10:33 a.m.

Pakula asked for the third time, "You think Kramer's fucking with us?"

"If he's involved," Grace said as calmly as she had both times before. "And we know he has to be somehow involved because he wants us to catch Barnett."

Pakula let out another sigh. He pulled his tie loose, hoping that would help him breathe. It didn't. "I don't know. It feels too easy. Tell me exactly what he said." He expected Grace to get impatient with him, but instead she started at the beginning.

"He said he got a call from Barnett, asking for help. Barnett told him that he only meant to rob the bank but things went wrong. He wasn't about to turn himself in. He didn't want-"

"He said Barnett said that exactly? That he wasn't gonna turn himself in?"

"Yes, and that he didn't want to go back to jail."

Pakula couldn't believe how calm she was, when he felt like a wet rag. Why the fuck was it so hot again?

"He said he knew Kramer would never be able to get him off this time," she continued, the details the same as the last time she told him. She didn't even need her notes. "That all he needed was some money. And then he told Kramer to wire the money to the Triple J Truck Stop on Interstate 80, west of Grand Island, just off the exit for Normal, Nebraska."

"How much money?"

"He asked for twenty-five thousand dollars. Kramer said he has it ready to be wired if and when we tell him to."

"And this morning was the first time he heard from him?"

"That's what he said."

"But he has to know we can check that out." Pakula didn't trust this asshole any more than he trusted Barnett. Were the two of them setting up something? A distraction, perhaps, while Barnett headed in the opposite direction? "You think he's on the level?"

Grace filled her arms with the stack of files from his extra chair, looking for a place to set them so she could sit down. He grabbed them from her, a little embarrassed that he hadn't thought to do it himself. He put them in the corner and let them slide into a mess. Then he sat in his own chair so he wouldn't tower over her, even though he wanted-needed-to be up and moving.

"At first I was skeptical. But Max Kramer has no idea we have the locket. He can't possibly know that we suspect him of anything." She shook her head as if she couldn't believe how slimy the guy might be. "There was something in his tone, and I can't even explain what it was, but he almost sounded self-righteous about this, like, of course, he had no choice but to do the right thing. I mean, give me a break."

"So he probably thinks he'll be able to milk this, too?"

"Maybe."

The phone rang and Pakula stood to answer it even though it was right at his elbow.

"Pakula."

"I've got a SWAT team assembled and ready to meet us there." It was Sanchez-he didn't need an introduction. "The Black Hawk will be ready for us in about twenty minutes."

"Twenty minutes? You've got to be kidding."

"We don't have much time. Are you ready to go or not?"

"I'll be ready," Pakula said and Sanchez was gone.

He looked down at Grace and wiped the sweat from his head as he grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair. "God! I hate helicopters."