Breach of Trust by David Ellis Read Free Book Online

very helpful, Jason.”
    “I don’t know what else to say. These are unusual circumstances.”
    “Are they?” Talia’s tone sharpened.
    “Yes,” I said. “They are. This guy’s life is hanging in the balance, Tal. He’s being accused of murder and I might be coming upon evidence that proves it didn’t happen the way they say. I’d put that down as unusual circumstances. Wouldn’t you?”
    “I’m just wondering if we’re going to have an evolving standard of ‘unusual.’ That’s all. Is there always going to be something? Am I going to be raising our children alone?”
    “That’s not fair—”
    “You know what? I’m tired and nauseated and cranky, and right now I’m not in the mood for you to tell me what’s ‘fair.’ I believe you told me last night that Paul told you to go with us this weekend, not to worry about anything else.”
    “But that was before Ramirez agreed to—”
    “Okay. Jason? Just—stay here, okay? Stay here and go the extra mile for a man who you think is guilty of just about everything they’re accusing him of doing.”
    “Talia, just—just give me an hour or two, okay? Two hours,” I decided. “Two hours.”

     
    NINETY MINUTES CAME AND WENT. No call from Ernesto Ramirez. Paul Riley called my cell with a quick question about a document. Then, sensing something, he asked, “Where are you?”
    “Office,” I said.
    “I thought you were going with your wife this weekend.”
    “I am. I’m just waiting for somebody.”
    “Tell me what you’re doing.”
    I sighed. “Ernesto Ramirez. You remember that guy I told you about?”
    “Jason, Jason. He’s waiting to talk to Ernesto Ramirez,” Paul said to someone. I heard Joel Lightner laugh and call out, “Dead end, kid!” I heard our client, Hector Almundo, say, “Tell him to go with his family.”
    “Well,” Paul summarized, “the universal conclusion of your senior partner, your client, and your private investigator is that you should forget about this guy and go be with your family.”
    “I’ll take that under advisement,” I said.
    “Hey kid—seriously. I know what you’re trying to do. You’re trying to pull a rabbit out of a hat. I’ve been you. But it’s late in the game, and I think your part is done. You’ve done a phenomenal job and your family has earned a day or two of your time.”
    “Understood,” I said. “But if—”
    “That’s an order, kid.” The last thing I heard, before Paul hung up, was the sound of Joel Lightner and Hector Almundo laughing.
    Well, laugh, I thought. It will just make that rabbit all the more magical.

     
    HALF PAST SIX. Still no call from Ramirez. I was back on the phone with Talia.
    “What’s the delay?” she asked me.
    “I don’t know. He—I don’t know. I tried his cell and he didn’t answer. But I think it will be soon.”
    “You think it will be soon.”
    “Maybe ‘hope’ is a better word. What if—”
    “Jason.”
    “—we waited until tomorrow morning—”
    “Jason.”
    I stopped. There was an icy calm to my wife’s voice.
    “Emily and I are going now. You feel like you have to wait there, and I feel like I can’t wait any longer. I’ll call you when I get to my mother’s.”
    I let out a long, sorrowful sigh. “Talia, baby, I swear that this won’t always be like this. I promise.”
    There was a long pause. It sounded like my wife was crying. I wanted to fill the space with more promises, but I wasn’t sure they helped. A promise never made is better than a promise broken, and I’d fractured plenty of them since this trial started.
    “Say good-bye to Em.” Talia’s voice had choked off; she barely got the words out with emotion filling her throat. I heard her away from the phone. “Daddy’s saying bye-bye, honey.”
    “Bye, sweetheart,” I called into the phone. “Have fun with Grandma and Grandpa, Em. I love you, sweetie.”
    “Okay.” Talia took the phone back. “Bye.”
    “I love you,” I said, but the line