Blue Man.

He said weakly. “There was another way down there, apparently. It wasn’t on the original plans.”

“That’s because we put it in ourselves,” said Patti.

“Where’s Malloy?” said Robie.

Patti studied him. “You liked her, didn’t you?”

“Is she dead?”

“Not yet.”

“What does that mean?”

“It doesn’t really matter.” She pushed the gun muzzle tighter into Blue Man’s skin.

“He needs a doctor,” said Reel.

“No he doesn’t,” replied Patti. “He doesn’t need anything.”

“You can’t kill all of us,” said Reel, her grip tightening on her gun. “You drop him, you’re dead.”

“It’s my preferred way,” she said calmly.

“So you’re suicidal?” said Robie. “Is that your way out?”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Sure I do. I know exactly what you’re going through, actually. Daddy issues.”

Patti shook her head. “If you think all this is about my ‘father’ here, you’re about as wrong as you can possibly be. I don’t care one way or another. I had a dad growing up until he got killed. He wasn’t great, but he wasn’t bad either. If Walton hadn’t started digging into what was going on around here, I’d have no problem with him.”

“Then you just like killing people?” said Reel.

Patti looked at her. “Don’t you?”

“It’s my job.”

“Well, it’s part of my business, so I guess we’re more alike than not.”

“And the drugs?” said Robie. “Hooking up with Fitzsimmons?”

Patti shrugged. “I grew up with nothing in the middle of nowhere. I’ve always had a chip on my shoulder, and the years only made it grow bigger. My mom started making money later in life but it’s not mine. I didn’t earn it. I wasn’t going to piggyback on what she did. And a legal pot business? Anybody can do that. I wanted to do something that was far more challenging.”

“So it is just about the money,” said Robie. “Your island in the Caribbean?”

“I can’t say it sucks, because it doesn’t. I had wanted to move there permanently, someday. But I guess that’s not going to happen now.”

“Patti, please don’t do this,” said Blue Man.

“I am going to do this and there’s nothing you can do about it. Father or not.”

“I’m asking you for the last time,” said Blue Man.

“And I’m telling you to shut up and die like a man. I’ll be right behind you. Who knows, if I get lucky I might take one of your friends with me.”

Blue Man jerked his arm and there was a thudding sound.

Patti looked down to see the makeshift knife that Blue Man had fashioned earlier sticking out of the center of her chest.

For one long second father and daughter stared at each other. Then the blood started to ooze from Patti’s mouth and she fell forward. Despite his injury Blue Man grabbed his daughter and gently laid her down on the floor.

He knelt beside her and held her hand as her breaths starting coming faster and her chest began to heave.

“I’m sorry,” said Blue Man. “I’m sorry I didn’t know. Things might have been different if I had.”