Klaus seemed full of energy. His questions were pointed, and he really did have a lot of the old charm, working the jury as he went. He didn’t forget what he was going to say next.

He was fine. Nina waited from second to second for a lapse, but there wasn’t one. Was he having major problems, or wasn’t he?

Judge Salas had been watching the clock. At 2:45 P.M. he began getting restless. The minute Klaus finished, he gave the jury their weekend instructions not to talk to anyone about the case and not to read the papers or watch any TV news.

The gavel rapped. Salas disappeared. All rose while the jurors filed out, looking as if they had paid their dues today. Then the courtroom emptied fast.

“Chin up,” Klaus told Stefan as he was led into the back.

Nina drove them back in the Jag in silence. Klaus rested his head against the back of his seat and closed his eyes, and Nina thought about strangulation and Susan Misumi.

About how she would like to strangle Susan Misumi.

Sandy had already left for the day. Nina returned some phone calls, and when Bear walked past the office, she called out, “Hey, hi, can I talk to you for a sec?”

“Sure.”

Bear came in and his bulk filled the tiny office. Nina got up and shut the door. “What’s up?” he said.

“I wanted to ask you a question. About Klaus.” She saw the big man tense, and thought, He knows. “About how Klaus is doing.”

“Seems to be fine,” Bear said warily.

“You haven’t noticed that he’s-sketchy sometimes? Forgetting things? Not quite on the ball?”

“He’s old, Nina. What do you expect?”

Nina decided to take the Bear by the horns. “Did you know he wasn’t prepared for this trial? His investigator had barely done any work on the case. Klaus didn’t file some crucial pretrial motions. He hasn’t reanalyzed the blood evidence.”

Bear was examining the old law books on the shelves. “Were you able to catch up?” he asked.

“You knew he wasn’t ready. That’s why you pushed to hire me.”

“I have the highest confidence in you.”

“The defense in this case is very weak, Bear. I’m not sleeping.”

“I’m sorry about that, Nina. I really am. What can I do to help you?”

Nina folded her arms. “That’s not the response I’m looking for.”

“Okay. Okay.” His sheer reluctance halted his habitually antsy style. “I’m going to tell you the truth. When you accepted, I was so happy I would have given you double the pay you asked for.”

“That’s good to hear, because I’m asking you right now to double my pay, because I’m doing double the work.”

“All right,” Bear said, humbled. “I’ll talk to everyone and get you what you want, although don’t expect Alan to be happy. He didn’t want the case; he didn’t want you; he didn’t want the expense. I really feel bad, but I knew you cared about Klaus and could work with him, or around him. Thank you for staying.”

Nina sighed. “He did all right today. We’re catching up. I have Paul helping, Ginger, Sandy. If I only had another six months…”

“This is his last trial, Nina,” Bear said. “We’re going to have to talk to him after this. But you see, he doesn’t realize what’s happening. He thinks he’s still right on top of everything. Or-I don’t know, maybe he does realize, but he’s hoping nobody else has noticed. It’s humiliating for him. He took on Lyndon Johnson in the United States Supreme Court during the Vietnam War, Nina.”

“I know. I’ll try to keep him going.”

“Sean wants us to bring you in permanently. Would you be interested?”

Nina put up her hands wearily and said, “That’s for another day.”

“You’re supposed to say, ‘I’m thrilled.’” He smiled and went out. Nina packed her case and put on her jacket.

In the garage, Alan Turk was just getting into his Ferrari. Nina called to him, “Glad I caught you.” Surprised, he turned off the ignition and said, “Yup?”

“You were the first lawyer to see Stefan Wyatt on the night of his arrest, weren’t you, Alan?”

“I was. Then I brought Klaus in.”

“Did Wyatt say anything to you when you talked to him at the jail?”

The lawyer’s lean face looked up uncertainly at her through the stylish glasses. “Say anything? Hell, no! I told him not to talk to me. I wouldn’t let him. I wasn’t going to be his lawyer and I did not want to know. So-that’s it? Because I have a friend waiting.”

“I just wondered why they called you.”

“His brother, Gabe Wyatt, was my client.”

“Oh, yes, that was it. What did you do for his brother? A will?”

“Why, Nina, you know that’s confidential.”

“We’re in the same firm. Is there some conflict I should know about?”

“If there were a conflict, I might not even be able to tell you. The existence of a conflict might be confidential and not in the best interests of my client.”

“Just a minute,” Nina said. “I know you’re in a hurry, but I have to get this straight. You won’t even tell me what type of matter Gabe Wyatt was pursuing with you?”

“Sorry, no.”

Something about his attitude bothered her. He wasn’t just unhelpful, he seemed downright obstructive. “Do you have information from Gabe Wyatt or anyone else that might tend to exculpate Stefan Wyatt?” she asked directly.

“I can’t answer that question,” Alan said. Nina thought she saw fright in the flecked eyes behind the glasses. He powered up the car, revved it a few times, and backed out. Nina watched him go, her mind racing alongside.

10

Friday 9/19

AFTER LEAVING THE OFFICE, NINA MET PAUL AND BOB FOR HOT DOGS and a sci-fi we-all-die movie downtown. Bob, in good spirits, kept his post-movie critique down to scathing.

“I’m going to Tahoe this weekend,” he announced to Paul, full of plans about who he needed to see and what he would bring back.

“Really?” Paul said. “Well, blow me down. What a surprise.”

“It was a sudden decision,” Nina said. She hadn’t told him. Why hadn’t she told him? Because she knew what he would say. She spoiled Bob. She gave him anything he wanted. Whatever Paul said, she would feel her jaw clench at the interference. “It’ll be a quick trip. He’ll stay Saturday night with Matt and Andrea.”

“You’re not going?” Paul said.

“No.”

“Good. Hey, Bob, say hi to Uncle Matt and Aunt Andrea for me,” Paul said.

“How much will you pay me?” Bob asked.

Paul cuffed him, but with a smile.

They headed out into the cold night. Paul’s car was parked a few blocks down toward the bay. They walked, Bob beside Nina, Paul offering his arm to her, simply out for a pleasant evening. She thought, Does he compare my body with hers? How could he put those sensual hands of his on another woman’s body? How could he? I’m full of self-pity and disaster already, she said to herself, and it’s only been one week of trial stress. She laid her head against his shoulder.

Surprisingly, Bob wanted to talk about school. They were studying local history this week, and had gone on a field trip to a ranch in Carmel Valley. “We practiced roping skills. We got to try it in a ring.”

“Not on a bull?” Nina asked, grateful for something to think about besides her personal issues.

“A cow,” Bob said. “The guy who owns the bull calls him ‘Devil Boy.’”

“Best stick with Bessie, then,” Paul said. They had reached Fisherman’s Wharf, and stood indecisively, the sea lions calling to them, Paul’s warm car another block farther.

“Let’s walk to the end of the pier,” Bob urged.

“Homework?” Nina asked.

“I got it covered.” He rushed ahead.

Nina and Paul strolled slowly behind him. “How would you say it went today in court?” Paul asked Nina. He had been out much of the day.

She told him. “Of course, we haven’t gotten to our own case. So far, they’re seeing only the prosecution’s story. We have to be patient.”