Page 74 of Fatal Strike
“I have my rights.” Henry sputtered his words.
Everson released him and stepped back. He trembled with visible rage. “My jail.”
“But you don’t make the laws.” Jon turned to Henry. “Aword of warning while you’re a guest of Galveston’s finest. Chief Everson’s fiancée was Marcia Trevelle. Officer Ian Greer was his good friend, like a brother. He’s an angry and grieving man.”
Henry’s widened pupils sparked fear.
Jon looked from Everson to Henry. “I suggest helping us find the killers.”
“Okay.” Henry licked his lips. “I know a little about the rattlers.”
48
LEAH KEPT A STOIC FACEwhile Jon faced Henry, but she wanted to believe they’d made progress. The suspect had sobered a bit, and she had an idea to press him on before he lawyered up.
“Henry,” Leah said, “Agent Colbert and Chief Everson have lost patience. They don’t understand you’re frightened and want to help. Would you rather I ask them to leave the room so we can talk?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Jon and Everson protested, then left her alone. She’d nominate them for an Oscar. They’d be viewing from the one-way glass.
She gave Henry her full attention. “The truth now, or Imight have to leave you alone with the chief of police and Agent Colbert. You haven’t seen my partner in action, but I wouldn’t cross either of them. They both scare me.”
“Okay. The rattlesnake farm is not far from here. If there are others, I don’t know about it.” He stared at his cuffed wrists. “Alvin area. I can show you on a map.”
She navigated on her phone to a map surrounding Alvin and zoomed in. Henry pointed to a rural spot and gave county road intersections. Jon would have local authorities notified of the location before she finished questioning him.
“Is the rattlesnake farm owned by Venenos?” she said.
“I suppose. Never asked.”
“Who’s the big boss?”
“How many times are y’all going to toss that question at me? No one has a name. It’s the truth, and the honest truth.”
“How many Venenos are there?”
“We aren’t together at the same time.”
Pulling answers from Henry was like deciding to diet with a candy bar in her mouth. “But you have names of some of them.”
“So do you.” He glanced at the window to his left. “Since one of ’em might be a cop, I’m not giving you any more than you already have.”
She’d pose the question again at the Houston office. “Tell me aboutreconquista.”
“It’s something we’re supposed to say to make the boss happy. I guess it matters to him.”
“How does the gang make money?” She paused for the question to sink into Henry’s head.
He squinted. “I work at the garage.”
“Wrong. Try again.”
He shuffled his feet. “We sell drugs.”
“Cocaine?”
He shook his head. “Mostly prescription drugs.”
