Hooked

to the hospital because of Reggie Cart. Tell me where Russo took Tawny Dell, before you’re charged with another murder.”
    Cooper’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “I never knew about any murders until yesterday. None of them. Well, Martell crushing Cindi was an accident. You have to believe me.”
    The suitcase that was supposed to contain Cindi’s body that Martell wrote about in his suicide note hadn’t been found, so Cooper’s admission confirmed the woman’s cause of her death, whether divers found her or not.
    Dennis towered over Cooper. “But you covered it up, you son of a bitch.”
    Cooper swallowed, a big clunking sound in his throat. “She was already dead. What could I have done?”
    “You could have called the police.” Linc’s voice shook. “She has family. They need closure.” He turned away in disgust, then back. “Maybe you never gave that a thought. Well, here’s something else to think about. Dirk Hansen died because you didn’t call the police, and an innocent woman might still die tonight if we don’t find her. Your silence caused Rick Martell his life. Murder is written all over you.”
    Dennis pumped his finger in Cooper’s chest. “That makes you an accessory after the fact, before the fact, conspiracy, procurement. I could go on. You’ll be old and gray by the time you get out of prison.”
    “Where is she, Cooper?” Linc asked again.
    Dark stains ringed the armpits of Cooper’s shirt, all the way to the green alligator logo. His face was red and blotchy, eyes watery, and his voice trembled. “I don’t know. I swear. Don’t you think I’d tell?”
    Benny Cooper was the kind of guy who’d give up his own kid if it kept him out of prison. Linc wished he found pleasure in the Coopers’ turning on each other, but that wouldn’t help find Tawny.
    “The only thing I might have heard,” Benny said, “and I’m not sure, was…” He stopped.
    “Was what?” Linc asked, hope flaring.
    “If I tell you, you’ll give me a deal, right?”
    Anger boiled in Linc’s gut, and he charged Cooper with fists drawn. Dennis pulled him away. “Ain’t worth it, partner,” he said in Linc’s ear.
    Linc nodded and took a deep breath. “Tell me and I’ll keep Russo from knowing you spilled your cowardly guts to save your ass.”
    “ New Jersey ,” Cooper blurted out. “I think I heard Russo whisper New Jersey in Reggie’s ear.”
    “Wha t are you doing?” Eileen whined. “If they find her―”
    “If they find her, what?” Dennis asked Eileen. “You know where they took her?”
    “No, and I wouldn’t tell if I did. I’m not stupid, you know. You’re gonna try to pin everything on me.”
    Benny snorted. “Now she shuts up. Jesus.”
    “Benny, the Lord’s name?” Eileen said. “Remember?”
    Linc caught Harry’s gaze out of the corner of his eye, then said, “What room was Tawny in tonight, Cooper?”
    His gaze narrowed. “How should I know?”
    “Because you were getting ready to bang her when we broke in,” Eileen said. “That’s how you should know.” She turned to Linc. “He set himself up with her tonight, the horny pervert. Imagine, having me for a wife and going after inferior pussy.”
    “Imagine,” Harry said under his breath.
    “Shut up, Eileen,” Cooper said.
    Linc wanted to put his fist through Cooper’s expensive bonded teeth, but he felt Harry’s hand on his arm.
    “Don’t. He’d file battery charges, and you’d be on suspension.” Harry whispered in Linc’s ear. “Besides, too many witnesses here.”
    Eileen started laughing hysterically. “Benny has a blister on the head of his pecker the size of a grape. He couldn’t do anything if he wanted to. Not without pain. You should’ve seen him jumping around in agony when he hit the bedside table. It was a sight. That’s why he’s walking funny, poor stupid bastard.”
    Cooper’s face turned the color of a ripe tomato. Spittle spewed from his mouth when he spoke. “I said, shut the fuck up.”
    “Tawny was the only one who would tend to it,” Eileen said. “Rubbed the poor baby with Vaseline.”
    “She was the only one kind enough,” Benny said.
    “Yeah, and all the while she was trying to put you in jail.”
    Benny shut up but mumbled something about a traitor under his breath.
    “Found this upstairs, Linc,” one of the detectives said, waving a purse. “It was in the closet.”
    “That’s Tawny Dell’s,” Linc said.
    “You sure?” Harry