that his father would welcome him back after he had done his penance as a low-paid advocate of the indigent accused.
What Peter pondered long and hard was his father's reaction to a call from Amos Geary telling him that Peter had lasted barely two months before he had to can him.
Before Elliot, Peter would never have believed his father would punish him for anything he did. When he was suspended from high school after tearing up the football field with his jeep in a drunken frenzy, Richard paid for the damage and somehow kept the suspension off his record. When there was that unfortunate prob I in lem with the sorority girl i college, Richard fumed and hollered, then paid for the abortion. And what about law school? To this day, Peter had no idea how he would have gained admission with his grades, if Richard had not stepped in. That was why it had been such a shock when his father lowered the boom after his fiasco in E hot and it was the reason why he could not dismiss the possibility that Richard would cast him out forever if he failed him again.
The thought of quitting Geary's firm made Peter feel like a kid getting ready to make a high dive for the first time. He could edge back along the board to safety by dropping Gary Harmon or he could take a frightening plunge into the unknown by staying on the case. Was he willing to trade his freedom for security? Did he want to stay a child his whole life, totally dependent on his father, or did he want to become a man who could stand on his own two feet?
Then, Peter remembered Steve Mancini's advice.
'Fuck Amos Geary,' Mancini had said. Mancini was right. With one hundred thousand dollars he could say 'Fuck you' to a lot of people. And there was the partnership waiting. When Peter thought about it, the choice wasn't all that hard.
'What are you going to do?' Steve Mancini asked as soon as Peter finished his account of his phone conversation with Amos Geary. They were seated on the couch in Mancini's living room. Police reports and tape cassettes were stacked next to a tape recorder in front of them on the coffee table. Donna was in the kitchen brewing coffee and slicing a coffee cake.
'I know what I'd like to do, but I have one huge practical problem. If I stay on as Gary's lawyer, I've got to clear out of my office.'
'That's no problem, at all. I have an extra office at my place you can rent. You'd have a receptionist and you can pay one of my secretaries by the hour to type your stuff. My place is a hell of a lot nicer than Geary's mausoleum. What do you say?'
'Are you still serious about going into partnership?'
'You bet. Of course, we can't do it right now, because I've got to get Mountain View squared away and you've got Gary's case to try.'
'Right.'
'But I'm definitely interested.'
'That's terrific, because I think it could work.'
'Okay. So, we'll talk.'
Peter shook Steve's hand and smiled bravely, but his insides were churning with fear.
'Now that we've got that settled, let's get to work,' Steve said.
'I want you to read this report.' Peter handed a thick, stapled stack of paper to Mancini. 'It's a summary of Downes's interrogation. Then I want you to listen to sections of these tapes. The whole interrogation is about seven hours. I only had time to listen to two tapes, but the parts I'm going to play will give you some idea of what's going on.'
Donna came out of the kitchen carrying a tray shortly after Peter started playing the tapes. She gave Peter and her husband cups of coffee and a slice of cake. Then, she sat on the co next to Steve and listened as Dennis Downes explained to Gary the marvelous powers he possessed.
'Are Gary's statements the reason he was arrested?' Donna asked Peter when the tapes were finished.
'They're a big part of it.'
'But that's so unfair. Gary thought he was being a detective. He thought he was helping Downes. Gary wouldn't understand that Downes was fooling him.
No jury is going to believe that what Gary said was a confession.'
'It would if Gary knows something that only the killer could know,' Mancini said, 'and I'm betting that somewhere on these tapes is something like that.'
'Keeping Gary's statement out of evidence is definitely the key to winning the case,' Peter said. 'The question is how to do it.'
'Doesn't the fact that Downes lied to Gary mean anything?' Donna asked.
'I seem to remember reading some cases in law school that held that a confession that is elicited by deceit won't hold up,' Peter said.
'Maybe I can help find them,' Donna volunteered.
'When I was studying to be a legal secretary I took a course on how to do legal research. Mr. Willoughby lets me do research for him, every once in a while.'
'I can use all the help I can get,' Peter said.
Mancini frowned. 'When would you fit it in, honey?
You're pretty busy at work.'
'I could do the research after work or on the weekend. Please, Steve. I want to do something more to help Gary than make coffee.'
'Well ... I guess if it's okay with Pete Donna leaned over and kissed her husband on the cheek. Then, she stood up.
'I'll let you two get back to work while I clean up.
Holler if you need anything. And, Peter, let me know what you want me to do.'
Donna almost skipped out of the room. There was a big smile on her face.
'You did okay, Steve. Donna's terrific.'
'Why thanks,' Mancini answered with a self-satisfied smile. 'One thing, though. Don't count on Donna for much help. She's a good legal secretary, but legal research .. . ?' Mancini flashed Peter a patronizing smile. 'Still, if you can find a make-work project for her, she'll be happy as a clam.'
'She seems pretty sharp to me,' Peter said, surprised to hear his friend put down his wife. 'Let's see what she can do.'
'Sure,' Mancini said. He took a sip of coffee. 'Let's get back to the confession. We should make a list of possible attacks on it. I noticed that Don Bosco observed a lot of the questioning. Why don't I talk to him and see what he has to say about it.'
'Good idea.'
'I'll do it first thing in the morning.'
'I'm going to need a good investigator. Can you suggest someone?ll 'There aren't many in this area. Ralph Cotton is pretty good. He does some wa.rk for the Sissler firm.
And Mike Compton does some investigation.'
Mancini thought for a moment. 'You know, there's a guy I've used, Barney Pullen. He works as a mechanic a t his brother's garage, but he used to be a cop. You might check to see if he's available.'
Peter jotted down the names Steve had given him.
Then, he said, 'There are a few other things we have to go over. Becky included a police report about the peeping incident. Another report mentions some pornographic magazines that were found in the closet in Gary's bedroom. I think Becky is going to try and have the porno stuff and evidence of the peeping incident admitted. What can we do about that?'
'We have to file a motion to keep that out. The jurors are going to believe Gary's a pervert if they hear it.'
'I agree. Why don't I concentrate on this issue.'
'Okay.
'There's something else,' Peter said.
Mancini noticed a change in Peter's voice. Whatever this new thing was, it had Peter worried.
'What's the problem?'
Peter handed Mancini a stack of police reports.
