Lightner led the way to his consulting office, a room that was small but warmer than the reception area. It wasn't pastel, for one thing. Done in greens, leathers, carved woods and glass, it was restful, its windows looking out onto one of the older groves, sunlight coming through the trees. Hardy avoided the couch and took one of the two leather armchairs. Lightner left the door to Helga's area open and sat in a chair by the door.
'I'll come right to it,' Hardy began. 'You went to Costa Rica for a week and stayed with Jennifer.' He figured he didn't have to say anything more.
Lightner frowned. 'Are we going through this again? I thought I'd covered this with Mr. Freeman.'
'Freeman?' Somewhere in the back of his mind, Hardy figured he must have known this, though he'd never made the overt connection. Yes, Freeman must have talked to Lightner. He had said right after the trial that Lightner had convinced him he hadn't done anything wrong with Jennifer, been intimate with her. At the time, right after the trial and the verdict, it had gone right by him. And, just like Freeman not telling him about Jennifer being guilty of killing Ned, he hadn't reported to him about this interview with Lightner either. Typical David.
The psychiatrist nodded. 'So now what, Mr. Hardy? Now you too want some assurance I was not violating every code in the book and having sex with my patient?'
The burden of saving Jennifer had been buiding steadily on Hardy, or probably he wouldn't have resorted to the extreme ply he was now about to try. 'Dr. Lightner, your patient and, I gather, friend, Jennifer, told me otherwise.' Of course, she hadn't, but if it would smoke out some mitigation for her, some alternative…
Lightner looked shocked, then saddened. 'Mr. Hardy, I find it hard to believe that, I really do, I'm sorry. But if, indeed, Jennifer did say this, well, there are psychological reasons, but you would only say they were self-serving. I tell you that I did not have intimate relations with my patient. I testified to that. I believe, I thought, Mr. Freeman believed me.'
Hardy shrugged, feeling increasingly uneasy about what he was doing. 'So where does that leave us, Dr. Lightner? You've wanted to help Jennifer, and, believe me, I'd love it if you could. So…?'
Lightner stood and crossed the room. He opened a door that led out to a patio, motioning to Hardy, who got up and followed. Outside, Lightner walked a few steps into the grove, then turned. 'I'll take a polygraph if you'd like. You know how much I care about Jennifer, but I can't have it said I've been intimate with a patient, taking advantage of the relationship. I'm sorry, but Jennifer is just not telling the truth.'
Finally, Hardy relented. 'Sorry, it's me who isn't telling the truth. It was a bad try.'
'Okay, here's what happened, just as I told Mr. Freeman…'
He and Jennifer had stayed in the same hotel room in Costa Rica because when Lightner had arrived she had become scared all over again, realizing that she hadn't run that far if he could be there on such short notice. She had felt vulnerable, alone, checking out of her own room, thinking she would be leaving no paper trail.
It stretched Hardy's belief to the breaking point, but the explanation was plausible, if foolish, from Lightner's point of view. Still, people did foolish things – it could have happened the way Lightner told it. And now Hardy felt he needed Lightner if he was going to have any real chance to save his client's life. And he had to think of it that way… Freeman's appeal working out was not to be counted on.
Between answering the phone Helga had managed to bring the coffee. They were back in their chairs, more relaxed now, though not totally allies. Lightner had not been impressed or pleased with Hardy lying to him, he said. Still, they were on middle ground, working for the same result. They didn't, after all, have to be pals.
Hardy sat with his coffee perched on his knee. 'What do you personally think is the situation here, Doctor?'
'What do you mean?'
'I mean, what in your gut do you believe?'
'I believe her, Mr. Hardy. But as I've said, if she did it, she was driven to it. It's not a frivolous defense, you know.' Placing his cup and saucer on the low table next to him, Lightner turned toward Hardy and leaned forward in the chair, hands folded. 'I've said this all along – I've never understood Mr. Freeman's concept-'
'He was obeying his client's wishes about the abuse, the same thing you'd do.' Hardy wasn't about to listen to Lightner criticize anybody. His own judgment, after all, was a long way from exemplary.
'But the fact remains, he lost. And Jennifer loses.' He held up a hand. 'My point is that he could have called several witnesses – myself included – who might at least have planted the seed. Did you visit any of Jennifer's past physicians?' At Hardy's nod, he continued. 'Okay, then you know there was abuse. And there were more people, people I've talked to – her own mother, for example. An abused person as well, as you may know. Even Helga has seen Jennifer come in here, staggering with the pain, limping. It was a classic situation – Larry Witt was literally beating her to death.'
'But Jennifer told Freeman – she ordered him – not to get into that.'
'He should have overridden her. He was her lawyer. His job was to clear her, not allow her to be convicted. She is a victim, Mr. Hardy.'
Hardy raised his voice. 'She would have fired him, don't you understand that?'
Lightner sat back, his face working. 'And why is that?'
'If she admits she was beaten, to her it's the same as admitting she killed Larry. And if she killed Larry, that's admitting she killed Matt.'
'She doesn't have to admit anything, does she?' Lighter said. 'You can call all those people as witnesses, can't you? Get them to talk about what they've seen with Jennifer. Maybe nothing overtly even about Larry. I could come on as an expert witness – I've done it before. This kind of denial is common. I wouldn't have to talk specifically about things Jennifer told me. I'd just discuss the syndrome, and then let the jury make the connection.'
'That she killed Larry because he beat her?'
'They've already convicted her – it can't hurt her any worse and it might help. Show the jury what she's been through. It might, if nothing else, move them to some sympathy. This woman has done nothing but suffer her whole life. Maybe you can end the cycle.'
Lightner shook his head. 'God, this is a travesty.'
'Yes, it is,' Hardy said.
Lightner walked him out to his car. As Hardy opened the door, Lightner reached into his wallet and took out a card. 'I expect to talk to her today, as I've been doing, but I want you to feel free to call me anytime if you feel I can help you, if I can come in with you and perhaps try to convince her to agree with a defense, anything at all. I'm always here.'
'You don't go home?'
Lightner's face lit in a brittle smile. 'My ex-wife and children have the home. I've a space behind the office' – he motioned back to the building – 'bedroom, kitchen and whatever I was able to keep. But it's all right, I'm getting along. Shrinks have a notoriously high divorce rate. We're often better with other people's lives than with our own.'
'Mr. Hardy?' It was Phyllis on the intercom. 'There's an Emmett Kelly down here to see you.'
Hardy pushed his files away, smiling. 'Send him up.'
A minute later Abe Glitsky's form filled the doorway. 'I couldn't resist,' he said. He walked across the room and looked down onto Sutter Street, then turned back and plumped himself halfway over the couch, laying his head against the armrest. 'I think I'll take the afternoon off, get in a nap. Naps are rare among the ranks of homicide inspectors. I should do a study.'
'You should,' Hardy agreed. 'But in the meanwhile…'
Glitsky sat up. 'In the meanwhile I have made an ass of myself yet again in your behalf, although I realized on Friday the horse got out of the barn. I thought I'd make sure it all got covered, so I went out to see the Romans,
