Island of Thieves by Glen Erik Hamilton

Author:Glen Erik Hamilton [Hamilton, Glen Erik]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: William Morrow
Published: 2021-07-27T00:00:00+00:00

THIRTY-EIGHT

Shaw sat in the cellblock’s communal room late that afternoon, lost in thought—the only activity available to him other than talking to the meth head at the next table, who already seemed engrossed in multiple conversations inside his brain.

Kilbane hadn’t killed Nelson Bao. And if Shaw had needed more confirmation that the Droma security chief wasn’t behind the attack on him at the park, all three members of his team had spent Thursday night as guests of San Juan County.

Rohner could afford plenty of bent lawyers like Chiarra. But the attorney’s willingness to consider extralegal options put him in a category more like the covert Chen and Zhang, or like Shaw himself. People whose primary concern for the law was how to get around it. Shaw’s bet was that Chiarra had been sent by whatever unknown firm employed Karla Haiden.

The same guard that had taken Shaw from his cell in the morning appeared at his shoulder.

“You got a video call,” the guard said. He led Shaw down another corridor to a larger room that might have been for classes or support-group meetings. Stacked columns of the ubiquitous plastic chairs covered one wall. At the opposite end of the room were four thick posts, each with two metal stations shaped like old slot machines, with phone receivers instead of pulling levers.

The guard pointed him to the chair in front of Station 6. “Fifteen minutes.”

Shaw sat and saw Wren on the screen. Behind her was a plant-festooned shelf he recognized as being on the wall of her bedroom. He picked up the receiver.

“Hey,” he said. “How’d you find me?”

“Great to see you, too.” Wren laughed weakly.

“Sorry. Yes. Your face is the best thing I’ve seen since . . . since the last time I saw it. But how—”

“Your lawyer Mr. Ganz knew to call Addy. Addy called me. I found out about this service and downloaded the app on my phone. I think Mr. Ganz might’ve pulled a string or two to let me call direct.”

“Do me a favor. Call Ganz and let him know that I’ve found temporary representation. And that if it doesn’t work out, I might take him up on his offer later.”

“Van, what’s going on?”

“These calls are recorded. I can’t talk details, but I can promise you I haven’t killed anyone. I think the initial evidence caused the cops to look in the wrong direction.”

“And in the meantime you’re stuck there.” She shook her head. “You sound so calm about it. As though being accused of . . . as though jail was a regular thing that everyone has to deal with. Like renewing your car tabs.”

“My perspective might be a little skewed. You know my family.”

She nodded and looked away. Her light brown eyes shining, a bright varnish on the chestnut wood.

“I’m angry,” she said. “For you, if you can’t be. Furious enough for the both of us.”

Shaw smiled. “I can be calm and angry at the same time. One of my best tricks.”

“Don’t try to cheer me up.

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