Page 60 of The Chain House

But what brought about Sam’s sudden emotion was thinking of his own father, and how he’d left it with him yesterday, and he decided right then that he would call and apologize as soon as he got a chance.

“I’m sorry, sir,” Sam said, letting go of the governor’s hand, standing in a circle of men with whom he felt he had no business standing.

FBI Agent Givens. Warden Wren. Governor Hawthorne. Sam Harper.

Sam knew which one didn’t belong, but he was far past wondering why at this point—the stakes had risen tenfold as soon as Governor Hawthorne entered the room, and Sam knew something was about to come to a head. He also knew, for whatever reason, that he was necessary, and he tried to stand as if he embraced it. He only wished Jennifer and Carl were with him—their mere presence would have been a boost.

Agent Givens said to the governor, “I heard Justice Minks finally made contact with you?”

Governor Hawthorne nodded, misty-eyed and clenching his chiseled jaw, which was dotted with dark stubble from having not shaved. “He has Beth. He says she’s still alive. He’s calling himself Oliver Crown now.”

Sam assumed by their facial expressions that they all knew who Oliver Crown was and the significance of using that name.

Warden Wren folded his arms. “What does he want?”

Governor Hawthorne glanced at Agent Givens, like Givens already knew, and he probably did, and then said to Warden Wren, “He demands Sal Batise be killed as planned, no matter what happens in the hours leading up to midnight.”

Sam could tell there was more.

Warden Wren said, “And?”

“His first demand is no lethal injection.”

Warden Wren’s face wrinkled in puzzlement. “What does he want?”

Governor Hawthorne said, “Firing squad.”

The warden let out a disbelieving laugh. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Does it look like I’m kidding?” said Governor Hawthorne.

“No,” said the warden, straightening the lapels on his suit jacket. “I’m sorry … but … that’s not possible.”

“Make it possible,” said the governor. “I’ll shoot him myself if I have to.”

Agent Givens ran a hand over his close-cropped black hair, as if what he was about to say even he couldn’t believe. “But that’s not all, Warden. He wants it done in the yard. On live TV.”

Warden Wren stood speechless, glancing back and forth between the FBI agent and the governor like he was waiting for the cameraman to emerge from a secret hiding place, revealing that this was all a prank. But it wasn’t, and everyone knew it.

Governor Hawthorne’s strained eyes settled on Sam, sudden and hard. “What is it?”

Sam wondered if he was that easy to read, because it must have been obvious he was afraid to speak up, and when he did, his voice came out at first in a pathetic squeak. “I … Sal, he spoke of the book. The one that hasn’t come out yet.” He cleared his throat, sucked in a deep breath. “Evidently his publisher hasn’t even seen it yet. Sal claims that he wrote it over twenty years ago. And there’s only one copy.”

“What’s that have to do with anything?” Governor Hawthorne asked.

“I think,” Sam said, “the book, and what happens in it, is important somehow.”

“Where is it?” Governor Hawthorne asked. “The book?”

Agent Givens answered for Sam. “Batise claims it’s buried with another body.”

“What body?”

Sam said, “He’s waiting for you, sir, before he tells us.”

And with that, Governor Hawthorne stormed into Warden Wren’s office.

Sam followed, as did Givens and Wren. A guard immediately closed the door behind them.