They were all ready for it to be over and done with, so they could get back to their normal day-to-day without having threats and danger constantly hanging over the heads. They were all due a break.
“Have you already contacted the FBI?” Lawson asked as they made their way to the interrogation rooms. He knew there was a chance the FBI would step in immediately, but he was hoping he’d at least be able to take a quick stab at the suspects before they were taken into FBI custody.
“I did,” Sheriff Willis replied. “I filled them in on everything you told me and sent what information I had over to them. They’ve got some agents on the way, said they’d probably be here tomorrow.”
“So what you’re saying is I’ve got one shot to talk to them both, see what I can find out before they’re gone,” Lawson confirmed, and the sheriff nodded with a grim smile.
“Sorry I couldn’t give you more time. I just want them out of here. All this trafficking stuff is too dangerous for our small-town police station.” Sheriff Willis gestured down the hallway. “Donner’s in the first interrogation room,” he told him. “You ready to get started?”
“Yep, let’s do this,” Lawson replied, steeling himself for what lay ahead.
Lawson had looked over Paul Donner’s rap sheet the previous night while he’d been at the station, and it was pretty impressive, he had to admit. Impressive in a way that he was surprised Donner had been able to set foot outside a prison at all. Assault, drug charges, illegal possession of a weapon, attempted murder…the list went on. Obviously, Granger had the right kind of connections to keep his guys from doing hard time.
Sheriff Willis unlocked the door, and Lawson led the way inside. Donner was cuffed to the table, and he shook his chains demonstratively as soon as Lawson stepped inside.
“Let me out of these,” he snarled, and Lawson ignored him. The man was going to throw as much nonsense as he could at them to avoid dealing with the real questions at hand, and it was up to Lawson to keep his cool. He’d handled plenty of people like Donner over the years, and if the man thought he was going to get under his skin, he didn’t stand a chance.
Lawson sat down opposite the perp, while the sheriff stood behind Lawson, hands clasped before him, like a security guard.
“I don’t know what I’m doing here,” Donner snapped. “This is false arrest!”
“Really, Mr. Donner?” Lawson asked. “Because I’ve had a look at your file. And with the stuff they found in your car alone,you’d go down for many years. Not to mention the attempted kidnapping charge.”
“What kidnapping?” the man retorted. “I didn’t kidnap anyone.” He leaned back in his seat smugly, locking eyes with Lawson. “I think you should be the one on this side of the table,” he remarked. “You’re the one who assaulted us. When we hadn’t done anything wrong. We were just going to use the bathroom.”
Lawson steadily held the other man’s gaze and raised an eyebrow at his comments. Donner could try to spin the arrest any way he wanted, but Lawson wasn’t stupid. He knew exactly what the thug and his buddy were out there to do. And it certainly wasn’t to use the facilities.
Sheriff Willis snorted with amusement, and Donner’s eyes darkened.
Lawson calmly clasped his hands in front of him on the table. “What can you tell us about Victor Granger and his operation?” he began. “If you share what you know, we can see about cutting you a deal, like Mr. Adams.”
For the briefest moment, Lawson could see the doubt in the other man’s eyes, as he wondered if what Lawson had said was true. Lawson stared back at him, poker face in place, keeping up the act, but then Donner’s lip curled into a sneer.
“Yeah, no way has he said anything about anything,” he replied. “Nice try, man. You have any clue what Victor does to snitches? Worse than anything you could think of.”
“So, fill us in. Tell us what we need to know,” Lawson said. “Give us his location. Tell us about his operation. We won’t let on that you gave anything away. It’s your best chance for a lighter sentence. If you show some kind of cooperation.”
Donner barked out a harsh laugh, shaking his head. “You people… This little backwoods town has no clue the nightmare he’ll rain down on you all. You’ll never be able to sleep again,wondering when he’s coming for you, or what he’ll do to you and anyone you care about.”
Lawson felt his muscles tense at Donner’s words, and he saw the sheriff shifting uncomfortably from the corner of his eye. Sheriff Willis was already unsettled enough about these two men being in his station, and he didn’t need to hear this. It would only make his apprehension about the whole affair worse.
Watching Donner across the table and seeing the fear flickering in his eyes at what his boss might do to him had Lawson wondering exactly what kind of horrors Granger had drilled into his men’s heads about the consequences of snitching if they were caught. He almost didn’t want to know.
Suddenly, Donner’s eyes went flat and darkened, his gaze locked on Lawson with what looked like madness.
“You go after Victor, it’ll be the last mistake you ever make,” he warned Lawson, his eyes burning. “You and everyone you know. You have no idea how dangerous he is.”
“Why don’t you tell us, then? Help us and yourself.”
“You don’t have a damn clue.” He laughed again, the sound bouncing off the walls around them. “I’m going to enjoy seeing you find out.”
Lawson could see why the sheriff had looked so exhausted when he had arrived today. All the crap Donner was spouting off, and he assumed Jim Adams would be the same.
“You’re going to get yourselves killed and you’re going to deserve it,” he continued, an evil grin spreading over his face. “I wish I could be there when it happens. You’ll find out soon enough who you’re dealing with.”
“We’re not getting anything out of him. Come on, Lawson, let’s go,” Sheriff Willis muttered behind him.
Lawson rose to his feet and tried not to react to the sheriff saying his name in front of this thug.