The Tenth Justice - Brad Meltzer [170]
A small cough emerged from Rick’s lips. Mentally and physically exhausted, Ben collapsed on the floor, his ragged breathing punctuated by sobs. It was finally over.
As Ben lay on the floor, holding his shoulder, the elevator arrived. When the doors opened, Alex DeRosa got out with half a dozen armed U.S. marshals.
“Everybody out,” DeRosa yelled as his men fanned into the hallway. Two of them handcuffed Rick, while two others ran to check on Lisa and Claremont.
“Are you okay?” DeRosa asked Ben, helping him to his feet.
“What the hell is this?” Ben asked, confused. “You were here all along?”
“Sorry about that,” DeRosa said as he unlocked Ben’s handcuffs. “Rick was watching you full-time this whole week. We didn’t want to risk anything.”
“Risk anything?” Ben yelled, rubbing his wrists. “We were almost killed! You lied to my face.”
“I didn’t lie,” DeRosa said. “I needed you to act normally.” DeRosa put his hand on Ben’s shoulder. “It was the only way—”
“Don’t touch me!” Ben yelled, pulling away from DeRosa’s hand. “You lied and put all of our lives at risk! Who the hell do you think you are?”
“Ben, I couldn’t get through to you. Rick was always watching.”
“That’s bullshit,” Ben snapped. “You could’ve passed me a note on the subway. You could’ve passed me something at the Jefferson Memorial. At the very least, you should’ve passed me something when Ober died.”
“I’m sorry about that—”
“I don’t want to hear it,” Ben yelled, walking past DeRosa. Holding his shoulder, he headed up the hallway.
Ben approached Lisa and Claremont. “Thanks for the save,” Claremont said.
“Fuck you,” Ben said, pushing Claremont aside to get to Lisa, who was collapsed against the wall. He grabbed her bloodied hand and looked at her battered face. “How’re you doing?” he asked.
“I’ve had better days,” she said.
“Did you get pushed through the window?”
“No way,” Lisa said with a pained smile. “This was by choice. Great idea, huh?”
“One of your best,” Ben said.
“Let’s get them both to a hospital,” one of the marshals said. “They’re pretty banged up.”
“Did you really get shot?” Lisa asked, looking at Ben’s shoulder.
“No way,” Ben smiled back. “This was by choice.”
Chapter 19
HOLDING A BAG OF ICE TO HIS EYE, NATHAN waited inside a small room that connected to DeRosa’s office. For two hours, Nathan hadn’t moved, sitting in the same hard chair and leaning on the same small conference table. Throughout the ride to DeRosa’s office, the marshals wouldn’t say a word to him. When Nathan asked questions, they wouldn’t respond. When he threatened them, they weren’t fazed. All they would tell him was that Ben and Lisa were safe.
Finally the door to DeRosa’s office opened. Taking his bag of ice with him, Nathan walked inside. Ben sat in one of two chairs that faced DeRosa. A sling held Ben’s left arm in place. Nathan pulled the bag of ice from his eye and scowled at his roommate. “This’s why I’ve been locked up for two hours?” Nathan asked. “So you could interrogate Prince Charming over here?”
“Take a seat,” DeRosa said, pointing to the chair next to Ben.
“I’d rather stand,” Nathan replied shortly.
“Whatever you want,” DeRosa said.
“How are you doing?” Ben asked.
“How am I doing?” Nathan asked sarcastically. “Let’s see, my eye is a melon, my head is ringing, and no one’s told me a damn thing. Other than that, I’m superb.”
“What was the last thing you saw at the hotel?” DeRosa asked.
“The last thing I saw was a dozen marshals busting into the room. They confiscated all of Rick’s equipment, shouted about tracing Rick’s cellular phone, and then they unlocked me—obviously their lowest priority. Then you come over, introduce yourself, and disappear. A medic checks me out and gives me some ice and some aspirin, and the next thing I know, two of your Secret Service wannabes drive me here and lock me in that little room.”
“I’m sorry I had to leave,” DeRosa explained, scribbling notes as he spoke. “Now what happened before that?”
Before Nathan could respond, the door to DeRosa’s office opened and Claremont walked into the room.