Read Online Lion Plays Rough by Lachlan Smith - Free Book Online Page A

ways.”
    â€œLeo, the Scarsdale trial starts in six days. These excuses are beside the point.”
    â€œExcuses?” I needed to make her understand. “The thing is, however ridiculous the situation may be, I’m the one who got myself into it.”
    â€œWhat’s that supposed to mean?”
    â€œThis morning I was ready to turn over the pictures and walk away from this. I can’t do that now.”
    â€œWhat’s it about, a point of honor?”
    â€œSomething like that.” I’d messed up, and I needed to do what I could to make it right.
    Jeanie picked her words carefully. “In that case, the question in my mind is whether you stay on for Scarsdale or whether I cut you loose immediately. I’m not speaking out of anger. This is the reality of running a practice. I need an associate capable of making good business decisions. You want to be Don Quixote, go work for the public defender.”
    â€œIt’s not of much benefit to Jamil to dodge a murder rap if he comes out smelling like a snitch. But he’s basically got no choice now, after those news reports. Meaning, turn snitch for real. That is, if the police could protect him, which I doubt, given that evidently he was framed by a cop. It’s probably a stroke of luck that Nikki dumped him, but I don’t think he’s going to see it that way. The least I owe him is to talk to him. Even though it may cost me this job.”
    â€œYou talk to him if you feel you have to. If he tells you to go to hell, which I certainly would, given the mess you’ve already made of things, you and I will sit down tomorrow or the next day and have a discussion about whether we’re going to have to ask for a continuance on Scarsdale. I can’t justify entrusting one of my clients to someone with no future in this office.”
    I remembered the kick I’d given Scarsdale this afternoon, the man’s sniveling confession, and felt a flash of shame.
    â€œIn the meantime, you’d better make sure your files are up to date.”
    I was on a high wire with Jamil Robinson, but if I could just manage to stay there, it could be my big case. “Fine,” I told her. “I’ll write you a letter of resignation. You can keep it on file. If you decide to tear it up, okay. If not, I understand. You’re running a business. You’ve got to make decisions based on that.”
    At last the bitterness broke out of her, her voice thickening. “You’ll do fine on your own. Better than fine. In this business it doesn’t pay to have too sharp a conscience.”
    I swallowed the sting. “I owe you a lot, Jeanie.”
    She’d already hung up. Teddy was still standing behind me.
    â€œYou should call the TV station and demand a retraction,” he said.
    I turned away from him, opened the fridge, and stared into it. “Right now I’m going to drink a beer and go to bed. And first thing in the morning I’m going to drive out to Santa Rita.”
    Teddy didn’t reply, his face neutral, or nearly so. After a moment he held out his hand. Forcing myself to see what was before my eyes, I passed him a beer.

Chapter 11
    By nine thirty the next morning I was through jail security and waiting in an attorney meeting room. Santa Rita Jail is a huge place. With benches and trees and a wide lawn like a college quad, the exterior tries to camouflage what lies beyond the gates. Inside, it’s the same as any other jail, with the stink of unwashed bodies and low-nutrition food, anger and fear, sickness and desperation.
    Where I found myself waiting was like all such rooms: small, with concrete block walls, a flimsy table and two plastic chairs. The deputy had locked me in. I heard him returning along the echoing hall, and then the door opened and admitted Jamil, wearing an orange jumpsuit identical to the one he’d worn yesterday at the DA’s office. The deputy closed the door