Page 137 of Nightshade

“You two, out,” he ordered. “Now.”

One man headed straight to the door; the other grabbed the easel and awkwardly followed without folding its legs. Stilwell tracked them and saw the gatekeepers standing in the doorway, blocking the exit.

“And you two, back out,” he ordered. “Now.”

The younger gatekeeper spun around and went to her desk. The other held her ground.

“Mayor, who should I call?” she asked.

Stilwell moved toward her to push her out of the room. She saw him coming and started leaving the room while Allen yelled after her: “Dotty, call Derek Haas. Tell him to get me someone. I need a lawyer that will blow these fucks out of the water.”

“On it,” Dotty said.

“You’ve made a big mistake, Stilwell,” Allen said. “I don’t know what you think you have, but you’re the one going down. You’re finished.”

Stilwell ignored his words.

“Mr. Mayor, we’ve got a helicopter waiting for you,” he said. “You’ll be booked on the charges under the indictment at the county jail.”

He then looked at Lampley and Ramirez.

“Take him out to the carts.”

The deputies took one arm each and started walking Allen toward the doors. As they passed Stilwell, Allen looked at him, his eyes sharp with hate.

“You’re done,” he said. “You hear me? You’re done!”

With the deputies on either side, Allen was walked through the building, the halls now lined with city workers who’d somehowalready gotten word about an arrest in the mayor’s office. They saw a lot of open mouths and heard whispering as they passed. Allen kept his head down and acknowledged none of them. When they exited the building, Lionel McKey was there waiting with his phone up and ready to video the perp walk. He fired questions at Allen, but the mayor ignored these until he was firmly belted in the passenger seat of Lampley’s cart. He then looked directly at the camera and spoke.

“I am innocent of these charges,” he said. “I am the victim of a corrupt investigation by a corrupt law enforcement officer and I will prove my innocence when I have my day in court.”

Stilwell slapped his palm twice on the top of the cart and looked at Lampley.

“Take him to the chopper,” he said. “Ramirez, you follow. Don’t stop for anything, and hold the takeoff until I get there with our other custody.”

“Copy that,” Lampley said.

“You got it,” said Ramirez.

The two carts drove off, leaving Stilwell standing next to McKey.

“Thanks for the text,” McKey said.

“You owe me one,” Stilwell said.

“What are the charges against him?”

“They’ll be putting out a press release as soon as he’s booked.”

“You can’t tell me?”

“Conspiracy to commit murder.”

“Holy shit! Are you talking about the woman in the water?”

“No. Henry Gaston.”

Stilwell walked over to the John Deere. McKey followed him.