First things first, I grab my phone and listen to Logan’s message again. “We need to talk. In person. It’s urgent. Call me.” His dogmatic insistence we meet doesn’t feel off considering his personality, but something else does. I need to know what he knows, but a callback or my easy agreement to meet on my part would be what would be off. And it’s late. I really don’t have time to meet him today anyway, not if I plan to have dinner with my mother.
I shoot off a text: We already talked. We don’t need a repeat. And even if I wanted to meet, I can’t tonight.
Once I’m done with that, I call the judge’s office and leave him an urgent message, during which Logan tries to call me. I don’t take the call. I need him to work for this. I need him to react with agitation, which might make him say something he will regret and I can use it to help us in some way.
My phone rings again and it’s the judge’s office. I sit down at the desk and answer the line, “Ms. Miller?” a woman queries.
“Yes,” I confirm. “This is her.”
“I have Judge Nichols for you. Can I patch him through?”
“You can,” I confirm. “Please do.”
“Ms. Miller,” Judge Nichols greets. “What can I do for you?”
“This is highly unusual and I recognize we’ll need to schedule a time with opposing council—”
“But you’re going to continue on anyway,” he concludes.
“Considering I just spent the night hiding in a cave from an assassin, after watching an FBI agent get stabbed to death in front of me, yes sir, I am.”
“I heard about your situation,” he states grimly. “And I’m certainly enjoying, and I say that sarcastically, the unnerving need for security myself, which is why I returned your call promptly. Go on.”
“Thank you, your honor. Our star witness is Adrian Mack, otherwise known as Adrian Ramos.”
“Who I now understand has an arrest warrant in Chicago.”
“Which is ridiculous,” I say, barely taming the lift of my voice. “He’s never even been to Chicago. This is a ploy by Waters to get him into a jail cell and kill him.”
“Waters, who is in jail.”
“Waters ordered that hit on me last night,” I say, “which I know since the hitman told me. And,” I add, “I might point out that even if Adrian lives to testify, Waters will be hunting him, if not directly, then through his people, for the rest of his life. We’ve lost witnesses, witnesses who were murdered, which is why I’m asking for permission to take his deposition now. If anything happens to him, we need his testimony on file.”
“A fair request the defense will argue against, but I assume you’re ready for that confrontation.”
“It’s expected and yes, I am. I don’t want him to testify in open court on camera, your honor.”
“I’m certain the defense will have an issue with that as well.”
“As I stated, I’m willing to argue my points formally.”
“I’ll authorize the deposition and inform the defense. No argument is needed. But that’s to secure his testimony to be used if something happens to him. It’s not a replacement for him taking the stand under oath in front of a jury. We’ll schedule a Zoom meeting to argue that topic with defense, as I’m not prepared to see any of us dead on arrival to a meeting.”
“Yes but—”
“We’ll discuss with the defense.”
My lips purse. “I’d like to take the deposition sooner than later. Our witness needs to be able to disappear and stay alive. As for open court, I’m open to arguments as early as this evening.”
“Understood. Let’s be clear, counselor, if he gives deposition and disappears, I may well throw out his testimony. I have not ruled yet on his dismissal from open court testimony. Am I clear?”
“Quite,” I assure him.
“And I assume all of this means your witness is prepared to turn himself into the Chicago authorities?”
“He doesn’t have a death wish, so no, I don’t suspect he’ll be turning himself in and I’m frankly hoping he doesn’t change his mind.”
“Are you telling me that you’re harboring a fugitive, counselor?”
There’s something in his tone that tells me he’s going through the motions, covering his ass and mine. I offer us both said coverage. “I don’t know where he is, though I have talked to him, but he contacts me. The depositions will need to be done via Zoom.”
He’s quiet, one second, two. “What else?”
I steel myself for a bad reaction and say, “I need to come clean on something.”
“Is that right? Well, I’m all ears and listening.”
“Adrian Mack saved my life at least twice now. I’ve developed a personal relationship with him. I’m hoping that won’t be a problem.”
“But you don’t know where he is?”
“I was with him when I was attacked before either of us knew about the warrant. We were both attacked, but no, at this very moment, I do not know where he’s at.” It’s the truth, I think. I mean, for all I know he’s left the house.