The Big Thaw - Donald Harstad [85]
“Hey,” I said, “I didn’t know …”
“Ah, you’re a mean one, Houseman.”
“Yeah, right.” I took a sip of coffee. “Don’t you suppose it could have been the reaction from anybody in Cletus’s position, though? I mean, here he was, totally committed to an ideal. And a cool leader. He must have totally believed in the man.” I took another sip.
“From what you people tell me about this Gabriel character, yeah, he would have.” Davies grinned.
Gunston stuck his head out. “We’re ready to go back to the kitchen, now.”
We got there, and I was all prepared to get some good information. We did seem to have Cletus where we wanted him. Didn’t work that way, though.
“My client,” said Gunston, “is in danger of his life. I demand that he be moved, and that every security precaution be taken to ensure his safety.”
“We’ll do what we can,” I said. Gunston was just blowing smoke, as far as I was concerned.
“To protect him from a known killer? Deputy, I’d suggest you move my client to the Linn County jail.”
I laughed. I couldn’t help it. “Last time we had somebody involved with Gabriel at Linn County,” I said, “somebody else associated with Gabriel fired at them with a LAWS rocket and took out a chunk of wall.”
I’m sure Gunston remembered the incident, but I’d be willing to bet a million dollars that he’d never heard that it had anything to do with Gabriel.
Apparently, Davies hadn’t, either. “No shit? Was that this dude?”
“Ah, I guess I let the cat out of the bag on that one.” I looked squarely at Gunston. “The point is, neither you, nor I, nor your client is safe if Gabriel wants to take us out. Anywhere. I’m deadly serious, Mr. Gunston.” I gestured around the room. “But I think we’re marginally safer here than we would be on the road.”
Gunston didn’t seem particularly worried. “Even if he stays here, we feel he’s talked enough this evening.”
Like Davies said later, Gunston had learned enough to begin to build a long, expensive case. I suspect my statements regarding Gabriel made it all that much easier. I didn’t really care about that part. I suspected Cletus had told the truth, as far as it went.
“If your client were to let us know where Gabriel is,” I said, “I’m confident that he could be taken into custody fairly quickly. Eliminate the whole problem.”
“You don’t know where he is?” asked Cletus.
“No, I don’t.” Then, afraid I’d given too much to him, I added, “Well, not exactly.”
Cletus turned to Gunston. “I think it’d help if I told them what I know about that,” he said. “It can’t possibly get me in more trouble if they go get him.” Before Gunston or Blitek could get a word in, he said, “He scouts banks at night. He’s gonna hit some banks, and he’s making detailed plans of them. For his troops. Calls it Operation Just Cash.”
Cletus had been told that Gabriel intended to hit five banks in the area, three of them in Nation County. First, Maitland, First Iowa. Grand Vista, Federated Bank and Trust. Terrill, People’s National. One in Dubuque County, and one across the Mississippi in Conception County, Wisconsin. Five. Sounded impressive at first. Until you figured the five would probably net him $10,000.00 in cash. It was apparent to me that Cletus had been sold a little bill of goods. Normal, I thought. Gabriel wouldn’t want any details about a real plan in the hands of the likes of Cletus Borglan.
Too bad for Cletus. He’d opened the bag, but we already had the cat. No bargaining points there. But after he spoke, both his legal advisers just raised hell.
Cletus went back to his cell. He said he really didn’t want to bond out. In his shoes, I wouldn’t, either.
In any case, it was way past my bedtime. I said as much to Lamar.
“Yeah, get some rest,” he said. “This is your weekend off, isn’t it?”
Oops. I’d forgotten about that. Our schedule went something like this: seven days on, two off; seven on, two off; three on, two off; two on, three off. Yeah, I know. Took some deputies months to get used to that. But the “three off” was a Friday, Saturday, and a Sunday. The only Friday, Saturday, or Sunday we got in a