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“Marmot told me he was going to threaten you, that’s all.”

“And you believed him?”

“You don’t understand what you’re doing.”

“No, sir, I do understand. You might not like it that I passed the black mark back to you by telling Marmot’s boss that you hired me to indict him—but that doesn’t make me ignorant. All I did was turn the focus on you.”

“Not me, you idiot, my daughter.”

“What about your daughter?”

“The reason I backed off the Man case was because they took my daughter. They have her somewhere and they said unless I do as they instructed that she’d be hurt and then killed.”

“Marmot said this?”

“Yes.”

“And Antrobus?”

“I don’t know that name. But now that you told them you’re looking into Marmot for me, they say they’re going to kill my little girl.”

The bane of police work is innocent bystanders. You try your best, but unseen events, ricochet bullets, and false arrest are a part of the job.

“I’m sorry to hear that, Mr. Braun. I mean, all I knew was that you were about to wreck Man’s case and then you set me up to meet two assassins. If I knew about your child I would have done something else.”

He was quiet on the line.

“I have some questions,” I said in a mild tone.

“Why should I answer?”

“Because I’m probably the only hope you have of getting your daughter back.”

He took in and released three breaths, then said, “What do you want to know?”

“How old is your daughter?”

“Seven,” he said, and then he cried some.

“I will get her back for you if you set up a hearing for Man in Manhattan. It’ll have to be sometime next week.”

“How can you get my daughter?”

“How did I get to you?”

“I’ll do as you say if you agree to free my daughter first.”

“No, Mr. Braun. This is the deal—you set up a meeting between a group of people of my choosing and Man. After that we will bring your daughter to you.”

“Who are you working with?”

“Deep talent, Mr. Braun, deep talent.”

“I can get a court date set,” he admitted, “but I’ve been told, by people who know, that it will be impossible to change the verdict unless I prove that he didn’t pull the trigger. And I don’t care how much you investigate, Mr. Boll, you will not prove that. I grieve over Ms. Mudd, but you cannot save her either.”

“I appreciate your honesty, Mr. Braun. If I’m about to partner up with somebody, I expect honor. But don’t worry, sir. All we need is A Free Man in a downtown holding cell. You won’t be required to prove the impossible or raise the dead.”

“I’ll try to set the hearing for Monday. I know a judge who owes me a thing or two.”