Page 47 of Pure Silence

“So,” Alvarez asked, “the deceased asked you about Mr. Parker?”

“Yes,” Goldie replied. “I assume he wasn’t happy with me about messing up his buddy. He kept asking me where he was, and I told him I didn’t know.”

“You haven’t seen Mr. Parker recently?”

“Well…” Goldie hesitated.

Okay, perhaps Goldie wasn’t going to answerallthe questions honestly.

“Last night,” Day said, suddenly speaking up. “He came to the apartment to threaten us.”

Goldie stared at Day in shock.

He had no idea what Day was about to say, and it was also weird to hear Day speak without the guise of prayer to frame his words. Day hadn’t said anything since the man got hit by the truck, not even to the cops.

Then again, Goldie realized, the cops hadn’t asked Day a single question. The cops had only spoken to Goldie, which was also quite strange now that he thought about it. It was like Goldie was the only person here despite Day standing right beside him.

Alvarez appeared startled, as if just noticing Day for the first time. “Threaten you? He threatened you how, Mr. Hanley?”

“He broke in. He said he wanted to kill Goldie,” Day replied calmly. “I forced him to leave.”

“Why didn’t you call the police?”

“He disappeared. We didn’t know what to tell you.”

Goldie reasoned everything Day had said was technically the truth, and he cautiously added, “He made threats against me plus Dana and her kids. He wanted to kill us for messing up some kind of deal. And then… Well, I don’t know where he went after Day got him to leave.”

There.

That should do it.

Alvarez eyed Day suspiciously, and then he glared up at Goldie. “You still should have reported it—”

“Why?” Goldie found himself snapping. “To get him arrested so he could just make bail again in a few days and come right back to do it again?”

Alvarez scowled. “Mr. Nash—”

“He beat the shit out of Dana. He broke her jaw. And some judge thought it was a good idea to let him go? Are you seriously telling me that you would have kept him longer over a door?”

“Breaking and entering and damage to property would have been more charges,” Alvarez countered shortly. “We could have shown the judge that he’s a clear danger to the community.”

“Wow.” Goldie scoffed. “Because breaking a door says he’s a danger but not breaking a woman’s face?”

Alvarez sighed, and he looked very tired. “Mr. Nash, if you see him again, please call.” He reached into his pocket to grab a business card. “Callme, all right? That’s my cell phone number on there, and you can reach me day or night.”

“Sure.” Goldie tucked the card into his coat. “Will do.” He shivered, and his stomach was twisting into multiple knots. He really wanted to leave. “Anything else, Detective?”

“No, that’s it for now. I appreciate your cooperation.” Alvarez eyed Day again. “I’ll call you if I have any other questions.”

“Thanks.” Goldie quickly guided Day back over to the sidewalk where they’d left their shopping bags. The only perk about it being absolutely freezing outside was knowing that the groceries would be okay at least. He and Day shook off the snow from the bags, gathered them all up, and then headed inside.

Goldie had never been so happy to be back home in his apartment.

Purrcy was laying in the middle of the floor by the couch, yowling weakly as if she was on the brink of death. She meowed frantically as Day and Goldie walked in, her tail high in the air as she cried.

“Hey, princess,” Goldie greeted her. “Just wait one second. We got your food okay? I promise we got it.” With Day behind him, he walked into the kitchen to drop the bags on the counter.

Day set his bags down beside Goldie’s, and somehow he’d ended up with the bag of Purrcy’s food. He grabbed a can and pointed at the case of beer. He pointed at the cat food and then to himself.