In 28 years as a criminal defense attorney, Seth Kirschenbaum has become familiar with clandestine phone calls from suspects in undisclosed locations who know the police are hot on their trails.

“I’ve been contacted and hired by people who are fugitives. Usually, they’re calling from a phone booth in some city to see if I can negotiate a deal and their return,” he said this week, while discussing a recent murder case in Sandy Springs in which the suspect has disappeared.