'She wouldn't listen. She insists she did it and she doesn't want a trial.'
'Does she know she'll end up doing life without parole?'
'I don't think she cares, Martin.'
Behind them, the door opened and Jane Venable entered the security room. Her eyes were ablaze. It was the old Jane Venable, spoiling for a fight.
'What the hell was that all about?' she demanded. 'Eckling pilloried that woman!'
'I know, I know,' Vail said defensively. 'I just chewed his ass about it. Do you know Shana Parver? Shana, this is Jane Venable.'
'Hi,' Parver said. 'I feel like I know you, I've read the transcript of the Stampler trial several times.'
'I've had better days than that!' she said, glaring at Vail.
'What are you doing here?' Vail asked, then quickly added, 'I mean, I'm glad you're here but I'm, you know, surprised.'
'I came down to file a brief and saw the mob scene. I thought maybe they'd arrested the mayor or something.'
'Listen, Janie, you need to do that lady a favour,' Vail said.
'What do you mean?'
'She's determined to confess to killing Delaney. She doesn't have a lawyer. Judge Pryor will probably appoint one in the morning. In the meantime, Eckling's going to have her on the griddle as soon as they process her. If she makes a confession in there, I won't have any choice. I'll have to max her out.'
'Marty, I can't…'
'You can go in there and talk to this lady. Explain her options.'
Venable scowled at Vail. 'Just because I happen to walk in here, I get stuck - '
'You're the best there is and you're a woman. Maybe she'll respond to you.'
'Damn!' She blew out a breath, then walked across the room and back.
'Do you know any of the details?'
'That's moot. She needs somebody to hold her hand until she has a full-time lawyer. Give her that at least.'
'Christ, Marty, you're talking like a defence advocate.'
'Janie, she just lost her job. Her husband's lying in bed helpless from the neck down. Her daughter's in college and she probably can't afford to keep her there. Her whole world is unwinding around her. If she screws up now, she'll end up doing life without parole. That's what we'll ask for and we'll get it.'
'You're one weird prosecutor, Marty,' Venable said.
'I want all the details before I decide what we're going to do to her. If we let Eckling loose on her, I'll never have that opportunity. Talk to her, Janie.' He smiled at her. 'Then I'll buy dinner.'
'Shit,' Venable said, and walked down the hall towards the fingerprint room.
Parver looked at Vail with a smirk.
'I thought you two hated each other.'
'We're trying to get over it,' Vail said.
Harvey St Claire had made myriad phone calls to the Catholic cathedral, the custodian, two priests, and finally to a nun named Sister Mary Alice before he finally got an answer to his question.
'Sister,' St Claire said, frustration apparent in his tone, 'I'm trying to find out what happened to all the books in Bishop Rushman's library. Nobody seems to know.' '
Who did you say this was again?' she asked. 'M'name's Harvey St Claire. I'm with the DA's office.'
'You work for Mr Vail?'
'That's right, he's m'boss. You know him?'
'I met him once, years ago,' she said. 'I know it's none of my business, but does this have anything to do with Aaron Stampler?'
'That's very incisive of you, Sister. How did you guess?'
'Well, you work for Mr Vail and he defended Aaron. A book from the bishop's library was an important part of the evidence.'
'You remember that?'
'I just remember it had something to do with the murder. That was a long time ago.'
'So do you know where those books are now?'
'Do you know the
