Mercy

11:04 PDT

“And he didn’t say why?”

“No. He just claimed she framed him and then pretty much clammed up.”

Back in the car, Alex hadn’t even bothered to tell Nat about Burrow’s response at first, and Nat hadn’t asked. Alex realized that the look on his face must have said it all. Only when they hit the road and found themselves back on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, did Nat ask.

“So what are we going to do?” asked Nat.

“Not got a fucking clue.”

“Why would she frame him?”

“Well everyone knows he bullied her in high school.”

“Yeah but framing him for murder’s a bit OTT.”

“That’s what I thought. But the fact of the matter is, he was thrown a lifeline and he didn’t take it.”

“Maybe you read him wrong? Maybe he doesn’t want to live at any price?”

“Maybe. But then again maybe I read the case wrong.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning Nat, maybe — just maybe — he’s innocent.”

“You believe him?”

“Why else would he refuse the lifeline?”

“He probably doesn’t remember where he hid the body. It was nine years ago, don’t forget.”

Alex shook his head.

“That’s not what he said.”

“Okay, let’s assume he’s innocent… how are we going to prove it with only — ” he looked at the clock on the dashboard — “thirteen hours to go?”

Alex thought about this.

“We’ve spent the last few weeks arguing the law. Maybe it’s time for us to take another look at the facts.”

“And what are we supposed to be looking for?”

Alex didn’t answer immediately. Instead he pulled out his iPhone and called the office. Juanita answered.

“Hi, Alex,” she said, as his number popped up on the display. “How did it go?”

“Not good, Juanita.”

He had phoned her on the way to San Quentin and told her about Dusenbury’s offer.

“He refused?” she asked incredulously.

“He said he didn’t know.”

“But how-?”

“Listen, I haven’t got time. I’ll fill you in when I get back to the office. In the meantime, I need you to do a couple of things.”

“That’s what you pay me for.”

“I want you to go online and find out everything you can about the feud between Clayton Burrow and Dorothy Olsen.”

“We already looked into that, boss.”

“I know, but all we found out was that she was the butt of his jokes. What we need to find out is if there’s anything behind it.”

“What’s to find out? He was a bullying jock and she was the smart, geeky girl with glasses. What else is there?”

“Okay, I know it’s a long shot, but I got the impression that Burrow was holding out on me.”

“How do you mean?

“Well it’s just that none of it makes sense. If he’s guilty, why the hell did he reject the deal?”

“So now you think he’s innocent?” Juanita asked incredulously.

“I think he’s holding out on me.”

“And you think it’s something to do with this high school feud?”

“Well it’s the best place to start.”

“Are we looking for anything in particular?”

“Let’s start off with the cause of the feud. Was it just a culture clash between the male jock and the female geek? Or was it a case of hell hath no fury? Maybe some of the other students know something.”

“It’s gonna be hard to track down the phone numbers. And I can’t leave the office, can I?”

“Use the internet. Maybe there’s discussion about it online. We also need to know who her friends were. And if she had any enemies — other than Burrow, that is.”

“It’s going to be hard. You know how it works on the web. You do a search and it throws up a million irrelevant items.”

“Do your best, Juanita. I’ll be back in fifteen.”

Nat smiled. Twenty-five was more realistic. He’d have to floor it.

Alex put in another call, this time to Information. He asked for Esther Olsen’s number, adding that she lived in Sunnyvale. Fortunately the number was listed. He followed up by putting in a call to her.

“Yes?” The voice was weak … nervous.

“Mrs. Olsen? It’s Alex Sedaka here.”

Her mood seemed to brighten.

“Oh, hallo, Mr. Sedaka.”

Alex was embarrassed. He didn’t know how to continue.

“Listen, I’m afraid I have some bad news.”

“He … he wouldn’t tell you?”

She sounded sad, but not angry or bitter as he’d feared.

“He said he didn’t know. He still maintains he’s innocent.”

“Can I ask you a question?” Esther Olsen’s voice was croaky now.

“Yes.”

“Do you think he’s guilty?”

This was a question that Alex couldn’t answer. Not that his own private thoughts were privileged. But a lawyer’s view of his client’s innocence or guilt is partly based on what his client tells him, and this could be a slippery slope.

“I don’t know, Mrs. Olsen.”

This was the diplomatic response — but until half an hour ago, it would not have been a truthful one. Alex pressed on.

“But can I ask you a question?” he followed up.

“Yes?”

“Do you know anything about the relationship between them? I mean, I know that he bullied her. But was there any more to it than that? Was there any particular reason?”

There was a moment of hesitation.

“I don’t know. She never really confided in me. Like I told you, I was estranged from her before she…”

“Did she confide in anyone? A friend? A relative?”

“Not really. I mean, she got on well with Jonathan, but — ”

“That’s her brother, yes?”

“Yes. But he was younger — five years younger. She probably wouldn’t have wanted to put the burden of her problems on him. She kept her problems bottled up.”

Alex’s mind was racing ahead. A girl with problems and no one to talk to? That was a perfect recipe for suicide. But there was no body. And how did all that incriminating evidence end up in the apartment where Burrow and his mother lived?