“Wake up, Ruben. Good news.”
I rolled away from the wall — Maria, the latest Advocate lawyer, stood in the middle of my cell. Probably come to tell me some judge, half-senile probaby, would finally hear my appeal.
She held out a letter, smile cracking open her face. “We got the stay!”
Like that, I was on my feet, fighting to get my breath. I stared at that paper, afraid it might bite, or, worse, crumble to dust and take my life with it.
She put her hand on my shoulder. “A re-trial order should come by the end of the day. Dismissal if we’re lucky. Judge said the DNA evidence is that compelling.”
My knees got weak as the tears built — the nightmare was over, I’d be —
Something clanged against my steel bunk.
“Ruben. Wake up.”
I rolled away from the wall — Warden Redding stood in the middle of my cell. Komitzky — baton in hand — was near my head, Archer at my feet. No doubt the other guards were outside in case I made things difficult.
“You’re up tonight.” Redding’s eyes were indifferent. “Time to get you to the Dance Hall.”
I made my leaden legs cooperate — no way they’d drag me past Williams as he and the other legit body snatchers jeered.
Redding chimed in as I shackle-shuffled through the block. “Your lawyer’ll be by after breakfast.”
We paused as the gate was unlocked. Redding touched my arm. “It’s not decent of her to get your hopes up, Ruben.”
My anger rose. “But the DNA — ”
He rounded on me. “You had a fair trial?”
“Yeah, but — ”
“Dozen years to go through your appeals?”
“Oh, come on! This is new evidence.”
He sighed and shook his head. “Justice has been done, Ruben. It’s your day to die.”
