Part 24 (2/2)

I'll figure it out , Nyquist had said. Only he never did. He didn't have time. He nearly died. Then he forgot. And then he got this case. And somehow it might be related. So related that it frightened Flint. Who had never seemed frightened before. , Nyquist had said. Only he never did. He didn't have time. He nearly died. Then he forgot. And then he got this case. And somehow it might be related. So related that it frightened Flint. Who had never seemed frightened before.

What if it was more than Talia? What if Flint's fear had something to do with the cases that Claudius had talked about?

What if it had something to do with the files?

We managed to get some of the anger calmed , Claudius had said, , Claudius had said, using extralegal means, very similar to what we had done before. And the result was the same as the ones before. The hurt party hired the Bixians at the advice of the previous hurt party. using extralegal means, very similar to what we had done before. And the result was the same as the ones before. The hurt party hired the Bixians at the advice of the previous hurt party.

In other words, Claudius's firm had broken the law-done something horribly illegal, and the injured party had hired a.s.sa.s.sins-to go after Claudius and Paloma, the heads of the law firm.

Somehow the Wagners had found out about the threats to their lives. And that's how you ended up here, And that's how you ended up here, Nyquist had said. Nyquist had said.

It's not so bad, really, Claudius had said, but he sounded wistful. That's what Nyquist remembered the most. How wistful the man sounded.

As if he had once been important and was no longer. As if he once mattered and now he was just an old man living in a small apartment with a single chair and too much time on his hands.

Still, he had made the life sound as good as he could: I can see my children. I can live my life. I find I don't miss the firm at all. I can see my children. I can live my life. I find I don't miss the firm at all.

At the time, Nyquist hadn't thought he was lying. But now he wasn't so sure. The man seemed like he missed everything.

And then his wife had been murdered. He had to know he was next.

You said you were offered a deal, Nyquist had said, not knowing what was about to come, not knowing then that Claudius would die and Nyquist's whole life would change. Nyquist had said, not knowing what was about to come, not knowing then that Claudius would die and Nyquist's whole life would change. What was it? That I give up the client's files. Say that I advised them to take those extralegal measures. Admit my and the firm's culpability-not in public, mind you, just to the families-and pay a steep fine. Steep? What was it? That I give up the client's files. Say that I advised them to take those extralegal measures. Admit my and the firm's culpability-not in public, mind you, just to the families-and pay a steep fine. Steep?

More money than you can earn in a lifetime, Detective. More money than everyone on your force can.

He had sounded so righteous. But that wasn't the question. Once again, Nyquist had asked the wrong question. He should have said, So you'd rather risk death than lose money? So you'd rather risk death than lose money?

Instead, he had said, So you Disappeared rather than pay out money. So you Disappeared rather than pay out money.

And that had made Claudius angry.

First of all , he said, , he said, I haven't completely Disappeared. Secondly, I was supposed to admit to both cases. I couldn't. I only knew the one, and what little I knew of the other came from a discussion with my wife. I'd have to allocute to the details of both cases, and I couldn't, not without the files- I haven't completely Disappeared. Secondly, I was supposed to admit to both cases. I couldn't. I only knew the one, and what little I knew of the other came from a discussion with my wife. I'd have to allocute to the details of both cases, and I couldn't, not without the files- Which your wife had, Nyquist had said.

Which she wouldn't relinquish, Claudius had said. She thought the allocution a very bad idea, even if it were supposedly confidential. She thought the allocution a very bad idea, even if it were supposedly confidential.

She didn't think it would be? Nyquist had asked. Nyquist had asked.

She said we had an obligation to our client. She was right about that.

But?

Then there was nothing. For a moment, Nyquist panicked. Was that the end of the memory? He felt so tense. Was that when Claudius had gone to the door and turned around with that a.s.sa.s.sin covering his arm?

Nyquist felt vaguely nauseated. He was sure there was more. Something important. Something he needed to remember.

We'd have to admit guilt, Claudius said as suddenly and clearly as if he were in the car. Maybe he was. Maybe his ghost was. I would have had to admit guilt. And culpability in a bunch of- I would have had to admit guilt. And culpability in a bunch of- He stopped himself. Nyquist remembered now. He suspected that Claudius wasn't thinking clearly, that he was truly upset or he wouldn't have made a slip like that. He stopped himself. Nyquist remembered now. He suspected that Claudius wasn't thinking clearly, that he was truly upset or he wouldn't have made a slip like that.

