Paper Son by S. J Rozan

Author:S. J Rozan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pegasus Books
Published: 2019-04-13T00:00:00+00:00

25

The receptionist spoke over her headset to Callie Leblanc and then pointed us to a windowless conference room carved out of a corner in the back. I scanned the bull pen as we crossed it, but Tolson Reeves was not in evidence.

Bill and I sat at a battle-scarred laminate table. Through the open door I saw Callie Leblanc and a young, freckled black woman heading over. They joined us, the young woman closing the door behind them.

“This is Sarah Byrne, one of our attorneys,” said Callie Leblanc. “Lydia Chin—Jefferson Tam’s cousin—and Bill Smith.” We all shook hands, and the two public defenders sat across from us.

“We have a weekly meeting,” Callie Leblanc said, “to discuss the progress of cases. Other than that, we work independently, so I didn’t know Sarah’s information until now. Sarah?”

The young woman sat forward. “I have a client at Parchman Farm—the state penitentiary. Trevor McAdoo.” Sarah Byrne had clearly studied at the Leblanc School of Wasting No Words.

“We’ve heard of him,” I said. “He shot a deputy in the course of a drug arrest.”

Callie Leblanc tilted her head. “You’re well-informed.”

“Thank you,” I said, though I wasn’t sure she meant it as a compliment.

Sarah Byrne continued, “Trevor’s doing twenty to life, which is the best I could get him. A few days ago—Monday—he called me to come down. I went, and he had an odd request. He wants to speak to Reynold Tam.”

“He does? To Reynold? Why?”

Callie Leblanc said, “I’m correct that Congressman Tam is Jefferson Tam’s uncle?”

“Cousin,” I said. “Actually, first cousin once removed. Though that’s a distinction Chinese people don’t really make.”

“Mississippians don’t, either,” she said with faint amusement, the first trace of any emotion besides annoyance that I’d seen in her.

I asked, “What did he want to see him about?”

Sarah Byrne said, “I don’t know. He wouldn’t tell me, and he won’t put it in writing because anything he writes to go outside will be read by prison authorities, even if it’s being carried by his attorney. He said, ‘Just tell Tam he’ll be happy if he comes and sorry if he doesn’t.’ I warned him against threatening a congressman. He smiled and called for the guard. That was all—the meeting was over.”

“What did you do?”

“I conveyed the request to the congressman’s office, but I didn’t expect Mr. Tam to go and, of course, he didn’t. His office said they’d need more information to even consider it. I told Trevor that and he still refused to tell me any more.”

“So we don’t know what it’s about?”

“No,” said Callie Leblanc. “But I found it strange that a lifer on Parchman asked to speak to a gubernatorial candidate the day before the candidate’s cousin is murdered and another cousin is arrested for it.”

“I agree.”

“As an office,” Callie Leblanc said, “there’s nothing we can do. Or should do. We have two separate cases. In one the client’s disappeared and in the other the client won’t say anything more. I called you because I thought you’d want to have this information.

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