Page 124 of The Devil's Advocate

Cutting off Harry, Francis said, ‘Lomax knew Dubois was guilty. Lomax was just making sure he didn’t get off.’

Harry lowered his head, ‘Lomax saw an easy arrest. He didn’t care about getting the right person for Skylar’s murder, just the one he could convict. Lomax had his own troubles, too. His wife, and a poisonous man whispering in his ear every day. He had his own pain. You know, people who are in pain do one of two things. They either want to make sure no one else goes through the kind of pain they are dealing with, or they want everyone to hurt like they do. You know only one of those options has a future. If you cause others pain, you will forever be its prisoner. You know that. That’s why you haven’t gotten out of this truck. You could walk away, detonate that device from a mile away. But you’re here. You want it all to end. Don’t you want to know the truth about what happened to Skylar?’

For a few seconds, Francis stared at the glass of bourbon on the dash. Then he looked at the phone in his hand.

‘Why should I believe you?’ he asked, fresh tears in his eyes, his thumb touching the call button.

‘I think you’ll know the truth when you hear it. A lot about that night doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t fit with the prosecution’s case. The marks on Skylar’s face, those came from a cop’s ring. That’s not a fancy lawyer argument, the marks are there. On her skin.’

Francis’s breathing quickened even more, he shut his eyes tight and punched the steering wheel.

‘This is all bullshit, you’re lying to me,’ he said, taking the phone in two hands.

‘Maybe I am, maybe I’m not. That’s up to you. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think you were worth saving. I would’ve just shot you in the head from the bar window. Now, either you pick up that glass and have a drink with me, and I’ll tell you what really happened to your daughter, or you push that button. It’s up to you.’

CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX

EDDIE

Soon as Harry hung up on me, I called Kate, told her to grab Andy, Patricia, and Harry if she could, and get the hell out of the hotel. Then I called Bloch, put the phone away and ran.

My feet pounded along the street. I was five minutes from the hotel. I’d dropped the sandwiches and the drinks soon as I got the call from Bloch, and just sprinted back in the direction of The Chanterelle.

A large SUV pulled alongside me and the rear passenger window buzzed open. It was Bloch.

‘Get in,’ she said.

The vehicle stopped, I ran around to the other side and got in. Berlin was in the passenger seat up front and a guy I didn’t recognize was driving.

‘Harry’s going to try to talk this guy down. I know it,’ I said.

‘Why would he do that?’ asked Berlin.

‘Because he’s old and stupid and he believes in people.’

I held onto the backseat as the SUV turned off Main Street, tires protesting at the speed and angle of the turn, the car leaning to the left, forcing my right shoulder into Bloch, my head turning quickly, looking for the truck.

I didn’t need to look too hard.

‘Up ahead,’ said Berlin, from the front seat. ‘Slow down, drive past it so we can take a look.’

The man behind the wheel put pressure on the brakes, slowing the car, and we cruised past the truck. Harry was in the cab with Francis, and he was pouring himself a drink.

‘Stop the car,’ said Bloch.

Berlin waved at the driver to keep moving.

‘Stop ! Edwards is still in the cab. Harry’s with him,’ she said, pulling at the door release. The door didn’t open. All doors were locked and controlled by the driver’s console.

‘Let me out,’ said Bloch.

I grabbed the door release, pulled on it. Nothing happened.

‘Wait. Anderson, turn this thing around. Go back and then swing the car so I can see what’s going on in the cab of that truck,’ said Berlin.

The guy I guessed was called Anderson spun the wheel, and we drove past the truck, maybe another hundred yards and then he put the SUV across the street, blocking any traffic from getting near the truck.

Anderson pulled a pistol from a black suit jacket.