Page 50 of The Devil's Advocate

‘Your motion for discovery is denied. Jury selection begins in the morning, and as is my practice in this court, we expect that to take a day, maximum. I’ll be looking forward to it. Oh, and do let me know if your client posts the five-hundred-thousand-dollar bail. The bail office closes in fifteen minutes. And remember, it’s the full bond, cash only. Case adjourned.’

‘Wait with Andy in the cells. Tell them you need a consultation. Buy us some time. I’ll call Eddie,’ said Harry, the phone already in his hand.

Kate took Andy’s arm to make sure she was not separated from him by the court bailiff. She had already decided she wasn’t going to leave him alone with these men. Damien Green came forward, his one good eye was full of fear as his case was called. He had been hurt and framed because he’d helped them. This was a rotten town, and Kate was prepared to burn it to the ground to save Andy.

‘What’s happening?’ asked Andy.

‘It’s okay,’ said Kate. ‘I won’t leave you. We’re going back to the cells to talk. That’s all. It’s going to be alright. I won’t let them take you.’

Lomax drew his nightstick from his belt and approached Andy.

‘Let’s get you back to lock-up,’ said the sheriff.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

EDDIE

Bloch parked up outside the Buckstown branch of the National Bank, turned up the air conditioning and closed her eyes.

‘Are you tired?’ I asked.

She raised a hand, spread her fingers and tilted her palm, back and forth:so so.

‘I’m really tired,’ I said. ‘Harry snores.’

Ignoring me, Bloch settled her head into the seat back. Ex-cops had an uncanny ability to get shut-eye whenever they needed it.

My phone buzzed. Text message from Harry.

Half a mil. Cash. If we don’t get him out now the sheriff might kill him. They’re sending another prisoner into his cell tonight.

Shit. I dialed a number and it was picked up fast.

‘Eddie, how’s it going?’ said Berlin.

‘Not so good. No sign of Cody Warren. Two quick things. I need you to put out a cell phone search on the victim’s phone. It wasn’t in her possessions when they found the body.’

‘Warren already asked me. As far as cell site geography goes, her phone was either switched off or destroyed at the scene. It hasn’t showed up on any cell phone masts since the night of the murder. What’s the second thing?’

‘The sheriff has Andy in the county lock-up and he’s working the kid. Andy is going to plead guilty to a crime he didn’t commit if we don’t get him out of there. He’s scared, and I can’t win this case with him in there. I’ve got to get him out, talk to him. Get him to tell the truth. If we don’t get him out he could be beaten to death anytime.’

‘How much?’

‘You always have a way of cutting to the chase. Half a mil. Cash.’

‘For bail? Jesus, couldn’t you have gotten it down some? Andy won’t earn half a million dollars in his lifetime.’

‘I can’t save this kid’s life if he’s murdered in his cell. If he turns up for trial, which he will, then you get it all back. We’re on a clock here. I’m parked outside Buckstown National. I need you to transfer it, right now.’

‘I need a little more notice than that.’

‘Right now. This kid may not make it through the night. Beating Andy to death or hanging him in his cell is not beyond these folks.’

‘Alright, goddamn it, but just make sure he doesn’t skip bail. He’s your responsibility. If he ships out, you owe me five hundred grand.’

‘Agreed.’

‘Alright. Go into the bank, check on an account in the name of Forbes. I’ll authorize you. We’ve got accounts for operatives, US treasury will take twenty-four hours to notice, by that time I’ll have moved some money around to cover it. Just get him out.’