Euclid could feel Caldas’s eyes studying her. Finally, she relented. “Okay. I’m deciding to trust you. Margie, tell her about Khachatryan.”
“But I promised Willy—”
“Grooms isdead, Margie. As your attorney, I am advising you to talk to Euclid here.”
Brooksfield shook her head, lip trembling.
“Margie.” Euclid leaned toward her. “Margie, look at me. There’s been another murder.”
Brooksfield looked at her, a haunted expression on her face.
“The murders will continue if you don’t help us out. This was one of our own. A forensic tech named Reno. He was well loved at CBI. Tell me about Khachatryan,” Euclid said again, “before more people die.”
Margie’s chin sank to her chest, braids falling around her face. When she spoke, it was quiet.
“Willy told me Paradox was run by a great man named Krikor Khachatryan. I overheard some phone conversations too. It sounded like Khachatryan was looking for the site of the UFO crash somewhere in the Flat Tops. And wanted something of Willy’s, something he found up there. He made me swear on the Bible that I wouldn’t tell anyone. He said Khachatryan would be killed if I revealed his name toanyone. Until just now, I wasn’t even sure how much of what Willy told me about the man was just in his head.”
“Where can we find this guy?”
“I don’t know.”
“Margie,” Caldas said in warning.
“I really don’t.”
“Time’s up,” Caldas said. “Margie’s cooperated. I certainly hope what she was able to tell you will weigh in her favor in a plea bargain.”
“I’ll do my best,” Euclid said. She wondered if this could all be an act. It was so crazy… but could this information actually be useful? She stepped back from the bars, her thoughts whirling. One thing was certain: Whoever was after Khachatryan and the other Paradox members, they were bad people. They were cop killers. Nobody on the case was safe.
