the rest know that I made that threat. I’d be a fool to ignore the fact that such men will not sit by while I take steps to send them to prison. After all, they almost certainly murdered Buck, and God knows who else over the years. Anybody who stood in their path got crushed one way or another. And they’re not the only threat I face. If Ben and I drop our story on the website tonight, how long will it take Max to show Paul the video of Jet and me making love? An hour? Less?
I’m at that hinge point where characters in films do really stupid things, like sleep at their own house or go to places they’re known to frequent, such as Nadine’s shop or my parents’ house. As much as I’d like to drive home, log on to my computer, and start working with Ben on the PDF file story, that would be an idiot’s move. Especially given that Paul seemed only minimally stable this afternoon. The smart thing would be to get out of town for a couple of days. Not all the way back to D.C., but maybe to a hotel in Jackson or even Oxford. I can work on tomorrow’s issue from anywhere, so long as I have a computer and an internet connection. The problem is I can’t risk leaving Jet behind. If Max shows Paul that video—and I’ve abandoned the city—Paul might vent all his rage on her alone.
Taking out my burner phone, I punch in a quick text to Jet: Find a safe place and call me. I need two minutes. URGENT.
After sending this message, I speed down the gravel road and pull through the gate, then close it by hanging the wire loop over the post. I turn onto Cemetery Road, looking for one of the little winding lanes that runs south between it and the Little Trace. From there I can pick up another cut-through to Highway 36, which runs past the turn to my farmhouse.
I’m on the Little Trace when my iPhone rings. To my surprise, the caller is Arthur Pine. After a moment’s hesitation, I answer and say, “Well, Arthur. You feeling the ice crack beneath your feet?”
“Not at all. This is just a friendly call. I know you were upset today. That’s understandable. But you made some threats.”
“I did indeed,” I reply, mimicking Ben Tate’s syntax.
“There are different ways to handle problems, Marshall. One way involves men like me. The other . . . well, it’s the other way.”
“Are you telling me Tommy Russo is going to send a button man to my house? Or are Wyatt Cash and a couple of retired SEALs gonna explain things to me?”
“You have a vivid imagination for a nonfiction writer. Actually, I’d say your biggest worry is going to be your best friend.”
“Possibly. But let’s talk about you. You’re getting closer to Parchman Farm every minute. And I don’t think you have the survival skills for that particular environment. Neither do most of your buddies. Let’s see how well you sleep tonight.”
There’s a brief silence. Then Pine says, “We’re all vulnerable, Marshall. We all have people we love. And you don’t have many allies. I’ve got the whole town on my side.”
“I guess we’ll see about that.”
“What does that mean?”
“Tick-tock, Arthur. You’d better start researching non-extradition countries. Your bosses will be asking for a list soon.”
I hang up.
When I hit Highway 36, I turn east and join the Jackson-bound traffic. After two miles I’ll pass Blackbird Road, the turn to my house. I’m tempted to go home long enough to run in and get my MacBook Pro, a change of clothes, and some toiletries. But that could be a fatal mistake. Tommy Russo could have a man sitting in my kitchen, waiting for me to open the front door. One silenced round through the forehead, and the Poker Club’s problems would be over. Or SEALs paid by Wyatt Cash could pour half a bottle of vodka down my gullet, then hold my head under a full bath, probably without leaving a mark on me.
I don’t even slow down as I pass my turn. I can buy a new laptop at the Apple store in Jackson, new underwear and toiletries at Target. Hell, I can buy a computer at Walmart if the Apple store is closed. It’ll be a pain downloading some of the software I need, but most of my critical files are in Dropbox, so what