“Where’s my partner?”
“None of your business.”
“Is she here? Is she alive? You better get her a doctor if she needs one. Who are you?”
“It doesn’t matter who I am.”
Bennie took a flyer. “Well, you’re not Ray because I know his voice. So you’re either Ernie or Mo. Which one are you?”
“None of your business.”
“I say Ernie.” Bennie kept her tone strong, though she felt anything but. She’d been a lawyer for a long time, so she knew a thing or two about criminals and the way their conspiracies worked. She would have to use all of her legal superpowers to manipulate these guys.
“Whatever. I’m not here to answer your questions.”
“Please take my blindfold off, Ernie. Let’s be real. I know who you are, and you’re going to kill me anyway. But you’re in a bigger jam than you know. And I can help you get out of it.”
“Ha!” Ernie burst into derisive laughter. “They said you were somethin’ and they weren’t kiddin’.”
“No, they weren’t. I’m not something, I’m somebody. My name is Bennie Rosato, and I’m one of the best criminal lawyers in the entire country. If you’re smart, you’ll hear me out. Most times I charge a fortune for what I’m about to tell you. You want some free legal advice?”
“Shut up and—”
“If you watch TV, you know the shows talk about somebody being guilty or innocent. But that’s not true in real-life criminal law. The way it works in real life is that guilt is proportionate. In other words, there are degrees of guilt.” Bennie kept going because he didn’t stop her. “The person who killed Todd is the most guilty. He’s going to jail for a long time. He might even get the death penalty. But the two guys who didn’t kill Todd, they’re not as culpable as the man who stabbed Todd—unless one of them solicited the killer to kill Todd. So you’re either the actual killer or you got manipulated into killing Todd.”
“You don’t know jack.”
“I know the law, and all you have to do is listen. Ray is the one who had the big bad problem and he’s the one who wanted Todd dead. He’s the one who wanted to cover up the electrical issues, in cahoots with his brother-in-law, Mo. They’ve been cutting corners at PowerPlus. They’re the ones who benefit and get paid. I’m betting Ray solicited you, or Mo did. You’re just the enforcer. You’re the muscle. The one they send to do their dirty work.”
“You have it all figured out.”
“I kind of do. Because it’s not that hard to figure out. It’s just common sense. I’ve known a lot of security types in my day, and they fall into two categories. They’re either former cops or former criminals. My boyfriend is a former state trooper. My firm investigator is a former cop. You’re not a cop. I can tell.”
“You’re chatty.” Ernie chuckled again, and Bennie realized it was a habit, when he was nervous.
“And that’s why I make the big bucks. As I was saying, I don’t think you’re a criminal, but I bet you’ve been a bouncer. You can handle yourself. If trouble breaks out on the factory floor, you can handle that too. You make about sixty grand a year. They make a helluva lot more. They’re higher-ups, relatives. They’re taking advantage of you right now.”
“And how’s that?” Ernie’s voice was heavy with sarcasm.
“Ray didn’t come talk to me because he knows me. He doesn’t want me to know that it’s him. I haven’t met you, so he sent you in. I’m betting that’s the pattern. He keeps his hands clean. He sends you to do the bad things. But if he sent you to kill Todd and you did it, don’t take the fall for him. And if he’s telling you that killing me and my partner is going to make your legal problems go away, don’t listen to him. Because the exact opposite is the law.”
“Oh really?”
“Yes. You want my advice? Right now, you can just go. You have a car. You should drive it away. You should tell that genius Ray to do the same thing, and Mo too. Flee the jurisdiction. You’ll be out of the country before they find you. Don’t kill any more people, especially not me and my partner. Because if you kill three people, two of them very well-known lawyers, there’s going to be hell to pay. And all three of you are going to pay it, equally.”
“What’s the password to your computer?”
“Ernie.” Bennie tsk-tsked. “I’m worried you didn’t listen to my lecture and it was a really good one. I laid it out for you. Completely, totally free.”
“What’s the password?”
Bennie didn’t like the new anger in his tone. “Why do you want to know my password? What could possibly be in my laptop that you need? If you’re in my computer, you’re going to be bored to tears. It’s full of legal briefs.”
“Did you send that email to the cops or not?”
“You mean the email that Mary asked me to send? So you were listening to our conversation in the house. You overheard us.”
“Did you send it?”
“Yes,” Bennie lied. In fact, she hadn’t sent the email to Detective Lindenhurst. She’d wanted to get Mary moving and she figured she’d send it from the car, but then she and Mary had been attacked. “We didn’t want to waste any time getting it to Lindenhurst. We knew it was only a matter of time until they arrested Simon. We wanted to beat them to the punch. The cops know everything—”
“I don’t believe you.”
“The email told about the fire at Bethlehem Bank, and I attached Simon’s emails warning about the wiring at Jarrat and Crowley’s. Simon put you on notice. He knows all about it too.” Bennie laid it on thick. “We told him at the hospital today. He probably told the cops already.”
“What’s your password?”
“The cops will charge Simon, but they’re going to investigate what we told them, they have to. They know me personally. I’m a certified BFD. That’s why I’m telling you. You should leave us and run—”
Suddenly Bennie felt a vicious kick to her stomach. She cried out instinctively, curling into a ball to protect herself. It was no use. Her hands were still behind her back. Ernie kicked her another time, on her hip. On her back. On her upper arm. She could hear him grunting with effort, then he stopped.
Bennie lay panting in agony. Her entire body ached. Adrenaline poured into her system, leaving her shaking. Dirt dug into her cheek. Her eyes watered reflexively from the pain. She hurt too much to regroup. She had to think of something. She had to work on him. She told herself he kicked her because she must have gotten to him.
“Now you gonna tell me your password? Or do I have to beat it out of you?”
Bennie mustered her strength to speak. “If you keep this up, I’m not going to help you anymore.”
“Ha!” Ernie laughed abruptly, then kicked her again.