Page 145 of Witness 8

‘I’ll get him some bourbon,’ said Bloch.

‘It’s not allowed in the hospital,’ said Chantelle.

‘Lady, either you owe us all about a thousand dollars in speeding tickets, or you can let her go get this man a drink so we can shut him the hell up,’ said Kate.

Chantelle apologized again, said one small drink wouldn’t hurt, and left the room.

I closed my eyes.

And held my friend.

Epilogue

The Man

The man slipped on a new T-shirt, stepped into his khaki shorts and worked his feet into his flip-flops as the coffee machine in the kitchen began to gurgle.

He poured himself a cup and took it to the work station. He picked up his Bluetooth headphones, and his phone, and moved onto the balcony with his coffee. This was the last condo in the development to sell, because it was the most expensive. Partly you were paying for the view – an unobstructed one-eighty vista of Miami Beach and the vast Atlantic Ocean.

Life was good for the man.

He sipped his coffee and smelled the sand and the sea.

His phone rang.

Caller display readBedford Hills Correctional Facility.

He stared at the number for a moment, perplexed. Bedford Hills was a women’s prison. He answered.

‘Hello, can I help you?’ he said.

The voice on the other line was female.

‘Hi, I’d like to talk to someone about movies,’ she said.

‘May I have your name, please?’ said the man.

‘Ruby,’ she said.

‘Any particular actors you’re interested in?’

‘Marlon Brando,’ she said. ‘Two movies in particular.The ChaseandOne-Eyed Jacks.’

The man hesitated, said, ‘We should discuss a rental fee for those titles. They can be expensive.’

‘I don’t have any money. Tell him Ruby called,’ and she hung up.

The man thought for a moment. He didn’t work for free. However, his colleague might be irritated if he didn’t pass the message along.

The man dialed a secure number, rerouted many times through a sophisticated cell network to ensure that no one could possibly eavesdrop on their conversation. He took another drink of coffee.

‘Good morning, Mr. Christmas speaking . . .’

‘Good morning to you,’ said the man. ‘Just got a call from a woman named Ruby. I imagine she used the payphone in Bedford Hills Correctional.’

‘What did she say?’

‘She said she didn’t have any money. I think that’s most important.’