“This stuff is what I’m good at. I can also prioritize the other cases in all those files, look after your diaries, appointments, all that kind of stuff. I can produce background research, deal with other law enforcement agencies, book travel, hotels… Anything you need. I think I should also arrange for someone to come in here and clean the apartment, do laundry and maybe prepare some meals for the freezer.”
“You can do that?”
“Warden said my job is to make your lives easier, to make time for you both to work. Organizing people makes me happy.” He beamed and shoved his glasses up his nose.
“What are your working hours?” Gunnar asked.
“I’ll work the hours you do and, before you say anything, that’s in the job description. Think of me like a concierge in a high-end hotel. If you want it, I can get it. You wouldn’t believe what kind of connections a network of law enforcement admins has across the city.”
“I’m beginning to get a picture.”
Bryn arrived with a tray of coffee, which he dished out. “I guess that until we get the footage we need, we should pick up another case.” He returned to his beanbag.
“If you give me half an hour with the folders,” Emmett said, “I can find something close by, or maybe where the cops or whoever can come here.”
“Good idea,” Gunnar agreed, “but how about we go through the folders together and you make notes because Bryn and I need to have a picture of the kind of stuff we have lined up.”
“That would be great,” Emmett said. “Give me a minute to set up a basic spreadsheet. I can fancy it uplater.” He took a giant swig of coffee then bent over his keyboard. Gunnar shook his head, not understanding Emmett’s enthusiasm but relieved that he and Bryn had some help.
Emmett took the pile of folders, divided them into three then handed them out. “Who wants to go first?”
“Me.” Bryn peered at the sheaf of papers in his first folder. “Potential miscarriage of justice, New York. Not too far away.”
Emmett went next. “Interesting. Brothers both claiming the other killed their father. They are monozygotic twins so DNA evidence is useless. That’s in Salem.”
“This one is in Boston,” Gunnar said. “Several suspects for an inside job on an armed robbery. It’s an armored vehicle hold-up. Someone provided route details but there are several possible culprits.”
The list grew as they took turns. It included juror validation, a kidnapping where a family member was suspected, possible false alibis, murder, rape, fraud… The cases stretched from coast to coast.
“Wow, this is depressing,” Emmett declared. “So much misery.”
“But all things we can resolve. Well, Bryn can.”
“Hey, this is a team effort,” Bryn protested. “No way could I do this on my own.”
“I think we should go with the juror check. I can get them here because it’s a Boston PD case,” Emmett said. “The trial is about to start so they’ll all be at the courthouse anyway. I should be able to get an adjournment and have them bussed here.”
“How many are there?” Gunnar asked.
“Five. Will that be too many for you in one go, Bryn?” Emmett’s brown furrowed.
“Not if it’s a simple truth reading for each of them,” Bryn said.
“Okay, well I’m going to need some time here getting everything set up,” Emmett said. “It might be quicker if you guys went back to Walmart to view their security footage.”
“In other words, you want us out from under your feet,” Gunnar said.
“Oh, I wouldn’t dream… I mean, that’s not what—”
“Relax, Emmett. We’d be like spare parts sitting here. It’s a good idea. We can take the bike over there. Can you call the manager so they’re ready for us? I’d rather not have to explain what we’re doing. Maybe say we’re trying to identify a fugitive or something.”
“Sure, leave it with me.” Emmett beamed.
“If you can extract your ass from that beanbag, Bryn, how about we go do some work?”
Bryn held out a hand. Gunnar yanked him up.
“Does that not…the skin-to-skin contact?” Emmett said, wide-eyed.
