The Escape (US Marshals #1) - Lisa Harris Page 0,62

And if you come in, I guarantee I’ll listen to you.”

“That’s not true and you know it.” Barrick shifted his feet so he was slightly closer to the railing. “They’ll put me away for the rest of my life, if I don’t get the death penalty. So for me there’s only one way out. And she’s my ticket.”

Jonas knew that reaching for a quick resolution would only get someone else hurt. And he couldn’t let that happen. The man had lost every sense of control in his life.

Barrick tightened his grip on Karen. “They wanted a fall guy. That’s what all of this has been about.”

“I’ll be the first to admit that our system isn’t perfect, but can you tell me why you think that?”

“Why does it even matter? No one has ever listened to me before. All the evidence against me was circumstantial, because I happened to be in the area.”

“The report said you killed two people, then resisted arrest.”

“What would you have done? I was on a business trip in Seattle and suddenly at five in the morning, someone’s beating on my hotel door and screaming at me to get out of bed. I’m thrown onto the ground, handcuffed, then dragged out of there. I have a feeling you’d resist being arrested too.”

“I can’t imagine what that would have felt like.”

“That’s because you’re always the one on the other side of the arrest. They questioned me for hours, threatened me with the death penalty. Then the next thing I know my face is on every news channel across the country as some crazed killer. They say they have evidence that I’m connected to some European mob. My lawyer told me he believed me, but the evidence against me made it hard for a judge to get an acquittal. Now they’re dragging me back to Denver for my trial.”

“If you were innocent, you shouldn’t have run.”

“What would you suggest? I stay in my seat and wait for the two of you to send me back? Do you think that would have made a judge suddenly drop the charges? No. That was my one chance at freedom, and there’s no way I was going to waste it.”

“Maybe you didn’t kill that couple. Maybe you were innocent, and someone messed up. But what about the guy you killed in prison? Or the man in Idaho who picked you up? You didn’t have to kill him.”

“The guy I killed in prison had been harassing me for weeks. It was him or me. The same with the guy I caught a ride with. He must have seen my gun and panicked. He pulled a gun on me. I thought he was going to kill me. I can’t prove it, but it’s the truth.”

Jonas inched forward. “I can’t change what a judge or jury says, but there are appeals that can be made. I can also help keep you from making things worse from this point on.”

“Like things could get worse than this? My life is already ruined. I’ve lost my job, my home—everything that ever mattered to me is gone. And you can tell me that if I’m innocent I’ll eventually be fine. But you’re wrong.”

“Here’s the thing. Everything you’ve done—including this right now—is only making things worse for you. If you’d just put your gun down—”

“And then what? You arrest me again?” Barrick kept his weapon pressed against Karen’s head. “Sorry, but that’s not going to happen. I’m not going back.”

“Jonas.” Madison’s voice came through his earpiece. “We’ve got a sniper in place.”

Jonas spoke out of the corner of his mouth. “Give me a second.” He turned back to Barrick. “I might have a solution.”

“What’s that?” Barrick was shifting a lot now.

“I’m a deputy US Marshal, which gives me a bit of clout over everyone else here.”

“So?”

“I can get someone on the line right now. A friend who’s high up in the Department of Justice who I believe can help you. But only if you end things right now. And that means letting Karen go. You do that and it will be my sign of trust that you’re telling the truth.”

“He’s on the line with you?”

“He can be. What do you say? Will you let her go?”

“Why would anyone want to help me? I think you’re just like everyone else who saw me as guilty before they even heard my story.”

“The bottom line is that I’m your one chance out of here, Barrick.”

“No, you’re not.” Barrick hugged Karen against him, then managed