Bentley and Murray are definitely taken in by this news.

I’ve read his profile. Jim McSweeney, after that weasel Dr. M got buried in that infernal vault, became the only remaining survivor of Sly’s father’s original gang. He is a walrus, and has been in prison for the past 20 years. 

His story of how he got into the incarceration system is unique; following the breakup of the original gang, this McSweeney had nowhere to go, no one to turn to, so he decided to turn himself in. He’s supposed to be allowed to go in a week’s time, and from what I heard, the rest of Interpol were not in a hurry to reach out to Bentley and Murray.

But considering he’s a former thief who brought himself to justice, I couldn’t help but have sympathy for this old bloke. And the icing on the cake that convinced me most? I was just a kid when he was brought in so I didn’t have a say, but I heard he fought for custody of Sly after his father died, but couldn’t because of his prior criminal history. I think he turned himself in not long after.

“Sly...told us about him,” says Murray. “We never met him but...that is still huge news.”

“What did the ringtail tell you?” I ask. I legitimately want to know.

Bentley thinks for a moment, then decides whatever he could say is ancient history now and there wouldn’t be a comeuppance from me in spilling it. “Shortly after what happened with Clock-La,” Bentley pauses to shiver, “McSweeney sent a note to Sly asking to meet him in the prison.”

I tilt my head. “Cooper was still a wanted criminal at the time. How did he get in there? McSweeney’s held at Heathrow.”

“I wasn’t with him for that. He went alone,” says Bentley.

“I was...away,” says Murray.

“Oh, never mind,” I decide on the particular subject. I no longer really care about confessions to crime from the Cooper gang. Which makes me want to hurl. “Do either of you know anything about this McSweeney?”

“Well, Sly was excited at the possibility of breaking him out of jail,” continues Bentley, “but he told me when he got back without him that McSweeney was okay. He said McSweeney told him the food wasn’t bad and the library was keeping him occupied. The reason he reached out was to give Sly a map of Kaine Island.”

“So he’s managed to get comfortable behind bars?” I ask. 

“You’re not going to keep him in there, are you?!” shrieks Murray.

“No.” I don’t shake my head too violently, though. It’s never a bad idea to consider further prison time for criminals, especially when they’ve become adapted, domesticated. “In fact, I think it would be best if he came here to the two of you.” I look each of them in the eye. “I never thought I would say this to you, and I rarely say this to anyone, but I am proud of you. You’ve given up your ways of crime and you’re managing steadily. I got some heat defending you from my superiors, allowing you to stay here in Paris. And I’m glad to see my efforts haven’t led to disappointment.” I get up from the sofa, where stacks of laundry, food wrappers, weights, machinery and video games are all over the place. I need some air. “I will be escorting you to the prison on Friday at noon to meet him. You can bring others with you if you want, but I have to know prior to picking you up.”

Neither of them say anything. When I reach the door, Bentley shrieks, “Carmelita!”

I look back over.

“P...Penelope mailed another card.” He wheels over to me and puts it in my hand. I look at it. It’s just like the others. Vague, but some hints as to its whereabouts I could look over. Especially with her logo spray painted into that wall.

“Thank you. I’ll keep you updated if we find where this is. No one from anywhere I’ve been able to reach out to has given any reports of this sort of vandalized property, strangely. Hopefully we’ll have further news soon so we can get her back to justice.”

“And, uh, one other thing.” Bentley rubs the back of his neck. “If we find out a hint of Pene-I mean, uh, Sly’s whereabouts...do you want to come with us to track him down?”

I’m a little taken aback by the question. My answer on my tongue is, yes, I absolutely would, but I freeze a bit knowing that’s what I was about to say. The last time I joined the Cooper gang it was because I was stranded in time with them and had no alternatives. I wouldn’t want something like that again...wouldn’t I?

I close my eyes and think back to that necklace...the necklace I’ll never see again and that’s just how it is…

That yelling...those tears...my feeling of hopelessness...the looks of expected disappointment…

I shake my head to snap myself out of it. “I’ll get back to you on that.” I exit, and slam the door behind me. I don’t know if that was inadvertent or not.