Zero Day (John Puller, #1)(92)

“I tried to call him on his cell. But he didn’t pick up.”

“What time was this exactly?” asked Puller.

“I don’t know exactly. Maybe around four or so.”

“Go on.”

“I got to the back of the house. The door there was slightly open. I opened it some more. Called out to see if Larry was in there for some reason. Got no answer. I was scared.”

“But you went in anyway. Why?” asked Puller.

“I thought Larry might be hurt. He told me to come by and then he wasn’t there. I was worried about him.”

“Bullshit. You wanted to see the bodies.”

Dickie looked up at him, scowling, but then his features relaxed. “You’re right, I did. I figured maybe Larry got called off on something else. That’s why his car was gone. Anyway, I went inside.” He stopped, his face draining of any remaining color.

“You saw them,” Puller said.

Dickie nodded slowly. “I’ll see ’em in my dreams, in my nightmares till I die.”

“Very poetic,” said Cole sarcastically.

“What did you do then?” asked Puller.

“I was going to leave. But I heard something, something from the basement.”

“What was the sound?” Puller tensed. A lot would depend on the answer.

“Like a squeak, like somebody stretching something.”

Puller eased. “Okay. What next?”

I had my knife with me. I called down the stairs. Thought it might be Larry. I didn’t want him to shoot me. No answer.”

Cole said in an incredulous tone, “So you went down into a basement in a house full of dead people in the middle of the night because you heard a sound? You know, in addition to the crime shows, you might want to take in a few movies like Halloween and Friday the 13th. You never go into the damn basement, Dickie.”

“But you went down there,” said Puller. “What happened?”

“And that’s when I saw him. Larry, just hanging there.”

“Did you make certain he was dead?” asked Cole. “Or did you just turn tail and run, leaving him there?”

“He was dead,” said Dickie. “I seen dead guys in the Army. I checked his pulse, looked at his eyes.” He paused, then forced it out. “He was dead.”

“Then what?” asked Puller.

“I got the hell out of there. I ran out the back.”

“And then just kept going?” Puller tensed again.

Dickie let out a long breath. “No. I… I stopped running. I felt like I was gonna barf. I squatted down there in the woods. Maybe ten minutes or so. Got myself together. Then I heard a car pull up. Thought it was maybe the cops. Or…”

Puller said, “Whoever killed Larry coming back?”

Dickie nodded. “If it was, I wanted to see the son of a bitch. Call the cops on him.”

“Or her,” said Cole. “It could’ve been a woman.”

Dickie pointed a finger at Puller. “But it was you. Saw you go in. Didn’t know who the hell you were. But then I saw your jacket. CID. Knew what that was. Larry told me the dead guy was Army. That explained why you were there.”

“And then?” asked Puller.

“Little while later heard another car pull up.” He pointed at Cole. “You that time. That’s when I took off.”

“And that’s when I saw you out the window,” said Puller. He looked at Cole. “Story coincides with what we know.”

She nodded and then glared at Dickie. “Would’ve been nice to know this before. I should arrest you for withholding material evidence.”

“And for just being stupid,” added Puller. “So were you and Eric friends?”

“I knew him. He was in Xanadu.” He held up his arm. “I told you I got a tat sleeve like his.”

“When you went into the Halversons’ house that night did you know that Eric and Molly were across the street dead?”

“Of course I didn’t.”

Puller let this answer hang there.

“I was worried about him, though.”

“Why?” asked Puller.

“Stuff.”

“Stuff got a name?”

Dickie shrugged. “Not that I ever heard.”

“Any reason why Eric and Molly would have wanted a soil report done?” asked Cole.

“Soil report? Nope, no reason I know of.”

“How about a meth lab?’ asked Puller. “Got any ‘stuff’ on that?”

“Eric didn’t do meth.”

“Okay, but did he make it to sell? That’s the key question.”

Dickie didn’t answer right away. “I think I need to lawyer up.”

“Think or know?” asked Puller while Cole looked at him warily.

Puller pushed off from the wall and stood next to Dickie. “Let’s look at this intelligently, Dickie. See how it affects you. Will you take a couple minutes to do that with me?”

Cole said, “Puller, he said he wanted to lawyer up—”

Puller shot her a glance and she closed her mouth. He turned back to Dickie, put a hand on his shoulder. “Just hear me out, Dickie, what do you have to lose? The Army kicked your ass out. Didn’t let you serve when I know you wanted to. This is a second chance for you to do something for your country.”