Page 96 of Backtrack

“I go by Bart,” the man said, hangdog now.

Cutter pushed himself to his feet and made a deliberate 360. He eyed the collapsing circle of tourists to make sure they weren’t aiming anything more dangerous than cell phones. “US Marshals!” he said. “Everyone stay back, please.”

Two Ketchikan PD officers approached from the road beyondthe falls, making their way through the crowd. Cutter badged them, then stepped away to explain the situation out of Preston’s earshot.

The older of the two officers, a compactly built man with a crooked smile and a ruddy, James Caan look, gave a curt nod. “Be glad to transport for you.”

Preston’s shoulders slumped, looking like he might cry.

“That bitch attacked me out of the blue! I never did anything to her and—”

Lola hauled the outlaw to his feet. “Save your breath, Bartholomew,” she said. “We were there.”

“You got that foot pursuit you wanted,” Cutter said when they were away from all the cameras.

Lola scoffed. “You could hardly call it a pursuit. I reckon this guy couldn’t outrun a three-legged dog. I mean, look at him, Boss. Perfect example of what happens when you skimp cardio. Matter of fact, his legs owe the rest of his body an apology.”

Less than twenty yards up the hillside, Ricky Pink watched from the shadows of giant hemlocks and spruce on pathway that led from the Cape Fox Hotel down to Creek Street. Married Man’s Trail.

“I’m gonna break his neck,” Pink muttered.

“He won’t say anything,” Shayna said. “I guarantee that. I know where his bodies are buried.”

“I’m not talking about your idiot cousin,” Pink said. “I mean Cutter’s grandson.”

“That’s just crazy, hon,” Shayna said. “If you kill him now, we won’t ever find the diamonds.”

Pink wheeled in place. “Don’tevercall me crazy!”

“Sor-ry-ah,” drawing out the word so she sounded anything but. “He seems awfully chatty with that Hawaiian chick. Could be they’re more than partners. Maybe she knows something about the diamonds.”

Pink cracked his knuckles one by one. “When are you gonna get it through your head? I don’t give a shit about the diamonds.”

“You don’t mean that.” Shayna shifted nervously beside him. She tugged at his arm starting him back up the mountain. “Come on, honeybunch. Somebody’s gonna notice that badass stare ofyours.” She lifted her phone to her ear and pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes. “I’m letting Leo know what just went down. He’ll take care of things.”

“Okay,” Pink said. The cruise ship was visible through the evergreen boughs. “I’ll wait to do Cutter. But we are gonna whack the wife.”

Shayna threw up her hands, hissing through her teeth. “You seriously don’t care about finding those diamonds, do you?”

“I care about making that son of a bitch bleed.” Pink glared down at her.

“Patience.” She turned and started uphill as if everything was settled.

“You’re right about that Hawaiian bird,” Pink said, watching the way Cutter looked at the Polynesian woman. “They got something going. We’ll start with her. Get her alone, and cut her some—”

“What the hell, Ricky?” Shayna gasped. “You’ll blow this whole thing up in our faces.”

“We still have the wife,” Pink said. “Either the Hawaiian bird knows something or she doesn’t. Tell Leo to stay on her.”

Shayna gave a vehement shake of her head. “I do not think—”

“That’s your problem,” Ricky said. “You think too much. Sometimes, you just gottado. Tell Leo to stay on the Hawaiian girl. Get her alone as soon as he can. Cutter finds her body, he’ll get the message clear enough.”

Cutter and Teariki turned over custody of No-Neck Preston to the KPD officers, then made their way through the crowds along Creek Street. They found Joellen exactly where they’d left her, overlooking the tidal basin. She thanked the Red Hat Ladies profusely for sitting with her and then sent them on their way.

“Hey there,” she said, beaming at Cutter. “Here I am thinking I know you pretty damn well, but you still manage to surprise me.”

Joellen moved closer, like she was about to give him a hug. Lola stepped in, hipshot, to block her.