Heart of a Killer Read Online Free PDF Page A

Sheryl Harrison was on her own.
    But the truth was that Lila misjudged Hennessey’s reaction. His use of the word “good” was simply expressing his pleasure that he would have more information to tell his own boss. Hennessey did not care where Sheryl was in the prison population, nor did he care what happened to her or why she was talking to a lawyer.
    Hennessey’s job was strikingly similar to Lila’s in one major respect. He was supposed to acquire information, and report it up the ladder. Where they differed was that for Lila, that was the end of it. For Hennessey, there was always likely to be more.
    In this case, it could be anything. Maybe he would have to kill Sheryl, or maybe even the lawyer. That would depend on more information, which he would acquire. Gathering information was one of his specialties.
    Hennessey’s next actions would be decided later, and not by him. He would simply do what he was told, what he was paid to do, and he didn’t care much either way what it was.

 
    On my second visit to the prison, I felt much more comfortable. I knew the security procedures, so that went more smoothly. I recognized some of the guards, and they seemed to remember me as well. In only two trips, I was feeling just as much at home as I did at Carlson, Miller, and Timmerman.
    My new friendship with my guard buddies apparently was not going to get me any special favors, since it took almost an hour before Sheryl Harrison was produced to meet with me. We met in the same room as the last time, and she was handcuffed to the same table.
    Once again I was taken aback by how good she looked, and how incongruous her appearance seemed to the reality of her situation.
    “Hello, Sheryl.”
    “What did you come up with?” She didn’t seem in much of a sociable mood; I’d had corporate clients who were significantly less businesslike.
    “Well, I’ve been familiarizing myself with your case,” I said.
    “Which case?” She didn’t so much say it as snap it.
    “The murder case. The Charlie Harrison murder.”
    She was clearly annoyed. “What the hell does that have to do with anything?”
    “It’s the reason you’re here.”
    “Listen,” she said, pausing to try and compose herself. “I know why I’m here. Everybody knows my why I’m here, and now you do as well. But focus on what I’m saying, okay? The reason I’m here has nothing at all to do with the reason you are here.”
    She was either impatient or disgusted with me, or both, and it was starting to get on my nerves. “I understand,” I said, “but—”
    She interrupted me, which was just as well, since I had no idea how I was going to finish the sentence. “You are here to save my daughter’s life.”
    I nodded. “And I will try to do that. I’ve decided to represent you, if you still want me to.”
    “I have no alternative,” she said, clearly not pleased by her lack of options.
    “My eyes are filling with tears,” I said, displaying my normal tendency to substitute sarcasm for angry speech. “You could get another lawyer.”
    “How?”
    “I don’t know … however you got me. You can just go through the same process; trust me, I won’t fight it.”
    “You know how long that took?” she asked. “Three weeks, and look what I wound up with. You know how long three weeks is in this situation?”
    I’m not sure why I didn’t walk out of the room; that was certainly my inclination. But for some reason I didn’t. “Sheryl, you are clearly not happy to have me as your lawyer. And I’ve got to tell you, I didn’t rub the lawyer genie’s ass and wish for you either. But it seems like I’m all you’ve got, and I’m willing to do my best. I’m a pretty good lawyer.”
    “Where did you go to law school?” she asked.
    “Harvard.”
    She tried to stifle a moan, but failed. “Oh, shit.”
    “You don’t approve of Harvard?”
    “Jamie, none of this is going to be pretty, or clean. You understand?”
    I nodded, annoyed that I