'Yes. The information is in French and no one else can translate it. I should be finished within an hour. Where will you be?'
'In the library.'
To my relief, Julie wasn't in the library. I logged on to one of the terminals and checked my office e-mail. There was a message from Mr. Carpenter asking for an update on the Moses Jones case. I skipped to the next item. It was from Zach.
Tami,
I talked with Maggie Smith. She agreed to place Moses Jones' case on judge Howell's trial calendar. She also brought up the possibility of running the plea bargain past Judge Howell. If the judge goes along with the deal, Jones could be released in a few days. Thought you might want this good news as soon as possible. Follow up with me upon your return to the office.
Zach
A few hours before, this would have been welcome news. Now, it doubled the pressure I felt. I noticed that Zach had also sent it to Mr. Carpenter. My mouth went dry, and the pressure doubled again. I glanced at the ceiling and offered up a prayer for help.
I tried to work on the Folsom divorce case while I waited for Vince to finish, but it was trivial compared to the threats facing Moses. I checked my watch every five minutes. Shortly, before the hour was up, the library door opened. I looked up in relief.
It was Zach.
'Did you read my e-mail?' he asked.
'Yes.'
'And?' he asked, raising his eyebrows.
'It sounds hopeful, but I'm not sure Moses is ready to get out of jail. You heard what he said when we explained the terms of probation to him. He'll violate the terms of release and go back to jail without any chance of getting out for a long time.'
'He's a grown man. As long as he understands what's expected of him, compliance is his responsibility. Do you think he wants to stay locked up? We don't have the right to keep him in jail if there is a reasonable chance to get him out.'
'We might get a not-guilty verdict at trial,' I responded. 'Then he wouldn't have to worry about probation. I met with him this afternoon and explained our trial strategy. As we talked it made more and more sense. I mean, jurors are regular people who can appreciate an honest mistake, especially when no property damage has occurred.'
'I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I can't believe what I'm hearing. The case is exactly where we want it to be, and you think the best course of action is for our client to go to trial? What's really going on? This has to do with Lisa Prescott, doesn't it?'
I pressed my lips tightly together.
'What did you find in the microfilm records?' Zach continued. 'Even if you uncovered incriminating information about Moses Jones, it doesn't give you the right to be judge and jury, sentencing him to jail.'
The door opened, and Vince stepped in. He saw Zach and started backing out of the room. 'Sorry to interrupt,' he said. 'I'll check with you later.'
'Hold it,' Zach said.
'What?' Vince asked.
Zach stared at Vince, then turned toward me. 'Because you two are working on the Jones case together doesn't mean you can withhold information from me. Tami was supposed to take me with her and conveniently forgot to let me know.'
'Oh,' I said, stung, 'I got caught up and-'
Zach interrupted. 'I want to hear what's happened since we met this morning.'
The three of us sat around the table, with Zach at one end and Vince and I across from each other.
'Out with it,' Zach said.
I looked at Vince, who seemed nervous. Zach hesitated for a moment, then spoke. 'I'm only an associate. Do you want me to bring in one of the partners to help sort this out? I don't know who's here this afternoon, but Mr. Carpenter is the most familiar-'
'No!' I blurted out. 'That would be cruel.'
'No more than the accusations you've made against him,' Zach shot back.
'Not cruel to me,' I replied testily. 'Leave me out of this. I've never had a realistic chance of working here, and based on what I know now, I wouldn't accept a permanent job if Mr. Carpenter offered me one. This is all about Moses Jones. You have no idea what you're about to do to him.'
Zach's neck was slightly red. 'Then tell me. I'm listening.'
I looked at Vince.
'Go ahead,' he said.
I faced Zach. 'First, I need to ask you a question. Is your primary loyalty to Moses Jones as a client or to this law firm?'
'Is there a conflict between them?'
'Yes. And if I don't tell you the details, then you won't have to make a choice.'
I saw Zach hesitate. I knew he liked his job working for Mr. Appleby. I turned to Vince.
'And everyone knows you're a lock as the next associate of the firm. You warned me the other day, but have you thought about the negative impact this could have on your future? Are you helping me because God has called you or because it gives us a chance to be together?'
The slightly embarrassed look on Vince's face told me what I needed to know.
'I'm trying not to be cruel to either one of you or anybody else,' I continued in a calmer tone of voice. 'I came to the conclusion this afternoon that what happens to me doesn't matter as much as taking care of my client.' I stood up. 'From now on, I'm not going to discuss this with either one of you. I'm exhausted and ready to go home.'
I left Zach and Vince together in the library. I didn't know where Julie might be, but I wasn't going to stick around. I found her coming out of Ned's office.
'Are you ready to leave for the day?' I asked.
She looked at her watch. 'Yeah, it's later than I thought. I have a few things to grab from the library.'
'I'll wait for you at the car.'
'It's blazing hot outside.'
'Then you'll hurry, okay?'
Julie glanced questioningly over her shoulder. I hoped the thought of me roasting in the late-afternoon heat would keep her from having a long conversation with Zach and Vince. I walked slowly along the sidewalk in the shade cast by the building. I reached the car and watched the front door. In less than a minute Julie joined me.
'Was anyone in the library?' I asked.
'No, why?'
'Just curious. I'd finished a meeting with Zach and Vince, and they stayed after I left.'
'About the Jones case?'
I knew I had to answer, and partial information was much more likely to satisfy Julie's curiosity so we could change subjects.
'Yeah, I met with him this afternoon at the jail,' I said casually. 'One of the things we discussed was trial strategy. I think my chances of getting a not-guilty verdict are greater than you might think, but Zach and Vince are unconvinced.'
'Your client admits the crime. I can't imagine a credible defense.'
I stretched out my explanation until Julie stopped in front of Mrs. Fairmont's house.
'You're dreaming,' Julie said. 'The best you could hope for would be a hung jury if you convince a couple of people to feel sorry for him.'
'And a hung jury might be as good as an acquittal. How many times do you think the district attorney's office wants to take up the court's time trying a misdemeanor trespassing case?'
