Code of Silence: Living a Lie Comes With a Price (25 page)

She felt small. Weak. Her stomach cramped so hard she sat on the edge of the bed and hunkered over. “Know.”

“You’re telling me you know
Golden Boy
?”

“Golden Boy?’

“Yeah, that’s what the guys at RMPD call the one who wrote the letters. They got a second one last night.”

Hiro felt a twinge of guilt about the second letter. She didn’t even know what it said. “Okay,
hypothetically
, let’s say I know Golden Boy.”

“Tell him to go to the RMPD. Straight to the man in charge of this investigation. Detective Hammer.”

“But what if he thinks Hammer is part of the gang that did it.”

“Ridiculous.”

“That’s what I told him,” Hiro said.

Ken didn’t answer for a moment. “Hypothetically, of course.”

“Of course. Right.”
That was sloppy.
Technically, she didn’t want to be the one to break the Code. She just wanted to start things rolling. “What if
you
talked to him?”

“To Golden Boy?” Ken laughed. “Trying to ruin my career?”

“
Ruin
it? This would help it.”

“Right,” Ken said. “
Arlington Heights rookie cop finds key witness in Rolling Meadows robbery.
That makes a great headline, but it would be political suicide.”

“You’re a policeman, not a politician.”

Ken laughed again. “Same thing.”

This wasn’t going the way she’d hoped.

“Listen,” Ken sounded serious now. “Anything I learn from a witness is going to go according to protocol. Right up the chain of command here in Arlington Heights—and then to Rolling Meadows. If there’s a dirty cop in the mix he’s likely to hear about it.”

“Dirty cop?” Hiro pressed the phone to her ear. “You don’t honestly think any police are involved, do you?”

“No idea. But then that’s the point. A good cop is careful and doesn’t make assumptions.”

His words hung there. That’s exactly what she’d been doing. Assuming Coop was totally wrong. Paranoid.

“Listen, Hiroko,” Kenny’s voice dropped to a whisper. “This robbery wasn’t just some amateur snatch and grab. These were professionals.”

Kenny talked so quiet, Hiro had to tab the volume up a couple bars on her phone. “Are you saying
organized
crime?”

“I’m not saying anything. To
anybody.
There was a lot of money in that safe. A
lot.
And the wrong people found out.”

People. He said
people.
This was bigger than she’d ever thought. And if organized crime was involved, there
could
be dirty cops—in high places.

“Golden Boy’s letter last night made it sound like the men who tried to kill Frank Mustacci are looking for him. Now why would a couple of pros stick around looking for an eyewitness? Why not skip town?”

She’d wondered the same thing herself. “Why?”

“Hey,
you
want to be the cop. Think it through.”

“They wouldn’t stay in the area at all. It makes no sense. Unless …” Her mind started spinning. What if they weren’t the decision makers? What if they were taking orders from someone else? Someone who expected them to clean up their mess … or else.

“Unless what?”

“They were hired muscle.”

“Bulls-eye.”

“Then we’re talking mob connections or something,” Hiro whispered. “And that would explain why the police want the witness so bad. And the surveillance drive.”

“And they’re going to get both. Today.”

Hiro sucked in her breath. “What are you saying?”

“I’m not sure. Word I got was they were going to bait Golden Boy.”

Hiro started pacing again, the phone in one hand, clutching the star in the other. “Bait him? What would that look like?”

“Don’t know. They said he’ll turn
himself
in.”

Coop wouldn’t do that, unless somehow they tricked him into turning himself in. Which would be a good thing, actually.
He’d
break the Code—not her. And the police would get the hard drive and maybe the evidence they needed to put some big time criminals away.

Unless, of course the police were involved. Then turning himself in would be …
suicide.

“Kenny, what would
you
do?”

“If I were Golden Boy? Lay low until I could figure out who I could trust.”

Hiro stopped pacing. Exactly what Coop had been doing. Trying to do, anyway. “And what if you were
me
?”

“I’d warn my friend he might be walking into a trap,” Ken said. “I’d tell him this was bigger than he can possibly imagine. I’d let him know that if organized crime
is
behind the robbery, powerful people will want him dead …
hypothetically
speaking, of course.”

