Butwhy?
A man appeared beside her window, and the dooropened.
Detective Wu leaned down. “Why am I not surprised to find you here, Ms. Starr? Let’s headdowntown.”
6
What time did you get to therestaurant?”
“It was just after six.” Joaquin had been through this once already with a different detective. He knew Wu was just being thorough. A human life had been taken, after all, and a man was still missing. Even so, the questions were getting old. At least Joaquin was no longer in handcuffs. They’d taken those off when they’d brought him inhere.
“What did youorder?”
“I had the tamales with tomatillo salsa.” Joaquin knew what Wu’s next question would be. “Ms. Starr had a smothered burrito. We both orderedpalomas.”
Details like these enabled detectives to shake suspects apart, exposing their lies. In this case, it was thetruth.
“You told the other detective that you didn’t have a receipt. Why isthat?”
“My cousin, Mateo Ramirez, owns the place. He wouldn’t let me pay. You can call him. He’ll confirm everything I’ve toldyou.”
“Would your cousin lie foryou?”
“Of course—but not about something like this.” Mateo would kick Joaquin’s ass if he thought Joaquin had been involved in a homicide. “He’s got surveillance cameras in the parking lot and on the front door. They won’tlie.”
Wu nodded. “We’re checking onthat.”
“How long do you plan to detainus?”
Wu didn’t give him a straight answer. “I’ve got a few morequestions.”
But Wu’s definition of “a few” was different from Joaquin’s. The man was relentless, pelting Joaquin with one question afteranother.
What time had they left the restaurant? Why had they gone to the victim’s house? How long had Joaquin known Mia? Did he know the victim? Why had Joaquin come to the police station earlier today? Why had he waited for Mia? What had she told him about her relationship with the victim? How long had he had a concealed carry permit? Why had he beenarmed?
It was that last question that finally got the better of Joaquin’stemper.
“Why was I armed? I’ve seen too much bad shit happen to good people. That’s why. I was at the Palace Hotel last month. I watched while terrorists hurt and threatened to kill my friends. I willneverbe helplessagain.”
He all but shouted those lastwords.
Wu seemed to study him, then opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by a knock at the door. “Come.”
Darcangelo stuck his head inside. “Wu, let’stalk.”
Wu didn’t look happy. “I know this guy is a friend of yours,but—”
Police Chief Irving appeared in the hallway just outside the door, white dress shirt stretched over his big belly. “Wu.Now.”
Wu got to his feet, walked out into thehallway.
“I’ll be back to talk withyouin a moment,” Darcangelo said to Joaquin before closing thedoor.
Well,shit.
Joaquin waited a good ten minutes before Wu returned. This time the detective left the dooropen.
“Mr. Ramirez, you are free togo.”