Dukes glanced sharply at her. “How would I know anything about that?”
“Had Bergin been to see Edgar Roy?” asked Sean.
“Of course he had. He was Roy’s legal counsel.”
“How often had he come? And when was the last time?”
“I don’t know that offhand. I’d have to check the files.”
“Could you do that?”
Her hand didn’t stray to the computer keyboard. “Why? If you’re working with him you should already know that information.”
“He came up here separately. We were going to meet with him last night and go over everything. But we obviously never got that chance.”
“I see.” Her hand still didn’t venture to the keyboard.
“Did Special Agent Murdock ask for that information?”
“I’m certainly in no position to tell you whether he did or didn’t.”
“Okay, can we see Edgar Roy now?”
“I’m really not too certain about this. I’ll have to consult with our legal counsel and get back to you.”
Sean rose and sighed heavily. “Okay, I was really hoping not to have to go down that road.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Dukes.
“Can you tell me where the local newspaper office is?”
She looked at him sharply. “Why?”
He checked his watch. “If we hurry, the paper can get the story in for the morning print edition of a federal government facility denying an accused access to his legal counsel. I would imagine the story could hit the AP wire as well, and then it’s a safe bet to be all over the Internet a few minutes after that. Just to get the facts right, do you spell Carla with a C or a K?”
Dukes stared up at him, her lips twitching and her gaze bordering on murderous. “Do you really want to do that?”
“Do you really want to break the law?”
“What law?” she snapped.
“An accused person’s Sixth Amendment right to legal counsel. That’s the Constitution, by the way. And it’s always bad to screw with the Constitution.”
“He’s right, Ms. Dukes.”
Sean and Michelle turned to see Brandon Murdock in the doorway. The FBI agent smiled.
“Enjoy your chat with Edgar Roy,” he said.
CHAPTER
7
SEAN AND MICHELLE WERE ESCORTED into a room that was blankly white. Small. One door. Three chairs, one table, all bolted to the floor. Two chairs faced the one. In front of the one was a three-inch metal ring cemented into the floor. Between the two chairs and the one was a three-foot-wide wall of four-inch polycarbonate glass that ran from the floor to the ceiling.
And then the door opened and there he was.
Sean and Michelle had seen photos of Edgar Roy, both in the newspapers and also in a file packet Ted Bergin had sent them. Sean had even seen a segment of video on the man shortly after his arrest for the murders. Nothing prepared them for seeing the man in person.