A Crying Shame (43 page)

I won't tell a lie, Sheriff.”

Mike rose from behind his desk, his face suddenly red with anger.
You goddamned sanctimonious prick!” he cussed the man. He cursed him until he was out of breath. Joe sat calmly, taking it without comment, impassively waiting until Mike wound down.

I'll forgive you for that, Mike,” Joe finally said, after taking a deep breath.
But I still won't tell a lie. I know and you know the people have a right to know about those beasts of the devil.”

Mike slammed a hand on his desk top, rattling a pencil holder, almost overturning a half-filled cup of coffee.
Beasts of the devil? What in hell are you preaching about now, you asshole?”

Joe folded his arms across his chest and shut his mouth.

Joe? Listen to me! I've got a call in to Governor Parker's office right now. I've spoken with Captain Sundra of the LHP and he agrees with what I'm doing. He thinks the governor will, too. Both judges here agree with me. We've got to sit on this for a time. Got to have some thinking room. You're a minority of one, Joe.”

Joe remained silent, but his eyes were blistering with fury—the eyes of a religious fanatic.

Joe ... you're a good cop, a bulldog, but you're letting your religion get the best of you on this one. It's overriding common sense. I'll make a deal with you.”

The hot eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Maybe those things . . . those creatures, are the beasts of the devil. I don't know, Joe. I know that what I saw—we saw—is a beast, for a fact. You want to rewrite this report stating the murderers were some sort of devil-worshipers ... fine, go ahead. You can even use the word inhuman if you want to; just be damned sure you use it in the right place and context. 'Cause, Joe, if you fuck me on this one, I'll put your ass in isolated protective custody so far back in the woods somebody will have to pump daylight to you. Then I'll tell everyone you went to L.A. for two weeks to a law-enforcement school.”

You'd do that to me, Mike? To me?”

Try me, Joe.” Mike's voice was harder than the chief deputy had ever heard it.

Joe sighed, picked up the report, slowly got to his feet. Yes, he thought. Yes, Mike would do just that.
All right, Mike, I'll ... rewrite this report. But I think you're wrong. I think those . . . beasts are going to cause a lot more misery and bloodshed than you realize.”

I hope you're wrong, Joe.”