Among Thieves

“Not good,” Fi

“Do you think he’ll go through with it?” Lissa asked. Her hands worried the blanket on her lap absentmindedly.

“I think so,” Fi

“He’s only known she existed for a year or so,” Kozlowski pointed out skeptically. “He may try to skip.”

“I don’t think so,” Fi

“There’s caring, and then there’s caring,” Kozlowski said. “I don’t know that a year is enough time for him to lay down his life for her, daughter or not.”

“Your child hasn’t been born,” Fi

Kozlowski shifted on the wall, and Fi

“Fair enough, I’m just saying I think I can read him on this. In any case, we’re not going to let him out of our sight once he’s out of jail tomorrow. Where he goes, we go. Period. If he tries to run, I’ll tie him up and deliver him to Kilbranish myself.”

“We should have protected her,” Lissa said. “I should have protected her.” She pulled so hard at the blanket, Fi

“It’s not your fault,” Fi

“We knew enough,” she replied.

He nodded. “Maybe we did. But then it’s all our faults. We’ll get her back.”

“You have a plan?” she asked.

Fi

“Then what?”

“I don’t know.”

“We’re not really going to give Devon up to this psychopath, are we?” Lissa asked. “There has to be another way.”

Fi

“Probably,” Kozlowski said. “It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

“There’s only one way to know for sure,” Fi

“What?” Lissa demanded.

“We give him the paintings,” Kozlowski said.

She looked back and forth between them. “We don’t know where the paintings are. Do we?”

“No,” Fi

Chapter Thirty-Three

Devon ’s second bail hearing was scheduled for two-thirty on Friday afternoon. Fi

Kristin Kelley, the assistant district attorney who had argued at the arraignment, was not in the courtroom that morning, which was a blessing. Instead, the young man who had been with her was there, along with a woman who appeared even younger than he. Just looking at her made Fi

Judge Platt entered the courtroom at nine twenty-five, looking as bored with his existence as ever. “Call the first case,” he grumbled after everyone was seated.

“Case number 08-CR-2677, Commonwealth versus Devon Malley! Come forward and be heard!” the bailiff shouted.

Devon was brought in. He was wearing his prison fatigues, and he was chained at the wrists and ankles. Platt had his head down and was looking through case files as Devon entered, and it took a moment for him to look up. When he did, though, his forehead wrinkled in disgust. He called his clerk over to the bench, and they engaged in an animated discussion for a moment before the judge waved him away.

Platt turned his attention to Fi

“No, Your Honor,” Fi

Platt glared at Devon. “That so, Mr. Malley?”

Fi

Platt crinkled his nose, as if he smelled something offensive. “If you must, go ahead,” he said.

Devon cleared his throat. Fi

“Second,” Devon continued, “I want to say I’m sorry to the bailiffs and the others who were in the courtroom the other day. I know what I did put them in danger, and I don’t have any excuse for that.”

“Is that it?” Platt asked.

“No, Judge. I want to say I’m sorry to you. This is your courtroom, and I disrupted it.”

“You disrespected it,” Platt interjected.

Devon nodded reluctantly. “I didn’t mean it to have anything to do with you, Judge. I didn’t mean to show disrespect, but I understand that that was how it looked. I’m very sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“You’re goddamned right it won’t,” Platt grumbled. His voice had no conviction, though, and Fi

“That’s correct,” Fi

The young assistant district attorney stood. “If I may address this issue, Your Honor?” he said.

Platt peered over his glasses down at the man. “Mr. Hendricks, do you have anything to add that Ms. Kelley did not address the other day?”

“Only that in light of Mr. Malley’s outburst the other day-”

“I was here, Mr. Hendricks. If you are about to instruct me on the weight I should give that in determining bail, then zip it. You don’t need to remind me of Mr. Malley’s behavior. Do you have anything else-anything new-to add?”

Hendricks’s mouth moved silently for a moment, as if he was willing the words to come. “No, Your Honor,” he said finally. “I don’t.”

“Didn’t think so,” Platt said. He looked at Fi

“I have, Your Honor. Thank you.”

Platt looked at Devon. “Mr. Malley, at the time when you assaulted your attorney the other day, I was about to set a very low bail. Hell, I was even thinking about granting your release on your own recognizance. Now, because of your outburst, I am considering not setting bail at all.” The speech seemed rehearsed, but as the words came out of his mouth, Fi