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as he shifted position, grimacing as he did, and pressed his ear against the grate. “He’s got some kind of job for me.”
    â€œNo.”
    Michelle didn’t need to put her ear to the speaker grate to hear that.
    â€œI think I need to take it.”
    â€œYou can’t.” His voice was faint, tinny. This wasn’t something he was willing to shout to be heard. She pressed her ear against the speaker and let him have his turn.
    â€œYou know what his endgame is,” he said. “No matter what he promises.”
    â€œI don’t think there’s a better choice.”
    â€œThere is. Call Sam.”
    One of Danny's old contacts, who’d helped set them up in Arcata with their shiny new identities. Michelle wasn’t sure she trusted Sam either. He’d be in an even better position than Derek to have sold them out. But she nodded anyway.
    â€œI will. But look . . . ” She forced a smile. “We’re going to need the extra money to pay for Derek, and this other attorney here. And the job sounds like it could be fun.”
    That, of course, was a lie, one she told on purpose, in case anyone was listening. Danny knew it, too.
    â€œWhat about Evergreen?” he asked suddenly. “I mean, you put so much work into the place.”
    The rush of affection she felt for him just then, the intensity of it, took her by surprise. Suddenly it was clear to her how she felt about him, like a switch had been flipped.
    Great timing, she thought. Just great.
    â€œI can hire someone. Don’t worry about it.”
    â€œEm . . . ” He drew in a deep breath, and flinched. “Why don’t you . . . just . . . get away for a while? You know? Go someplace nice. Until this gets settled.”
    Run, he meant. Hide.
    â€œNo. I want to help.”
    â€œBut this—”
    â€œIt’s the best option.”
    â€œIt’s not.” He laughed shortly. “Believe me, I can think of a bunch of better ones.”
    Like you doing time? she wanted to ask. Because if she knew one thing for certain, it was that Gary had set Danny up, and people that Gary set up were pretty thoroughly screwed.
    â€œI’ll handle it,” she said. “Don’t worry. It’s temporary.”
    After she left the jail, all she wanted to do was go back to her hotel and take a shower. A long one. The jail’s stink clung to her clothes, to her skin, her hair. Her own stink clung to her as well, the panic sweat from when she’d given the deputy Emily’s license.
    And have a drink. God, did she want a drink.
    But she didn’t have time to do either of those things. She’d made an appointment with Marisol Acosta, the Houston attorney Derek had partnered with, and the offices weren’t far from the jail. Especially since she hadn’t rented a car, just taken a taxi here, it made sense to go see Marisol first.
    It was almost 6 p.m . They didn’t start visits in the jail until afternoons, 4 p.m . weekdays on the days they allowed visitors, and 3:30 on weekends.
    Crazy, she thought.
    She stood outside the jail, in its massive shadow: a brick and concrete building that looked like a warehouse, nine stories high, squatting by the bayou. She couldn’t stop thinking about how many prisoners were held in that windowless place, piled on top of each other.
    What had happened to Danny? Why was he in cuffs?
    Who had hurt him?
    Get to the lawyer, to Marisol Acosta. Maybe there was something she could do. Some way she could help to keep him safe.
    I should call a cab, Michelle thought. But the idea of waiting for one here, of spending any more time in the shadow of the jail, made her shudder.
    Hotter than hell outside, but at least it was real air. She thought she caught the scent of river water, a hint of decaying moss.
    Taking another deep breath, she tapped Marisol Acosta’s contact information on Emily’s iPhone, and mapped it. Under a mile. I could walk