“Where are you going with this? That we should be looking for Tomás Gomez among elite soldiers or police officers?”
Bob took the vibrating phone out of his jacket pocket and checked the display.
“More Walker,” he said as he tapped the keypad and took the call. “Good evening, Chief.”
“Oz,” rumbled Superintendent Walker. “Did you see that item on KSTP?”
“Should I have?”
“It was broadcast live and you were on it, Oz.”
“Well, then of course I haven’t seen it.”
“Of course?” snorted the superintendent.
“You said yourself, Chief, it went out live and I was too busy being on it.”
“I mean, have you seen itafterward? It’s all over the internet.”
“Honestly, Chief, I did not know it was an interview, she sneaked up on me.”
“What the hell were you even doing at Track Plaza? You’re suspended, Oz! And you were drunk, dammit.”
“I had a Johnnie Walker to deal with, Chief. I drank it. I drink. I’m suspended, dammit.”
In the ensuing silence Bob listened to the superintendent’s puffing. The next time Walker spoke he had lowered the volume but not the intensity:
“I want you to stay clear of this case, Oz. Do you hear me?”
“Aye aye, Chief. I promise. Starting now. Got to go.” Bob hung up.
“What does he want you to start on?” asked Kay.
“Finding Gomez,” said Bob as he put the glass to his mouth.
Kay looked at him, eyebrows raised.
“We close at ten,” said the bartender. “The whole center does.”
“Okay,” said Bob. “Give us another two each and we’ll be happy.”
“By the way,” said Kay, “there was something left inside that bubble wrap.” She pulled a sheet of paper from her pocket and unfolded it.
“A target,” said Bob.
“From a rifle range, you think?”
“A four-hundred-yard rifle target.”
“Oh?”
“You can tell from the dimensions. Professionally made too. Krüger.” Bob pointed to the producer’s name, printed vertically but discreetly in the bottom corner.
“Wouldn’t have thought someone who hated guns as much as you would know so much about shooting,” said Kay.
“There’s a lot people don’t know about me, Kay. I’m an enigma.” Bob held the two glasses in front of him, one in each hand, and took a sip from each in quick succession, without getting a laugh.
“No,” said Kay. “You’re just One-Night Bob, nothing too mysterious about that.”
