Judy buzzed me. Call on line two. I picked it up.
Mr. Redman? a familiar voice asked.
Here, I said.
This is Russell Graham, it said.
I felt a stab in my lower back. I knew what was coming.
We’re going to have to bring him in, he said.
Well, I appreciate you calling me first.
Silence.
I’ll get him, I said. Two hours okay?
All right. More than that, though, and we’ll have to go pick him up.
I understand, I said. I’ll arrange it.
Damn. They’d pulled the trigger. I’d been hoping for a little more time. Time to figure something out.
Shit. Maybe there was nothing to figure out.
I called FitzGibbon’s office. To tell him he was going to have to put up some bail money. I was hoping I wasn’t going to have to argue with him about it.
A voice answered the phone. Not FitzGibbon. Way too refined.
May I speak to Mr. FitzGibbon, please? I asked.
I’m afraid he’s indisposed, the voice said.
Ah, I said. Well. This is extremely urgent. I’m sure he’ll want to know about it immediately.
Perhaps I can convey a message, the voice said.
May I ask who I’m speaking to?
Raul FitzGibbon.
My, my. The mysterious Raul. Well, he had a good telephone manner.
All right, I said.
I explained the deal.
It will be taken care of, he said, with a smoothly confident air.