T. Bunn - The Great Divide

“Dee Gautam very right,” the man exclaimed. “You need gardener bad.”

Marcus reached for the tiny button, turned it over, watched it glint evil and secret in the light. Two tiny wires sprouted like hairs from the side.

“Here, Dee say, you take.” The man shoved a wrinkled envelope into Marcus’ numb fingers, then took his apparatus and his muttering from the room.

Darren stared down at the thing in Marcus’ palm and asked, “Is th-that what I th-think it is?”

Marcus replied in soft wonder, “Somebody’s bugged my house.”

Darren turned to stare back at the open doorway, and said, “Who is th-this D-Dee fellow?”

“A friend. Here, take this.” Marcus handed over the bug and opened the envelope. What he found inside granted him the day’s final stupefaction.

From his secretary’s office there arose another high-pitched squeal and a second shout of triumph.

Darren said, “You s-sure g-got yourself s-some strange friends.”

The only person Marcus managed to locate before departing the next morning was the Washington process server, and that was merely to say, “Be ready for the next set of papers.” His request to Alma for Kirsten to telephone when she woke up netted nothing. He then called the two numbers for Dee Gautam and received the same recording at both; a flat female voice said nothing except “Leave a message.” He declined.

Marcus finally reached Ashley on his way into Raleigh. “I tried to call you last night.”

“Been out hunting and pecking.” The man’s voice sounded heavy with fatigue. “Not much to report, but I’m still digging.”

“I appreciate the effort, but I have to tell you, I don’t know how much money there’s going to be to go around. What the Halls had in ready capital, they spent on the ransom.”

“Don’t worry about that just now. First let’s fight us a case. We’ll haggle about filthy lucre when the battle’s done.”

The comment was as curious as the morning light, a hazy mixture of fog and blue sky that turned the entire world a shade of pewter. “I don’t recall meeting many attorneys who aren’t worried about having their bills paid.”

“Well, you’re new to this game, so let me share with you a simple truth.” The man took a noisy slurp of something, and sighed the words, “This work is addictive.”

“What work is that?”

“Fighting the good fight. Working for those who don’t have a voice. You just wait, old son. Something tells me you’ll have trouble going back to the same old, same old.”

Marcus mulled that over for a stretch of silver-tinted roadway, then said, “I heard from Dee Gautam last night.”

Beside him Darren shot over a single glance, before returning his full attention to the road ahead. Ashley said over the phone, “Yeah, he said he was gonna be sending you something he’d uncovered.”

“The documents are incredible. I tried to call him last night and again this morning, but he’s not around.”

“Dee has the ability to turn into a ghost when it suits him. Leave a message at the office. Sooner or later they’ll track him down.”

“I don’t think I can wait.”

There was a long pause. “Is what he sent helpful?”

Marcus had to confess, “It might just turn this whole case around.”

“Then I’d be careful, if I were you. You know what they say about overtight inspections of a gift horse. Dee Gautam has his ways, most of which are mysterious to the point of paranoia. But he’s a good man to have in your corner.”

Upon his arrival in the courtroom Marcus greeted Austin and Alma, then said, “Kirsten never called me back.”

The glance between them held much humor, buried deep but there just the same. Alma said, “I can’t do much more than pass on your messages.”

He nodded acceptance and turned to find Charlie beaming. “What are you grinning at?”

“Aw, nothing much. Just nice to see you waking up to the world again.”

Marcus ignored the harrumph of a laugh rising from Alma on his other side. “I need you to call the Swiss embassy. Ask for Hans Klein. He’s a deputy in their commercial section. Lay on the charm. Tell him he’s being subpoenaed for a case. We need him to testify as soon as possible.”

“You want me to make this sound urgent?”

“Urgent and vital. But be nice. We need him on our side. Once you’ve spoken with Klein, call the process server. You spoke with him yesterday. Tell him to go ahead and serve the papers. He already has them, and is waiting for your call.”

“This Klein fellow is likely to want to know what it’s about.”

“Tell him it has to do with a missing woman, not in Switzerland, but his testimony could determine whether the girl lives or dies.” Marcus fought back the rising tension. So much riding on a single thread. “Do your best. He has to come, Charlie. But I’d like him to come willingly. As soon as you know when he can appear, get back here and tell me.”

As Charlie rose and slipped from the room, Judge Nicols turned from her customary greeting to the jury and said, “All right, Mr. Glenwood, you may call your next witness.”

“Thank you, Your Honor. The plaintiff calls Grey Hadley to the stand.”

The man who pushed through the swinging gate was bespectacled, slender, fiftyish, and very angry. He glared at Marcus before making his way up to the waiting bailiff. He gave his oath and sat stiffly in the witness chair, irate and looking for a target.

Marcus had no choice but to move into range. “Mr. Hadley, you are acting assistant director for consular affairs within the U.S. State Department, is that correct?”

“Yes.” The man was a coiled snake, eager to strike. “And may I say that this subpoena could not have come at a worse moment. As you may know, we have a serious economic crisis brewing in Latin America, and I am due at a high-level conference in Brazil tomorrow morning.”

“Then we must endeavor to complete your testimony today,” Marcus replied equably.

“That is not good enough.” He turned to the judge. “I don’t have a day to give to this trial. I don’t have time to be here at all. I have position papers to prepare for Congressmen Williams and Jeffers, who are traveling down with me. This is absolutely vital work, critical to our nation’s interests.”

Marcus was grateful for the judge’s patience, as the man’s tirade showed the jury that Marcus was up against a hostile witness. Judge Nicols responded with the same quiet tone as Marcus. “The court is well aware of your pressing situation, which was why we agreed to subpoena you without delay. We require your testimony prior to your departure.”

“Really, judge, this is not-”

She hardened her gaze a fraction. “I would advise you, Mr. Hadley, to refrain from further protests, as they are only wasting the court’s time.” When the man chose wisely not to argue, she continued. “You may proceed, Mr. Glenwood.”

“Thank you, Your Honor.” Marcus stayed well back from the stand, placing the entire jury box between himself and the witness. “Speaking of position papers, Mr. Hadley, were you not responsible for the preliminary organization of the President’s visit to China five years ago?”

“Objection!” Logan leapt up. “Your Honor, this is in no way tied to the stated purpose of the subpoena. May I remind the court that the plaintiff was to ask about depositions of New Horizons officers!”

Marcus said to the judge, “If you will just permit a few questions, Your Honor, all will become clear.”

“All right, I’ll allow it,” she responded, the reservations clear in her tone. “Objection overruled, for the moment.”

Marcus asked, “Do you need the question repeated?”