Page 22 of Pro Bono

Foltz said, “We give you the information necessary to go get your mother’s money—the name, the identification, and all the papers. You and she get half the money. We get half. Simple.”

“What? No threats or anything? Fifty-fifty is unheard of for thieves. ‘Hands up. Give me half your money.’ That just doesn’t seem to happen much.”

“What?” Foltz said. “You want to haggle?”

“Actually, I have no interest. Offering half means you intend to kill my mother and me and take it all.”

“You must realize that we’re not even asking you to do anything illegal. But if you’re not on our side, we also can’t just take you back to your office and let you go.”

“The answer is still no,” he said.

“Get up. We want to show you something.”

They pulled the guns out of their shoulder holsters. Then each took one of Warren’s arms and pulled him to his feet. Foltz led the way to the short hallway and stopped at a door, then knocked loudly, unlocked the door, knocked again, and called, “Coming in.”

He pushed the door open. It was a bedroom with a single twin bed and plywood nailed over the windows. The light was turned on and there was a door to an attached bathroom. A woman came out of the bathroom carrying a hairbrush.

Warren said, “Mrs. Ellis. Are you hurt?”

She saw Warren and said, “Oh my God. You too?”

“Okay, you’ve seen her. Come on.” Foltz pushed Warren toward the door.

Warren said to her, “Don’t be afraid.” He looked at the others. “Give me a couple minutes to talk to her alone.” Stamford and Foltz went out, closed and relocked the door.

Warren whispered to her, “Go in the bathroom and lie in the tub with the door locked.”

He stepped to the door and waited while she went into the bathroom. When she was inside, he stood just to the side of the door to the hallway. He called, “All right.”

The door swung open and Foltz had one hand occupied with pulling the key out of the lock. Warren pivoted around the door, got his forearm under Foltz’s chin and squeezed his neck in a chokehold, then swung him around so Foltz was between him and Stamford.

Stamford danced from side to side with his pistol, but Warren kept Foltz between them. Stamford was angry. “How did you let him do that?” Foltz’s head was dragged back so he couldn’t speak or look down. Warren tightened his grip.

Warren said, “Toss the gun or I break his neck.”

Warren used the moment of distraction to snatch the gun out of Foltz’s shoulder holster and pointed it in Stamford’s direction. Stamford saw nothing he did was going to be in time to keep at least one of the two from being shot, so he dropped the gun.

Warren said, “Step away from it.”

Stamford did, then said, “Now what?”

“Sit on the couch.” As Stamford did, Warren pushed Foltz onto the couch with him. He aimed Foltz’s pistol at them as he squatted to pick up Stamford’s pistol.

Warren stood and held both pistols pointed downward. “I don’t plan on killing you, which I’ve been tempted to do for a few minutes.”

“What’s stopping you?” Foltz said.

“After I thought about your pitch, I got curious. My mother and I could have used that money that my father had saved—for my college and law school, and a lot of other things. We both had to start all overagain. She spent the first few years working two jobs and another on weekends. I’ve been working ever since. A lot of times I’ve wondered who Mack Stone really was. I would like to find out for her. There’s also you. I know you’ve been planning to have that money for a long, long time. I also know you wouldn’t be bothering me or my innocent client if you didn’t need this. It’s what keeps you going. So here’s how this is going to work.”

“Wait a minute,” Foltz said. “Who put you in charge?”

“You did,” Warren said. “I listened to you. Now you listen to me. After that, you get to talk again. I want Vesper Ellis. You’re giving her to me, and you will give your word never to go near her again. In return, I’ll do my best to keep you out of jail for taking her. You will stop saying I killed Mack Stone. I did, but we aren’t going to get anywhere by incriminating each other. Agreed?’

Stamford said, “All right.” Foltz was silent until Warren lifted the muzzle of one pistol about an inch. Then he said, “Agreed.”

“When the time comes, you will give me all the papers and other information you have, including whatever you dug up on me and my family. If I persuade any state governments to give the money back or prevail in the court cases with the ones who resist, I will give you a fair cut.”

“Who’s to say what that is?” Stamford asked.

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