Page 36 of Devil's Hour
“Maybe pull up closer,” Sawyer said. “We look like we’re up to no good back here. Who the hell parks at the furthest point from the front door in August heat?” Even though August was almost over, the heat and humidity would linger a while longer. “If we have to wait long, the manager might call the police. I’d bet a hundred blow jobs that Felix has a scanner. He’ll hear the responding officer clear the call and make some scornful remark about dumb detectives, and then he’ll investigate to see which dumb detectives can’t conduct a proper stakeout. Then we’d have to give up this badass ride to try and shake him again.”
“He’s going to regret it if he fucks with our investigation again,” Royce groused, shifting from park to drive and pulling up closer to the fullest cart corral. He wasn’t one to abuse his position of power, but Felix following them would ruin their attempts to stake out suspects. “Better?”
“Much.”
The move turned out to be unnecessary because Bennett came out to get carts not more than five minutes later.
“Here we go,” Sawyer said, sitting up straighter in his seat. “How do you want to play this?”
“Nice and nonthreatening,” Royce said. “No need to get his hackles up.”
Royce and Sawyer got out of the car and walked toward the cart corral. Bennett was so busy trying to pull apart two carts that were stuck together to notice their approach.
“John Bennett?” Royce asked, keeping his voice firm but neutral.
Bennett snapped his head up and immediately began assessing them as a threat—a skill someone quickly learned in prison if they wanted to survive. His eyes narrowed when he saw their badges and shoulder holsters.
“What the fuck do you want?” he asked. “I served my time. Leave me alone.”
Royce had to bite down the urge to give him a snappy reply, but it would only serve to make him even more hostile. John Bennett was a guy who went from earning a comfortable salary as a bank manager to the guy who retrieved carts, pushed a broom, and cleaned up after other people’s shit—literally.
“We’re not here to harass you, Mr. Bennett,” Sawyer said.
He fumed, crossing his arms over his chest in an aggressive manner. “Yeah? If that were true, you wouldn’t have shown up here at my job.”
“Listen up, wiseass,” Royce said.So much for nice and nonthreatening.“If we wanted to make trouble for you, we would’ve gone inside the store and asked your manager if we could speak to you. We didn’t do that because people do deserve a second chance not to fuck things up.”
The tension in Bennett’s body eased slightly, but his light blue eyes remained hard and suspicious. “So ask your questions, then.”
Royce deliberately kept the information about the three arsons vague because he liked it when suspects accidentally filled in the blanks with information only the perpetrator, or their accomplice, would know. Bennett didn’t take the bait, adamantly denied knowing anything about recent fires, and claimed to be completely reformed.
“You’re getting therapy for your addiction?” Sawyer asked.
“It’s part of my parole stipulations, Detectives, which I suspect you already know.” They did. “I will do anything to avoid going back to prison,” he said, dropping the hostility altogether. “It’s hell on earth.”
Royce then asked for his alibi for the three arsons at the vacant properties and the previous night when someone vandalized the mayor’s house.
The look in Bennett’s eyes grew even harder. “I was sleeping,” he said tersely.
“Is there anyone who can confirm that?” Sawyer asked.
“No. My wife divorced me, my kids refuse to speak to me, and not too many women are willing to give a felon a chance, not the kind of woman that turns my head, anyway. Do you know if someone has invented a dating app for someone like me?” he asked. His bark of laughter was dry and brittle.
“Not that I’m aware of, but it’s probably only a matter of time,” Royce remarked.
“Maybe you could invent it,” Sawyer suggested.
“Me? My computer skills are pretty damn basic. I know how to search for things, but coding an app is beyond my abilities,” Bennett said.
Sawyer removed a business card and extended it to him. “If you hear any noise about these fires, will you call me?”
Bennett just stared at the card for a few moments before accepting it with a curt nod.
“Have a good day, Mr. Bennett,” Royce said before turning and heading to the SUV.
“Well?” Sawyer asked once they were inside.
Royce shrugged. “He’s a hard one to read.” He glanced over at Sawyer. “I like what you did with the dating app thing. Nice way to find out what kind of skills he has.”