Ford County_ Stories Part 24

"Some. They don't work. I need to go."

"I don't think we're finished."

"Yes we are."

"Where's the body, Travis?"

"You don't want to know."

"Yes I do. Maybe we can stop the execution."

Boyette laughed. "Oh, really? Fat chance in Texas." He slowly stood and tapped his cane on the rug. "Thank you, Pastor."

Keith did not stand. Instead, he watched Boyette shuffle quickly out of his office.

Maxine was staring at the door, refusing a smile. She managed a weak "Good-bye" after he said "Thanks." Then he was gone, back on the street without a coat and gloves, and she really didn't care.

Her husband hadn't moved. He was still slouched in his chair, dazed, staring blankly at a wall and holding the copy of the newspaper article. "You all right?" she asked. Keith handed her the article and she read it.

"I'm not connecting the dots here," she said when she finished.

"Travis Boyette knows where the body is buried. He knows because he killed her."

"Did he admit he killed her?"

"Almost. He says he has an inoperable brain tumor and will be dead in a few months. He says Donte Drumm had nothing to do with the murder. He strongly implied that he knows where the body is."

Maxine fell onto the sofa and sank amid the pillows and throws. "And you believe him?"

"He's a career criminal, Maxine, a con man. He'd rather lie than tell the truth. You can't believe a word he says."

"Do you believe him?"

"I think so."

"How can you believe him? Why?"

"He's suffering, Maxine. And not just from the tumor. He knows something about the murder, and the body. He knows a lot, and he's genuinely disturbed by the fact that an innocent man is facing an execution."

After spending so much of his time listening to the delicate problems of others, and offering advice and counsel that they relied on, Keith had become a wise and astute observer. And he was seldom wrong. Maxine was much quicker on the draw, much more likely to criticize and judge and be wrong about it. "So what are you thinking, Pastor?" she asked.

"Let's take the next hour and do nothing but research. Let's verify a few things: Is he really on parole? If so, who is his parole officer? Is he being treated at St. Francis? Does he have a brain tumor? If so, is it terminal?"

"It will be impossible to get his medical records without his consent."

"Sure, but let's see how much we can verify. Call Dr. Herzlich-was he in church yesterday?"

"Yes."

"I thought so. Call him and fish around. He should be making rounds this morning at St. Francis. Call the parole board and see how far you can dig."

"And what might you be doing while I'm burning up the phones?"

"I'll dig online, see what I can find about the murder, the trial, the defendant, everything that happened down there."

They both stood, in a hurry now. Maxine said, "And what if it's all true, Keith? What if we convince ourselves that this creep is telling the truth?"

"Then we have to do something."

"Such as?"

"I have no earthly idea."

Books by John Grisham

A TIME TO KILL.

THE FIRM.

THE PELICAN BRIEF.

THE CLIENT.

THE CHAMBER.

THE RAINMAKER.

THE RUNAWAY JURY.

THE PARTNER.

THE STREET LAWYER.

THE TESTAMENT.

THE BRETHREN.

A PAINTED HOUSE.

SKIPPING CHRISTMAS.

THE SUMMONS.

THE KING OF TORTS.

BLEACHERS.

THE LAST JUROR.

THE BROKER.

THE INNOCENT MAN.

PLAYING FOR PIZZA.

THE APPEAL.

THE a.s.sOCIATE.

FORD COUNTY: STORIES.

JOHN G GRISHAM has written twenty-one novels, including the recent has written twenty-one novels, including the recent #1 #1 New York Times New York Times bestsellers bestsellers The a.s.sociate The a.s.sociate and and The Appeal The Appeal, as well as one work of nonfiction, The Innocent Man The Innocent Man. He lives in Virginia and Mississippi. His new book from Doubleday is Ford County: Stories Ford County: Stories.