Free Michael Lister - Soldier 02 - The Big Beyond by Michael Lister Page A

you heard yourself lately?”
    Jan was walking up the aisle just a few feet away when she spotted me. She started shaking her head immediately and actually stopped and took a step back.
    I stepped toward her.
    “Is there somewhere we can talk?”
    “Stay away from me.”
    “It’ll only take a minute. I swear.”
    “I’ll scream.”
    “I’m not gonna hurt you. I just—”
    “I mean it.”
    “Jan. Please. I’m trying to find Pete.”
    That stopped her.
    “I just need a minute. Please.”
    Someone said, “Sit down, mister. I can’t see the movie.”
    “Sorry, pal. I’m leaving.”
    “Meet me out front,” she said.
    “I can’t be seen.”
    “I can’t be alone with you.”
    “Back corner of the lobby?” I asked. “Or by the bathroom.”
    “Okay.”
    I walked out of the theater and back into the lobby and found the quietest, least conspicuous corner and waited.
    I didn’t have to wait long.
    “Whatta you want, Jimmy?” she said as she walked up. “Aren’t you wanted by the police?”
    “Look,” I said, “I haven’t done anything. I’ll get it all straightened out—or I won’t. Doesn’t matter. First thing I want to say to you is I’m sorry. I know I didn’t treat you so good and I’m sorry. Real sorry. I was so messed up over Lauren … That’s not an excuse. I’m just saying … I’m sorry.”
    “Is she really dead?”
    “She really is.”
    “Can’t say I’m sorry, but …”
    “No need to.”
    “So … whatta you need from me, fella? I gotta get back to work.”
    “Pete’s missing and I’m trying to find him.”
    “I don’t know where he is. Haven’t seen him in a while.”
    “How long a while? Were you with him the night I called and told him about Howell and the rest?”
    She hesitated.
    I could feel her wanting to say something, sense something coming up from within, so I waited.
    “I … Yes. I was there.”
    “What happened?”
    “Whatta you mean?”
    “Why didn’t he go arrest them?”
    “I thought he did,” she said. “I mean, he was going to. When he left that’s where he was headed.”
    “What happened?”
    “I don’t know. He never came back. I’ve never seen him again. It scared me but good too, soldier. He’s a cop. I mean … if something bad can happen to a cop … And I know something bad happened, but there was nothing in the paper and no one seemed to know anything.”
    “No one knew anything at all? No theories? Ideas? Whispers?”
    “Nothing.”
    “Any idea what he was working on before that night?”
    “Two things. All those people beaten to death that you were suspected of …”
    “Did he really suspect me?”
    “Yeah. He did. Some of the time, anyway. I think. Did you do it?”
    “No,” I said, shaking my head wearily. “I let him know who did when I called that night.”
    “So you didn’t have anything to do with him going missing?” “No. I didn’t. I left town that night. I was in a coma and then a prisoner. I haven’t been back long. Had no idea he was missing until just a few days ago.”
    She fell silent and seemed to think about it.
    “What’s the other thing?”
    “Huh?”
    “That he was working on?”
    “Oh. Those girls that got cut up and killed.”
    “You sure? I thought those happened since he’s been missing.”
    “I guess the others have, but I know he was at least working on the first one. Just thought it was the one at the time. It bothered him but good. I could tell.”
    “Anything else you can think of that might help me find him?”
    She thought about it a moment then shook her head.
    “Do you know if he went by himself? Did he take anyone? Call for backup? Talk to anyone at all?”
    “He called his partner and asked for his help.”
    “Butch?”
    “Yeah.”
    “You’re sure?”
    “Positive. When he left he was on his way to meet Butch.”

Chapter 19
    P eople were hustling down Harrison—in cars on the street, by foot on the sidewalks—hanging out of the Tennessee House, in and out of