Robert Walker - Absolute Instinct

“You know what's going on?” he asked her as the Portland agents climbed into the front. “These men don't want us here. They're perfectly happy to let Robert Towne die. In fact, they think the way he's going to be executed by the state is weak and flimsy final justice for the man. Isn't that right, gentlemen.”

She said quietly in his ear, “Sounds like the entire state has him down as guilty.”

“Why not?” he shouted, his booming voice taking off the lid of the car, startling the two agents in the front seat. “Robert's been judged guilty by twelve of his 'betters,' not to mention all of law enforcement in Oregon! Including the FBI.”

One of the agents turned and shouted back, “Look, man, some of us saw what that bastard did to his wife.”

“You mean that white woman, don't you?” Darwin shot back. “Might as well be in fucking Alabama or goddamn

Mississippi in the fucking forties as be out here. Goddamn no-man's-land between prejudice and racial hatred.”

“Whoa up, Agent Reynolds! Nobody's talking race here but you,” said the driver.

“You play that race card, you play it alone,” added the other.

“Fuck you both. Just drive.”

“Yes, sir.”

Jessica realized only now that Darwin was right, that Towne, in large measure, had been found guilty by these field ops largely on the basis of his race. “Take it easy, Darwin. We've just got to get to the governor. He's got to have more on the ball than these yahoos.”

“Take the fastest route you know, Agent Barnes,” ordered Darwin.

“Right on it.” Barnes eyed Jessica in his rearview, almost striking an oncoming mail truck.

“Look out there, Barney!” shouted his partner. “We don't want to delay Agent Reynolds and Dr. Corman any further.”

“It's Coran, Dr. Coran,” she corrected the agent in the passenger seat. Jessica read between the lines that the two had engineered this delay, and each felt quite good about himself as a result. A glance at her watch told her they were already late.

The car sped toward the governor's mansion.

Governor Hughes only needed the least provocation and excuse to disappear before they could get to him. He'd gotten clear of his office the moment it appeared the FBI agents from Quantico and Milwaukee were running late. He was off to his next appointment, and his appointment was in the next county.

Mrs. Agnes Dornan, the governor's appointment secretary, a thin, tall, big bird of a woman with pinched features and a stern glare, dressed them down for having wasted her boss's precious time. She then spewed forth noises from her gritted teeth as she searched and scanned her book for a moment of the governor's time. “Now… let's see… mmmm… a suitable time when the governor can see a pair of FBI agents from the East bent on discussing a reprieve for a convicted murderer… mmm… One who has been determined guilty of mutilating his wife by the great state of Oregon.”

“Listen, lady!” began Darwin, but Jessica placed both hands against his massive chest and moved him off from the frightened secretary.

“Damn it, Darwin, let me handle this. You're too personally involved. Sit it out.”

She turned back to the secretary while Darwin retreated to a corner and leaned against a window, looking out on the well-manicured lawns of the mansion and muttering under his breath, “Fucking place… fucking governor.”

The secretary looked relieved that she had only to deal with Jessica at this point, and not the brutish black giant in the corner.

“Now… Mrs…. Dornan, is it?”

“Yes, dear.”

“I'm going to get on the phone now to call the Director of the FBI. You know, the one who answers only to the President of the United States and the State Department, and I'm going to turn him over to you, and you can tell him when we can see the fucking governor of Oregon. Is that understood?”

Mrs. Dornan's icy silence and stare clearly meant she would call Jessica's bluff if it were up to her.

Jessica dialed the number. Darwin looked on with interest. Mrs. Dornan's chin rose still higher in the air.

Jessica called out, “William Fischer, please. No, this is an emergency. Do not put me on hold. Do you recognize this number? Yes, Dr. Jessica Coran, and I am calling on urgent business from the great state of Oregon. Now put me through to Will wherever the director is at, and I mean now.”

She silently hummed “What I Did for Love.” Mrs. Dornan's chin had fallen slightly off.

Then Jessica said into the phone, “Will? is that you? Good! You sound like you're inside a drum. Bad connection? What? You're in the can? Oh, shit. Sorry… I mean sorry to catch you there, but this is extremely important, Will. What? Oh, really? I–I suppose, yes… if I can get back in time. Sure… I'd love to see Mercedes, too, and how is Tricia? Uh-uh… yeah, that's so cute. Uh-uh. Look, Will, I need you to set someone here straight.”

Jessica paused a moment, her eyes going to Mrs. Dornan.

Then Jessica yelled into the phone for emphasis. “Straight, straight! I want you to set the governor's personal secretary straight.”

Mrs. Dornan swallowed hard.

Jessica continued her phone conversation. “Yes, it's what we talked about, and it appears you were right about Governor Hughes-strictly a nine to fiver. Yeah, skipped out on us. Yes. Everyone here is so very ready and excited about the prospect of executing Robert Towne day after tomorrow, seems almost like a preternatural hatred for Towne here, and the sonofa… The man won't even see us, and his secretary doesn't think she can fit us in before the bloody execution!” She laughed aloud at this. “Yeah, lotta good it'll do to see the man about a reprieve after the execution. Macabre is right. Whole thing here is surreal.” Jessica laughed more, and the voice on the other end laughed with her.

Darwin's lips curled into a grin. Mrs. Dornan crossed her arms in defiance.

Jessica held out the phone to her. “He wants to speak to you.”

“Me?” Mrs. Dornan hesitated taking the phone. “William Fischer wants to talk to me?

“Yes, the FBI director wishes to speak to you. Seems he's on a fact-finding mission in Minnesota, St. Paul, to be exact, but they patched me through, and the director wants to say hello to you, Mrs. Dornan.”

“I–I… me? Talk to William Fischer?”

Jessica shook the cell phone at her. “Yes, please take the phone.”

Mrs. Dornan took the phone in hand and placed it to her ear only to shove it off her ear as Richard Sharpe shouted on the other end, “You will accommodate my people, young lady, or your boss will hear directly from me! Do you understand?”

“Ahhh… yes, sir… of course, sir. There's just been a litrle misunderstanding here. That's all. We'll rectify the situation, I am sure.”

“Today. Rectify it today.”

Mrs. Dornan stared at the phone, now gone dead.

Darwin and Jessica stood united before her. “So, when can we see Governor Hughes?” Jessica asked.

Mrs. Dornan had gotten on the phone, located Governor James Hughes, and promised him it was in his best interest to cut the fund-raiser short and get back to the mansion to see Dr. Coran and Special Agent Reynolds. When she'd gotten off the line, she informed them that it could be upwards of two hours before Hughes might return, but that he did want to speak to them today, knowing that time was drawing short for Robert W. Towne.

“We'll call in, keep tabs, and be back,” Jessica said. “Can you get us a cab? We're both famished.”

“I recommend the Capitol House Inn,” she said, all smiles now. “It's not too far, and there's a lovely view of the lake, and they have the very best seafood if you like seafood, and no one does steaks better.”