McKenzie had sat outside Jorgensen’s office for more than twenty minutes wondering just what the hell was going on. He’d been caught off guard when the chief’s secretary called and told him to report to the chief’s office. Why did he have that old bitch call me? Why are we meeting here? As he played out the possibilities in his mind, the door finally opened.
“Step in here, Detective,” the chief called out from the doorway. “I need to speak with you about the Louis Carson case.” McKenzie picked up on the wry smile from Bernice Erickson as he walked toward the office. The woman looked up and they exchanged stares. McKenzie was sure she was the culprit who had given Sawyer his badge and he didn’t doubt she had something to do with this meeting.
McKenzie walked into the office and went for his usual chair, but Jorgensen stopped him with an upraised hand.
“Don’t sit down. You won’t be here that long. Plate Boyd stopped by a while ago. Said he found this on his desk this morning.” Jorgensen jammed a piece of paper against McKenzie’s chest. A copy of an old booking card. The name on the card was Harlan Lee. The words “Ask McKenzie” were written across the top of the form.
So that’s it. Son of a bitch.
“Boss, I had no idea—”
“Did I tell you to clean this shit up? Did I tell you to be thorough?” Jorgensen’s voice was harsh but delivered in a whisper. “Judas Priest, Detective. How have you survived as a cop all these years?”
McKenzie struggled for a response.
“Chief, we haven’t used booking cards in over ten years. How the hell was I supposed to know this would turn up?”
“Because the case happened seventeen years ago, you stupid shit. Someone is sniffing around, McKenzie. Who the hell is it? Is it Sawyer?”
McKenzie blew out a breath. “It’s gotta be.” McKenzie pointed to the closed office door. “And I’ll bet you he is working with that old bitch you’ve got for a secretary. You need to get rid of her, Chief.”
“Oh sure, Doyle. And how is that going to look right now?”
It dawned on Doyle that was the reason for the official meeting. Jorgensen was worried and now he was covering his tracks. Separating himself from the whole mess. He needed to draw the chief back in. Let him know just how close the danger was. “Sawyer came at me last night, got in my face. He knows about Lee.”
Jorgensen looked stunned. “And you were going to tell me when?”
“I’m taking care of it, Chief. I’m on it.”
“I’ve heard that before, Doyle. I’m starting to think I fired the wrong damn cop.”
McKenzie seethed in silence.
“Your ship is springing major leaks, Doyle.” Jorgensen’s voice went up an octave and his face was red. “This booking card is a formal link to the Lee case. You had better get a handle on this right now. Do you hear me?”
“Boss, I’ve got it under control. You told me to handle it. To keep everyone else away from it. I’m taking care of everything.”
Jorgensen’s voice dropped back to a whisper. “All this shit has got to stop. Sawyer cannot get to Harlan Lee. Do you hear me?”
“And what happens if he does? I’m in the dark here, Chief. Makes it kind of hard to know where the next move is gonna come from.”
Jorgensen drilled two fingers into McKenzie’s chest. “You don’t need to know any more than what I’ve told you. I think maybe I should pull you off the case. I’ve still got some concerns about that body at the rest stop. Seems they’ve tied the boy into another local dealer, fella named Tyrone. Haven’t I heard you mention an informant by that name?”
McKenzie knew he was in deep, deep trouble. “Okay, boss,” he said, surrendering. “Point me in the right direction.”
“There’s no doubt in my mind that Sawyer is already halfway to Florence County,” Jorgensen said. “When he gets there, he’ll be asking a lot of questions. About Harlan Lee. And Henry Lipinski.”
“I’ll head up there and—”
Jorgensen cut him off. “Don’t bother, McKenzie. I told you. I’ve got a good man in that area. A man I can damn sure depend on to get a job done. Sawyer ain’t going to find shit. He’ll have no choice but to turn his ass around and come home.”
Jorgensen put his lips inches from McKenzie’s ear.
“When he does, I want you to track his ass down. That son of a bitch is not to return to Newberg. And as for that old, broken-down piece of shit across town, he needs to be dealt with right quick.”
“I’ll take care of it, Chief.” McKenzie’s voice shook. “You can count on it.”
“Stop with the ass-kissin’ bullshit. If you had half the police sense Sawyer has, this shit would be history. Quit talking and get it done. Now get the hell out of my office.”