Page 116 of Kill Your Darlings

I don’t think Rankin said anything the entire time except to ask for the occasional clarification and to offer me a glass of water.

Finn didn’t say a word, but I felt his silent, steady support.On the rare moments I glanced his way, his expression was calm, approving.

When I had finally talked myself to a standstill, Rankin remarked, “That’s… I don’t know what that is.”

“It’s the truth,” I said.

“I don’t see what you’d have to gain by implicating yourself.You offered a clear and lucid account.You came in voluntarily.Funny thing.I was telling my wife the other night that nothing shocks me anymore.Guess I spoke too soon.So, Georgi Argyros is in jail for killing Troy Colby and Milo is…”

“Not going to corroborate anything I’ve said.”

Finn said, “Keiran was a minor at the time.”

“Yep.”

“With a reason not to have a lot of faith in the justice system.”

Rankin’s eyes flickered.He said again, neutrally, “Yep.”

“Most of the charges against him would have expired long ago.”

“Most of them,” Rankin agreed.“There’s no statute of limitations on murder.Or accessory.And as far as Dominic’s death, we only have Keiran’s version of events.”

Finn said, “Was the body ever discovered?”

“Nope.”Rankin’s smile was dour.“You must have driven a ways into the marsh, Keiran.”And then to Finn, “You’re no lawyer.Cop?”

“Former cop.I worked homicide for five years.One thing I learned is DAs don’t like cases where there’s no body.”

Rankin nodded noncommittally.

Finn gazed steadily at Sheriff Rankin.Sheriff Rankin considered him thoughtfully, then reached down to pull open his desk drawer.He pulled out a very worn blue cloth-bound book.

I felt the hair prickle on my scalp.I hadn’t remembered Milo keeping a journal, but when I saw that blue book, I remembered it.I’d thought he’d used it to organize his book notes.I kept a spiral notebook for the same purpose.

“Judge Baldwin’s lawyer dropped this off this morning,” Rankin said to me.“There was a letter which confirms a lot of what you told me.The judge did believe you’d killed Dominic and Milo both, and since his plans to punish you weren’t working out, he wanted to make sure justice would be served.”

I closed my eyes.

“Well, that’s bullshit,” Finn said briskly.“Seeing that Milo is still alive.Baldwin was off his rocker.I’m not sure how credible the dying declaration of someone plotting a blackmail and possible murder revenge plot will appear to a jury.I think you could argue that Baldwin is at least partially responsible for Colby’s death.He dragged him into this scheme.”

“I don’t suppose Colby was an unwilling victim.The judge was always generous.Colby would have been paid handsomely to write that chapter.”

I said, “It would depend on how the story was spun to him.If Colby believed he was helping to catch a murderer?Maybe he didn’t think of it as participating in extortion.Maybe he thought he was one of the good guys.”

Finn, whowasone of the good guys, made a growling sound at the very idea.He said to Rankin, “Either way, you’re smart enough, savvy enough to know Keiran’s told you the truth, but if you want to waste tax-payer money trying to take this to trial—”

“Hold your horses, sonny boy,” Rankin interrupted.“What I was about to tell you is Judge Baldwin died during the night.He’s been on borrowed time for a while now and the clock ran out.”

I dropped back in my chair.After a moment, Finn said, “Which leaves us where?”

Rankin said to me, “You didn’t know Dominic well did you, Keiran?You didn’t run with that pack.”

“I didn’t run with any pack.”I said with self-mockery, “I was a lone wolf.”

“You were a good kid,” Rankin said gruffly.“All you needed was—” He didn’t finish the thought.

“Keiran was never a suspect, was he?”Finn asked.