Free Fire - C. J. Box [78]
Toomer waved his cigarette, dismissing McCann. “It couldn’t be helped. There’s no one in the park—no traffic. Of course they saw my truck, but I don’t think they saw me or were close enough to make the plate. And there’s no way they could be sure I was following them. There’s only the one road system, you know. Any fool would notice the only other car on the road, for Christ sake.”
McCann breathed a little easier. It made sense. “What did they do?”
The ex-sheriff withdrew a notebook from his jacket pocket. “Started the morning at Old Faithful, like we thought. Then they switched vehicles on me and I almost lost them. They got in a Park Service truck with the manager of the area by the name of Mark Cutler.”
“You’re sure it was Mark Cutler?” McCann asked, his mouth suddenly dry.
Toomer seemed to be studying him, but McCann wasn’t sure. He wished he’d take off those damned sunglasses.
“Sure enough,” Toomer said finally, as if annoyed at being questioned. “He’d changed into a Park Service uniform, though, sort of doing a switcheroo on me. But I’d seen him beforeand confirmed it was him by calling the hotel and asking if he was in. I guess Cutler volunteers for the Park Service when he’s off-duty from Zephyr. He’s some kind of expert on geysers.They said his shift was over at ten and he was going out on geyser duty, so that confirmed it.”
“You didn’t identify yourself when you called?”
“No,” he said sarcastically, “I told them my name was Clay McCann, the infamous killer lawyer.” Despite the sunglasses, McCann could tell Toomer rolled his eyes as he spoke. Toomer said, “Are you going to question everything I say? What, do you think I’ve never done surveillance before? Do you think I’ve never carried out an investigation?”
“Sorry.”
Toomer grumbled and shook his head, then resumed his report.He outlined the tour Cutler had taken him on—the Upper Geyser Basin, the Firehole River, finally Biscuit Basin and SunburstHot Springs.
McCann felt himself go cold.
“What?” Toomer asked.
“They went to Sunburst? Why?”
“Damned if I know.” He shrugged. “They carried some equipment from the truck in there but I didn’t get out and follow them on foot. If I had, my cover would have been blown for sure, because that area is officially off limits. I waited until they got back to their vehicle, then followed them out.”
“How long were they there?”
“An hour, hour and a half.”
“But you didn’t see what they did at the hot springs?”
“I told you that already.”
McCann closed his eyes, felt his heart race.
“You want some water or something? A drink?” Toomer asked. “You look pale all of a sudden.”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Good, because I need some money for today.”
Trying to recover, McCann opened a desk drawer and pulled out a binder of blank checks.
“I’d prefer cash.”
“I don’t have cash.”
Finally, Toomer removed his sunglasses so he could glare at McCann. “I don’t want to go down to the bank and cash a check from you. The rumors would start to fly. You’re poison around this town, and I can’t be associated with you. Don’t you get that?”
McCann swallowed. “Yes. But I don’t have five hundred in cash.”
Toomer snorted. “You mean seven fifty. Don’t try to mess with me. We agreed on a hundred an hour.”
“If I don’t have five hundred in cash, I don’t have seven fifty either.”
“Get it by tomorrow. And make it eight hundred for my trouble.Plus the four thousand you owe me for weapons training. I’m tired of working for you for free.”
McCann pursed his lips and nodded in agreement, wonderingwhere he would get the money. What could he sell, fast? He’d hoped he could send Toomer away with a check and have some money in the bank from his partners by the time the ex-sherifftried to cash it.
“I’ll have it tomorrow,” McCann said.
“Good.”
Toomer just sat there, his eyes narrowing. “What’s the deal with Sunburst Hot Springs? When I said it I thought you were going to jump out of your chair. I thought this had to do with what happened down in Bechler.”
McCann