'Oh, God?' I said.
'She means well,' Leeland said, 'but she's beginning to allow her age.'
I nodded. Leeland was silent, his left hand at his mouth, looking at me, squeezing his lower lip between his thumb md forefinger. I waited.
After a while he said, 'Jared confessed, you know.'
I nodded.
'The Grant kid says Jared was with him.'
I nodded.
'Doesn't that seem like you really have no case?' Leeland said.
'I have a case,' I said. 'I just don't know the outcome.'
'The boy's guilty,' Leeland said.
'Mrs. Fllsworth thinks otherwise.'
'For God's sake, Spenser. She wouldn't believe it if she saw him do it.'
'So you're going to plead him?'
'Guilty, see if we can bargain.'
'How about insanity?' I said.
'He knew what he did was wrong,' Leeland said.
'Irresistible compulsion?' I said.
He shrugged. 'Won't fly,' he said.
'You have a shrink talk to him?' I said.
'We have the Dowling Academy consulting psychologist.'
I nodded. 'Name?'
'Why do you want to know?' Leeland said.
'I want to talk with him or her.'
'I don't know if I should tell you,' Leeland said.
'You think I can't find the name of the Dowling Academy consulting shrink?' I said.
Leeland shrugged.
'Her,' he said. 'Dr. Blair, Beth Ann Blair.'
'See,' I said, 'how easy that was?'
'Mr. Spenser,' Leeland said. 'The boy is guilty. I know it, his parents know it, everyone knows it.'
'Except Mrs. Ellsworth,' I said.
Leeland ignored me.
'My job,' he said, 'quite frankly, is to try and soften the consequences the best way I can.'
I nodded.
'Have you ever tried a murder case?' I said.
'Not really.'
'Not really? How do you not really try a murder case?'
'I guess I meant no, I haven't,' Leeland said.
'Do you know who's prosecuting?'
'Bethel County District Attorney's office.'
'Know the prosecutor?' I said.
'His name is Francis Cleary.'
'Be interesting to know how many murder cases their guy has tried.'
'I'm a damned good lawyer,' Leeland said. 'I resent what you're implying.'
I nodded. Spreading good will wherever I went.
'No offense,' I said. 'Did you get him a deal for copping?'
'Excuse me?'
'Did he get anything from the prosecution for confessing.'
'He confessed without coercion or enticement,' Leeland said, 'to the Chief of Police.'
'Cromwell,' I said.
