every pothole and he carried more gear than a survivalist.
‘I’m looking for anything unusual.’
‘Like what?’
‘Like a story of someone buying two hundred pounds of fish pellets or scouting out a section of river where you don’t usually see people. Call me with anything you hear about that seems odd to you.’
Next Marquez called an angler who had once reported pike at Lake Oroville and another at Lake Almanor. He worked the list for an hour and a half and was charging his cell when Captain Waller called and, typical Waller, there was no hello, no greeting, nothing. Someone once asked about that in an SOU meeting and Waller’s answer was, ‘When your screen lights up with my phone number consider that me saying hello.’
‘What’s going on in Siskiyou? Why are they looking at you so closely, John?’
‘I don’t really know yet. Voight and I have a bad history but that doesn’t cover it. He’s good at what he does yet he’s talked himself into me as a suspect.’
‘Well, you need to come in. We need to talk. The chief is asking.’
‘What have you heard?’
‘That there’s too much coincidence. Also, a reporter has called and asked for information on you. Do you have a problem with the sheriff as well as Voight?’
‘I do now. I never had much contact with him before this but he’s right in there in Voight’s investigation. I took a ride with him and he told me no matter how the investigation goes I’d better not to show my face in Siskiyou County, said he’d have his guys watch for me.’ Marquez paused and added, ‘For about twenty minutes yesterday Voight was looking for a confession.’
‘Based on what?’
‘I’ll go through it with you when I come in.’
‘Make that tomorrow.’
Marquez drew a slow breath. It felt as if he was being asked to come in and prove himself.
‘Voight tried to bluff me into a confession and held up going any farther because he doesn’t have any hard evidence. Then Harknell asked me to take a ride with him. While we were out a GPS tracker got tagged onto my car. I think they’ve got a source talking to them and that person fed them some story that convinced them I’m their guy.’
If Waller heard that he gave no sign.
‘Where were you last night?’
‘In Crescent City chasing a lead on Rider.’
‘Get anything?’
‘Maybe.’
‘That’s a long drive for a maybe.’
‘It wouldn’t be the first time.’
Now Waller went quiet, and Waller had no problem with long silences on a phone. He was a bright guy and not easy to fool. He could end up chief someday. He had what it took. After what must have been thirty seconds of silence, Marquez heard him clear his throat.
‘You broadsided me with this.’
‘Yeah, you’re right, I’ve known about it. But I didn’t know Voight and the sheriff were this serious, and I didn’t see Voight ever focusing on me. I’m floored by it. I can’t get my head around it.’
Waller was quiet again, then he punched through, he got it.
‘Rider and the woman got you to the White Salmon. Is it possible Rider is feeding information to the sheriff or Voight? Is that what you’re wondering?’
‘It is.’
There was another long silence as Waller thought about that then asked, ‘How good is Voight?’
‘He’s good but the sheriff is on him and Voight needs a win.’
‘Let’s say it really is this Rider pushing them. If that’s true he’s not trying to avoid you. He’s coming after you and us. Where are you headed tonight?’
‘To the Sacramento safehouse.’
‘How far away are you?’
‘Two hours.’
‘I’ll see you there and we’ll go somewhere and talk.’
SIXTEEN
L ate that night Marquez sat on lawn furniture in the chill air of the backyard at the safehouse talking on his cell with Katherine. Undercover work and the policies of secrecy surrounding can betray a marriage, and for years he avoided talking about ongoing SOU investigations with her. He obeyed department policy and
‘I’m looking for anything unusual.’
‘Like what?’
‘Like a story of someone buying two hundred pounds of fish pellets or scouting out a section of river where you don’t usually see people. Call me with anything you hear about that seems odd to you.’
Next Marquez called an angler who had once reported pike at Lake Oroville and another at Lake Almanor. He worked the list for an hour and a half and was charging his cell when Captain Waller called and, typical Waller, there was no hello, no greeting, nothing. Someone once asked about that in an SOU meeting and Waller’s answer was, ‘When your screen lights up with my phone number consider that me saying hello.’
‘What’s going on in Siskiyou? Why are they looking at you so closely, John?’
‘I don’t really know yet. Voight and I have a bad history but that doesn’t cover it. He’s good at what he does yet he’s talked himself into me as a suspect.’
‘Well, you need to come in. We need to talk. The chief is asking.’
‘What have you heard?’
‘That there’s too much coincidence. Also, a reporter has called and asked for information on you. Do you have a problem with the sheriff as well as Voight?’
‘I do now. I never had much contact with him before this but he’s right in there in Voight’s investigation. I took a ride with him and he told me no matter how the investigation goes I’d better not to show my face in Siskiyou County, said he’d have his guys watch for me.’ Marquez paused and added, ‘For about twenty minutes yesterday Voight was looking for a confession.’
‘Based on what?’
‘I’ll go through it with you when I come in.’
‘Make that tomorrow.’
Marquez drew a slow breath. It felt as if he was being asked to come in and prove himself.
‘Voight tried to bluff me into a confession and held up going any farther because he doesn’t have any hard evidence. Then Harknell asked me to take a ride with him. While we were out a GPS tracker got tagged onto my car. I think they’ve got a source talking to them and that person fed them some story that convinced them I’m their guy.’
If Waller heard that he gave no sign.
‘Where were you last night?’
‘In Crescent City chasing a lead on Rider.’
‘Get anything?’
‘Maybe.’
‘That’s a long drive for a maybe.’
‘It wouldn’t be the first time.’
Now Waller went quiet, and Waller had no problem with long silences on a phone. He was a bright guy and not easy to fool. He could end up chief someday. He had what it took. After what must have been thirty seconds of silence, Marquez heard him clear his throat.
‘You broadsided me with this.’
‘Yeah, you’re right, I’ve known about it. But I didn’t know Voight and the sheriff were this serious, and I didn’t see Voight ever focusing on me. I’m floored by it. I can’t get my head around it.’
Waller was quiet again, then he punched through, he got it.
‘Rider and the woman got you to the White Salmon. Is it possible Rider is feeding information to the sheriff or Voight? Is that what you’re wondering?’
‘It is.’
There was another long silence as Waller thought about that then asked, ‘How good is Voight?’
‘He’s good but the sheriff is on him and Voight needs a win.’
‘Let’s say it really is this Rider pushing them. If that’s true he’s not trying to avoid you. He’s coming after you and us. Where are you headed tonight?’
‘To the Sacramento safehouse.’
‘How far away are you?’
‘Two hours.’
‘I’ll see you there and we’ll go somewhere and talk.’
SIXTEEN
L ate that night Marquez sat on lawn furniture in the chill air of the backyard at the safehouse talking on his cell with Katherine. Undercover work and the policies of secrecy surrounding can betray a marriage, and for years he avoided talking about ongoing SOU investigations with her. He obeyed department policy and
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