Quinn - Iris Johansen [113]
“But I don’t want you for a partner,” Gallo said. “All I want is information. Give me what I want, and there’s a chance you might survive this. Ms. Ling doesn’t want to witness any unnecessary unpleasantness. Now it’s your turn to prove it is unnecessary.”
“I can’t tell you anything.”
“Let’s see if that’s true. I hope you’re wrong, Jacobs.”
Jacobs was struggling and pulling at the ropes. “Let me go.”
“That’s not going to happen. Now let’s go step by step with this scenario. First, you and Queen hired Paul Black to take the blame for killing Bonnie. You set it up so that I’d put the pieces together and come out with Black killing her to avenge what I did to him in Pakistan.”
“I told you, it was Queen all the way. I just did what he said.”
Gallo ignored Jacobs’s words. “Second, you told Black that I had killed Bonnie during one of my blackouts.” His muscles were suddenly stiff with tension. “That didn’t happen, did it?”
Jacobs gaze slid away from him. “How do I know? That’s what Queen said.”
“And you only know what Queen told you,” Catherine said sarcastically. “Amazing.”
Jacobs gave her a venomous glance. “That’s right.”
“But I didn’t do it, Jacobs,” Gallo said. “Who did kill her? Queen?” He paused. “You?”
“No.” Jacobs’s eyes widened in alarm. “I didn’t touch her. I swear I didn’t know anything about it. Queen handled it.”
Gallo tensed. “Handled what? Why would Queen kill my daughter?”
“He didn’t. Don’t be stupid.” He moistened his lips. “You did it. We were just protecting you. Queen was afraid that you’d start raving like you did in that hospital in Tokyo if you ended up in a mental hospital. We were just protecting you.”
Gallo turned pale. “You’re lying.”
“He is lying.” Catherine stepped closer to the bed, her gaze fixed on Jacobs’s face. “Why, Jacobs? Why not just blame it on Queen?”
“It was Queen,” he said quickly. “You caught me off guard. That was the reason I went with the story that Queen concocted. Queen killed her. It was all his fault.”
“I don’t think so,” Gallo said. “You’re too eager to jump from one story to another. It might be Queen. Hell, I don’t know who’s to blame, but I’m going to find out.” He took out his knife and pressed it against Jacobs’s left wrist. “Do you know how quickly you can die of blood loss if I cut your wrist? Shall I do it so that we can see?”
“No!” He was staring in panicked fascination at the blade of the knife. “Don’t kill me. It wasn’t my fault.”
“And it wasn’t mine either, was it?” Gallo asked harshly. “I didn’t do it, did I? Say it.”
“Of course not.” Jacobs’s tone was almost impatient, his gaze on the knife. “It was only the story Queen made up. He shouldn’t have even had to tell Black anything. Queen was always getting complicated when simple would have done as well.”
Gallo’s eyes closed for an instant as the relief surged through him. He hadn’t been sure until that moment, Catherine realized. But the very casualness of Jacobs’s answer was more convincing than if he’d sworn it on a Bible.
“Okay, now let’s talk about Queen,” Gallo said. “You said he killed Bonnie. Why?”
“I don’t know. Look, I’ve told you that he killed her. That should be enough.”
“It’s not enough,” Gallo said. “Talk. Tell me what happened.”
“I can’t do it. I can’t tell anyone.” Jacobs’s voice was harsh with desperation. “Do you think I don’t want to tell you? I can’t do it.”
“Then I’ll have to get to work,” Gallo shifted the knife in his hand. “And I’m a pretty clumsy surgeon, Jacobs.”
Jacobs shook his head. “Don’t hurt me. None of it is my fault.” Tears were running down his cheeks. “He won’t let me tell anyone.”
“He?” Catherine asked slowly. “Another hired killer like Paul Black? Did Queen hire someone to kill Gallo’s daughter?”
Jacobs’s jaw clenched. “Don’t hurt me.”
Gallo leaned forward, his eyes glittering. “Talk, Jacobs. I’m tired of hearing—” He stopped and a shudder went through him. He took a breath, then slowly straightened. “Listen carefully; you’re going to talk, or I will hurt you. I’ll give you thirty minutes to think about it. Catherine and I will leave you