"Most are lucky and don't get caught."
"Are you going to fire me, Chief?"
"No. But if you ever lie to me or any other supervisor again, you'll be driving that imaginary beer truck that stopped outside the bar. Do I make myself dear?"
Russell gulped.
"Yes, sir."
"Go to work."
Outside, Gabe's unit was missing from the parking lot. Kerney checked with the dispatcher, who said Gonzales wasn't on the air, and found Garduno in his office.
"Gabe took off," he said.
"I need a vehicle."
"Take my unit." Garduno tossed Kerney his keys.
"Go easy on him. Chief. He's a good man."
"I know that."
Chuck Beasly looked at the photograph. He wore a genial smile that seemed permanently fixed on his face.
He ran his hand through his thinning hair and nodded.
"That's the kid," he said to the state police lieutenant.
"He called yesterday to set up the appointment. I showed him the place this morning, but he didn't take it.
I don't know why, it's a nice unit. Maybe he couldn't afford it."
"Did he tell you anything about himself?" Gabe asked.
"Just that he was moving up from Santa Fe to go to summer school at the university."
"What name did he give you?"
Beasly flipped a page back on his desk calendar and ran his finger down a list of names.
"Salazar. Ben Salazar."
"How many tenants are in the building?"
"Just one. It's a duplex converted from a two-story home. A young woman has the upstairs unit. She goes to the university part-time."
"Her name?"
"Jessica Varela."
The name didn't ring any bells for Gabe, nor did it match with any of the people Chief Kerney had interviewed.
"Was she at home when you showed the apartment?"
"I don't mink so."
"What did Barela do while he was inside?"
"Is that his real name? The usual. He opened doors, looked at the backyard, checked the appliances. I gave him my standard pitch about the place. Told him it would probably rent fast and if he didn't grab it, he'd lose it."
"Was he interested?"
"I thought so, at fast. He wanted to know if I was showing it to anyone else anytime soon. I told him a young couple would be looking at it this evening. He even asked me what time I was showing it."
"When are you showing it?"
"Six-thirty" "Thanks."
Beasly walked to the office door with the lieutenant.
As the officer got to his car, another police vehicle drove up and a man in civilian domes got out. The uniformed cop froze at the side of his squad car. The guy in civvies limped to the lieutenant and started talking. The lieutenant waved a finger in the man's face and poked him hard in the chest, his face red with anger.
For a minute, Beasly thought the men were going to start fighting. But when the cop in dwies pushed the finger away from his chest and said something, the lieutenant backed down.
Beasly watched the two men get into the lieutenant's vehicle and leave, wondering what the fuck that was all about.
In front of the hardware store, Gabe killed the engine and set the brake. Kerney could have pulled his shield and weapon for any number of reasons, including insubordination and conduct unbecoming an officer.
Poking the chief in the chest and calling him a stupid son of a bitch outside of Beasly's office had been a dumb thing to do.
Gabe turned and looked Kerney in the eye.
"Sorry, Chief. I was way out of line. I've been acting half-crazy."
Kerney studied the mounted antelope in the store window, a centerpiece display for the chain saws arranged on tree stumps and wood logs at the animal's feet.
"You have cause," Kerney said.
"No apology necessary.
Let it slide."
"Did you jump on Thorpe for lying about how he lost Bernardo?"
"I read him out royally. He stays on the job."