Accused (27 page)

The bag was full of papers, spreadsheets. Carly frowned, muttering, “This makes no sense.” There were no valuable trinkets, just papers with names and times. As she read more carefully, she saw that the sheets were schedules outlining the strength and positioning of hospital security personnel. She looked back at the crook in the car, and he looked away. He was a skinny, dirty man with the ruined teeth of a speed freak. Carly opened his wallet and retrieved a driver’s license. His name was Stanley Harper, and he was thirty years old, a resident of Las Playas.

She sat in the passenger seat of the patrol car and input Stanley’s information into the computer to check for warrants. Her search brought up two hits.

“Mr. Harper, did you know you have two outstanding traffic warrants?” Carly spoke to the man through the custody cage, looking over her left shoulder while she talked. “And you just got off parole for—surprise of surprises—burglary. Doesn’t look like you’ve learned your lesson.”

“I ain’t saying nothing. I want to call my lawyer.”

Carly flinched at words she hated to hear. Now she couldn’t ask him about the paperwork.

“You know the drill. As soon as you’re processed, you can call Santa Claus if you want.”

“My lawyer will do. I’ll be out before you finish your paperwork.”