Cold Deck: A Novel

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||| 193 ||| both in cuffs. None of us spoke or looked at one another. A moment passed before Masters pushed Ben inside the door and told him to take a seat. Two steps behind Masters a male and a female cop entered, holding Audie by the arms. Another cop followed, Audie’s purse in hand. She looked at me as she took a seat beside Ben. I resisted the urge to smile when her eye caught mine. After all, we did sit through teenage karaoke together. It was a strange feeling, this mixture of fear and relief. I felt human and oddly hopeful. 45 The assistant district attorney placed the form in front of me. I picked it up and began reading. Masters sat beside me, holding a voluntary statement I’d given some weeks ago. In it I confessed to switching cards on a blackjack game at the Whiskey River with a man I knew as Angel. “You can have an attorney read it before you sign,” the assistant da said. “No need. I trust you and him.” I pointed a thumb in Masters’s direction. “Still. Let’s go over it just to reiterate the agreement that was discussed when you came forward. You understand that no one will file charges against you with a stipulation that you can still be prosecuted if you don’t testify or if you commit perjury.” “I will testify. And I won’t lie.” “If you want, we’ll move you out of state to a safer environment. We have limited funds for such moves, and we can’t guarantee work.” I’d already resolved not to leave town so long as my children lived here. “No. I’ll stay.” I signed my name to the document and laid the contract atop the desk. “Also, keep in mind that if you go crossways with the law, we won’t bail you out. Besides, you’ll risk undermining your credibility as a witness and lose your value to us. As it is, their attorneys are going to attack your credibility , painting you as nothing but a cheat.” “Before this, I never did anything dishonest. I won’t be a problem.” The assistant da signed his name to the agreement and handed it to Masters to witness, then to the woman, a notary who stamped and certified it. The lawyer asked her to bring back a copy in a few minutes, that we needed to be alone. “Jude,” the attorney said, “don’t take the threat lightly.” “I said I’d behave. I’m not a thief.” “I mean, the other threat. Moser. The man who was assaulted in the pit ||| 194 ||| didn’t see his attacker, and every eye and camera were focused on the table, so none of the investigators can identify him either. We all suspect he was the culprit, but we have no way of holding Moser accountable in this case. He remains free, out there on bond without an ankle monitor, pending appeals for retrial for the cheating scams up north. In short, he should be of concern.” “But I thought he was following . . .” “No,” Masters said, “Angel Mozello was the one following your kids. Even there, we can’t nail him for anything except the card switch, which requires your testimony. Too bad you destroyed the video. We didn’t turn one up in our searches.” That came as a shock, the idea that I’d had the only copy. Then I remembered that Ben had once said no tapes, no snitches. Had he destroyed the original, or was that what he gave to me? They’d bluffed me. I found the final irony amusing. The attorney came around from behind the desk and leaned his haunches on the front edge. “We’re taking it to the grand jury. The indictments are a slam dunk. I’d say the case is close to won. You did the right thing. If you need something, we’ll help. But there are limitations. Anything we do for you will be brought up by the defense attorneys. Questions?” I shook my head. “Okay then. When the girl comes back with a copy, you can go.” He started around the desk. “Wait.” “What is it?” “Can you do something for Katie Moser?” The attorney looked at Masters, who said, “She’s in Child Haven. Her grandmother is—” “She’s my . . . was my daughter’s friend. A good kid. We don’t pick our parents...