Annie's Rainbow - Fern Michaels [102]
“Believing and proving something are two different things. I have my orders. I closed the files. It’s over. I don’t want you to come here again. And in case you’re thinking of ransacking my apartment, let me tell you, there are no files or notes here. I was asked to turn everything over to my superiors, which I did. Let’s look at the best-case scenario. Supposing one of the three admits to taking the money. How in the hell is that going to prove you weren’t one of the bank robbers? None of the three were anywhere near the bank that day. They have it all on film. Their alibis are airtight. You’re swimming upstream.”
“If the money had been turned over that same day, I would have gotten a lesser sentence. I might have been allowed to plea-bargain. Oh, no, they sit on the fucking money, use it for their. own purposes, then get an attack of conscience and return it. Meanwhile my ass is fried, and I go down for the count. Goddamn it, I didn’t rob the fucking bank!”
“A jury of your peers says you did. What is it you want from me?”
“I want you to tell me everything you know about your Three Musketeers. I want to know what makes that old coot tick. What’s that string bean got going for her? And the rich one. There’s something there, I can smell it.”
“They are what they are. Mr. Richardson is a bona fide pharmacist who retired at an appropriate age. He had no family. Miss Clark and Miss Abbott are like his children. He retired to the South shortly after they did, and he helps them with their business. I scoured Miss Clark’s records, and they’re as squeaky clean as Elmo Richardson’s. Miss Abbott is married to a bounder who spends her money like water. She’s clean, too. That’s all I can tell you. Just tell me what it is you think you can do at this stage of the game?”
“My father has given me a large sum of money to try and prove my innocence. He’s the only one in the whole world who believes in me. I’m going to use that money to try and get the person who took that money.”
“And then what are you going to do? Kill them? Try to ruin them? Get it through your head—it’s over. Look, Andy, put it behind you and get on with your life. Use the money your father gave you for a new start. You can’t live in the past. You are so full of hate you aren’t thinking straight. If anything happens to any of those people, the police are going to come after you. You’re the first person they’re going to come after. You have a record now. The Clark woman is rich, and she undoubtedly has the best legal counsel money can buy. She won’t hesitate to turn her legal eagles loose on you. Now, don’t slam the door when you leave.”
The young man’s face turned ugly. “Would it interest you to know that for the past month, at any given moment of the day or night, I can tell you exactly where those three people are and exactly what they’re doing?” Newman shook his head, then watched Pearson square his shoulders, watched him ball his hands into tight fists. He sucked in his breath as he did his best to stare down the felon standing in front of him. He was forced to look away out of fear of what he was seeing in Andrew Pearson’s eyes. For the first time in his life, he felt truly afraid. He was so limp with relief when he heard the door close behind Pearson that he collapsed onto the nearest chair.
When he felt strong enough to stand on his own two feet, Newman got up, fortified himself with a stiff drink, and picked up the phone. His first call was to Anna Clark. He wasn’t the least surprised when Elmo Richardson answered the phone. He identified himself, and said, “Mr. Richardson, I’m calling to warn you about something I have no control over. I want you to listen to me very carefully, then I want you to relay this message to Miss Clark and Miss Abbott. If you think it will be better for me to call the two ladies, I will be