Page 143 of In Cold Blood

Roberts downed the remainder of his drink. “The way I see it, all you’ve got is circumstantial evidence. It won’t hold up in court. No one will believe you.”

“Maybe,” he said, reaching to his lapel and speaking into a mic button on his shirt. “But I’m sure this conversation will help. Take him in.”

The roar of engines could be heard as tires crunched over gravel followed by blinding headlights shining directly through the windows.

Roberts lunged at Noah, his hand reaching for his throat, all spit and fury.

It was the worst mistake he could have made.

Before he could make contact, Axel intervened, taking down the sheriff with a powerful leap. The dog latched onto Roberts’ arm, holding him securely as he struggled to break free. Roberts cried out in agony as the K-9’s jaw clamped down harder.

As the trained dog shook his head, controlling Roberts with ease, the doors burst open, and State Police, local PD, and Callie flooded in like a wave. Pulsating strobe lights lit up the night, bleeding red and blue and revealing a convoy of police cars around the property.

40

A day later

An antiseptic smell filled his nostrils as he entered the Adirondack Medical Center.

Ed Baxter was alive and well, of that he was sure. His tenacious voice echoed down the stark, sterile hallway as Noah approached the hospital room, reflecting on the investigation and the events that had led him here.

“I don’t want the pills. Young lady, this isn’t pain. You don’t know the meaning of pain. Do you know I sewed up my arm in the middle of the jungle? I crawled for two miles with three broken ribs, a tongue I’d bitten off, and have enough shrapnel in my body to make a working B-52 bomber. Oh no, you wouldn’t know anything about that kind of misery. But pull up a seat, honey, I’ll tell you all about it. Now, where do I begin? Oh, that’s right… I was part of the first combat H.A.L.O. jump ever. November 1970. It was me and five others. We dropped out of a C-130. It was an intelligence mission?—”

“You tormenting this poor nurse with your tall tales again?”

Propped up in bed and despite his age and injuries, the old man’s eyes sparkled with surprise and he broke into a cheeky grin as Noah stood in the doorway.

“Oh, here he is, troublemaker extraordinaire.” He nudged the nurse. “Hey, you want to give out pain pills, give them to him, as he’s been nothing but a pain in my ass from the moment I met him. Tall tales! If it wasn’t for this damn machine and tubes, I would crawl out of this bed and wring your neck.”

Noah stifled a chuckle as he entered and took the pills from the nurse, reassuring her that he would make sure Ed took them.

“Has anyone ever told you to lower your voice?” Noah asked.

“My wife.”

“You’re not married anymore.”

“Precisely.”

Noah laughed which garnered a smile from Ed. “How are you feeling?”

“Oh, I’d be better if I was out of here and had a beer in hand.”

“Soon.” Noah tossed theAdirondack Daily Enterprisenewspaper on his lap as he took a seat and leaned back to drink his coffee.

“What’s this?”

Ed reached for his glasses on the side table and then spread out the paper.

The headline read:Sheriff Arrested for Corruption and Involvement in Deputy’s Murder.

Ed’s eyes widened as he zigzagged through the article.

Noah had to give Lena credit, she had written one hell of an expose detailing the corruption, the sordid plot, and the execution of a political rival who would have ousted him from officefor covering up and profiting from morphine production and distribution by the local brewery.

“You nailed the bastards.”

“We did,” Noah nodded. “You did.”