Afraid of the Dark Read Online Free PDF

just as Jack was about to goad him into saying something really entertaining, the prosecutor spotted them.
    “Woops, here she comes,” said Jack. “Be nice.”
    “Congratulations,” Gonzalez said as she offered her hand. Jack shook it. “You did a heck of a job,” she added.
    The conciliatory tone and gesture put him off balance. It was extremely professional of her. All the more reason not to issue that stinging press release.
    “Thank you,” said Jack.
    He quickly introduced Neil, who remained in his chair, acknowledging her only with a weak wave of the hand. For Neil, anyone who lunched with the likes of Sid Littleton and Black Ice was the enemy, and there was never any fraternizing with the enemy.
    “I was just putting the finishing touches on our press release,” said Neil.
    Jack sighed, wishing he hadn’t mentioned it.
    “You may want to hear what I have to say first,” said Gonzalez.
    Neil chuckled, but Jack wasn’t sure why.
    Gonzalez said, “I apologize for interrupting your lunch, but I’d rather not put this in an e-mail, and I think it’s only fair to give you a heads-up on some last-minute developments in the al-Jawar matter. Your client is on a flight to Miami as we speak.”
    Jack bristled. I knew he was American. “Why?”
    “Custody is being transferred to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.”
    Neil popped from his chair, unable to contain himself. “What do you mean transferred ? The judge ordered his release.”
    “He is being referred to the Miami-Dade state attorney for prosecution on criminal charges unrelated to terrorism.”
    “What—jaywalking?” said Neil, his neck swelling. “This is ridiculous.”
    “Easy, Neil,” said Jack.
    “No, this infuriates me,” said Neil. “Every time a judge rules for a detainee, the DOJ tries to save face with vague references to some new evidence collected by the task force on detention that may lead to a criminal indictment. It’s sleazy. This is another example of the administration’s defiance of a court order and its refusal to admit that there was never any legal basis to detain these prisoners.”
    “This morning a grand jury indicted your client on one count of first degree murder and one count of attempted murder,” said Gonzalez.
    Neil fell silent.
    Jack did a double take. “And you say this is unrelated to terrorism?”
    “It’s purely a local law enforcement matter,” she said. “Your client is from Miami. His real name is Jamal Wakefield. And three years ago he killed a girl named McKenna Mays. Stabbed her to death.”
    Jack gave it a moment to sink in. Then he looked at his old boss and said, “Let’s hold off on the press release, Neil.”

Chapter Five
    J ack was back in Miami by nightfall. He was wandering around lost in the airport’s Flamingo Garage when he finally remembered that his car was in the Dolphin Garage. To a Floridian, parking garages named Dolphin and Flamingo were like identical twins named Frick and Frack. All that was missing was cousin Royal Palm. A ridiculously long moving sidewalk connected the two garages, and Jack’s cell rang as he stepped onto it. The display read SUNNY GARDENS OF DORAL . It was his grandfather’s nursing home.
    “He’s being combative again,” the nurse said.
    Jack got these calls about once a week. The usual scenario was that Grandpa was sleeping peacefully when the night nurse barged into the room, overpowered him with the health-care equivalent of waterboarding, and forced an unwanted and probably unnecessary medication down his throat fast enough to land her in the Guinness Book of World Records, Nursing Edition .
    Who wouldn’t be combative?
    Jack was tired of the arguments, and the sound of his grandfather ranting senselessly against the post office in the background was breaking his heart.
    “P.O., no, no,” the old man shouted. “P.O., no, no!”
    “Put him on the phone,” said Jack.
    “I can’t. We’re restraining him.”
    “ What? I’ll