David Baldacci - The Sixth Man

“Good for you,” said Michelle.

“I called Murdock, sort of read him the riot act,” added Sean.

“I know. He was not happy about that. That’s why he let me go. The jerk.”

“And we found out who the client is,” said Michelle.

“Who?”

Sean answered, “Roy’s half sister, Kelly Paul. She’s an interesting lady. Haven’t quite figured her out yet. But she’s a force to be reckoned with.” He stopped talking and led Megan over to a bench under a tree in front of the inn. “Sit.”

“Why?” She looked up at him with a fearful expression.

“We’ve got some bad news. Another death.”

They both could see Megan grip the seat of the bench so tightly her fingers turned white. “Who?”

“Hilary Cunningham.”

Megan managed not to cry. At least for a few seconds. Then she bent forward and started to sob into her hands.

Sean looked desperately at Michelle, who muttered, “Sorry, not good with this stuff.”

Sean sat down next to the woman and patted her back awkwardly. “I’m very sorry, Megan.”

Finally the young woman sat up, wiped her face dry with the sleeve of her jacket, and said, “How?”

“She was shot. And her body was left at Bergin’s home.” He glanced at Michelle, who said, “I was there when it happened.”

Megan looked up at Michelle. “Why would anyone want to kill Hilary? She was just a nice old lady.”

Sean answered. “She worked for Bergin. Bergin represented Roy. That seems to be enough in this case for certain people.”

Megan caught a breath. “So that means, what, I’m next?”

“We’re not going to let anything happen to you,” said Michelle. She sat down on the other side of the young lawyer.

“Maybe I should have stayed with the FBI,” said Megan, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Is that what you want?” asked Sean.

“Not really, no.” Her voice grew firmer. “What I really want is to find out who did this.”

“That’s what we want too.”

“So where do we go from here?”

“To see your client.”

“But you said he doesn’t talk.”

“You still have to see him. I’ll make the arrangements.”

Sean and Michelle showered, changed their clothes, and ate. After getting clearance from Carla Dukes at Cutter’s Rock, they drove to the facility. If possible, the security was even tighter. Finally, Michelle had had enough when one guard was too enthusiastic in his search of her.

“You cop one more feel on my ass, you’re going to have to learn to live with prosthetic hands,” she snapped.

He stepped back, stared at the ceiling, and motioned that they could proceed.

They waited in the little room. Edgar Roy was brought in. His appearance and demeanor remained unchanged. When Megan saw him she gasped and then sat in her chair, enthralled. When the guards had left and the door had clanged behind them, Megan remained silent. Finally, Sean said, “Uh, do you want to try and ask him some questions?”

Megan started, her face reddened. She opened her briefcase and meekly tapped on the glass wall separating them.

“Mr. Roy, I’m Megan Riley.” She pressed one of her business cards against the glass. Her face flushed again as Roy just sat there staring at the ceiling. She slowly withdrew the card and put it back in her pocket.

“Mr. Roy, I’m representing you in your legal case. You are being charged with multiple counts of murder. Do you understand that?”

Nothing.

She stared at Sean, who nodded encouragingly at her while Michelle gave him an incredulous look.

Megan said to Roy, “We have to prepare your defense and we need your full cooperation in order to do that.”

The ceiling, however, still captured Roy’s full attention.

Sean said, “Mr. Roy, another person connected with your case has been murdered. Hilary Cunningham worked for Ted Bergin. She was shot and her body left at his house.”

This also prompted no reaction from Roy.

Sean abruptly got up and moved around the glass so he was standing right next to the man. Michelle immediately rose and joined him.

“Do you think this is wise?” she whispered.

“I don’t know, but I figure we have nothing to lose.”

“Except a body part if he really is a psycho.”

“That’s why I have you, for protection.”

He leaned down so close to Roy that he could smell the man’s breath. At least, Sean thought, he was still breathing. That was more than could be said for Bergin or Hilary, or the six guys in the barn.

“We met the client,” he whispered. His voice sank even lower. The only one who could hear him now was Roy. “Your sister, Kelly Paul?”

Sean leaned back, studying the other man. Then he hunched forward again, his cheek nearly touching Roy’s ear. “And Judy Stevens sends her best. And she believes in your innocence. She asked me to tell you that.”

Sean scrutinized the other man’s features again. Silence lingered for a few beats.

Megan started to say something, but Sean stopped her. “I think that’s enough for today.”

“But he hasn’t said anything,” exclaimed Megan.

Sean looked at Michelle in a way that indicated he didn’t necessarily agree with this statement.

As they walked down the hall, Sean slowed his pace as Brandon Murdock approached.

Michelle said, “What, does the Bureau have a satellite office at Cutter’s Rock now?”

“I thought you’d have something better to do with your time than talk to a wall.” He glanced at Megan. “You know, you really should think about who your friends are here. The wrong alliances can get you in trouble.”

“I’m Edgar Roy’s lawyer. That’s the only alliance I’m concerned with,” replied Megan.

“You’re his lawyer for now .”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Sean.

“Just that things change.”

“Come on, Murdock, you’re among friends. What’s so special about Roy? Why do you care about the guy so much?”

“Six bodies.”

“Jeffery Dahmer had a lot more than that and I didn’t see the Bureau flying around the country stirring up trouble.”

“Every case is its own kingdom.”

Michelle smirked. “So now you’re a poet?”

“You folks have a productive day.” Murdock walked off.

At the inn, after Megan went to her room, Sean and Michelle sat in the small front parlor.

“When I mentioned Kelly Paul’s name to Roy?”

“I didn’t know you did. I couldn’t hear what you said.”

“That was intentional in case they were recording. But when I did say the name, I got a reaction. It wasn’t much, but there was a slight jerk of the head, a tiny widening of the eyes.”

“You really think he understood you?”

“I really do. And that’s not all. The same thing happened when I mentioned Judy Stevens.”

“So he is faking? Why would he do that? To keep from going to trial? That’s a long shot. He can’t be a zombie forever.”

“I’m not sure it’s just to keep from going to trial.”

“What other motivation would he have?”

“If we answer that question, we answer pretty much everything.”

CHAPTER

32

EDGAR ROY SAT in his cell. He had assumed the usual position. Long legs splayed out, his back at a comfortable angle against the metal chair that was bolted to the floor. He fixed his gaze on the far end of the ceiling. It was six inches to the right of the back wall and four inches from the wall perpendicular to that. Roy imagined that spot to represent a crossroads of sorts. There was actual comfort for him in that tiny piece of concrete.