Josh put a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Never thought we’d get a chance to ever do that. Never gonna take that for granted again.”
“So what now?”
“You can’t see where the boy was sitting from the hallway. But they got private security here.” Josh checked his watch. “When I was working here they made rounds every hour on the hour. It’s quarter past now. Those boys are on the six-singles-an-hour plan and don’t give much of a shit about guarding bedpans, but they’ll probably notice he’s gone at some point. You ready?”
Rufus had already pulled on his prison pants and shoes. He had left off the shirt, opting for just his T-shirt instead. He had one thing clutched in his hand:the Gideon Bible. He didn’t feel free yet, but he was only seconds from it. “Twenty-five years’worth of ready.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
* * *
Chandler looked around Michael Fiske’s office. Located on the second floor of the building, it was large, with high ceilings, and half-foot-wide moldings. There were two massive wooden desks, each with a computer workstation, shelves filled with volumes of law books and case reporters, and a portable book caddy. There were wooden cabinets and stacks of files placed on the desks. The place was organized in a disorderly fashion, he concluded.
Perkins looked at Chandler. “There has to be someone from the Court present while you search. There are many confidential documents in here. Drafts of opinions, memos from justices and other clerks, that sort of thing, pertaining to undecided cases.”
“All right. We won’t remove anything that may relate to pending cases.”
“But how can you know if it does or not?”
“I’ll ask you.”
“I don’t know. I’m not even a lawyer.”
Chandler said, “Well, then get somebody down here who is, because I’m going through this office.”
“It may not be possible today. Can it wait until tomorrow? I believe all the clerks have gone home. Chief Justice Ramsey didn’t think they should work late considering what happened.”
“Some of the justices are still here, Richard,” Klaus said.
Perkins cast an unfriendly glance at Klaus, who looked over at Dellasandro. “I didn’t want to bring the justices into this until it was absolutely necessary. But let me see what I can do,” he said. “I’m afraid I’ll have to lock this door until I get back.”
Chandler took a step closer to Perkins. “Look, Richard, I’m the police. Now, maybe I’m wrong and you don’t mean what I thought you did by that very stupid remark.”
Perkins’s face flushed, but he left the door unlocked, motioned to Klaus to accompany him, and they walked off. Dellasandro stayed behind, talking to McKenna.
Chandler went over to Fiske. “I get the feeling this has all been scripted out long before we got here.”
“McKenna knew your name before you were introduced.”
“They’ve obviously already done some digging.”
“Well, I guess you can’t blame them.”
“I’m gonna go over and talk to McKenna,” said Chandler. “Never know when we might need a favor from the Feds.”
Fiske leaned back against the wall and checked his watch. He still hadn’t reached his father.
The door a short way down the hall from his brother’s office opened and a young man came out.
Fiske nodded his head. “Busy place.”
“Are you with the police?”
Fiske shook his head and extended his hand. “Just an observer. I’m John Fiske. Mike was my brother.”
The young man went pale. “Oh God, it’s awful. Awful. I’m so sorry.” He shook Fiske’s hand. “I’m Steven Wright.”
“Did you know Mike well?”
“Not really. I just started this session. I clerk for Justice Knight. I know everyone thought the world of him.”
Fiske looked at the door Wright had come out of. “Is that your office?” Wright nodded. “I guess there’s been a lot of activity at my brother’s office.”
“You bet. People have been in and out all day.”
“Like Mr. Perkins, Chief Dellasandro?”
“And that gentleman over there.”
Fiske looked to where he was pointing. “That’s Agent McKenna from the FBI,” Fiske said.
Wright shook his head sadly. “I’ve never known anyone who’s been . . .” He stopped and looked embarrassed.