Michael McGarity - Serpent Gate

"Some place," he added.

"Do you like it?" Kerney asked as he took his station on the side of the door, the nine-millimeter in the ready position.

Andy put the key in the lock" Not really." He turned the key slowly.

"Don't get me shot. Connie wouldn't like it."

"Should I call for backup?"

"You arc my backup," Andy said as he pushed the door open.

The burglar alarm went off and they waited a few beats before entering.

They cleared die house room by room with the alarm bleating in their ears. They finished up in the garage and went back to a locked door in the lower hallway. It was protected by a keypad system.

"Well," Kerney said, "aren't you going to open it?"

Andy hit some numbers on the keypad and the alarm shut off. He punched in more numbers and smiled at Kerney.

"Try it."

The doorknob turned freely. Kerney swung the door open and turned on the lights. The stolen paintings were stacked neatly along the walls away from the wine racks, and the antique and pottery pieces were on a tasting table in the center of the room.

"Sweet Jesus," Andy said, his face cracking into a grin.

"I didn't know you were a religious man."

"I am now," Andy replied as he patted Kerney's shoulder and stepped into the room.

"Let's get some techs and people from the museum over here pronto." buck? watson broke off his conversation with his lawyer when the door to the interrogation room opened and Kerney walked in. He leaned back in his chair and sneered at the cop.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, gentlemen," Kerney said.

"Are you the arresting officer?" Earl Buffett asked.

"I am." Kerney smiled in Watson's direction and dragged a chair across the floor to the table. Bucky's sneer remained intact.

"I want this interrogation ended," Buffett said.

"It has gone on much too long."

"Mr. Watson is under arrest," Kerney noted.

"We can keep him here for quite a while," He sat down and carefully stretched out his right leg.

"How are you holding up, Bucky?"

"Better than you," Bucky answered sarcastically, studying Kerney's drawn, exhausted face.

Kerney switched his gaze to Buffett. The man had very little space between the tip of his nose and his upper lip, and a pinched jaw that pulled his lower lip down at the edges.

"Aside from the drugs found in the basement, what other evidence do you have against Mr. Watson?"

Buffett asked.

"Have patience, Mr. Buffett," Kerney counseled.

"Gathering evidence takes time."

"You've had most of the day to search the shop," Bufiett replied.

"Surely it doesn't take that long."

"Bucky's shop is only one of the places we've searched today."

"I assume you had search warrants?"

"Certainly."

"Where else have you been?"

"So far? His house, gallery, and the design studio," Kerney answered.

"Are you ready to do some hard time, Bucky?"

"That's not going to happen," Bucky said.

Buffett shot Bucky a glance to shut him up.

"You have presented us with no proof that my client had knowledge of the drugs stored in the basement."

"Weren't you told?" Kerney asked, feigning surprise.

"Told what?"

"Bucky's fingerprints are all over the kilos of smack and cocaine."

Watson snickered.

"Does that amuse you?" Kerney asked.

"You can plant as much evidence against me as you want," Bucky replied.

"It doesn't mean anything."

Buffett held up a hand to cut Watson off.

"Please, Bucky.

We can deal with the evidence issue later. What else?"

"Skip and Kiko have agreed to testify against your client. Prom what they've told us so far, both have made a number of drug deliveries.

We'll be adding additional charges against you, Bucky."

"Is that the extent of your investigation?" Buffett demanded.

"No. I'm sorry if you haven't been given all the facts," Kerney replied apologetically.

"What facts?" Bucky snapped.

"We were able to access your computer files. That's quite a nice little distribution network you've got going.

We have your shipment records with all the details. It's the next best thing to a confession. Have you told your lawyer about Enrique De Leon Bucky flinched.

"Who?" Buffett said.

"You need to be more forthcoming, Bucky," Kerney chided.

"Mr. Buffett can't help you if you withhold information from him."

"Back up," Buffett said.

"Forget it," Bucky growled, cutting Buffett off.

De Leon is a Mexican drug lord," Kerney explained.

"Probably the biggest smuggler on the border. A very nasty man. Are you sure you don't want to talk to your lawyer about him, Bucky?"

Watson glared and damped his mouth shut.

"Then on to other matters," Kerney said, switching his attention to Buffett.

"We're asking the United States Attorney to prosecute your client under the federal drug trafficking statute."

"That carries an automatic death penalty upon conviction," Buffett said.

"That's why we thought it would be a good idea.

How does that sit with you, Bucky? Will a death penalty be enough of an object lesson for you?"

"Puck you."

Td be angry, too," Kerney said with a shrug.

"You're between a rock and a hard place. If De Leon doesn't kill you, eventually the government will. It's not a pretty picture."

Buffett leaned over and whispered in Bucky's ear.

Bucky gulped, nodded, and whispered something back.

"Can we deal?" Buffett asked, when he broke away.

"Nothing happens without a full confession," Kerney said.

"That's hardly accommodating to my client. What, exactly, do you want?"

"Pull disclosure on De Leon money laundering scheme and his drug distribution network."

"Forget it," Bucky said. He would rather make a seven-figure cash bond and disappear with his considerable nest egg as soon as the judge released him.

De Leon knows you've been skimming money from him," Kerney said.

"Get real," Bucky said.

"I faxed the information to him myself." Kerney had taken no such action, and had no proof that his accusaon was true, but the thought of De Leon retaliation might make Watson reconsider his position.

Bucky reacted by rubbing his nose, putting both elbows on the table, and crossing his legs-sure signs of stress and guilt.

"I know De Leon Bucky. And I guarantee that he'll have you killed before you can leave town. Tell me I'm wrong."

"If you know De Leon so well, how did you contact him?" Bucky asked.

"The information went to his hacienda and to the Little Turtle Casino in Juarez. You're going to need to be someplace safe for a while. De Leon has a long reach."

The smug look on Bucky's face vanished and he swallowed hard.

"Just where the fuck is that?"

"I can get you into a special federal prison under a new identity. I understand it's quite a nice place, as prisons go. We can hold you there until your trial."

"Would you be willing to have my client tried in state court?" Buffett asked. A state court trial would keep Bucky off death row, if he was convicted.

"That might be arranged."

"I want more than that," Bucky said.

"If I talk, some important people in this state are going to fall hard."

"First you talk and then we deal," Kerney countered.

"But the DA might be willing to reduce the charges. It would mean less hard time. A lot less, perhaps."

Bucky thought about his options, and decided he had none. Everything he'd built up was crashing down around his ears.

"Okay," he said weakly.

"I'll send the team back in," Kerney said.

"Give them your statement." He looked at the lawyer.

"Don't let your client change his mind, Mr. Buffett. This is a onetime offer."

Buffett made no response.

"By the way, Bucky, did you know that De Leon masterminded the art theft and killed Amanda Talley?"