Rain Gods (Hackberry Holland 2)

?Suit yourself, ma?am,? Pam said. She waited until they were out of earshot before she spoke again. ?How do you read all that stuff about Collins and Bobby Lee Motree and this character T-Bone??

?Who knows? Collins probably has psychotic episodes.?

?Vikki Gaddis has a mouth on her, doesn?t she??

?They?re just kids,? Hackberry said.

?That doesn?t mean you should put your ass in a sling for them.?

?Wouldn?t dream of it.?

Maydeen Stoltz walked into the room. ?Ethan Riser is on the phone. Want me to take a message??

?Where?s he calling from?? Hackberry asked.

?He didn?t say.?

?Ask him if he?s in town.?

?Like that? ?Are you in town???

?Yeah, tell him I want to ask him to dinner. Would you please do it, Maydeen??

She went back into the dispatcher?s office, then returned. ?He?s in San Antonio.?

?Put him through.?

?I?m going to get a job on a spaceship,? she said.

A moment later, the light on Hackberry?s desk phone went on, and he picked up the receiver. ?Hey, Ethan. How are you??

?You called me by my first name.?

?I?m trying to get a perspective on a couple of things. Is there any development with Nick Dolan?s situation??

?Not a lot.?

?Have y?all interviewed him yet??

?No comment.?

?So he?s still bait??

?I wouldn?t use that particular term.?

?Hang on.? Hackberry covered the receiver with his palm. ?Keep those kids out of here.?

?I?m kind of busy,? Riser said. ?What can I help you with??

?How valuable is Pete Flores to you??

?He?s the weak sister in the mass killing. He can give us names. It takes just one thread to pull a sweater loose.?

?I don?t think ?weak sister? is a good term for a kid like that.?

?Maybe not. But Flores made his choice when he signed on with the bunch who murdered those women and girls. We can use him to testify against the others. That means he goes into custody as a material witness.?

?Custody? In the can??