The Tenth Justice - Brad Meltzer [118]
“I didn’t know if someone was going to follow you or if you were going to come out alone.”
“Well, you don’t have to worry. Your I.D. worked with no problem. I think the marshals are lost.”
“Or maybe they knew I was already gone.”
“Ben, you have to calm down. No one but us knew to watch that database. The marshals don’t know dick. You said it yourself: They’re morons.”
“Whatever.” Ben’s eyes were focused on the back window behind Lisa.
Lisa turned around. “Stop it already. No one is following us.”
“I just can’t believe this is happening,” Ben said, shaking his head. “My life is ruined.”
“Let’s not talk about it now,” Lisa said, motioning with her chin toward the taxi driver. “We can discuss it when we get home.”
Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at Ben’s house. “See, you’re home free,” Lisa said as Ben put his key in the door. “If the marshals really wanted you, they would’ve jumped us as soon as we got out of the taxi.”
When Ben opened the door, he was surprised to see Ober watching TV in the living room. “Hey, why are you home so early?” Ober asked. “Oh, now I see,” he added when he saw Lisa follow Ben inside. “What’s new with you, missy?”
“Nothing really,” Lisa said, taking off her coat. “You?”
“Not much,” Ober said.
“What are you doing here, anyway?” Ben asked his roommate. “Aren’t you supposed to be working?”
“I am,” Ober said, shutting off the TV. “I’m just taking a long lunch.”
“It’s almost three-thirty,” Ben said.
“It is?” Ober said, turning the television back on. “Then I have at least another half hour before I have to show my face.”
“Do you realize that our tax dollars are paying for you to sit around?” Lisa asked as she took a seat on the couch. “Go back to work.”
“Hey, my tax dollars are paying your salary, too,” Ober said. “Aren’t they?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Ben said, collapsing next to Ober on the couch.
“What happened?” Ober asked, still staring at the TV.
After explaining the entire story, Ben said, “And once the decision comes down on Monday, Grinnell and Associates is going to make millions and every finger is going to point to me.”
“And they should,” Ober said. “You are the president of Addison and Company.”
“This is not the time for jokes,” Ben said.
“Then can I ask you a favor?” Ober said. “If Monday is going to be your last day at the Court, can I come along to watch the decision being announced?”
“Do you really want to come?” Ben asked.
“Absolutely,” Ober said. “If you’re not going to be there anymore, I figure this’s the last time I’ll be able to get backstage.”
“There’s no stage,” Lisa said. “The justices sit behind a bench.”
“Then backbench,” Ober corrected himself. “So will you take me?”
“Sure,” Ben said, shrugging his shoulders. “Why not?” He turned toward Lisa and added, “By the way, I guess the Addison and Company purchase answers your question about whether Rick was going to take part in Grinnell.”
“I just don’t understand it,” Lisa said. “How could Nathan do that to you?”
“You have no proof it was him,” Ober interrupted, suddenly angry.
“Oh, yeah?” Lisa asked. “Then how come we never saw that briefcase mike?”
“Don’t ask me,” Ober said. “But if you want to talk about Nathan, do it elsewhere. I don’t want to hear that crap anymore.”
“That must make you Hear No Evil,” Lisa said. “Now if we only could’ve gotten Nathan and Eric to play Speak No Evil and Print No Evil.”
“Listen you bony little bitch, you can—”
“Both of you, stop it!” Ben interrupted. “I don’t have time to play mediator now. Save it for later.”
“How can you let her get away with that?” Ober asked. “These people are still your friends.”
“Me?” Lisa asked, pointing to herself. “What about you?”
“Listen, I don’t care if it’s Nathan,” Ben said. “I don’t care if it’s either of you. In fact, I don’t even care if it’s my own damn mother at this point. The bottom line is that come Monday, it’s all over.”
Ober pulled his jacket from the couch. “Ben, I’ll talk to you about it later, when she’s gone. I really have to get back to work.”
“Good riddance,” Lisa shouted as Ober slammed the door. “Listen,