Page 33 of The Accomplice
‘You mentioned him last night. Who is he again ?’
‘He’s ex-FBI. Used to work with Delaney. He’s smart, but a little unusual.’
‘And this unusual guy and Bloch are going to find the Sandman ?’
‘Well, give them a chance. They just started,’ said Eddie.
‘So where is Carrie ?’ asked Harry.
Kate thought back to yesterday. She had never seen anyone who looked so tortured, so defeated and broken, as Carrie Miller. The options were not good.
‘If she saw the news she was probably frightened out of her skin, and ran,’ said Kate. ‘The other possibilities are no better. If she didn’t run, maybe he came and took her. Or maybe she’s not running at all and she’s lying in some hotel bedroom or at the bottom of a …’
She didn’t finish that thought. Didn’t need to. She saw that Eddie and Harry had already considered it. No one has infinite strength of mind. What Carrie has been through, and survived, others would not. It’s not a failing. It’s an illness. And for some, suicide seems like the only way out.
The only sound came from the protestors, five hundred yards away on the other side of the gate. Harry and Eddie looked at one another, but said nothing. They were fearful for Carrie, and somehow that made Kate even more afraid.
Her phone began vibrating with a call. The number on the display was familiar.
‘Kate Brooks,’ she said, answering.
‘Miss Brooks, this is Center Street clerk’s office. You’re required to attend before Judge Stoker at noon for an emergency hearing in the Carrie Miller trial.’
Kate felt a dull pain in the back of her neck. The beginnings of a stress headache. What brought it on for Kate was knowing she’d just been ambushed. She knew exactly what the emergency hearing was about, but she asked anyway just for confirmation.
‘And the nature of the hearing ?’
‘Bail,’ said the clerk, and told her which courtroom and floor to attend before hanging up.
Kate dialed Peltier’s number.
‘You talked to Eddie, after we spoke. Who else did you talk to ?’ she asked.
‘No one,’ he said.
‘I just got a call from the clerk’s office. There’s a bail hearing in Carrie’s case at noon. The DA thinks she’s jumped bail. The only people who know she’s missing are Eddie, Harry, you and me.’
‘I told you, I spoke to no one else. I don’t want Carrie arrested. I swear I didn’t speak to anyone other than Eddie,’ he said.
‘Okay, I’m sorry. We’ll talk later,’ she said, then hung up.
‘Who did he talk to ?’ asked Harry.
‘Nobody but us, he says. The way he sounded, I think he’s telling the truth,’ said Kate.
‘Then how did the courthouse know there’s an issue with her bail ?’ asked Harry.
‘There’s only two explanations,’ said Eddie. ‘Either Otto told the police, or they knew already.’
‘But how could they know ?’ asked Kate.
‘Because I think there was a lot more in that warrant than just seizing Otto Peltier’s old files. The FBI are bugging his phone.’
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Extract from the Journal of Carrie Miller
May 29
