Ridley Pearson - Killer View

“Chuck told me most of this,” Walt allowed. “I didn’t know the blood workup was back.”

“None of this matters to you, I know, but the blowback that followed is what counts.”

“What kind of blowback?” Walt asked. He was feeling edgy all of a sudden, like the room was too small.

Cutter glanced nervously toward the locked door. He lowered his voice, forcing Walt to concentrate on his every word.

“I shouldn’t tell you this. I know that. You, of all people. Damned if I do, damned if I don’t. But the thing is, they warned me if I violate the NDA I signed I’m shit up the creek. The way my probation reads, you’re supposed to be informed of any possible violations, so I’m taking a big chance, Sheriff. That’s my point: a very big chance.”

“Slow down, please. You signed a nondisclosure agreement?”

“I’ve been bought off. Fifty thousand dollars plus all legitimate expenses arising from the contamination. I was told that if I accepted the money, the parole violation would eventually be dropped, that Trinity could return to production in as little as two weeks, and that I’d be reimbursed for lost inventory and gross revenue for the period in question. All I do is show them our books for the past three months and they’ll average my revenue stream.”

Walt couldn’t help but remember the stench of the burning sheep and Peavy’s reminder of the loss of money that any mass grave would mean for the rancher.

“Who offered you this?”

“No idea. A call to my cell phone. A private number. I tried to trace it. I even called my brother-he owns the cell company, after all. Dead end.”

“A hoax,” Walt proposed.

“The next day, five grand was in my checking account-my personal checking account, not my company account. I checked with the bank: the deposit was cash, made through an ATM. Totally untraceable.” He glanced back at the door again. “Second phone call said the five grand was just to prove the offer was for real.”

“The terms? What did they want from you?”

“They’ll provide a script for me. I’m to stick to the script.”

“And the CDC?”

“Dr. Bezel’s report will apparently support whatever it is I’m supposed to say.”

Walt attempted to process all that he’d been told. Who could control the CDC like that? “Why me, Danny?”

“Why you?” he blurted out, laughing and grimacing at the same time. “I’m already in violation of my parole-this coke thing-which, incidentally, was a total frame job. I’m not saying I expect you to believe that, but the way it happened-”

“I believe it,” Walt said, interrupting. “Tell me about the payoff.”

“I’ve told you everything. Two calls. Sign the NDA. The five grand up front. It all goes away.”

“Who can promise such a thing?” Walt blurted out.

“My thoughts exactly.”

“What did you tell them?”

“I signed. Are you kidding me? You know the hit I’m going to take? My inventory destroyed. My line shut down. I’m not insured for this kind of thing. Who is? I was sunk. I mean totally screwed. And then this phone call. Fifty K, on top of costs. And they made it clear that if business is off for a while because of this, they’ll take care of me.”

“But… why tell me?” Walt repeated.

“I’ve got to be breaking a dozen laws, right? I had a chance to think about it and I came to you. As sweet as this deal is, if it means another twenty months in prison, I’ll pass, thank you very much.”

“It’s nothing my office would have anything to do with, beyond the parole violation.”

“But that’s the point: it’s a clear violation of my parole, right? Doing anything like this?”

“Enlisting in a cover-up? Yeah. That would be federal time. But it’s apparent that whoever is making the offer has a long reach. It could be genuine. And, how do I say this?” He paused. “You aren’t the only one to receive such an offer.”

“They came after you?”

“Me? No!” Now it was Walt glancing toward the door. He stood and peeked out the blinds. No one. With his back to Cutter, he said, “What’s important to focus on here, Danny, is that whoever is making the offer is the same person, or persons, who set you up for the coke.”

“I know that.”

“And this just escalates things, doesn’t it? I mean, after this, they’ll have you on accepting a bribe, avoiding a CDC investigation-any number of charges. If they want.”

“That’s why I’m here, Sheriff. Did they frame me on the coke thing just to make sure I’d take this offer or am I being set up now to take a bigger fall? Someone’s coming after me, and I’m screwed either way.”

“I don’t have the answers.”

“I’d rather go bankrupt than return to that damn facility.”

“But you agreed to take the money.”

“Yeah, but it’s only the five grand so far. And I’ve come to you to cut a deal. Buyer’s remorse. I don’t care about the money. I’ve told you everything. Honestly, I have. I will keep the money in escrow, not spend a cent of it. I’ll wear a wire, allow you to tap my phones- whatever you want. I do not want to get on the wrong side of this. Now, I understand I’ve already done that,” he added quickly, “but this is my attempt to fix it.”

“If these people can deliver, then I’m no use to you,” Walt admitted.

“They’ve got to be government, don’t they? I mean, who can make such promises?”

“Or big business,” Walt said, speaking what he was thinking, never a good call.

Cutter leaned back in his chair. “You know who it is,” he said, unable to conceal his surprise.

“I don’t.”

“You have an idea.”

“I imagine you do, too,” Walt said.

“But I don’t! Government, as I’ve said. A private firm, no matter how big, can’t guarantee legal charges dropped. Who in the government cares about my company staying in business? This guy promised my probation violation would be expunged. The NDA gave no hint of who was behind it. I don’t have any idea. Honestly.”

“I think we’re done here, Danny. For both our sakes.”

“Done? I’m not done.”

“I appreciate the information. As to the offer, there’s nothing I can do without warrants, and, if I seek a warrant and it gets back to whoever is making you this offer, that’s not good for anyone.” He thought a moment, working the corners. “I’d like to hear from you if they make contact. If you go the informer route, it’s done through the U.S. Attorney’s Office. I could help with that. But if we go to the wrong guy, my guess is the offer will be pulled and you’ll be back in a federal facility. The coke charge was about discrediting you, Danny. They’ve laid the necessary groundwork so that whatever you say in public can be quickly written off as a desperate man making cheap allegations. It’s been very carefully thought out.”

“Yeah,” Cutter said sarcastically, “let’s admire their work.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Since when is the government that smart?”

Walt cracked a smile. He stood up from the chair and said, “Good luck, Danny.”

“I came to you in good faith, Sheriff. You can’t just walk.”

“I’ve got problems of my own, Danny. I have no choice but to walk. You waited too long. I needed to be brought in before you signed the NDA and agreed to take the money.”

Cutter looked devastated.

Walt scribbled out a name. “Andy Hamilton’s in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Seattle. Andy can’t be bought.” He passed the name to Cutter. “Use my name.”

“Thanks, Sheriff.”

“Tread lightly, Danny. And don’t speak a word of this to Dr. Bezel. I don’t see how, but she may be part of this.”