Dying For LA by Ian Jones (top fiction books of all time .txt) 📕

Keane was lying on the bunk, he jumped up when he saw them. Reed opened the cell gate and stood in the opening, blocking it, staring hard down at Keane, who looked around and then fixed on Turner who was standing watching.

‘Right Major, I hope you have come to clear this shit up. I got work to do, I’m a police chief.’

Turner looked back impassively, and said nothing.

‘Ron, you need to come clean. It’s not too late but we are fast running out of time. We all know that the killing hasn’t stopped, it’s obvious they haven’t found whatever it is they are looking for. So, you may as well start talking,’ John said.

Keane walked forward and gripped the bars.

‘You’ve cooked up this conspiracy shit and you ain’t listening. One more time. I do not know what you are talking about,’ Keane pronounced the sentence slowly and deliberately.

John rubbed his face.

‘Oh yeah, you do. You’ve been with us and then feeding them from day one, it’s clear as day. You can keep on denying it, while we know that it’s just more lies but all the time you do you stay down here.’

‘Yeah? Let’s see what my attorney has to say.’

Reed laughed out loud.

‘Attorney? What the hell? You know where you are, right? It’s exactly like John just said, you’re staying here, you go no place until we get some answers. Attorney, Jesus,’ Reed snorted.

Keane’s cheeks flushed angrily.

‘This is bullshit, you can’t keep me here. I know the law.’

Turner spoke for the first time, impassively looking at Keane.

‘Law? You, of all people talking to us about the law? Right now, this is the law. Nobody has any idea you are here. You belong to me. I’ve heard everything, and I believe that you are guilty as charged. So my advice Mr Keane, is you do as you are asked and start talking, because you can rot down here for all anyone cares. These cells are here for dangerous prisoners, soldiers who have committed serious offences and are awaiting transfer to Leavenworth or Midwest. But they aren’t used anymore, there’s a whole new system in place. Army finally went digital. And that means you are on your own, and you are staying where you are.’

John glanced at Turner gratefully, it was obvious his words had an impact.

Keane turned and sat down on the bunk.

‘I don’t know anything. This is all horseshit. You’re not listening,’ he mumbled.

Reed stepped back and closed the gate, and turned the key in the lock loudly. Turner walked over and spoke through the bars.

‘We’ll leave you to think about this. You’ll get food and water. It will be put under the gate. My officers will not talk to you. We will be back tomorrow. You’re not in jail, not like you know it. There is no recreation, no yard time, no TV, no library. No nothing. Just you, in this cell. This is going to get old, and fast.’

Turner spun round smartly and led the way up and out. Once they were back upstairs in the lobby Reed looked through the window in the wall and assembled his team.

‘Ok, you know this man is not in the military. This is an ongoing situation, everything is unclear right now. He is to be fed and watered as normal, but I want two taking it in every time. Leave the tray and go. No talking, don’t even look at him. Nobody goes downstairs on their own, and nobody speaks. Apart from chow time the only people that go in are major Turner, me, Sergeant Gonzalez and finally this man here, John Smith. Whatever he asks for, he doesn’t get. If he starts making a real fuss and it gets out of hand, call me. Do not enter into conversation at any time. And finally, if anyone shows up here that shouldn’t be anywhere near this place, put them straight into a normal cell and let me know. Am I clear?’

The men and women who surrounded him agreed.

‘Good. I will keep you all informed.’

He looked at John, who nodded.

‘Ok Tom, let’s get back to Santa Monica.’

***

It was turning into a long day, and Sammy was starting to despair. She really hadn’t considered what she was hoping to achieve by coming over to Santa Monica. Had she really believed she would just wander into a hotel and he’d be sitting in the lobby?

There were so many hotels and motels, and so many people. The place was very busy, and there was no clear distinction where it started and ended. She had been based in the same location for close to four hours, and had to finally admit he might easily have walked past a hundred times and she could have missed him.

She hadn’t really gone into any detail of her plans with Simon, and she realised that was a big mistake. He had lived in LA his whole life, and knew it well. He would have been able to advise her, although it would probably have been ‘I think it’s a waste of time, Sammy.’ But he would have at least offered to come down here with her, he would have done everything he could to help.

Feeling defeated she dug her mobile out her bag and called him.

As anticipated, he listened to what her plan had been with disbelief, but it wasn’t in him to criticise her.

He told her about a rooftop bar at the edge of Venice Beach, which had a good view of the area and a lot of visitors went there, but other than that he didn’t really have any suggestions.

Rooftop bar? What the hell, why not? A glass of wine would go down well, she told herself. Then she would find somewhere to stay.

Simon told her he would head down there later, maybe they could get dinner. As cheerfully as she could she said that it would probably be a bad idea and hung up the phone.

She