Fool Me Twice

55

Jesse pushed past the media barrage outside of the station. Lucas Wellstein was waiting for him in his office.

“I’m getting slammed,” Lucas said.

Jesse didn’t say anything.

“There’s a media backlash stemming from those damned cell-phone pictures. Everyone’s clamoring for information about why Rooney looked the way he did.”

Jesse remained silent.

“Just what went down out there,” Wellstein said.

“You mean what happened to him?”

“Yes.”

“Looks like he passed out and fell on top of an anthill.”

“Don’t fuck with me, Stone.”

“Why, whatever do you mean?”

“You know what I think,” Wellstein said.

Jesse didn’t say anything.

“I think you and that damned Indian set him up.”

“Why would you think that?”

“When did you learn he was out there?”

“I received an anonymous phone call saying that someone was in the woods, screaming his head off. I investigated and found Mr. Rooney. I called for backup, then phoned Captain Healy and asked him to inform you.”

“Bullshit,” Wellstein said.

Jesse didn’t say anything.

“I could have your balls for this.”

“I don’t think so.”

“What makes you so sure of yourself?”

“Your job is to quell the media furor. Exacerbating it would be a bad idea.”

“So you set me up, too.”

“I’m just a small-town cop. Mostly I write parking tickets.”

“You’re so full of shit, Stone.”

“Was there anything else?”

“No.”

Jesse stood.

“I’ll refrain from voicing my entire opinion, Agent Wellstein, but suffice it to say, I think you’re a disgrace to your service.”

“Like I give a rat’s ass what you think.”

“A wise man once told me that people generally behave in the same manner toward everyone. You might want to consider the trails that you’re blazing, Wellstein. You meet the same people on the way down as you met on the way up, if you get my drift.”

Jesse walked over and opened the door.

“Happy trails, pardner,” he said.

—

Rita Fiore on line two,” Molly said.

Jesse picked up the call.

“Rita?”

“We’ll take it,” she said.

Jesse didn’t say anything.

“We want to interview Goodwin as soon as we can. Once that’s done, we’ll file a motion to set bail. If it’s okay with you, my associate and I would like to head up to Paradise now.”

“Okay.”

Rita didn’t say anything.

After a moment, Jesse said, “Why?”

“Why did we take the case?”

“Yes.”

“Obviously we’ll know more once we’ve had a look at the paperwork and conducted some interviews, but let’s just say that we’re intrigued. We also have interest in the climate issue. We appreciate Mr. Goodwin’s concerns about the worldwide water crisis. Regardless of the outcome, Cone, Oakes looks at this case as a means of further advancing the cause for reconsideration of this issue. We expect that the case will generate a fair amount of media attention.”

“Which is why you decided to take it?”

“Partly. Yes.”

“You lawyers are a strange lot.”

“Tell me about it,” she said.

—

The firm of Cone, Oakes, and Baldwin has agreed to handle your case,” Jesse said to William J. Goodwin.

“Why would they do that,” Goodwin said.

“You’ll have to ask them yourself. Rita Fiore is on her way here now.”

“Will she get us out of jail,” Ida Fearnley said.

“After she has a better handle on each of your stories, I believe she’ll seek bail.”

“What do you mean,” Goodwin said.

“I’m a cop, not a lawyer. But it’s my understanding that after she interviews each of you, she’ll petition the court on your behalf.”

“To get us out of here,” Ida said.

“Yes.”

They were all silent for a while.

“I’ve heard of this Rita Fiore,” Goodwin said. “She’s supposedly quite good.”

“You need someone quite good,” Jesse said.

“So I realize,” Goodwin said.