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better when he is under the influence of heroin than when he is not. This is not, nor ever will be, a compelling argument in my court. Now proceed.”
    Levi took a moment to collect his thoughts, then gestured to Raines. “Mr. Cruz, did the district attorney offer to wipe away your third strike in exchange for your testimony here today?”
    “Objection!” Raines shouted.
    Cruz shook his chains. “Fuckin’ A, man. I would’ve never done it otherwise.”
    Raines continued. “I move the witness’s last statement be stricken from the record.”
    “Oh, Sidney, what a crock,” Levi said. “What did you offer this guy in exchange for his testimony? That he’d walk after a couple of years instead of twenty-five-to-life? For those terms you could get Gandhi to lie for you.”
    Raines shouted, overlapping Levi’s remarks. “This is outrageous! How dare you—”
    Hightower exploded, “ Order! The next one who opens his mouth will be held in contempt!” The judge glanced at Bragg, then glared at Raines. “Sidney, what did you offer in exchange for Mr. Cruz’s testimony?”
    Raines made a show of controlling his temper. “My office agreed to drop the drug and assault charge and let him plea to a misdemeanor—six months jail time followed by six months community service and two years probation—for the Neiman’s theft.”
    “You give a guy set to get twenty-five-to-life six months jail time?” Hightower waved his hand in front of his nose like he was clearing away a bad odor. Looking at Bragg, who was furiously scribbling notes, he said, “And the Register says judges are too eager to plea bargain?”
    Cruz faked a sobbing fit. “I couldn’t take it any more, Your Lordship. Commandant Raines said, ‘Vee have vays ov making you talk,’ and I cracked.”
    Hightower curled his lips. “Mr. Cruz, you are out of order!”
    “Why, do I look broken?”
    “Eddie,” the judge said, “get Mr. Cruz out of my sight. I’ve heard quite enough from him.”
    After Cruz was gone, the judge sat with his hands folded. “Sidney, you know with this witness your case is difficult to prove. I’m forced to recommend that the district attorney drop the charges.” He leaned over the front of his bench, eyes on Summer. “However, Ms. Neuwirth, I am penning a letter of complaint to the American Bar Association. Just because there is not enough evidence for a trial doesn’t mean I don’t know you told him to skedaddle. Pull anything like that in my courtroom, you’ll pay big time.” Hightower smacked down his gavel. “Court dismissed!”
    A slap on the wrist. It could have much worse. Summer hugged Levi.
    “Somehow,” Levi said, “I’m oddly aroused.”
    Summer kissed Levi’s cheek and wiped away her own tear. “Thanks for everything, Jon.”
    “Wait till you get my bill.”
    Summer could hear Bragg breathing behind her.
    Raines came over. “You caught a break today, Summer. But remember this: Keep bending the law, and I guarantee it’ll snap back. At least the public won’t have to deal with Mr. Cruz for a while.”
    Summer stumbled out of her seat. “You’re not going to stick to your bargain?”
    Raines fingered his lapel. “Recanting his testimony wasn’t part of our bargain.”
    “Raines,” she said, “you are one evil, cold-hearted son of a bitch.”
    “Easy, easy,” Levi said, pulling Summer away. “Sidney, my office is going to ride shotgun for Cruz all the way to the Supreme Court if we have to. You know as well as I do that coercing a witness can get you disbarred.”
    Bragg said, “I can’t write that fast. Summer, did you call Sidney an evil, cold-hearted bastard, or a son of a bitch?” The smile on his face said it all: scoop!
    Raines pounded his fist into his palm to emphasize each point. “Bleeding heart liberals. Look at this guy’s rap sheet. It’s as long as my arm. Why shouldn’t he stew in the pen for twenty-five years?”
    “A deal is a deal and the law is the law,” Summer