Pollard suddenly lumbered into the room. He smiled blandly and said, “Kane.”
“Pollard. Where’s Salvo?”
“On an op. I’m the watch commander, so you’ll have to talk to me.”
“And Grant?”
“Got his story already. Let’s hear yours and mix and match ’em.”
Kane told him what had occurred during the PPP, not leaving out or embellishing a single detail.
“Marvelous,” Pollard grunted, his snub-nosed face drawn in a scowl. “There are holes in your story big enough to drive a goddamn Sandcat through. You’re about a millimeter from finding your ass in front of a tribunal.”
“What are the holes?” challenged Kane. “You talked to Grant already, so he told you the same thing.”
“According to him, you believe it was a contract chill and Boon got in the way.”
“That’s how I read it. Why else did Uno ice Dos?”
“You tell me.”
Impatiently Kane snapped, “To keep him from fingering Guana.”
Intertwining his blunt fingers on the tabletop, Pollard replied, “Maybe, yes. Maybe no. Grant has some serious problems with your theory.”
Kane forced a derisive laugh, part snort, part sigh. “Don’t play that moldy old game with me, Polly.”
Pollard slammed the flat on his hand down on the table. “Don’t call me Polly, you arrogant bastard!”
Kane came up out of his chair so fast that it clattered over backward. Watching the action, unmoved and unmoving, the other two Mags were as quiet as a pair of statues.
Clenching his fists so hard his knuckles began to ache, Kane said in a low, deadly monotone, “You want to make this personal, you overstuffed dipshit? We’re both heeled, right?”
Pollard raised his right hand, slightly curling the fingers. His eyes impaled Kane with twin shafts of anger. “Don’t be crazy.”
“We’ve worked together for years. If you’re such a stupe you don’t remember I have no patience for games, I’ll jog your memory. Here and now. Make your move.”
Pollard heaved a gusty sigh and relaxed his fingers. “Sit down, Kane. Forget it. I didn’t mean to lean on you. Boon is dead, and all of us are shook up over it.”
Kane didn’t budge. “You talked to Grant.”
“Yeah. His story was substantially the same as yours.”
“Then why are we sitting here stepping on each other’s dicks? Let’s assemble a sweep squad and step on Guana’s.”
Pollard lifted the broad yoke of his shoulders in a dismissive shrug. “Like I said, Salvo ain’t here. Only he can authorize a Pit sweep.”
He stared at Kane keenly. “And don’t even think of going back down there on your own initiative. Your unilateral decision not to call for backup buried both you and Grant neck deep in shit. You go down to the Pits again, you better just stay there.”
Kane didn’t respond to Pollard’s words. “Where’s Grant now?”
“Home, probably. I suggest you go to your own and wait for Salvo’s call. I’ve already told Grant this, so now I’m telling youyou’re under orders not to contact each other until a final determination about this incident is reached.”
“We’re suspended?”
“No, but you’re being assigned to work different shifts until further notice.”
“Whatever you say.” Kane turned toward the door.
“Hey.”
Kane turned back. Pollard nudged the mini-Uzi across the table toward him with a contemptuous flick of his fingers. “Drop this off in the evidence room on your way out.”
Kane didn’t move.
Pollard added lamely, “Please.”
Kane picked up the blaster and strode out of the room. He debated with himself on whether to slam the door behind him or simply ease it shut. He opted to close it with an easy, relaxed click.
He stalked down the main corridor in such an obvious anger that no one he passed dared speak to him. The evidence room was adjacent to the armory. It was located there for a number of reasons, primarily so if any weapons of value came into Mag hands, they could be simply transferred over to the ville arsenal.
Kane tapped in his badge number on the keypad affixed to the wall beside the door. Lock solenoids snapped aside and allowed him to enter. The windowless room was always dimly lit, a perpetual twilight. Behind a wire-screen enclosure was the storage facility, mainly a double row of tall metal shelves. The air was hot, stale and motionless.