Jeffery Deaver - The Broken Window

“Ha. Not at all.”

His heart pounded, his palms were damp. No, no! He couldn’t lose his job. He just couldn’t. It was so important to him.

What the hell had he done, agreeing to do this? He told himself he was stopping the man who’d killed a woman who looked a lot like Jenny. A terrible man who had no problem with killing anyone if it suited his purpose.

Still, he reflected, this isn’t right.

What would his parents say when he confessed to them that he was being arrested for stealing data? His brother?

“You have any data on you, sir?”

Pulaski showed him the CD. The man examined the case. He called a number, using speed dial. He stiffened slightly and then spoke quietly. He loaded the disk into a computer at his station and looked over the screen. The CD apparently was on a list of approved items; but still the guard ran it through the X-ray unit, studying the image of the jewel box and the disk inside carefully. It rolled on the conveyor to the other side of the metal detector.

Pulaski started forward but a third guard stopped him. “Sorry, sir, please empty your pockets and put everything metal on there.”

“I’m a police officer,” he said, trying to sound amused.

The guard replied, “Your department has agreed to abide by our security guidelines, since we’re government contractors. The rules apply to everybody. You can call your supervisor to check, if you’d like.”

Pulaski was trapped.

Martin continued to watch him closely.

“Everything on the belt, please.”

Think, come on, Pulaski raged to himself. Figure something out.

Think!

Bluff your way through this.

I can’t. I’m not smart enough.

Yes, you are. What would Amelia Sachs do? Lincoln Rhyme?

He turned away, knelt down and spent several moments carefully unlacing his shoes, slowly pulling them off. Standing, he placed the polished shoes on the belt and added his weapons, ammo, cuffs, radio, coins, phone and pens to a plastic tray.

Pulaski started through the metal detector and it went off with a squeal as the unit sensed the hard drive.

“You have anything else on you?”

Swallowing, shaking his head, he patted his pockets. “Nope.”

“We’ll have to wand you.”

Pulaski stepped out. The second guard passed the wand over his body and stopped at the officer’s chest. The device gave a huge squeal.

The patrolman laughed. “Oh, sorry.” He undid a button on his shirt and displayed the bulletproof vest. “Metal heart plate. Forgot about it. Stops everything but a full-metal-jacket rifle slug.”

“Probably not a Desert Eagle,” the guard said.

“Now here’s my opinion: A fifty-caliber handgun is just not natural,” Pulaski joked, finally drawing smiles from the guards. He started to remove the shirt.

“That’s all right. I don’t think we need to make you strip, Officer.”

With shaking hands Pulaski buttoned his shirt, right over the spot where the drive rested-between his undershirt and the vest; he’d stuffed it there when he’d bent down to unlace his shoes.

He gathered up his gear.

Martin, who’d bypassed the metal detector, guided him through another door. They were in the main lobby, a large, stark area in gray marble, etched with a huge version of the watchtower and window logo.

“Have a good day, Officer Pulaski,” Martin said, turning back.

Pulaski continued to the massive glass doors, trying to control the shaking of his hands. He was noticing for the first time the bank of TV cameras monitoring the lobby. His impression was of vultures, sitting serenely on the wall, waiting for wounded prey to gasp and fall.

Even hearing Judy’s voice, taking tearful comfort in its familiarity, Arthur Rhyme couldn’t stop thinking about the tattooed white guy, the sizzling meth freak, Mick.

The guy kept talking to himself, he slipped his hands inside his pants every five minutes or so, and he seemed to turn his eyes to Arthur almost as frequently.

“Honey? Are you there?”

“Sorry.”

“I have to tell you something,” Judy said.

About the lawyer, about the money, about the children. Whatever it was, it would be too much for him. Arthur Rhyme was close to exploding.

“Go ahead,” he whispered, resigned.

“I went to see Lincoln.”

“You what?”

“I had to… You don’t seem to believe the lawyer, Art. This isn’t going to just fix itself.”

“But…I told you not to call him.”

“Well, there’s a family involved here, Art. It’s not just what you want. There’s me and the children. We should’ve done it before.”

“I don’t want him involved. No, call him back and tell him thanks but it’s fine.”

“Fine?” Judy Rhyme blurted. “Are you crazy?”

He sometimes believed she was stronger than he was-probably smarter too. She’d been furious when he’d stormed out of Princeton after being passed over for the professorship. She’d said he was behaving like a child having a tantrum. He wished he’d listened to her.

Judy blurted, “You’ve got this idea that John Grisham is going to show up in court at the last minute and save you. But that’s not going to happen. Jesus, Art, you ought to be grateful I’m doing something .”

“I am,” he said quickly, his words darting out like squirrels. “It’s just-”

“Just what? This is a man who nearly died, was paralyzed over his whole body and now lives in a wheelchair. And he’s stopped everything to prove you’re innocent. What the hell are you thinking of? You want your children to grow up with a father in prison for murder?”

“Of course not.” He wondered again if she really believed his denial that he hadn’t known Alice Sanderson, the dead woman. She wouldn’t think he’d killed her, of course; she’d wonder if they’d been lovers.

“I have faith in the system, Judy.” God, that sounded weak.

“Well, Lincoln is the system, Art. You should give him a call and thank him.”

Arthur hesitated, then asked, “What does he say?”

“I just talked to him yesterday. He called to ask about your shoes-some of the evidence. But I haven’t heard from him again.”

“Did you go see him? Or just call?”

“I went to his place. He lives on Central Park West. His town house is real nice.”

A dozen memories of his cousin came to mind, rapid-fire.

Arthur asked, “How does he look?”

“Believe it or not, pretty much like when we saw him in Boston. Well, no, actually he looks in better shape now.”

“And he can’t walk?”

“He can’t move at all. Just his head and shoulders.”

“What about his ex? Do he and Blaine see each other?”

“No, he’s seeing someone else. A policewoman. She’s very pretty. Tall, redhead. I have to say, I was surprised. I shouldn’t have been, I guess. But I was.”

A tall redhead? Arthur thought immediately of Adrianna. And tried to put that memory aside. It refused to leave.

Tell me why, Arthur. Tell me why you did it.

A snarl from Mick. His hand was back in his pants. His eyes flickered hatefully toward Arthur.

“I’m sorry, honey. Thanks for calling him. Lincoln.”

It was then that he felt hot breath on his neck. “Yo, getoffadaphone.”

A Lat was standing behind him.

“Offadaphone.”

“Judy, I have to go. There’s only one phone here. I’ve used up my time.”

“I love you, Art-”

“I-”

The Lat stepped forward and Arthur hung up, then slipped back to his bench in a corner of the detention area. He sat staring at the floor in front of him, the scuff in the shape of a kidney. Staring, staring.