Duncan Delaney and the Cadillac of Doom by A. L. Haskett Read Free Book Online Page A

was explained to me,” Fiona began, “is that, based on your previous criminal history, you can expect a significant period of incarceration in the state penitentiary for your most recent transgression.”
    Benjamin said nothing. This was his understanding too. Ten years was considered the best bet in the pool organized by Billy Masterson. Benjamin had put five dollars on two years and then only because three and four were already taken. One year and probation were left without takers. The winner stood to make fifty dollars.
    “If you wish, I will post your bail and obtain a lawyer for you.”
    “I got a lawyer.”
    “What you have is a drunken public defender who couldn’t get you out of here for the last four days. I’m offering a real lawyer and the money to make your case interesting.” Fiona took a deep breath. “All I ask in return is my son’s address.”
    “He just left a note saying he went to California,” Woody explained.
    The thought of a retained attorney tempted Benjamin. Public defenders had failed to gain acquittals for him four of five times, two of which he had actually been innocent. All he had to do was supply Fiona with Angela Moncini’s phone number.
    “What would you do, Woody?”
    “Hell, Ben, you know what I’d do. I’d tell her. He’s her son and she’s worried sick. Duncan would understand.”
    “Still banging her, eh Woody?”
    “Damn you!” Fiona yelled through the holes in the glass. “You can rot here on your way to hell if you want! But if anything happens to my boy I will bribe or buy your freedom so l can personally rip your heart out and stuff it back down your throat!”
    A deputy came in. Her expression did not change when he whispered in her ear, though her complexion advanced into the pale end of the spectrum. The deputy left.
    “You have my offer,” Fiona said. “Take it or leave it.”
    “Fiona,” Benjamin spoke so softly that she had to lean forward to hear, their faces segregated by four cumulative inches of atmosphere and one of glass, “you can take your offer and blow it out your sweet Irish ass.”
    Fiona leaped at the partition and struck it with her small fists. The glass vibrated with her wrath. Woody pulled her away.
    “Ben, you always were a special kind of stupid,” Woody commented as he dragged Fiona screaming from the interview room.
    “That woman could screw up a wet dream,” Benjamin muttered.
    He sat back. Someone was always preventing Fiona from assaulting him. He did not doubt she could damage him before he finally put her down. He frowned. That would not benefit his friendship with Duncan. He resolved to be more cordial in future encounters, not for Fiona’s benefit, but for Duncan’s. Billy Masterson came in and led him from the room down a hall and to the left.
    “Hey,” Benjamin said, “my cell’s back that other way.”
    “Jesus, Ben, I know that. It’s my jail after all. We’re letting you go.”
    Benjamin’s public defender, a gray haired man named Conley whose breath whistled through his nose with a perpetual whiskey smell, waited in the lobby. Lightning struck Benjamin’s brain. He turned to Masterson.
    “You looked at the tape!”
    “Actually,” Conley said, “it was me who looked. They just assumed they knew what was on it.”
    “What took you so long?”
    “Well,” Conley admitted, “I guess I assumed the same thing they did.”
    “We’re really sorry, Ben,” Billy said.
    Benjamin laughed, realizing what the deputy had whispered to Fiona. It must have rankled when she realized any leverage she possessed was lost. But she played it through and almost roped him. Billy gave Benjamin back his wallet, two hundred and forty-eight dollars in bills and seventy-three cents in change, a Canadian nickel, cigarette papers and a tobacco tin, two ribbed condoms, the keys to his truck, his belt, his shoelaces, and his hat.
    “Let us know if you want to prefer charges against Leroy Kern,” Masterson said.
    “Let me