hotel rooms for Murph and me to use while we stay here in Seattle, investigating , when they could just let the local authorities do it instead while they make Murph and me fly home stacked like cord wood in the coach section of the cheapest flight to L.A.?”
Miller stood and loomed over Jimmy. “We didn’t have any time to do anything yesterday. We flew to L.A., checked our phone messages. Hung around the airport for two hours, then flew right back here. The only bright point was when we stopped off at that fish market they got here before we went to the airport .”
“Oh,” Jimmy said brightly, “the one where they throw those great big fish around?”
“Yeah, that’s the one,” Agent Miller said, wearily.
“How was it?” Jimmy asked.
“It was a fish market. You’ve been to a fish market, haven’t you, Jimmy? It was exactly like that, only crowded, and with guys yelling and throwing around a big dead fish. Does that sound like fun, Jimmy? How they ever convinced people that that’s a tourist attraction is beyond me. It’s all a big sham. I’m pretty sure they kept throwing the same fish around no matter what anyone ordered.” Miller sat down in his chair, breathing heavily. He exchanged a look with Agent Murphy, who shrugged. Finally, Agent Miller said, “There was a place that sold tiny little donuts. Those were really good.”
After a carefully timed silence, Jimmy leaned forward in his seat and said, “Look, gentlemen, I apologize. If I’d realized you’d lose a day of productivity over this, I’d have contacted you faster. That said, you are here now, and we can help each other.”
Agent Miller snorted. “Jimmy, I can see how we’d be in a position to help you, but how can you possibly help us?”
Jimmy said, “Yesterday, you tried to apprehend Martin Banks. He got away. I’m betting that in the process he did at least one thing that you cannot explain. Knowing him, probably more than one.”
The agents made eye contact, then Miller said, “And you’re saying that you have information about Mr. Banks’ whereabouts.”
“I can’t tell you where Martin is now, but I can tell you where he went, and, more important, I can show you how he went there.”
Agent Miller hid his excitement, which, to Jimmy, was a more obvious sign of excitement than excitement itself.
“Okay,” Agent Miller said. “What do you want in return for this information? Immunity?”
Jimmy said. “I don’t need immunity. I haven’t been charged with anything, and anything I might have done happened thirty years ago. The statute of limitations has to be up by now, if I did anything illegal, which I did not. Even the thing I’m going to show you is not, strictly speaking, illegal.”
Miller shook his head. “You say you’re gonna show us what the Banks kid did, right? Well, he escaped from police custody after somehow depositing tens of thousands of dollars into his bank account that he didn’t earn. How could he have done any of that legally?”
Jimmy hadn’t known the particulars of how Martin came to the attention of the authorities. He was amused, but not surprised by what he heard. Jimmy explained, “It’s not illegal because of how Martin got the money.”
Miller leaned in closer and asked, “How’s that?”
Jimmy leaned in and quieted his voice as well. “Through means that the lawmakers never thought was possible.”
“And that is?” Agent Miller prodded.
“What I will show you.” Jimmy prodded right back.
“So, what’s in this for you?” Miller asked.
“The knowledge that I’ve done my civic duty.” Jimmy answered. It was a transparent lie. Jimmy had designed it to be. Men like Agents Miller and Murphy were used to dealing with untrustworthy people. Sincerity would have only confused them. The only way to truly gain their trust was to confirm that he was what they expected: untrustworthy.
Jimmy let Miller stare him down for several seconds before making a show of
Miller stood and loomed over Jimmy. “We didn’t have any time to do anything yesterday. We flew to L.A., checked our phone messages. Hung around the airport for two hours, then flew right back here. The only bright point was when we stopped off at that fish market they got here before we went to the airport .”
“Oh,” Jimmy said brightly, “the one where they throw those great big fish around?”
“Yeah, that’s the one,” Agent Miller said, wearily.
“How was it?” Jimmy asked.
“It was a fish market. You’ve been to a fish market, haven’t you, Jimmy? It was exactly like that, only crowded, and with guys yelling and throwing around a big dead fish. Does that sound like fun, Jimmy? How they ever convinced people that that’s a tourist attraction is beyond me. It’s all a big sham. I’m pretty sure they kept throwing the same fish around no matter what anyone ordered.” Miller sat down in his chair, breathing heavily. He exchanged a look with Agent Murphy, who shrugged. Finally, Agent Miller said, “There was a place that sold tiny little donuts. Those were really good.”
After a carefully timed silence, Jimmy leaned forward in his seat and said, “Look, gentlemen, I apologize. If I’d realized you’d lose a day of productivity over this, I’d have contacted you faster. That said, you are here now, and we can help each other.”
Agent Miller snorted. “Jimmy, I can see how we’d be in a position to help you, but how can you possibly help us?”
Jimmy said, “Yesterday, you tried to apprehend Martin Banks. He got away. I’m betting that in the process he did at least one thing that you cannot explain. Knowing him, probably more than one.”
The agents made eye contact, then Miller said, “And you’re saying that you have information about Mr. Banks’ whereabouts.”
“I can’t tell you where Martin is now, but I can tell you where he went, and, more important, I can show you how he went there.”
Agent Miller hid his excitement, which, to Jimmy, was a more obvious sign of excitement than excitement itself.
“Okay,” Agent Miller said. “What do you want in return for this information? Immunity?”
Jimmy said. “I don’t need immunity. I haven’t been charged with anything, and anything I might have done happened thirty years ago. The statute of limitations has to be up by now, if I did anything illegal, which I did not. Even the thing I’m going to show you is not, strictly speaking, illegal.”
Miller shook his head. “You say you’re gonna show us what the Banks kid did, right? Well, he escaped from police custody after somehow depositing tens of thousands of dollars into his bank account that he didn’t earn. How could he have done any of that legally?”
Jimmy hadn’t known the particulars of how Martin came to the attention of the authorities. He was amused, but not surprised by what he heard. Jimmy explained, “It’s not illegal because of how Martin got the money.”
Miller leaned in closer and asked, “How’s that?”
Jimmy leaned in and quieted his voice as well. “Through means that the lawmakers never thought was possible.”
“And that is?” Agent Miller prodded.
“What I will show you.” Jimmy prodded right back.
“So, what’s in this for you?” Miller asked.
“The knowledge that I’ve done my civic duty.” Jimmy answered. It was a transparent lie. Jimmy had designed it to be. Men like Agents Miller and Murphy were used to dealing with untrustworthy people. Sincerity would have only confused them. The only way to truly gain their trust was to confirm that he was what they expected: untrustworthy.
Jimmy let Miller stare him down for several seconds before making a show of
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