I work for Deputy Harrington, Stone said. Nothing. He waited. I know what's happening, Reeves said. I know that something is happening.
People are talking. Tim knows. You've been going around to the businesses. He's not calm about it. Why are you calling me?"
Stone asked. Silence on the other end lasted long enough that Stone thought the man might hang up. Because I was there at your bar when they when we went in. Another pause. Touch anything.
I want you to know that by the door and I didn't touch anything because I knew it was wrong and I didn't know how to. I just I stood there and let him sit in that for a moment. " Okay," Stone said. Reeves sounded like he had expected something else. He called me.
Stone said, "You didn't have to, so I'm listening." " What is it you want to tell me?" Another pause, shorter this time. The young officer seemed to be deciding something right there on the phone in real time. Is going to move against you.
Reeves said he doesn't know about the FBI yet. At least I don't think he does, but he knows you've been building something. He talked to Sheriff Buell yesterday. I wasn't supposed to hear, but the door to Buell's office wasn't fully closed. He stopped and to try to have you arrested.
They're putting together a report that says they found evidence of of illegal activity during the inspection of your bar. Kated, I know it's fabricated because I was there and there was nothing. Going to file it and use it as grounds to bring you in and seize your documentation. Was very still. His mind was running fast and clean, the way it had learned to run in situations where the information coming in required immediate strategic processing.
Don't asked, "I don't know exactly soon. Today or tomorrow, Sir Reeves Stone kept his voice even. What you've just told me constitutes evidence of a planned obstruction of justice and the fabrication of official documents. You understand that?" " Yes," Reeves said.
His voice was barely audible. " Are you willing to make a statement to that effect to federal investigators?" Long silence. " Yes," Reeves said. That's yes, Jim. "
That's why I'm calling." Stone closed his eyes briefly. Relief from the specific complicated feeling that comes when someone who has been afraid for a long time decides to stop. " You said I was never alone," Reeves said suddenly frowned slightly. " I didn't say I know," Reeves said.
You didn't say it to me, but someone told me you said it to someone else. J that you said you were never alone. You were just waiting for someone else to stand first. A pause. Waiting for someone else to stand first for 14 months.
Sat with that for a moment. " What's your shift today?" Stone asked. Three. " After your shift, you come to my bar."
You don't call me again from your work phone. You don't tell anyone you've called me. You come in when your shift is over and you ask for coffee and you sit down. He paused. " You do that?" "
Yes," Reeves said. " Good," Stone said. He hung up. He sat for exactly 10 seconds processing. Then he called Anna.
She answered on the first ring, which meant she was already awake, which was not a surprise. He said, "We have a development." She was there in 12 minutes." He told her about Reeves. He watched her face move through surprise, calculation, and resolution in about 30 seconds.
One, we need to move the documentation. She said immediately coming to seize it. Already thinking it, Stone said, "We want everything original out of this building today. Be eye contact. I'm calling Shea right now and telling him what Reeves told me.
May be able to move up his arrival." " What about Reeves himself?" Anna said. Tim finds out he called. I know Stone said need Shea before Reeves comes this one.
I want a federal agent present when Reeves makes his statement. And I nodded fast the way she nodded when the urgency was real and there was no time for anything slower. " Call Shea." " I'll start moving the documentation to my apartment." Have grounds to search there.
Take Gerald's ledger, too. Picked it up last night. I know. I put it in my bag before I left. She was already reaching for the folders.
Shea Stone called Shea. The agent answered on the second ring. Development on Stone said and told him everything Reeves had saidly quickly and precisely. When he finished, Shea was quiet for exactly 4 seconds. Leaving Billings in an hour.