But maybe the man had known he was going to die. Maybe that was as close as he could come to confessing. Then Claudius had sighed, and finished differently than he had obviously intended to.

Culpability in a major crime, he had said. he had said. A horrible crime, if the truth be told. And what's worse is that these b.a.s.t.a.r.ds hadn't learned from it. They did it again. So my guilt is compounded by the fact that they should have known better. A horrible crime, if the truth be told. And what's worse is that these b.a.s.t.a.r.ds hadn't learned from it. They did it again. So my guilt is compounded by the fact that they should have known better.

A horrible crime. One that had been instigated by the Wagners. One that had caused an equally horrible revenge that Nyquist himself had gotten caught up in.

Had Bowles found that crime?

Isn't it funny? Claudius had said again. Claudius had said again. I would rather have given up my life and risk a hideous death than admit that I had anything to do with those cases. I would rather have given up my life and risk a hideous death than admit that I had anything to do with those cases.

The Claudius in Nyquist's memory had repeated that phrase, but Nyquist was certain the real Claudius had only said it once.

Was it important? Was that what this was all about?

Or was that the-what had the therapist called it?-the entry memory?

I guess I never believed anyone would find us, Claudius had said. Claudius had said. I guess I never really believed we'd be called to account. And here we are. I guess I never really believed we'd be called to account. And here we are.

Here we are. It seemed like he was here. Here they were, the survivor and the victim of a horrible attack, caused by a horrible crime.

Only just one of them had knowledge of what that crime had been.

A crime hidden in files.

Files Ki Bowles had threatened to reveal.

You said that your son received the same deal, said the Nyquist of his memory. And he wanted to rail at himself. That wasn't the issue. It was clear that Justinian Wagner was behind everything. The issue was what was everything?

What had caused this? What was in those files?

Nyquist wanted to ask the ghost of Claudius, but he couldn't. The man-or his shade-really wasn't here.

Just his memory.

And his memory answered the question that was actually asked: Either they've done it again, which I doubt. I haven't heard news about it, and believe me, I watch. Or my son was told he could bring us in, pay the fine, and betray the client. Rumor has it that the client is looking for new attorneys. So my son had to be considering it. Either they've done it again, which I doubt. I haven't heard news about it, and believe me, I watch. Or my son was told he could bring us in, pay the fine, and betray the client. Rumor has it that the client is looking for new attorneys. So my son had to be considering it.

The vagueness had been frustrating then. It was even more frustrating now. Now that Nyquist couldn't verify the conversation, now that he couldn't be entirely sure that what he remembered as part of the conversation was truly part of the conversation.

Your son , he had said to Claudius, , he had said to Claudius, was looking for a way out, one that didn't include vanis.h.i.+ng. was looking for a way out, one that didn't include vanis.h.i.+ng. He had been guessing, missing the point again, focusing on Justinian instead of the files. He had been guessing, missing the point again, focusing on Justinian instead of the files.

I think he was going for a half measure, Claudius had said. Claudius had said. I think he wanted the files. He'd hand them over, and maybe some money, and not admit anything. After all, he wasn't involved. I think he wanted the files. He'd hand them over, and maybe some money, and not admit anything. After all, he wasn't involved. The files again. Only Claudius had just said that Justinian would have turned them over. To the authorities? To the clients? To confess and allocute? The files again. Only Claudius had just said that Justinian would have turned them over. To the authorities? To the clients? To confess and allocute?

It wouldn't have mattered. If Nyquist understood the vagueness correctly, Justinian hadn't even been part of the firm when the ”horrible crime” occurred.

”But you and your wife were,” Nyquist said-aloud or in his memory he wasn't certain, and he really didn't care.

He did want the answer, though.

It can be argued by a good attorney that the real culprit here is my wife , said Claudius Wagner, who had been, by all accounts, a good attorney. , said Claudius Wagner, who had been, by all accounts, a good attorney. There is no proof in my files that I suggested anything other than the client do exactly as my wife advised them years ago. And if I had no records of what she advised them, then all that the attorney would have to say is that I added the sentence ”because it seemed to work the first time.” I had no liability. The firm had no liability. We'd gotten rid of the troublemaker by firing her, not killing her. There is no proof in my files that I suggested anything other than the client do exactly as my wife advised them years ago. And if I had no records of what she advised them, then all that the attorney would have to say is that I added the sentence ”because it seemed to work the first time.” I had no liability. The firm had no liability. We'd gotten rid of the troublemaker by firing her, not killing her.

<script>