Michael McGarity - Serpent Gate

"Have the apartment manager let you in. If you're questioned, treat it like a missing person case. See what you can turn up."

"Without a search warrant, whatever we find will be fruit from the poisoned tree. The courts won't admit it into evidence."

"Do a plain-view search only. Bring back a sample of any hairs you can find."

Gilbert nodded as Kerney stood. Fletcher held up a hand to keep Kerney from departing.

"Frank Bailey said that Amanda Talley was with Roger Springer and some other people the night she made her little speech," he said.

"That's very interesting," Kerney replied.

"Did you get the names of the other people?"

"There was a local couple who dabble in collecting art, Bucky Watson, and a Spanish or Mexican gentleman.

Frank wasn't sure which nationality he was."

"I need their names, Pletcher," Kerney said.

Fletcher made a dismissive gesture with his hand.

"I have them written down somewhere."

Kerney nodded.

"Give them to the sergeant." He switched his attention to Martinez.

"I want deep background checks done on everybody who may have overheard what Talley said."

"You've got it. Chief."

"Allegedly, she was tipsy at the time," Pletcher added.

"Fletcher, tell Sergeant Martinez everything you learned from Frank Bailey."

"Of course."

"Meet with Bailey personally, Sergeant. Find out what else he knows and go over everything in detail with him."

"It's already on my list, Chief."

"Hook up with Chief Baca and fill him in."

"Will do."

"What's my next assignment?" Fletcher asked.

"Have you finished talking to gallery owners?" Kerney replied.

"The local ones are covered, but I need to start calling Albuquerque dealers."

"Do that, but pass any leads on to Sergeant Martinez.

He'll assign men to do the follow-up interviews, if anything looks promising."

Fletcher's unhappiness showed on his face.

"So, am I to be consigned to the back room with a telephone?"

Kerney stepped around the table and squeezed his old friend's shoulder.

"Don't fuss, Pletcher. You're still my expert consultant on this case.

I'd be lost without your help."

Kerney nodded at Gilbert and left the kitchen.

Gilbert waited until Kerney's footsteps faded away before he asked the irresistible question that had formed in his mind.

"Tell me, Fletcher," he said in a low voice, "is Chief Kerney gay?"

Fletcher laughed deeply.

"Not in this lifetime, I'm sorry to say," he answered. after burning the van, retrieving Amanda Talley's body at Emory Pass, and recrossing the border, Carlos dropped Facundo and the body at the rancho in the desert De Leon used as a landing field for drug shipments arriving from South America. Pacundo knew what to do with the body; he'd disposed of several in the past.

Carlos finished the long drive back to Santa Pc, parked the Range Rover in the garage, and climbed the stairs with tired, heavy feet, hoping De Leon would be satisfied with his report. One could never be sure how the patron would react.

He found De Leon at his desk in the library.

Enrique looked at Carlos kindly before smiling and gesturing to an empty chair.

"Sit down, Carlos, and relax. You look very tired."

Only somewhat relieved by thejefe's reaction, Carlos sat and waited for De Leon to question him.

"Did all go well?" De Leon asked.

"Yes, patron. All matters have been attended to. Nick is dead, the woman's body has been disposed of, and me van has been destroyed."

"I am pleased," Enrique said.

"Thank you, patron."

"I have additional work for you after you have rested.

You are to assemble a complete dossier on Kevin Kerney. I want to know where he lives, where his office is, and who his friends are. Full particulars are essential.

What is the arrangement of his living quarters? His office? Is either place accessible? Does he maintain a routine schedule? Does he travel the same route to and from work? Is he seeing a woman? If so, would he be vulnerable when he is with her?"

Carlos nodded.

"I understand."

De Leon pushed an envelope across the desk. There is sufficient cash in the envelope to purchase a car which will not attract attention.

Buy it from a private party, so that you do not have to register it immediately. Follow Kerney closely and take exacting notes. Remember, he knows you. Do not expose yourself to him."

"I will be careful," Carlos replied, pushing his thumb against his upper plate.

De Leon saw hate flash in Carlos's eyes.

"You are to take no action against Kerney."

"As you wish, patron."

"Go now and get some sleep."

Carlos rose, picked up the envelope, and departed.

Enrique leaned back and thought about Kerney. His last attempt to have the policeman killed injuarez failed when Kerney had been rescued by an undercover army investigator posing as a hunchback. That failure meant that Kerney had to be killed in just the right way to make everything balance out. Retaliation against an enemy was a normal part of doing business. But in this case, the reprisal would be all the more satisfying to achieve. the snowstorm parked over the city stopped before it reached the Galisteo Basin. The escarpment that broke across the valley stood like a vast, ominous battlement looming over the rangeland.

For several years, while he recovered from the wounds that had forced him to retire from the Santa Fe PD, Kerney had lived and worked on a ranch in the basin with a view of the escarpment and the Ortiz Mountains in the far distance. He had never tired of the sweep of the land against the sky, and the ever-changing colors that painted the scenery new again each passing day.

Kerney made good time on a dear road. He arrived at the Torrance County courthouse in Estanda and went looking for Wesley Marshall, who wasn't in his office. He found Marshall, Bradley Pollings, and Gary Dalquist waiting for him in an empty jury room.

Puffings had brought in a co-counsel with impressive credentials.

Dalquist specialized in capital murder cases.

He was a short, older man with a deep, rumbling voice and a cherubic face. Criticized as a flamboyant showman, he had a strong track record of acquittals, dismissed cases, and reduced felony plea bargain agreements.

Prosecutors hated to go up against him.

Marshall got up and walked to the door.

"Aren't you staying?" Kerney asked.

"Can't," Wesley replied.

"I meet with the grand jury in ten minutes. You can handle it without me."

Kerney handed him a copy of Robert Cordova's statement.

"What's this?" Marshall asked in a surly tone as he stuffed the papers in a jacket pocket.

"Something you might want to read." He nodded in Dalquist's direction.

"Looks like you have some serious opposition, Counselor."

Marshall grunted and walked away.

After a quick introduction, Kerney gave another copy of Robert's statement to Dalquist before the actual Q and A began. Dalquist read it, glanced at Kerney with a gleam in his eye, and passed the document to Puffings.

"Shall we get started?" Dalquist asked, his finger poised over the tape recorder.

"By all means," Kerney replied.

Dalquist was thorough in his questioning. He concentrated on the arrest procedure, Nita's mental state at the time both confessions were made, and the fact that Nita's first confession preceded Kerney's Miranda warning.

He was looking for screwups he could use to have the confession thrown out.

Kerney's answers didn't please Dalquist.

Dalquist moved on to Nita and asked whether or not Kerney thought she knew what she was doing the night she shot Gillespie; Rerney declined the bait.

Finally, Dalquist turned to Robert's statement and grilled Kerney about Cordova. Kerney obliged with the facts he had at hand.