Free Winter of the Wolf Moon by Steve Hamilton

thing. You’ve got a friend of mine upstairs.”
    “Who’s that?”
    “Vinnie LeBlanc. Your deputies said he assaulted a Soo officer.”
    “Yes, we have him.”
    “They also said he was drunk and disorderly,” I said. “Which is impossible. Vinnie never drinks.”
    “No, I think it was a simple four-fifteen. Public disturbance. I saw him when he came in last night. He didn’t look drunk to me.”
    “Then why did your deputies say he was drunk?”
    “They made a mistake,” he said. “They got the code mixed up.”
    “It’s because he’s an Indian,” I said. “If he got in trouble, he had to be drunk.”
    “For God’s sake, Alex. You want me to call them in here so you can give them this lecture? Because I really don’t need to hear it right now.”
    “I’m sorry,” I said. “It’s just … goddamn it. Where is he, anyway? Can I see him?”
    “He’s still in one of the holding cells,” he said. “We’re a little tight on space upstairs. You know, if he calls the reservation, they’ll come get him. Don’t you think he’d rather stay in that jail instead?”
    “Somehow I don’t think so,” I said. “You’d have to know him.”
    “Well, he busted up an off-duty Soo cop pretty badly,” he said. “Broke his nose, gave him a concussion.”
    “How did it happen?”
    “I’m not sure. The Soo guys brought him in. All I know is, it had something to do with a hockey stick.”
    “Oh God,” I said. “Will you take me to him, please?”
    “It’s a Soo bust,” he said. “You gotta go through them.”
    “It’s your jail, Bill. The last thing I want to do right now is go see Chief Maven.”
    For the first time since I got there, he smiled. “I don’t blame you,” he said. “All right, I’ll see if I can sneak you in there. If Maven finds out, though, he’s gonna be all over you.”
    “Let him try,” I said. “This day can’t get any worse.”
    There were four holding cells on the ground floor, simple cages with benches running along the sides, single toilets against the back wall. The county jail itself was upstairs. These cells were mainly for suspects awaiting arraignment, although today there were four or five men in each cell.
    “What the hell’s going on here?” I said.
    “I told ya,” he said. “We got a full jail upstairs. A lot of them are Soo busts, drugs coming over the bridge. We already called the state prison in Kincheloe. They’re gonna see if they can help us out temporarily.”
    “Where’s Vinnie?”
    “Last cell on the end,” he said. We walked down a narrow corridor that ran the length of the cells. Above us the fluorescent lights were humming and flickering. There was no other light, no awareness of the outside world. “I’d appreciate it if you could talk him into posting bail. I really don’t need him here, Alex.”
    “What bail? He’s already been arraigned?”
    “Ten thousand dollars,” he said.
    “Jesus, Bill.”
    “He put a cop in the hospital, Alex. A thousand-dollar bond is all he needs. You know that.”
    “Didn’t he call anybody?”
    “Nope. He’s just been sitting there since last night.”
    “You gotta be kidding me,” I said. When we came to the last holding cell I saw him sitting on one of the benches, staring at the floor. He didn’t look up.
    “Vinnie,” I said.
    He was silent. There were three other men in the cell, a couple longhairs sitting together on the other bench, trying hard not to look scared. A very large, very ugly man in fatigues standing against the back wall.
    “Vinnie,” I said.
    Nothing.
    “I’ll leave you two to get reacquainted,” Bill said.“Remember, if Maven finds you here, I had nothing to do with it.”
    “Thanks, anyway,” I said. When he was gone I pulled up one of the folding chairs that were scattered in the corridor and sat on it. I looked at Vinnie for a long time, waiting for him to do or say something. He didn’t do either.
    “All right, Vinnie,” I finally said. “Are you