You need a doctor, Josh.

I dont need shit. With a lunge, he gripped his pistol. We started this, we gonna finish it. He wedged the barrel of the pistol against his gut. You stop for anybody, Im gonna put a hole right here.

Youre crazy. What the hell you want me to do?

Josh coughed up blood. You find Fiske and that girl. I cant help you no more, maybe they can. Rufus looked at the gun. Dont go thinking it bullets pretty damn fast.

Rufus put the Jeep in gear and pulled back on the road. Josh watched him, his eyes coming in and out of focus. Stop that shit.

What?

I see you doing that mumbling shit. Dont be praying for me.

Aint nobody telling me when I can talk to the Lord.

Just keep me out of it.

Im praying for Him to watch over you. Keep you alive.

Does it look like its troubling me any? You just wasting your breath.

God gave me the strength to lift this Jeep.

Youlifted this damn hunk of metal. Aint no angels come down from no heaven and help you do shit.

Josh

Just drive. The intensity of his pain forced Josh to suddenly hunch forward. Im tired of talking. *����*����* While she was in her office, Sara received an urgent summons from Elizabeth Knight. She was surprised by this, because on Wednesday afternoons the justices were usually in conference, going over the cases heard on Monday. Each justice had two secretaries and a personal assistant. As she entered Knights chambers, Sara greeted Knights longtime secretary, Harriet, who had been with the justice through several careers. Normally cheerful and friendly, Harriet spoke in a cold tone. Go right in, Ms. Evans.

Sara passed by Harriets desk and paused at the door to Knights office. She turned around and caught Harriet staring at her. Harriet quickly turned back to her work. Sara took a deep breath and opened the door. Within the office, either standing or perched upon chairs, were Ramsey, Detective Chandler, Perkins and Agent McKenna. Seated behind her antique desk, Elizabeth Knight was nervously fiddling with a letter opener when she saw Sara.

Please come in and sit down. Her tone was barely cordial, Sara thought. She sat in an upholstered wing chair that had been, she thought, carefully positioned because it allowed everyone in the room to directly face her. Or confront her, perhaps? She looked at Knight. You wanted to see me?

Ramsey stepped forward. We all wanted to see you, and, more to the point, hear you, Ms. Evans. However, I will let Detective Chandler do the honors. Ramsey was as stern as Sara had ever seen him. He leaned back against the fireplace mantel and continued to stare at her, his large hands clasping and unclasping nervously. Chandler sat down across from her, his knees almost touching hers. Ive got some questions I need to ask you, and I want the truth in return, he said quietly. Sara looked around the room. Only half joking, she said, Do I need a lawyer?

Not unless youve done something wrong, Sara, Knight quickly pointed out. However, I think you should make the determination whether to have legal counsel present or not.

Sara swallowed with difficulty and then looked back at Chandler. What do you want to know?

Have you ever heard the name Rufus Harms?

Sara closed her eyes for a moment.Oh, shit. Let me explain

Yes or no, please, Ms. Evans, Chandler said. Explanations can come later.

She nodded, then said, Yes.

Exactly how are you familiar with that name?

She fidgeted in her chair. I know that hes a military prisoner who escaped. I read that in the papers.

Was that the first youd heard of him? When she didnt answer, Chandler continued, Youve been asking questions at the clerks office about an appeal presumably filed by Rufus Harms. In fact, you did that before he escaped from prison, didnt you? What were you looking for?

I thought . . . I mean

Did John Fiske put you up to it? Knight asked sharply. She looked searchingly at Sara, the disappointment on her features making Sara feel even more guilty.

No. I did it on my own.

Why? Chandler asked. From his vague conversation with Fiske in the Courts cafeteria, he already had a notion as to what the truth was. But he needed to hear it from her. Sara let out a deep breath and looked once more at the army aligned against her. She wished that Fiske would suddenly appear to help her, but that was not going to happen. One day I happened to see what looked like an appeal with Rufus Harmss name on it. I checked at the clerks office, because I didnt recall seeing it on the docket. The clerks office had no record of it.

Where did you see this appeal? Ramsey interjected, before Chandler could get the same question out.

Just somewhere, Sara said, looking miserable.

Sara, Knight said harshly, its no use covering up for somebody. Just tell us the truth. Dont throw your career away for this.

I dont remember where I saw it, I just saw it. For maybe two seconds. And I only saw Rufus Harmss name, not what was in the filing, Sara said stubbornly.

But if you suspected it was an appeal that was not logged into the system, Perkins said, then why didnt you take it down to the clerks office and have it logged in?

How was she supposed to answer that? It really wasnt convenient at the moment, and I didnt get another chance.

Wasnt convenient? Ramsey looked ready to erupt. Its my understanding that you just recently inquired at the clerks office about this missing appeal. Was it still not convenient for you to have it logged in then?

At that point I didnt know where it was.

McKenna spoke up forcefully. Listen, Ms. Evans, either you tell us or we find out from another source.

Sara stood up. I resent your tone and I dont appreciate being treated this way.

I think its in your interests to cooperate, McKenna said, and stop trying to protect the Fiske brothers.

What are you talking about?

We have reason to suspect that Michael Fiske took that appeal for his own purposes, and that somehow youre involved in all of that, Chandler informed her.

If he did and you knew about it but remained silent, that is a very serious ethical offense, Ms. Evans, said Ramsey.

Youre doing all of this running around, asking questions, because John Fiske put you up to it, didnt he?

This may come as quite a shock to you, but I can think and act all by myself, Agent McKenna, she said hotly.

You know that Michael Fiske had a half-million-dollar insurance policy naming his brother as beneficiary?

Yes, John told me.

And do you also know that Fiske has no alibi for the time of his brothers death?

Sara shook her head and smiled tightly. Youre wasting valuable time trying to pin Michaels murder on his brother. He had nothing to do with it, and hes trying as hard as he can to find out who did murder Michael.

McKenna put his hands in his pockets and studied her for a moment, changing his tactic. Would you say the Fiske brothers were close?

What do you mean by close?

McKenna rolled his eyes. Just the ordinary meaning of the word, thats all.

No, I dont think they were particularly close. So?

We found the life insurance policy at Michael Fiskes apartment. Tell me why he insured his life for all that money and made his not-so-close older brother the beneficiary. Why not his parents? From what Ive found out, they can certainly use the money.

I dont know what Michael was thinking when he did that. I guess well never know.

Maybe it wasnt Michael Fiske who did it at all.

Sara was momentarily stunned. What do you mean?

Do you know how easy it is to take out a life insurance policy on somebody else? Theres no photo identification necessary. A nurse comes to your house, takes some measurements and fluid samples. You forge a few signatures, pay the premiums through a dummy account.