Gminski paced slowly around the room and everyone watched him. He glanced at his watch."I'm not inclined to take her. Let's sleep four hours, and meet here at six-thirty. Sleep on it. If you can convince me to snatch her, then I'll say do it. Okay?" They nodded obediently.
* * *
THE WINE WORKED. She dozed in the chair, then made it to the bed and slept hard. The phone was ringing. The bedspread was hanging to the floor, and her feet were on the pillows. The phone was ringing. The eyelids were glued together. The mind was numb and lost in dreams, but somewhere in the deep recesses something worked and told her the phone was ringing.
The eyes opened but saw little. The sun was up, the lights were on, and she stared at the phone. No, she did not ask for a wake-up call. She thought about this for a second, then she was certain. No wake-up call. She sat on the edge of the bed and listened to it ring. Five times, ten, fifteen, twenty. It would not stop. Could be a wrong number, but they would stop after twenty rings.
It was not a wrong number. The cobwebs began to clear, and she moved closer to the phone. With the exception of the registration clerk and maybe his boss, and perhaps room service, not a single living soul knew she was in this room. She had ordered food, but made no other calls.
It stopped ringing. Good, wrong number. She walked to the bathroom, and it was ringing again. She counted. After the fourteenth ring, she lifted the receiver." Hello."
"Darby, it's Gavin Verheek. Are you okay?"
She sat on the bed. "How'd you get the number?"
"We have ways. Listen, have"
"Wait, Gavin. Wait a minute. Let me think. The credit card, right?"
"Yes. The credit card. The paper trail. It's the FBI, Darby. We have ways. If'snot that difficult."
"Then they could do it too."
"I suppose. Stay in the small joints and pay with cash."
There was a thick knot in her stomach, and she stretched on the bed. Just like that. Not difficult. The paper trail. She could be dead. Killed along the paper trail.
"Darby, are you there?"
"Yes." She looked at the door to make sure it was chained. "Yes, I'm here."
"Are you safe?"
"I thought so."
"We've got some information. There will be a memorial service tomorrow at three on campus, with burial afterward in the city. I've talked to his brother, and the family wants me to serve as a pallbearer. I'll be there tonight. I think we should meet."
"Why should we meet?"
"You've got to trust me, Darby. Your life is in danger right now, and you need to listen to me."
"What're you guys up to?"
"There was a pause.What do you mean?"
"What did Director Voyles say?"
"I haven't talked to him."
"I thought you were his attorney, so to speak. What's the matter, Gavin?"
"We're taking no action at this time."
"And what might that mean, Gavin? Talk to me."
"That's why we need to meet. I don't want to do this over the phone."
"The phone is working fine, and it's all you're going to get right now. So let's have it, Gavin."
"Why won't you trust me?" He was wounded.
"I'm hanging up, okay. I don't like this. If you guys know where I am, then someone could be out there in the hallway waiting."
"Nonsense, Darby. You've got to use your head. I've had your room number for an hour, and done nothing but call. We're on your side, I swear."
"She thought about this. It made sense, but they had found her so easily. "I'm listening. You haven't talked to the Director, but the FBI's taking no action. Why not?"
"I'm not sure. He made the decision yesterday to back off the pelican brief, and gave instructions to leave it alone. That's all I can tell you."
"That's not very much. Does he know about Thomas? Does he know that I'm supposed to be dead because I wrote it and forty-eight hours after Thomas gave it to you, his old buddy from law school, they, whoever in hell they are, tried to kill both of us? Does he know all this, Gavin?"
"I don't think so."
"That means no, doesn't it?"
"Yes. It means no."
"Okay, listen to me. Do you think he was killed because of the brief?"
"Probably."
"That means yes, doesn't it?"
"Yes."
"Thanks. If Thomas was murdered because of the brief, then we know who killed him. And if we know who killed Thomas, then we know who killed Rosenberg and Jensen. Right?"
Verheek hesitated.
"Just say yes, dammit!" Darby snapped.
"I'll say probably."
"Fine. Probably means yes for a lawyer. I know it's the best you can do. It's a very strong probably, yet you're telling me the FBI is backing off my little suspect."
"Settle down, Darby. Let's meet tonight and talk about it. I could save your life."
