Free Nathan's Run (1996) by John Gilstrap Page B

detention center?" "Yeah, except call it what it is-a jail."
    Was it possible that she was admiring this kid? Denise asked herself. This killer? There was something in the directness of his answers that struck a chord with her. It was within his power to lie about things he didn't want to discuss, but he chose instead to not answer the question. He was sharp, all right. And he was apparently facing something that had more layers than she had first thought.
    "So, what's the end of the story?" Dehise asked. "Where did you run to? Where are you now?"
    Nathan sighed. "I don't think it would be real smart to tell you that, do you?" Grown-ups just couldn't help trying to trick you. He gasped as a terrifying thought jumped into his mind. "Oh my God, can they trace this call?" He suddenly sounded panicky.
    "No, no," Denise assured him. "This is a radio station. As long as there's a First Amendment, no one can trace our calls." "You sure?"
    Denise looked to Enrique, who was no help. "Sure I'm sure," she guessed with a shrug. At least it sounded like the reasonable answer. She shifted back to the subject at hand. "So, what are you going to do next? You can't just keep running."
    "Why not?"
    Denise started to answer, but stopped. She really didn't know why not. "Because you'll get caught."
    "Well, my only other choice is to turn myself in. How is that any different than getting caught?"
    "Nathan, I'm just afraid you'll get hurt."
    "Yeah, me too. That's why I'm gonna keep running."
    Jesus, this kid was good. "You're making a fool of me out here, Nathan," she said good-naturedly.
    "No, you're doing fine," Nathan comforted. "But you see my side now, don't you? When I was in Juvey, I did everything I was supposed to do and got the crap beat out of me. I turned the other cheek, just like I was supposed to, and they just beat me up some more. I tell the supervisor, and he tries to kill me. I defend myself, and the people who listen to your show call me a murderer and want to put me in the electric chair. Nobody really . . ." His voice caught in his throat. He fell silent. The silence lasted a long time.
    "Cares?" Denise helped.
    Nathan's lower lip was trembling now, and he hated himself for losing control on national radio. He'd felt so together at the beginning, but suddenly a terrible sadness poured over him, like a bucket of lukewarm water. "Yes," he whispered.
    Denise's eyes welled up unexpectedly at the sound of the tiny voice. "You're frightened, aren't you, honey?"
    "I've got to go," he croaked. He hung up.
    In the dead air that followed, Denise looked to Enrique for guidance, but he just stared back.
    "Well," Denise said at length, "that was something. Nathan, if you're still listening, we wish you all the luck in the world, however this turns out. Sounds to me like maybe you're due for some. I think everybody needs a minute or two to regain their composure. We'll be right back after these messages."

    Chapter 11
    Detrelli was on the line five seconds after the radio conversation r ended. He must have had the number programmed into his speed-dial.

Nathan's Run (1996)

    "That lying son of a bitch is pandering for public sympathy," Petrelli railed at Michaels. "The issue of whether or not he was treated well in Juvey has no bearing on this case whatsoever. What matters is that he escaped from a detention facility, and he killed a supervisor to do it! His act's good enough to take on the road."
    This tantrum, like so many others Petrelli had unleashed against Michaels over the years, was bullshit. Warren knew that Petrelli couldn't have cared less about an escapee on the street, or about the deaths of a hundred supervisors. The issue here was the fact that J. Daniel had taken to the airwaves with partial information, convicting a minor of a capital crime even before the evidence was collected. In this oh-so-important election year, the county prosecutor suddenly stood a very good chance of looking less like a tough-on-crime law enforcer