said with his customary quick command of unknown facts.
“Does McThune think the kid’s with the lawyer?” Boxx asked.
“Who in hell knows? She’d be kind of stupid to help the kid escape, wouldn’t she?”
“She’s not that bright,” Foltrigg said scornfully.
Neither are you, thought Trumann. You’re the idiot who issued the subpoenas that started this latest episode. “McThune’s spoken twice this morning with K. O. Lewis. He’s on standby. They plan to search the hospital until noon, then give up. If the kid’s not found by then, Lewis will zip to Memphis.”
“You think Muldanno’s involved?” Fink asked.
“I doubt it. Looks like the kid strung them along until he got to the hospital, and at that point he was on home turf. I’ll bet he called the lawyer, and now they’re hiding somewhere in Memphis.”
“I wonder if Muldanno knows,” Fink said, looking at Foltrigg.
“His people are still in Memphis,” Trumann said. “Gronke’s here, but we haven’t seen Bono or Pirini. Hell, they might have a dozen boys up there by now.”
“Has McThune called in the dogs?” Foltrigg asked.
“Yeah. He’s got everyone in his office •working on it. They’re watching her house, her secretary’s apartment, they’ve even sent two men to find Judge Roosevelt, who’s fishing somewhere in the mountains. Memphis PD has the hospital choked off.”
“What about the phones?”
“Which phones?”
“The phones in the hospital room. He’s a kid, Larry, you know he’ll try to call his mother.”
“It takes approval from the hospital. McThune said they’re working on it. But it’s Saturday, and the necessary people are not in.”
Foltrigg stood behind his desk, and walked to the
window. “The kid had six hours before anyone realized he was missing, right?”
“That’s what they said.” ” “Have they found the lawyer’s car?”
“No. They’re still looking.”
“I’ll bet they don’t find it in Memphis. I’ll bet the kid and Ms. Love are in the car.”
“Oh really.”
“Yeah. Haulin’ ass.”
“And where might they be haulin’ ass to?”
“Somewhere far away.”
AT NINE-THIRTY, A MEMPHIS POLICEMAN CALLED IN THE
tag number of an illegally parked Mazda. It belonged to one Reggie Love. The message was quickly sent to Jason McThune at his office in the Federal Building.
Ten minutes later, two FBI agents knocked on the door to apartment Number 28 at Bellevue Gardens. They waited, and knocked again. Glint hid in the bedroom. If they kicked the door down, .then he would simply be sleeping on this lovely and peaceful Saturday morning. They knocked the third time, and the phone started to ring. It startled him, and he almost lunged for it. But his answering machine was on. If the cops would come to his apartment, then they would certainly not hesitate to call. After the tone, he heard Reggie’s voice. He lifted the receiver, and quickly whispered, “Reggie, call me right back.” He hung up.
They knocked the fourth time, and left. The lights were off and the curtains covered every window. He stared at the phone for five minutes, and it finally rang. The answering machine gave its message, then the tone. Again, it was Reggie.
“Hello,” he said quickly.
“Good morning, Glint,” she said cheerfully. “How are things in Memphis?”
“Oh, the usual, you know, cops watching my apartment, banging on the door. Typical Saturday.”
“Cops?”
“Yeah. For the past hour, I’ve been sitting in my closet watching my little television. The news is all over the place. They haven’t mentioned you yet, but Mark’s on every channel. Right now, it’s simply a disappearance, not an escape.”
“Have you talked to Dianne?”
“I called her about an hour ago. The FBI had just told her he was missing. I explained he was with you, and this calmed her a bit. Frankly, Reggie, she’s been shocked so much I don’t think it registered. Where are you?”
“We’ve checked into a motel in Metairie.”
“I’m sorry. Did you say Metairie? As in Louisiana? Right outside of New Orleans?”
“That’s the place. We drove all night.”
“Why the hell are you down there, Reggie? Of all the places to hide, why did you pick a suburb of New Orleans? Why not Alaska?”
“Because it’s the last place we’d be expected. We’re safe, Clint. I paid cash and registered under another name. We’ll sleep a bit, then see the city.”
“See the city? Come on, Reggie, what’s going on?”
“I’ll explain it later. Have you talked to Momma Love?”
“No. I’ll call her right now.”
“Do that. I’ll call back this afternoon.”
“You’re crazy, Reggie. Do you know that? You’ve lost your mind.”
“I know. But I’ve been crazy before. Good-bye now.”
Glint placed the phone on the table, and stretched on the unmade bed. She