Ties That Bind

Chapter Forty-Nine.

Harvey Grant was taking off his robe when Tim Kerrigan burst into his chambers and collapsed onto a chair.

"You've got to help me," Kerrigan pleaded.

"What's wrong, Tim?" Grant asked, alarmed. Kerrigan looked like a drunk or a crack addict. If he came apart it would be a disaster.

"I . . . I have dreams. I see her burning, and I can still see the way her face looked when I pulled the trigger. It exploded. There was so much blood."

The judge sat next to Kerrigan. "I'm glad that you've come to me, Tim. I'm glad that you know that you can trust me to help you."

"You're the only one I can talk to." His head dropped into his hands. "I can't take it. I can't live like this. Maybe I should go to the police. I'd tell them it was all my idea. I wouldn't tell them about you or anyone else."

Grant kept his voice calm. He had to stop Kerrigan from coming unglued.

"You're not thinking straight," the judge said. "A confession would destroy Cindy. And think of Megan. She would always be known as the daughter of a murderer, and she'd lose her father. You know what happens to children who grow up with that curse. You would be destroying her chance of happiness."

Kerrigan nodded. "You're right. I have to think of Megan. But what can I do? I feel lost. I can't find any peace."

"Time will make the pain go. Two years from now you won't remember how sad you are today. You'll be in Washington, D.C., with Megan and Cindy by your side. You'll be one of the most powerful men in America and Ally Bennett will seem like someone who only existed in a dream."

Kerrigan looked at Grant hopefully. "Do you think that will really happen?"

Grant squeezed Kerrigan's shoulder. "Trust me, Tim. This empty feeling, your guilt, it will all fade away. You'll be fine and your life will be good."

Kerrigan embraced Grant. "Thank you, Harvey."

Grant patted Tim on the back. Then he got him a glass of water and waited while Tim pulled himself together. They talked for a while more and Kerrigan was calmer when he left. As soon as the door closed behind the prosecutor, Grant sagged.

"Detective Gregaros is here, Judge," Grant's secretary said over the intercom.

"Send him in," Grant said.

The judge had rarely seen Gregaros rattled, but he looked bad today.

"What happened last night?"

"Castillo fucked up. He's dead and so are his men."

"What about Amanda Jaffe?"

"She's the one who killed Manuel."

"She's a goddamn girl."

Gregaros shrugged. "Manuel is still dead."

"This just keeps getting worse," Grant said. "Tim Kerrigan was just here."

"I saw him leave," the detective said. "He looked like shit. What happened?"

"He's a mess. I calmed him down for the moment, but I'm concerned."

"You should be. We've got real problems. Remember I told you that that maintenance guy wrote down most of Kerrigan's license plate? Fucking McCarthy. The son of a bitch is too smart. He ran the partial license number through the Department of Motor Vehicles computer and spotted Kerrigan's name on the printout. Then he checked Kerrigan and Bennett's phone records. Bennett phoned Kerrigan's house a few days before he killed her. And they both called a motel near the airport. McCarthy got a positive ID on both of them from a clerk at the motel."

"What is McCarthy planning to do?"

"I convinced him to move slow. I told him Kerrigan's career would be ruined if we went public without an airtight case. He's going to talk to Jack Stamm before he talks to Tim, and Stamm is out of town until tomorrow. We don't have much time to decide what to do."

Grant closed his eyes. Events were getting out of hand.

"I hate to admit it but bringing Tim in was a mistake," the judge said.

"What are we going to do about that?"

"I'll call the others. I'm going to suggest that we cut our losses."