Dave sat there—calmly—in the stale and dark and suffocating booth of the county jail. Andrés didn’t smile, didn’t wave, looked at him, then looked at the ceiling, then studied the booth, then looked back at Dave. Dave waved, then picked up the phone. Andrés sat down on the chair—slowly—then picked up his phone. “I didn’t call you.”
“You’ve been sitting in here for three nights.”
“Just three nights?”
“You’ve turned me away four times.”
“Just four times?”
“You like it in here?”
“Sure.”
“Don’t be an asshole.”
“Maybe I am one. Maybe I’ve always been one.”
“I’m getting you out.”
“Maybe I don’t want out.”
“You have five thousand dollars?”
“What kind of question is that?”
“Do you?”
“I was saving for a new car.”
“New car will have to wait. Get yourself a bicycle.”
Bicycle? Done that. Been there. He pounded the table lightly. “They’ll let me out for five grand?”
“Bail bondsman takes care of the rest.”
“What do I have to do?”
“Put up ten percent. Sign a document. Show up twice a week to see your bondsman.”
“For how long?”
“Until the trial.”
“How long?”
“Nine months—maybe longer.”
“Speedy trial, huh?”
“That’s as speedy as it gets.”
“So they’d let me out?”
“The law says that bail ought not to be an instrument of oppression.”
“That’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“You don’t fool me, Andrés. You’re not as hard as you make out.”
“Sure, Dave.” God, he wanted a cigarette. He could have one—if he got out. That was the only way to get a cigarette.
“I’ll get you out.”
“Garcia’s fired me by now.”
“There are other jobs.”
“Sure. What do I put in the blank that says, Have you ever been arrested?”
“Why don’t you go back to school?”
“Oh, there’s a thought. And how the fuck am I going to live? How the fuck am I going to make the rent? Jail is rent-free, Dave.”
“What about the sky, Andrés? This is the most fucking sunless place I’ve ever been in.”
“I get sun time. Every day.”
“Yeah, for a whole hour. They cut your days into hours, here.”
“How do you cut your days, Dave?”
“I like my prison better than yours.”
“Who wouldn’t?”
“I’m not about to let you stay in here.” Dave looked at his watch. “Look, I have a hearing. I’ve arranged for you to see Grace this afternoon.”
“What?”