“You could run the operation tonight,” Arlen said, “and get the same things. Except don’t count on me to kill Wade now. It wouldn’t seem prudent.”
That actually raised a smile, however faint.
“We could still get the McGraths,” Barrett said. “If I can convince the boys from Tampa to trust you, then we’ll still come away with the McGraths.”
“Is that enough?” Arlen said.
“They’re damned dangerous men. And important to Wade.”
“But will they help you? Will they tell you anything that can help? I don’t see Tate McGrath rolling on Wade.”
Barrett’s silence confirmed that he didn’t see it either.
“You can help, though,” he said eventually. “Rebecca can help. You’ve got plenty to tell. And are Sorenson’s hands still around?”
“They are,” Rebecca said.
“Well, that’s something.”
“Is it?” Arlen said. “Seems to me he could lawyer his way out. You got two witnesses who say he brought them in. He’ll find at least one, McGrath, who will say that box was filled with chocolates when he dropped it off for Rebecca.”
“Yeah,” Barrett said softly.
“You’ve got to get him with something solid,” Arlen said. “Get him with his hand actually in the jar. And it doesn’t sound like he reaches in too often. Not with his own hand.”
“You’re saying we let it go off without a hitch?” Barrett said. “Let them bring in their dope and take it out in trucks, without saying a word? It ain’t going to happen. Trust me on that. The badges in Tampa aren’t going to let it happen.”
“Look,” Arlen said, “what it boils down to is this: without us, nothing happens tonight. You don’t get a damned thing, except for maybe the Cubans. Maybe. You don’t get anybody in Corridor County, that’s for sure. With us, you can get the McGraths. That leaves Wade, though, and it also leaves him knowing damn well who set him up. So what do we do then? Shake your hand and go on our way and wait for him to cut our throats?”
Barrett sighed and got to his feet, setting the cigarette down carefully on the edge of the tire.
“Let me call Tampa,” he said. “I’m not authorized to decide such a thing.”
He went back inside the shop, and they could hear him speaking in low tones to his wife. Then it went quiet. Arlen put his hand on Rebecca’s shoulder. She touched it briefly with her own but didn’t look at him.
They’d been in the garage with Barrett for maybe an hour, and already the morning sun had faded beneath gray clouds. It would rain again today. Barrett was gone for about twenty minutes before he stepped back inside. He closed the door and leaned against it and studied them.
“Tampa’s ready to grant you immunity,” he said, “provided you keep the exchange in motion tonight. If you derail it—if anything derails it—they’ll come at you with charges.”
“That’s a hell of a fair thing,” Arlen said. “More of tonight is out of our control than is in it.”
Barrett shrugged. “They aren’t impressed with your story.”
“Aren’t impressed with it?” Rebecca said. “They aren’t impressed with the idea that this man, this judge, murdered my father, murdered Walter Sorenson, threatened my brother, threatened me? They aren’t—”
Arlen put his hand on her shoulder again, and she stopped and shook her head, her mouth tight with anger.
“Look,” Barrett said, “I think it’s a square deal. All you’ve got to do is make sure things get off as they’re supposed to. That’s on your brother more than you. He’s the one running the show, right?”
Rebecca nodded.
“Well, make sure he runs it right,” Barrett said, “and then you’re good. You can watch in shock and surprise when the McGraths are arrested.”
“That’ll be awfully convincing,” Arlen said, “when they’re arrested and we’re not.”
“Oh, you will be.”
Rebecca said, “What?” but Arlen finally began to get it, and he nodded.
“This is how you remove us from Wade,” he said. “Anything else, and he smells the truth. If we all go down, he can’t be sure who the leak is.”
“That’s right. And you’ll be jailed out of county. You and the McGraths.”
“We’ll be jailed?” Rebecca said.
“Only on paper,” Barrett said. “It all works right, we’ll get you out of here and to someplace safe. But you’ve got to testify against him when it comes time.”