Dead Certain - Mariah Stewart [123]
He damn well better keep the trust.
Vince grew agitated just thinking about all that Channing had done for Vince, all that Vince had done for Lowell.
Well, there was nothing he could do about it now. He was in High Meadow, and was going to stay in High Meadow for the rest of his natural life. Unless, of course, he got the death penalty. Pennsylvania was, after all, a death penalty state, wasn’t it?
Soon Lowell would be out, and Vince would bet every last dollar he had stashed away in the wall of the old barn that Lowell was not going to give a second thought to him or to Channing once he walked out of here.
Sure. His dirty work had already been done for him. What did he care about honoring Channing’s memory by taking care of his business? What did he care about keeping a sacred promise?
Damn, but Vince was really beginning to steam.
A shadow passed the door, then paused.
“Vince? That you? Vince Giordano?” A dark head poked through the doorway.
“Who’s that?” Vince looked up and recognized the man who had at one time occupied the cell next to his. “Hey, Burt-man. How’s it going, man?”
“Goin’ good.” The head bobbed up and down. “Couldn’t be better. I’m on my way outta here. I am done with this place, man.”
“Your time is up?”
“As of today. Honest to God, there were times I thought this day would never come.”
“That’s good, man. I’m glad for you. Got a whole life out there.”
Burt laughed ruefully. “Yeah, well, some life. I been in here nearly thirteen years. My wife divorced me while I was in here, remarried, moved someplace, no one told me where. Took my kids. I got no job and a zilch-o chance of finding one, no education, no money. But at least I will be out there.” He paused and looked past Vince. “Out there and outta here.”
“So you got no plans . . . ?”
“Only plans I got are for a few cold beers and a few hot women.” He shrugged. “After that, who knows.”
“Burt,” a voice from the hall called out. “Get back in here. You shouldn’t be talking to him. He’s going into isolation.”
“What are you gonna do to me, Ralphie boy? Suspend my exercise privileges? I ain’t hurting no one.” He turned back to Vince. “Just waiting for the nurse to come back and sign my clearance, and then I’m hitting the first bar I come to. I been dreaming about that beer for weeks now.”
He started to move back out the door. “Well, good seeing you, Vince. Maybe we’ll run into each other one of these days, out there.”
“There ain’t gonna be no ‘out there’ for me.” Vince shook his head.
“Not this time, eh?”
“I’m afraid my luck has run out.”
“Yeah, well. Sorry to hear that, you know? You take care, Vince.”
“Burt-man.”
The man turned and looked back over his shoulder.
“You always impressed me as being a stand-up guy.”
“Thanks, Vince. I appreciate that.”
“You a guy who understands what honor among thieves means, Burt-man?”
“Hey, I been in here a long time, man. I know what it means to be able to trust someone to watch your back. That what you’re talking about?”
“Yeah. That’s what I meant.” Vince had to think this through quickly. There was little time to make a decision. “Listen, I’m wondering if you’d do something for me when you get out there.”
“What’s that?” Burt-man’s eyes narrowed.
Vince’s voice dropped. “I’ll make it worth your while.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I can tell you where I have cash—a whole lot of cash—stashed on the outside. Seems to me that a fellow like you, with no obvious means of support, might be able to use that cash. I’ll never get to spend it.” He laughed ruefully. “My lawyer has already told me that I don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell to get off this time, so I might as well fire him and get the court to appoint a lawyer for me. I’d rather see that money go to you than to have it found someday by some kids.”
“What would I have to do?” Burt’s sharp eyes sparked with interest.
“There’s someone who has a job to do for me out there. I just want you to make sure he does it.”
Burt came back into the room. “That’s all I have to do? Make sure someone