Crowbones

CHAPTER 67

Grimshaw

Earthday, Novembros 4

Rodney Roash kept up his belligerent whining all the way to the station. But Grimshaw heard the fear underneath the words. The man knew he was in trouble, but he didn’t yet understand that having the chief of police demonstrate human law at work was the only thing keeping Roash safe from a different kind of justice.

Once they were inside the station, he patted Roash down, having Osgood stand nearby as a witness. He took Roash’s wallet and mobile phone before he removed the handcuffs and ordered the man to put everything else in the tray Osgood set on the desk.

“I’m entitled to a phone call,” Roash said.

“You certainly are,” Grimshaw agreed, while Osgood made a list of Roash’s property.

“I need to call my college and let them know about this mistreatment. And I need to call my attorney.”

“You get one phone call.”

“Then I’ll take my mobile phone back and—”

“No.” Grimshaw sat behind his desk. “There is a human attorney in the village. It’s Earthday, so he won’t be in his office, but I can call and ask him to be present during your questioning if you’d feel more comfortable with that.”

“I want my attorney!”

“Then you’d better tell him that this village is closed off until the killer is found, and if he makes it past the barriers and reaches Sproing, he won’t be able to leave. Since you’ll be staying here for the time being, I guess he could use a bed at one of the Mill Creek Cabins, because there is no other place for him to stay. You be sure to tell him that. You should also tell him the reason you’re sitting here, about to be questioned, is that you have a direct connection with the deaths of three humans and two terra indigene.” Grimshaw smiled. “Professor Roash, if I was your attorney, I wouldn’t return your calls in the foreseeable future—assuming you have a future.”

“Then I’ll talk to the attorney who’s here.”

“I’ll give Mr. Diamante a call and arrange a time for all of us to sit down and talk. Officer Osgood, take the professor back to the cell and make sure he gives you his belt and shoelaces.”

“Yes, sir,” Osgood said.

Roash huffed. “You think I’m going to use a belt or shoelaces to harm myself over this?”

“We’re not worried about you using those things,” Grimshaw replied.

It took Roash a moment to catch on. Then he paled. “I need protection!”

“Yes, you do. That is one of the reasons you’re here.”

As Osgood led Roash to the station’s cell, Grimshaw called Paulo Diamante to see if the village’s human attorney was willing to advise the man currently assisting in a police inquiry.

Then he swore. He’d been so focused on the bodies, he hadn’t connected the dots when he’d made the call to Bristol this morning, hadn’t considered the large obstacle that stood in the way of his getting any help.

Blowing out a breath, he called Samuel Kipp to find out if the CIU team had managed to reach The Jumble.