The Simple Truth

But that means it will go into the official record. My being here, everything.

Thats right, it will. It was your choice to come here, not mine. You have to live with the consequences.

I know. But I wasnt counting on any of this.

Well, life is full of little surprises.

Look, do you really have to file anything?

Your presence here is a matter of official record anyway, Mr. Fiske, regardless of what happened in that visitors room. You are in the visitation book with an assigned badge number.

I guess I hadnt thought that all the way through.

I guess not. I take it youre not really experienced in military matters? While Michael stood there looking miserable, Rayfield thought for a moment. Look, we need to fill out the report, but other things being equal, I may not officially file it. Maybe your presence here at the prison gets expunged too.

Michael breathed a sigh of relief. Could you do that?

Maybe. Youre a lawyer. What about aquid pro quo?

What do you mean?

I throw away the report and you throw away that appeal. He paused as he stared at the young man. It would save the government another lawyer bill. I mean, God bless anybodys rights to seek their day in court, but this is getting a little old.

Michael looked away. Ill have to think about that. It has some technical deficiencies anyway. Maybe youre right.

I am right. Im not looking to mess up your career. Well just forget this ever happened. And hopefully I wont be reading about this case in the papers. If I do, then maybe your being down here has to come out too. Now, if youll excuse me. Rayfield turned on his heel and walked off, leaving behind a visibly distressed Michael Fiske. *����*����* Rayfield went directly to his office. Rufuss suspicions had been well founded; a listening device designed to blend in with the wood grain had been planted on the underside of the table in the visitorsroom. Rayfield listened once more to the conversation between Michael and Rufus. Some of it had been disrupted by Michael tapping his pen. The radio had obliterated all of Rufuss earlier conversation with Rider. Rufus was no idiot. But Rayfield had heard and read enough to know that potentially they had a big problem. And his conversation with Michael had not solved the dilemma, at least not permanently. He picked up the phone and placed a call. In concise sentences Rayfield recounted the events to the party at the other end.

Holy shit, I cant believe this.

I know.

All of this happened today?

Well, I told you about Rider coming in earlier, but yes, all of these events happened just now.

Why the hell did you let him in to see Harms?

If I didnt, dont you think he wouldve gotten more suspicious? After reading what Harms had written in his damn letter to the Court, what choice did I have?

You should have taken care of the sonofabitch before this. Youve had twenty-five years to do it, Frank.

That was the plan twenty-five years ago, to kill him, Rayfield fired back. And look what happened. Tremaine and I have spent half our lives watching over his ass.

You two arent exactly doing it for free. Whats your little nest egg up to so far? A million? Retirements going to be awfully nice. But it wont be, for any of us, if this gets out.

Its not like I havent tried to kill the guy. Hell, Tremaine tried to do him today in the infirmary, but damn, its like the guys got a sixth sense. Rufus Harms is as mean as a snake when his backs against the wall. The guards will only go so far and weve got people looking over our shoulder, surprise inspections, the damn ACLU. The bastard just wont die. Why dont you come down here and try?

All right, all right, theres no use us arguing about it. Youre sure we were all named in the letter? How is that possible? He didnt even know who I was.

Rayfield didnt hesitate. The person he was speaking with hadnotbeen named in Rufuss letter, but Rayfield wasnt going to tell him that. Everybody was on the hook for this one. How should I know? Hes had twenty-five years to think about it.

So how did he get the letter out?

That blows my mind. The guard saw the damn thing. It was his last will and testament, that was it.

But he got it out somehow.

Sam Rider is involved. Thats for sure. He brought a radio with him and the noise messed up the bug we installed, so I couldnt hear what they said to each other. That shouldve told me something was up.

I never trusted that guy. Except for Riders insanity BS, Harms wouldve been dead a long time ago, courtesy of the Army.

The second letter we found in Fiskes briefcase had been done on a typewriter. There were no initials at the bottom, you know, like when its typed by a personal secretary, so Rider probably did it himself. They were both original documents, by the way.

Dammit, why now? After all this time?

Harms received a letter from the Army. He referenced it in the paper he filed. Maybe that jogged his memory. I can tell you that up to now he either didnt remember what happened, or hes been keeping it inside for the last twenty-five years.

Why would he do that? And why in the hell would the Army be sending him anything after all this time?

I dont know, Rayfield said nervously. He actually did know. The reason had been referenced in Rufuss court petition. But Rayfield was going to keep that card hidden for now.

And of course you dont have this mysterious letter from the Army, do you?

No. I mean, not yet.

It must be in his cell, although I cant imagine how it slipped through. The voice was again accusatory.

Sometimes I think the guys a magician, said Rayfield.

Has he had any other visitors?

Just his brother, Josh Harms. He comes about once a month.

And what about Rufus?

Looks like hes just about bought it. Stroke or heart attack. Even if he makes it, he probably wont be the same.

Where is he?

En route to the hospital in Roanoke.

Why the hell did you let him out?

The doc ordered it. He has an obligation to save the mans life, prisoner or not. If I overruled him, dont you think it would raise suspicion?

Well, keep on top of it, and pray his heart blows up. And if it doesnt, make it.

Come on, whod believe him?

You might be surprised. This Michael Fiske? Hes the only other one who knows, besides Rider?

Thats right. At least I think so. He came here to check out Harmss story. Didnt tell anybody at least thats what he told Harms. We caught a big break there, Rayfield said. I gave him the song and dance about Harms being a chronic jailhouse lawyer. I think he bought it. We got leverage because he could get in big trouble for being here. I dont think hes going to let the appeal go through.

The voice on the other end went up a few decibels. Are you nuts? Fiske isnt going to have a choice in the matter.

Hes a Supreme Court clerk, for chrissakes. I heard him tell Harms.

I know that. I damn well know that. But let me tell you exactly what youre going to do. Youre going to take care of Fiske and Rider. And youre going to do it pronto.

Rayfield paled. You want me to kill a Supreme Court clerk and a local lawyer? Come on, they dont have any proof of this. They cant hurt us.

You dont know that. You dont know what was in the letter from the Army. You dont know what new information Fiske or Rider might have found out in the interim. And Riders been practicing law for thirty years. He wouldnt have filed something he thought was frivolous, not with the damn Supreme Court. And maybe youre not aware of this, but Supreme Court clerks arent exactly dummies. Fiske didnt drive all the way down there because he thought Harms was a lunatic. From what you told me, the contents of the letters were very specific on what happened in that stockade.

They were, Rayfield conceded.