Sierra smiled. “I don’t blame you at all. After my last move, I don’t want to move again for years.” Then she saw Adam watching her and she figured if she ended up mating him, one of them would have to move, unless they got a new place of their own and both moved. “While we’re unpacking your boxes, I’ll tell you all about what happened last night.” Well, not all that happened.
Adam winked at her as if he knew what she was suddenly thinking of. “I’ll drop Sierra off at your house in just a few minutes, Tori.”
“Okay, see you then.”
* * *
Adam had hoped he could talk to the suspect without his lawyer being present, so when he arrived at the interrogation room, he was surprised to learn Burt had actually waived his right to legal representation. Adam was glad though, because without a lawyer, they might be able to get somewhere with this. Detective Jerome Plumber was there as Adam’s backup.
“Okay, let’s start with the business with the break-in at the hotel.” Adam wanted to jump right in about the kidnapping, but he hoped talking about a lesser crime might get Burt to talk.
“I wasn’t at the hotel.” Burt made the comment casually, as if he wasn’t worried they could prove he had stolen from one of the hotel guests, despite having been caught with the goods.
Adam passed the two sketches of Burt to him. “These were sketches done of you. One was based on a witness’s description of you at the hotel, and one was drawn based on an eyewitness account at your aunt’s house.”
Burt studied the photos and smiled, as if he were pleased that Sierra had caught his likeness. And she had. In both sketches.
He leaned back in his chair, folded his arms, and shook his head. “Nah, not me. Looks similar, but they’re not of me. There must be a million guys who look just like that.”
“We have video of you coming and going from the hotel. You were found with the stolen goods on you from the hotel room.” Adam showed the evidence to Burt in plastic bags.
Burt shook his head again. “Nah. I wasn’t in any hotel room. I was nearby though, sure, and I saw this guy—who looked similar to me—run out of the hotel like he was on fire. Then I guess he got spooked and he dropped everything and ran. I figured finders, keepers, you know.” He shrugged. “So I grabbed the stuff and took off in my car.”
“Stolen car. You left your aunt’s car in the parking lot after driving it there and tore off in the stolen car. You were videotaped clicking the key fob until you found the car the key belonged to. We have it all on a video recording. You parking in the parking lot in your aunt’s car, walking into the hotel, and some minutes later, running out of the hotel, stolen goods in hand. You trying the key fob until you found which car taillights lit up, you speeding off in the stolen car out of the parking lot. There wasn’t anyone else in the vicinity. No one who ran out of the hotel like you did. No one was carrying a bunch of stolen goods, then dropping them in the parking lot for you to pick up.”
Burt frowned. “Okay, so—if I pled guilty, how much would that get me?”
“Well, we still have the situation with a stolen gun being in your possession. The same gun taken from a house where a kidnapped victim had been tied up and left behind.”
“I had nothing to do with any kidnapping.”
“Your fingerprints were in the woman’s car you stole to carry out the kidnapping,” Jerome said, finally speaking up. He smiled at Adam, who hadn’t gotten the news yet that they’d actually gotten some prints from Sierra’s car. “We have your prints on file for a former burglary—you’re a convicted felon.”
“The woman gave me a ride one day when my car broke down.”
“Really,” Adam said. “How do you explain how a witness gave this sketch of you in the kidnapping of a minor? Did you plan the kidnapping? Or did the woman who was your accomplice plan the whole operation? Or was someone else in charge?”
Burt ran his hands through his hair. “Okay, what can I do to make this all go away?” He held his hands up in a placating way.
“We can’t make it all go away,” Adam said. “Kidnapping is a felony offense. You used a weapon during the kidnapping. You threatened the victim. You’re a convicted felon for armed robbery and currently on parole. Tell us who planned the kidnapping and let him…or her…take the rap for that.”
“I’m going to prison anyway. That’s what you’re saying, right? And if I told you who was in charge of it, he would kill me when I got to prison.”
“Dover Manning would get out in a few years. But you? You could go away for much longer after all you’ve pulled. And for what? Doing his dirty work for him? How much did you get out of it? More time in the slammer.” Adam assumed between Burt and Dover’s girlfriend, Burt was the weak link.
Burt stiffened.
“It’s up to you. With everything we have on you, you’re going away for a long time, and that’s the end of the story. At least for you. Dover’s girlfriend is still at large. She could possibly get away without serving any jail time. The next thing you know, Dover’s sentence is shortened and he’s free as a bird while you’re left to rot in prison.” Adam paused, letting his words sink in. “Okay, look, Dover’s girlfriend, Phyllis Kenton, doesn’t think much of you, does she? She thinks you’re an idiot. That Dover should dump your ass because you’re not good enough for the team. But Dover keeps you on because he needs someone to do his bidding without question and who would serve as the fall guy when you get caught.”
Burt slid his hands over his lap.
“You might feel you owe something to Dover, even if he’s just using you, because you’ve been with him for a long time. But Phyllis? She has only been with him for two years, right? And you’re no longer in so thick with Dover now, are you? She has come between the two of you, and now you’re going to take the fall for something she and Dover wanted you to do. You’re the one holding the gun, threatening the girl, forcing her into the car, bullying her at the house. Correct me if I’m wrong, but you’re the only one who’s going to take the rap for this, and the woman who calls you an idiot is going to get away with it and find another pawn to do Dover’s and her bidding.”
Burt was glowering at Adam but didn’t say a word.
“Did Dover tell you to assist Phyllis in kidnapping the girl, or was it Phyllis who told you that you were needed for the job?”
Burt ground his teeth and folded his arms. “I don’t take orders from her.”
“Okay, but when you’re on the job, who calls all the shots?” Adam could see from Burt’s mutinous expression that Phyllis did, but Burt didn’t want to admit it.