The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes by Marcus Sakey Read Free Book Online

that, I won’t hurt you. You’ve got my word.” He gave her his best schoolboy smile.
“Okay.”
“Where is Daniel Hayes?”
Her mouth fell open again. “This is—I don’t understand.”
“Daniel Hayes. Your client and friend, the one you half-adopted when he was still living in a tower at Park LaBrea. Five-eleven, one eighty, likes piña coladas and walks in the rain?”
“Is he okay? What did you do to him?”
Bennett paused, stared for a long time. Then he said, quietly, “You know, you’re still a beautiful woman, Sophie.”
Her knees almost gave, and a whimpering sound came from deep in her throat. “I don’t know where Daniel is. I haven’t spoken to him since he left.”
“When did you last talk to him?”
“About a week ago.”
“What did you talk about?”
“I can’t discuss it.”
Bennett laughed, honestly delighted. “Really?”
“It’s confidential.”
“Attorney-client privilege?”
“Well, technically—”
“Let’s try again.” He slid the Colt from his waistband. “What did Hayes say when he called you?”
She hesitated a moment, then said. “He was drunk. Crying. He sounded terrible.”
“I would imagine. What did he say?”
“Nothing that made any sense.” For the first time, she broke eye contact. “That he was sorry.”
“He say what for”
“No. Just that it was his fault, he was so sorry. He was slurring a lot, not making any sense.”
“Who does he know in Maine?”
“What?”
“Daniel. Maine. Who does he know?”
“I—I don’t know. No one.”
“Where is he hiding?”
“I don’t know. What do you want with him anyway?”
“Do you watch a lot of movies, Sophie?”
“What?”
“I know you represent actors, directors, so you must. You know the scenes where the hero is trying not to tell the bad guys something? Mel Gibson kind of shit? Everyone likes to think that if it was them, they’d hold out. Dig deep, clench their jaw, not say a word. But here’s the thing.” Bennett leaned forward. “Pain sucks. It sucks worse than you can imagine. It becomes your whole world.” He tapped the pistol against his thigh. “I don’t enjoy it. But believe me, when pain is involved, real pain? No one holds out.”
An effective performance, judging by her reaction. He could see her wondering how he would hurt her, whether it would be rape or something worse. Wondering what she would be afterward, if there was an afterward; all those years of independence wiped away, her freedom caged, loves tainted, triumphs turned to ash. Sixty-one years old and abruptly broken. A victim.
Remember, sister. This isn’t the boardroom.
“I-I don’t know anyone in Maine.”
“Think hard.”
“I am . I don’t know anyone. I don’t think Daniel does either.”
“Family, friends?”
“No.”
“Then why is he there?”
“I— Is he?”
Try something new. “What about the necklace?”
“What necklace?”
“I know you have it. Where is it?” Chances were she didn’t, of course, but no need for her to know that.
“ What? ” The panic was back. “I don’t—I swear—I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.”
Damn. She was telling the truth. There were all kinds of tics when someone was lying. But her blinking was controlled, the emotions in her eyes and mouth matched, she was using contractions. She’d been thrown by the changes in subject, when liars usually embraced them. He’d bet on it: Sophie didn’t know where Bennett’s payment was, or where he could find Daniel Hayes.
Damn it.
He could always ask more aggressively. But it was risky after the mess in Chicago. That had been a dangerous play from the beginning, but no one could have anticipated the way it would fall apart, the four fucking amateurs getting in the middle of what should have been a clean job. Worse, given the nature of the product, he’d found himself burned completely. A lifetime of staying off the radar wiped away in a week. And not just cops. Homeland Security. They’d have