Cold Spite (Cold Justice: Most Wanted #5)

Chapter 39

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

J oseph was under the hood of a tricked-out banana-yellow Ford Bronco when he heard footsteps approaching. He peered out under his arm.

“Hi, there, LaCroix Police here. Deputy Herbert. Looking for Joseph Scanlon.” The deputy who nodded at him had full cheeks that were shiny and red and didn’t look as if they’d ever felt the scrape of a razor.

Joseph straightened and wiped his hands on a dirty rag. The scent of motor oil and feel of grit on his fingers was familiar but not what he’d wanted out of life. That’s why he’d joined the Navy.

And look how well that turned out for you, couyon ?

“Well, you found him.”

The deputy reached out to shake his hand. The young officer’s hand felt clammy in his despite the fact the temperature was only in the fifties today.

Joseph mentally calculated the quickest way to put him down.

“Police Chief wanted me to come by and say ‘Hi.’”

I bet he did. “Hi.”

“Nice vehicle.” Deputy Herbert nodded to the Bronco.

Piece of shit . “Needs a new carburetor and the timing fixed.”

The deputy put his hands on his hips. The guy was barely out of diapers. He was already carrying a little extra weight. Give him five years of Miss Sunny’s world-famous beignets, and he was gonna struggle to fit behind the wheel.

“You got your parole officer sorted out?” The deputy used his serious face, as if now they’d done the introductions they were done with pleasantries.

“Yes, sir, I sure do.” Joseph crossed his arms and noticed the man’s eyes lock onto the tattoo on his biceps. He half expected an audible gulp. “Jim Jenkins in Thibodaux. Got an appointment with him tomorrow afternoon. Four thirty. I better get back to working on this vehicle so the owner can get it back for the weekend.”

Jim Jenkins was a slimy son of a gun who was a parole officer probably because he was too fat and lazy to become a cop. Considering the look of this one, it was a low bar.

The deputy cleared his throat. “I have to ask. Have you left the parish at all this week?”

Joseph blinked and raised his brows. Cocked his head to one side.

Oh, yes. It was happening.

“Tuesday, I went up to Seattle to visit my kid. I didn’t see her when I was in prison.” ‘Cos her bitch of a mother had refused to let her come. “I had permission. Got back Wednesday morning.” He smiled and hoped he didn’t look as angry as he felt. That he needed permission from an asshole like Jenkins to travel out of state when he had once traveled the globe to fight for his country. Look at how that country had treated him? Like he was nothing but a common criminal. “ C’est tout .”

The deputy nodded slowly, then rubbed at the corner of his eye like he had allergies. “I don’t suppose your brother is around here anywhere, is he?”

“You want to speak to Virgil? He done something wrong?”

Deputy Herbert cleared his throat. Found his balls. “I don’t know, has he?”

Joseph smiled at that. “He’s probably in the back there.” He indicated the small office at the back of the crammed workshop. “My daddy is out on a breakdown. Some young lady stuck on Bayou Road.”

The deputy nodded. “I’ll drive out that way after I leave here. Could you ask Virgil to step out, please?”

Joseph didn’t know whether to be impressed that the cop had any self-preservation instincts at all, or disgusted he wasn’t brave enough to walk inside a mechanics workshop in his own town. Imagine the guy off home soil. Imagine how brave he’d be if the other guys actually fought back. What was the Police Chief thinking sending a wet-behind-the-ears grunt like this to his home? That he was too pathetic for Joseph to bother to hurt?

He calmed himself. The mission was the only thing that mattered. Local cops were a mild hindrance at worst.

“Virgil!” His voice rang off the metal roof. “We done got company.”

There was a mutter and a curse.

Virgil walked out the office holding his cell phone to his ear. They both wore identical jeans and T-shirts.

“What you want with me? You think you can harass me the same way you get to harass my brother, you got another think coming.”

The deputy held up his palms in surrender. “No, sir. Trying to verify your brother’s whereabouts.”

“Why?” Virgil barked and Joseph was surprised the cop didn’t piss his pants.

The deputy slowly backed toward the large garage doors, obviously rattled. “Someone killed that SEAL commander, the one who stripped you of your military rank after you were convicted.”

Joseph feigned surprise. “Which one?” Because in truth there were a whole bunch he’d like to gut and mount on the wall.

“Rear Admiral Sagal. Someone attacked him and his wife in their home this morning.”

“Ah, that’s too bad. About the wife that is.” He bared his teeth in a smile .

“You weren’t a fan?” the young deputy asked.

Joseph raised his arms in a full body shrug. “Isn’t that why you’re here, Deputy Herbert?”

The deputy pressed his lips together and puffed out his cheeks. “ C’est vrai .”

“Anything else we can do for you, deputy?” he asked. “Coffee, beignet?”

Regret twisted the young man’s features. “No, sir. Thank you. I apologize for interrupting your morning. I’ll go take a run out Bayou Road. See if your pa managed to start that lady’s vehicle.”

“Mighty good of you.” Joseph nodded approvingly.

Virgil clapped him on the back as the cop climbed into his cruiser. “They send nothing but the best for you, brother. Ain’t no way they’re going to figure this out.”

They were idiots, and the justice system was there to be manipulated. You just needed to know how to play the game. That first trial had taught Joseph a lot about that game. Mainly, don’t get caught, but also, always create doubt. Make them have to prove everything beyond all reasonable doubt.

The justice system, it was a beautiful thing.