isn’t?’
‘This room. I asked for a private meeting. You and I both know that if I ask for such accommodations, you have a legal obligation to provide them.’ He tapped the mirrored wall of the interrogation room. ‘Something without one-way glass. This conversation is privileged. That means you don’t get to listen or watch.’
Paulsen smiled at the exchange.
‘Fine,’ the officer grunted. ‘Give me a minute. I’ll see what I can do.’
He closed the door behind him.
‘Don’t say a word,’ Lindo said to Paulsen. He pointed at the mirror. ‘Not until we’re completely alone.’
A few minutes later, the officer reappeared and motioned for Lindo to follow him to a small room with cinder-block walls. The only things inside were two chairs. The only way in or out was a heavy iron door.
‘Does this work?’ the officer asked.
‘Yes, this is fine. Thank you.’ In contrast to his earlier indignation, Lindo’s response was polite, even grateful.
The officer wasn’t the least bit moved by Lindo’s tone. He simply stared at him blankly and whistled loudly. Moments later a second officer led Paulsen into the room. Before leaving, the officer unshackled Paulsen’s handcuffs.
‘Thank you for your kindness,’ Lindo said.
The cop sneered. ‘This isn’t kindness; this is wishful thinking. If your client decides to attack you, that’s one less lawyer we have to worry about.’
The first officer laughed loudly and patted his buddy on the back as the two cops left the room together.
Once the door was shut, Lindo was free to talk. ‘Are you okay?’
‘Better now. Did the Egyptian send you?’ Paulsen was referring to Masseri in the only way he could. He didn’t know his name; he only knew him by nationality.
‘He did.’
‘Great. So what’s the plan? How soon can you get me out of here?’
‘It won’t take long. But first I need to ask you a few questions. What happened at the incline?’
‘We got jumped,’ Paulsen said.
‘What do you mean?’
‘One minute we were sitting on the bench, riding the car to the lower station, and the next minute there’s a guy punching me in the face. He was an animal. He broke my ribs. My partner got it worse. Much worse. How’s he doing?’
‘He’s dead,’ Lindo replied. ‘But we can’t worry about that. Right now, let’s focus on you. Let me get this straight: this guy just picks you out of a crowd and starts swinging? That doesn’t make any sense. Had you seen him before?’
‘Yeah. When we were waiting for our backup to arrive, he passed us on the street outside the upper station. He was running to catch the next car down.’
‘Wait. The two of you spoke?’
‘No, I’m just guessing from the way he was hurrying.’ Paulsen wiped his brow with the back of his hand.
‘Why are you sweating?’
‘Why? Because I’ve got a bunch of broken ribs and I’m sitting in a police station facing weapons charges. Why the fuck do you think I’m sweating?’
Lindo stared at him. ‘Are you sure you want to snap at me? If I leave, you’re facing several years in Western Penitentiary. On the bright side, it has a lovely view of the river.’
‘Sorry. I didn’t mean to yell. It’s just – it’s been a long day.’
‘And it’s going to get even longer if we can’t figure out why you were jumped. Were you talking about the mission on the cable car?’
‘No! Of course not. We aren’t
that
stupid.’
‘Then what did you do to get noticed?’
Paulsen sensed that Lindo wouldn’t spring him from jail unless he gave him something, so he decided to pin the blame on his dead partner. ‘I didn’t do anything, I swear I didn’t. But when the guy was running to the incline, my dumbass partner asked me if this was our backup.’
‘He said that? Did the guy overhear it?’
Paulsen shrugged. ‘He might have. I can’t say for sure.’
‘Shit. There’s his motive. If he thought you two were plotting something, he can use it to defend his
‘This room. I asked for a private meeting. You and I both know that if I ask for such accommodations, you have a legal obligation to provide them.’ He tapped the mirrored wall of the interrogation room. ‘Something without one-way glass. This conversation is privileged. That means you don’t get to listen or watch.’
Paulsen smiled at the exchange.
‘Fine,’ the officer grunted. ‘Give me a minute. I’ll see what I can do.’
He closed the door behind him.
‘Don’t say a word,’ Lindo said to Paulsen. He pointed at the mirror. ‘Not until we’re completely alone.’
A few minutes later, the officer reappeared and motioned for Lindo to follow him to a small room with cinder-block walls. The only things inside were two chairs. The only way in or out was a heavy iron door.
‘Does this work?’ the officer asked.
‘Yes, this is fine. Thank you.’ In contrast to his earlier indignation, Lindo’s response was polite, even grateful.
The officer wasn’t the least bit moved by Lindo’s tone. He simply stared at him blankly and whistled loudly. Moments later a second officer led Paulsen into the room. Before leaving, the officer unshackled Paulsen’s handcuffs.
‘Thank you for your kindness,’ Lindo said.
The cop sneered. ‘This isn’t kindness; this is wishful thinking. If your client decides to attack you, that’s one less lawyer we have to worry about.’
The first officer laughed loudly and patted his buddy on the back as the two cops left the room together.
Once the door was shut, Lindo was free to talk. ‘Are you okay?’
‘Better now. Did the Egyptian send you?’ Paulsen was referring to Masseri in the only way he could. He didn’t know his name; he only knew him by nationality.
‘He did.’
‘Great. So what’s the plan? How soon can you get me out of here?’
‘It won’t take long. But first I need to ask you a few questions. What happened at the incline?’
‘We got jumped,’ Paulsen said.
‘What do you mean?’
‘One minute we were sitting on the bench, riding the car to the lower station, and the next minute there’s a guy punching me in the face. He was an animal. He broke my ribs. My partner got it worse. Much worse. How’s he doing?’
‘He’s dead,’ Lindo replied. ‘But we can’t worry about that. Right now, let’s focus on you. Let me get this straight: this guy just picks you out of a crowd and starts swinging? That doesn’t make any sense. Had you seen him before?’
‘Yeah. When we were waiting for our backup to arrive, he passed us on the street outside the upper station. He was running to catch the next car down.’
‘Wait. The two of you spoke?’
‘No, I’m just guessing from the way he was hurrying.’ Paulsen wiped his brow with the back of his hand.
‘Why are you sweating?’
‘Why? Because I’ve got a bunch of broken ribs and I’m sitting in a police station facing weapons charges. Why the fuck do you think I’m sweating?’
Lindo stared at him. ‘Are you sure you want to snap at me? If I leave, you’re facing several years in Western Penitentiary. On the bright side, it has a lovely view of the river.’
‘Sorry. I didn’t mean to yell. It’s just – it’s been a long day.’
‘And it’s going to get even longer if we can’t figure out why you were jumped. Were you talking about the mission on the cable car?’
‘No! Of course not. We aren’t
that
stupid.’
‘Then what did you do to get noticed?’
Paulsen sensed that Lindo wouldn’t spring him from jail unless he gave him something, so he decided to pin the blame on his dead partner. ‘I didn’t do anything, I swear I didn’t. But when the guy was running to the incline, my dumbass partner asked me if this was our backup.’
‘He said that? Did the guy overhear it?’
Paulsen shrugged. ‘He might have. I can’t say for sure.’
‘Shit. There’s his motive. If he thought you two were plotting something, he can use it to defend his
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