Afraid of the Dark - James Grippando [35]
He felt her touch again, but he pulled his hand away.
“Vince, I don’t think I like what I’m hearing.”
“Then go to bed,” he said as he reached for his cell phone.
“Who are you calling?”
“Jack Swyteck,” he said, dialing.
“Vince, don’t. You’ve been drinking.”
He kept dialing.
“It’s after eleven,” said Alicia.
Vince ignored her. On the third ring, Swyteck answered his cell.
“Swyteck, it’s Vince Paulo.”
Jack hesitated, obviously caught off guard. “How are you, Vince?”
“Been better. I know it’s late, but there are a couple things I just need to get off my chest.”
“Okay,” said Swyteck, some trepidation in his voice. “I’m listening.”
“None of this would be an issue if we didn’t know each other. But you and I have some history, so it needs to be said.”
“You’re right. That history, as you say, is one of the reasons I’ve been so reluctant to get involved. And I didn’t want to rush into making ridiculous accusations against the U.S. government about black sites. I’ve gone back and forth on this, but there’s too much tipping the other way, Vince. Even Chuck Mays seems to have his doubts, and now we have Mr. Chang suddenly silenced. I’m taking the case. I was actually going to call you.”
“When? After the opening statement?”
“I don’t want this to become personal.”
“Funny,” said Vince, “but the only time people say that is when they know it already is.”
The lawyer didn’t answer.
Vince said, “Chuck Mays told me about the conversation he had with you at his house yesterday morning.”
“I figured he would. I know you two are friends.”
“But friends don’t always agree,” Vince said. “You understand what I’m saying?”
“I think I do.”
“Well, let me spell it out for you. You mentioned Chuck as a reason for taking the case. If, in any way, Chuck conveyed some concerns about indicting the right man, I want you to know that I don’t share his doubts.”
“That’s your view.”
“If you want to get literal about it, you might say it was my last view. I was the one who found McKenna in her room. I was holding McKenna in my arms when she tried to look up and told me who did it. But all that will come out at trial.”
“It will, which is why I don’t think this conversation is—”
“No, you need to hear what I have to say. You go ahead and represent Jamal Wakefield. I don’t care. The truth is, I want him to have a good lawyer. Because I want him convicted, and I don’t want him filing appeals for the next ten years claiming that his counsel was ineffective. I want the conviction to stick.”
“I understand.”
“No, you don’t understand, Swyteck. You can’t possibly understand. I want it to stick, and I will do what it takes to make it stick. Count on it.”
Vince hung up, and it was only then that he realized how tightly he was squeezing the phone. He breathed in and out, then massaged the pain between his eyes.
“Vince, I—”
“Don’t say it,” he told her.
Alicia reached out and laced her fingers with his. “I love you,” she said.
Vince let out another deep breath. “That’s the best news I’ve heard all day.”
Chapter Seventeen
Jack was still stinging on Monday morning. The phone call from Vince Paulo hadn’t gone as badly as he thought it would; it had been even worse. Jack probably should have been the one to initiate the call; maybe he should have even told him about the polygraph. But that probably wouldn’t have made a difference. Vince’s anger was completely unavoidable. Maybe even justified.
You don’t understand, Swyteck.
Jack closed his eyes for a moment—and held it. It could actually feel soothing, even calming in a way. Until you wanted it to end. Jack pushed himself to get to that point—eyes closed until he couldn’t stand the darkness any longer—and then he forced himself to remain without sight. Sixty seconds passed. It felt like an hour. Two minutes went by, and he was in hell. After five minutes, he would have cut off his legs rather than stay this way forever. And he realized Vince was right.
You can’t possibly