Page 77 of The Best Lawyer
“All right,” she said. “Don’t ask, don’t tell. We’ll both have to live with it for the duration.”
“I think so.”
“Are you sending me to the wolves?”
My heart twisted. “No. Jeanie, no. Nothing’s changed in terms of the defense strategy I would use. Dr. Wall is ready to take the stand first thing Monday morning. He’ll testify about the effects of alcohol and sleeping pills. Katy’s toxicology is already admitted. Then you’ve got the WLAN station manager. She knows about Maisy Carmichael, or Sugar Bear. We …youcan reinforce all the leads Sharon DePaul refused to go down.”
“That still leaves Katy herself,” she said. “This is what I mean, Cass. It’s all or nothing. The decision on whether to have her testify rests with me now.”
“I would never stand in your way. That’s between you and Katy.”
“So, nothing you know … whatever your reasoning for doing this is … it wouldn’t impact your decision to put Katy on the stand?”
Could I answer that? I had no idea whether Katy knew about Joe’s lie. I had no true idea whether he was involved or not. Would Katy say something on the stand that could implicate Joe?
Lord. Jeanie was right about everything. There could be no halfway for me.
“I’ll say it again. The decision whether to put Katy on the stand or not is between the two of you.”
So be it. This was the price of Joe’s lie and how it compromised me. If Jeanie decided Katy’s testimony would help her, then she should put her on the stand no matter the risk to Joe.
“My immediate problem is Tallon Shipley’s anonymous source,” Jeanie said.
“They’re real?” I said. My head started to pound.
“She’sreal all right,” Jeanie said. “Katy told me she got close to another inmate a few weeks ago. Her name is Lissa Daughtry. They spent a lot of time together. Lissa stood up for Katy when some of the other inmates were giving her some trouble. Lissa was talking about some guy waiting for her when she gets out. Katy let her guard down. Girl talk. Katy claims Lissa twisted her words a bit on that podcast. But the basic gist was Katy told hershe still had feelings for Joe. She said some things about regretting her decision to leave him. But she never said anything resembling a confession or anything she thought would incriminate her. As for Lissa, I don’t know how Tallon Shipley found her. I’ve got a call in to one of the corrections officers over there. I have a strong hunch Tallon might have greased some palms to find out who Katy had been spending a lot of time with. Lissa herself has been mercifully transferred to the women’s prison in Ypsilanti.”
“She’s good,” I said. “As an investigative reporter, Tallon is good enough to be very dangerous. Quick’s going to be looking for her, this Lissa Daughtry. I don’t think it will take him long to go down the same path Tallon did and pay somebody off.”
“Hopefully, Tallon has some integrity and will protect her source. Small mercy, but Quick can’t enter a podcast episode into evidence.”
“Let’s just pray none of the jurors have heard it. They’ve been instructed to stay off the internet, but who knows. Maybe moving for a mistrial is the right call.”
“The thing is,” Jeanie said. “I still like Katy’s case better than I like Addison Quick’s. That may sound naïve. But I believe Katy. I don’t think she killed Tom. As much as I don’t like the way this took shape, I’m itching to get back into that courtroom. I’m fired up, Cass.”
I smiled. “You’re going to be great.”
“All right, then,” Jeanie said. She slapped her palms against the arms of her chair and started to rise. My door opened and Emma, of all people, poked her head in.
Had she overheard anything? She wasn’t supposed to be here.
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” she said.
“You’re supposed to be deep in your study cave,” Jeanie said.
“Look,” she said. “I know things are complicated. And I know I’m not supposed to involve myself in any of this. I also know you’re both probably going to be mad at me about this. But I had to do something.”
“Emma,” I started. “If you’re going to say something about Katy’s case, please don’t.”
“Seconded,” Jeanie said. “This thing has grown complicated enough. I don’t need either one of you getting in my way. This might be a sinking ship, but I’m at the helm now. I appear to be Katy’s best chance at avoiding a lifetime behind bars. God help us all.”
Emma disregarded both of us and came fully into the room. She had a folded piece of paper in her hand.
“Miranda told me you’ve decided to step away from the trial portion of this,” she said. “And I know I can’t be the one to track this down. I mean, I could. But I’ve done enough behind your back as it is …”
The pit in my stomach grew into a cavern.
“Emma, girl, what have you done!” Jeanie voiced my thoughts.