W
ednesday morning Cooper overslept, totally missing his chance to call Gordy. Once he was awake, time crawled by. Other than the dread in his stomach, he felt fine. His strength returned. By noon he started pacing the room, wondering what Hiro was doing and if Gordy had blown their cover yet. He half expected a police car to pull up to the curb, and every ten minutes or so he checked the window.

The text message from Hiro came just about the time he’d be heading to lunch if he hadn’t stayed home.

RMPD plans to trap you today.

That was it. No details. And the thing that really gnawed at him was this.
How did she know that?
Which is exactly what he wanted to ask her. But right now things were way too iffy between them. He didn’t want to make it worse.

The good news, if this could be considered good news at all, was that at least she’d warned him. That was something.

Maybe Gordy told her about the second letter and she had one of those feelings. But he didn’t need to be a detective to know the police would try to trap him. He was sure that was why Hammer had asked for more proof.

He debated whether or not to send a response to Hiro, but
how would it look if he didn’t? He tapped out a quick thanks and sent it. It made sense to keep any bridge of communication open between them.

He hoped she’d send a response back, but when nothing came, he went back to thinking about his next move.

If he was going to avoid the trap, he’d better know what it was. Maybe they’d try to keep him on the phone long enough to locate him. By 3:30 Hammer would have cars everywhere in hopes to net him. The timing had to be the key to their little trap. He’d have to mess up their little timetable.

Mom left the house early for work and wouldn’t be back until just before Mattie got off the school bus. Dad was shooting a photography job in Schaumburg and wouldn’t be home until dinnertime. By the time he’d downed his lunch, Cooper knew what he had to do.

“C’mon, Fudge.” Cooper grabbed the leash and clipped it to her collar. “We’re taking a little walk.”

Fudge trotted happily beside him. She didn’t seem to care where they went. Maybe if she knew, she’d be as nervous as he was.

“Here’s the plan, Fudge. The police expect me to turn on my phone at 3:30 again. And they’ll be ready.” Cooper figured they weren’t about to let him slip away again. They’d have police cars all over. Maybe even plainclothes cops in public places looking for a junior high kid with a phone. But this time he wouldn’t wait for the call. He’d call Detective Hammer himself—early. An hour and a half before Hammer would expect it … and hopefully that meant he wouldn’t have the net set up yet.

Cooper kept a close watch for any suspicious-looking people in the park. It seemed he and Fudge were alone. The phone was exactly where he’d left it. He took a piece of paper out of his pocket with the Rolling Meadows police number on it. Taking a deep breath, he powered on the phone and dialed the number.

“Detective Hammer, please.” Cooper used his high voice and the paper tube, just like before. Fudge looked up at him and cocked her head.

He counted off the seconds while on hold. The phone clicked at twenty-seven.

“Hammer.”

“It’s me. Silence is Golden.” Cooper looked around.

“You’re early. Skipped school today?”

Cooper cringed. How easy would it be for Hammer to check attendance records? He had to cover up his mistake. “I’m between classes—so I’ve only got a minute. You got the letter with more proof, just like you asked. What are you doing to find the real robbers?”

“Not as much as I could if I had the security tapes,” Hammer said. “I want them.”

“Can’t. I explained that.”

“You ever heard of obstruction of justice, kid? This is crazy.”

Cooper checked his watch. “Not from where I stand.”

“Really? And exactly where is that?”

Like he would really tell him. “O’Hare Airport. United terminal.” It was the first place that popped in his head. “I’m leaving the country.” He wished he could.

“Funny,” Hammer said. “Now you listen good. I have a suspect in custody. But I can’t hold him without something concrete. I need the hard drive.”

Cooper’s heart kicked it up a gear. “You’ve got one of them?”

“Absolutely. I think we’ve got Mr. Lucky. Got a solid tip from a student at Plum Grove. We picked him up a couple hours ago. Found the guy hiding out in a shed. Turns out the guy has a very interesting record, and he’s related to an employee.”

Cooper was too stunned to answer.
Lunk’s dad is Mr. Lucky. They got him. Thank you, God!
“What about the other two?”

“We’ll find them. He’ll be ready to bargain when he sees we have the surveillance data. And when you bring it in, I’ll have you identify him in a lineup.”

He hadn’t expected this. Wasn’t prepared. Cooper looked around. No police cars in sight. Could it be true?

