Decker held up his ID badge. “Amos Decker.”
“Why did you say I was lucky? ’Cause I don’t feel lucky.”
“Three reasons: Because someone came forward and confessed to the murders you were convicted of, you might be released. And despite the beating you took, you have no broken bones and no permanent injuries. The docs said your concussion was relatively mild, which means your head is very hard.”
“And the third reason?”
“Two of the guards ratted out their colleague about the ambush back at the prison. So you will not be held legally accountable for what happened.”
“What did happen?”
“One man dead, another man paralyzed.”
“And the colleague, Big Dick?”
“Is right now being processed and jailed by Texas authorities.”
Mars smiled and then laughed out loud, his split lip starting to bleed. “Damn, man. Big Dick on the other side of the bars? It’s a miracle.”
“Forget about Big Dick. You need to focus on you.”
Mars settled his gaze on Decker. “Did we really play college ball against each other?”
“You remember when your Longhorns beat my Buckeyes by five touchdowns? In Columbus?”
Mars smiled again. “Man, were you the one asked me how I did what I did?”
Decker nodded. “That was after your third touchdown.”
Mars shook his head. “What can I say? Worked my ass off, but a lot of it was God-given.”
“God wasn’t as generous with me.”
Mars looked around. “Where am I?”
“After we heard what happened, we had you transferred to a hospital near your old home.”
“When did you get here?”
“We landed about six hours ago.”
“You keep saying ‘we.’”
“I came with a team.”
“A team of FBI agents is interested in my case? Why? Just ’cause some dude confessed? Is it that unique?”
“Unique enough. But it also had some parallels to another case.”
“What case was that?”
Decker said, “One to do with my family. You don’t have to know the details, only that the similarities are striking.”
“So that’s why you’re here?”
Decker studied him. He was good at sizing people up, but Mars was proving a tough one to crack.
“Tell me about your parents.”
“Where’s the rest of your team?”
“You don’t believe what I’m telling you?”
“I don’t believe nobody ’bout nothing.”
“Believe him, Melvin,” said a voice.
Mars looked toward the doorway where his attorney, Mary Oliver, stood. She walked over to the bed and took his free hand as he sat up more.
“Thank God you’re all right,” she said, her eyes moist with tears.
“I’m good, Mary. You know this dude?” Mars asked, indicating Decker.
“I just finished speaking with Special Agent Bogart,” she said. “Mr. Decker is the real deal, Melvin.”
Decker added, “We’re here to try to figure out the truth.”
Mars sat back against the pillow. “The truth? After all this time? I wish you luck.”
“Luck may set you free,” noted Decker.
“Do I have to go back to that prison?” asked Mars.
Decker shook his head. “After what happened, we’re moving you to another place.”
“Where?”
“And you drove there?”
“Yes.”
“And what did you do while you were there?”
“We had a couple of beers. She had some pot but I said no. That could blow my chance to play in the NFL.”
“Did you two sleep together?”