McMansion Read Online Free PDF Page B

fellow members of the human race will not derail a career. Only when expressed physically are such character flaws judged criminal.
    No longer smiling, though still confident, I said, “I decided that it would be more helpful to your son if I got the cops’ side first.”
    He didn’t like that, but finally got smart enough to say, “I don’t see any profit in telling you how to do your job.”
    â€œSoon, I will interview your son—which of course Attorney Roth has already done.”
    â€œWhat do you think of his story?”
    â€œUntil I discover otherwise, I’m assuming he’s telling the truth.”
    He said, “At first, I couldn’t believe how stupid he was to get caught sitting on the machine. But when I went out there to the site I saw how isolated it was. I tried to put myself in his position. All alone, coming upon such a horrible sight, wanting to help, panicking….”
    â€œYou went there?” I asked.
    â€œI had to see it.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œListen, Abbott. All that you and Roth have to do is create doubt. Reasonable doubt that the kid didn’t kill that man. That’s all we need.”
    Clearly, he thought his kid did the crime. If it troubled him to regard his son as a murderer, he didn’t show it. And what he said next indicated that as far as he was concerned the trial was nothing more or less than a contest to be won.
    â€œI hired Roth because he’s got a winning track record. What I want you to do is comb the entire goddamned county up there for doubts. They’ve got no witnesses to the actual crime. Find somebody else who might have done the crime. Find somebody else who wanted to do the crime. Doubt! All we need is doubt.”
    â€œAttorney Roth has already given me those instructions.”
    â€œWell I’m giving you them too. And I’ll pay a bonus for every seed of doubt you find. Fair enough?”
    â€œIra’s already paying me.”
    â€œWell I’m going to pay you to try harder.”
    â€œI appreciate your concern for your son. But I don’t do things halfway. You don’t have to pay me to serve Ira any better than I would without your paying me.”
    â€œMr. Abbott, stop being high and mighty! And stop pretending to be dense. If I have to fire Roth, I don’t want to start from scratch with a new investigator. I want copies of all your reports to him.”
    â€œIf it’s all right with Ira, you’re welcome to them. If not, then you’re not.”
    â€œIn that case, I’ll fire him this instant and hire you on the spot.”
    I stood up. “That would put your son at terrible risk. You won’t find a better defense lawyer in Connecticut than Ira Roth, as you already figured out. And if you bring in New York lawyers, the judge will roast them alive. Slowly.”
    He surprised me with a brisk smile. “Where are you going? You haven’t had lunch. Come on, sit down. I’m just mouthing off. I’m wired about this mess. Fucking kid.”
    I sat. He reached for the order chit and picked up the pencil. “What would you like?”
    â€œI’ll have one of your club’s famous martinis. Vodka. Twist. Straight up.”
    He said, “I’d join you, except I’ve got to go back to work.”
    I figured I had already done a very good day’s work. And it wasn’t even one thirty.
    He transformed into a thoughtful host, ordering a plate of dim sum to accompany my martini. We both decided upon Cobb salad for lunch and chatted amiably until the drink came. “Cheers—I say ‘fucking kid,’ but he’s had a tough time. The divorce—just at the wrong age. And then all those years living with his mother, who is a piece of work.”
    He gazed longingly at my delicious drink. “It was not a friendly divorce. Knock down, drag out. And I came out of it the villain in the kid’s eyes. Are you