“You there?”

“I can’t identify him. I never saw his face.”

“Don’t worry about that yet. You might be surprised at some things you’ll remember.”

“Yeah, uh, does this mean you believe me?”

Hammer chuckled. “Absolutely. Unless you don’t show, that is.”

Cooper wanted to shout. Call Hiro and Gordy. Celebrate. And apologize. Looks like Hiro had been right about Lunk. “Honest?”

“Trust me, kid.”

Trust him? He couldn’t trust anybody. How much time had passed?

“I can only hold him twenty-four hours unless you come in.” Hammer’s voice hardened. “He had a key in his pocket. Looked like a house key. Says he got it from somebody—but won’t say who.”

Cooper’s stomach clenched. A house key?
His
house key. They really got him. “He must have gotten it from the guy with the clown mask.”

“That’s the way I see it. But he’s got lockjaw now. I think the surveillance tape will loosen that up.”

So they had Mr. Lucky. But that still didn’t guarantee that Elvis and the clown weren’t cops. What if Hammer was working with Lunk’s dad, Mr. Lucky? What if they just wanted to smoke him out?

“Mr.
Golden.
You still there?”

“Yeah.” And that was a problem too. He’d been on the phone too long. Again. He had to think.

“So give me your address so I can pick you and the hard drive up. I’ll bring the key. If it fits your house you won’t even have to identify Mr. Lucky on a lineup. Your key will pin him to the crime.”

It sounded on the level. And easy. But if Hammer was part of it, he’d be leading him right to his house. “How long do I have?”

Hammer sighed. “This isn’t a game. You said you wanted us to find the guy. Now you won’t even ID him? You really want me to cut him loose?”

“No. NO.” Cooper caught himself. Had he just answered in his normal voice? “How long?”

“Without more proof he’ll walk tomorrow morning. Ten o’clock.”

“I’ll call.” Cooper hit the END button and powered off his phone. How long had he been on? Two minutes? Three? He looked around the park and beyond to the street. No police cars. Yet.

“C’mon, Fudge. Let’s get out of here.”

G
ordy had something new in common with Hiro. Both of them were ready to skin Coop alive.

“No call, no nothing,” Gordy said. He sat at the table chowing down a burger. “How about that for a friend?”

Hiro picked at her food, like she wasn’t sure if she wanted to eat it or not. Neat little carrots in a plastic bag. Celery sticks all cut to the same length. And some kind of health-nut sandwich on whole wheat. No wonder she didn’t tear into her lunch.

“He’s changed,” she said. “It’s like his conscience is gone. Honestly? I don’t think I’d sit at his table if he
were
here today.”

Which was another thing that ticked Gordy off. Coop was messing everything up. How could a guy hope to keep the three of them together if he kept saying bonehead things like he did last night?

And if he didn’t keep the three of them together, what then? Where would he even fit? He’d stick with Coop, probably, but they’d both be miserable. Hiro was part of them. She belonged.

“I called Miss Ferrand,” Hiro said. “Left a message.”

“I figured,” Gordy said. “The way she hugged you before class. How much did you tell her?”

“Only my theory about Lunk and his dad.”

Gordy drained a milk carton. “Good. Coop trusts him way too much, if you ask me.”

Hiro pulled open the seal of the plastic bag holding the raw veggies, then zipped it closed again. “I feel good. Really good about this.”

Gordy eyed her. “If you feel so good, how come you’re not eating?”

Hiro looked down at her food and fumbled to open the sandwich bag. “Just thinking, I guess.”

“You going to come with me to Coop’s after school?”

“No.” She shook her head. “Not a chance. But I was talking to Ken this morning … and I have a message you need to bring him.”

O
nce he got back from phoning Hammer, Coop went to his room and stayed there. He needed time to think.

Fudge curled up on the rug beside his bed. Her body looked totally relaxed, but she didn’t sleep. Every time Cooper looked at her, she was looking at him. Like she was giving him the space he needed, but keeping an eye on him at the same time.

He should be feeling relieved. The police had a suspect in custody. Exactly what he’d been hoping and praying for. Well, hoping. He hadn’t been praying as much as he should. Why was that? Cooper knew the answer had something to do with the Code of Silence. It was hard to ask God for favors when you were lying through your teeth to everybody else.