The Underground Man

41

Mark Taylor and Tracy Garvin pushed their way through the crowd.

“What the hell are you doing?” Taylor said.

“Relax,” Steve said. “Just act like everything was going according to plan. Try not to look like you think I’m a moron until we get out the door.”

Steve took Mark and Tracy by the shoulders and turned and piloted them out of the courtroom. On the way he kept smiling and mouthing ‘No comment,’ to the few reporters foolish enough to think they might actually get a quote. Outside, they broke away from the crowd and headed for the coffee shop for lunch.

“All right,” Taylor said. “We’re out of earshot. What the hell is going on?”

“There’s nothing going on,” Steve said. “I rested my case.”

“Damnit,” Tracy said, grabbing him by the arm. “Now stop right there. I know you get some perverse pleasure out of being mysterious and enigmatic, but I’m on an emotional roller coaster here. Why did you rest your case? Why aren’t you putting on a defense?”

Steve shrugged and shook his head. “Because frankly I don’t have one.”

Tracy stared at him. “I thought you were going to try every trick in the book to get Jeremy Dawson off.”

“I am.” Steve put his hands on their shoulders. “Come on, guys, let’s have lunch.”

Tracy shrugged his hand off. “I couldn’t eat a thing. I’m still waiting for your explanation. Why didn’t you put on a defense?”

“O.K.,” Steve said. “Try to understand. Dirkson has put on his case. Nothing I could do is gonna weaken that case. I got no witness to call, no trick to play. And the way I see it, it hurts me more to do something ineffective than to do nothing at all.”

“Hurts you? What about your client?”

“When I say me, I mean my client. And what’s with you? I thought you didn’t like him.”

“I don’t like him. But he’s still entitled to a defense.”

Steve smiled. “Good. I’m glad to hear you say it. I may quote you on that after I get him off.”

Tracy frowned. “How the hell are you gonna get him off now?”

“I’m taking my best shot. It happens I got nothin’, so my best shot is to do nothin’ and proceed with the argument. So that’s what I’m gonna do.”

Taylor looked at him. “You knew this last night?”

Steve nodded. “Yeah.”

“Then why did you have me subpoena all those witnesses?”

“Because I didn’t want Dirkson to know what I was planning.”

“My men wouldn’t talk.”

“I know that, Mark. But the people they subpoenaed would. That’s why I had you subpoena the relatives. It’s a sure thing at least one and maybe all of them went straight to Dirkson.

“Which is what I wanted. So he’d have no idea what I was doing.”

“That’s for sure,” Taylor said. “I’ve got no idea what you’re doing.”

“I’m gambling, Mark. I’m taking my best shot at getting the kid off.”

Taylor shook his head. “Well, maybe you know what you’re doing, but I sure as hell don’t. All I know is Dirkson’s put on a convincing case. Hell, he’s put on a damn near perfect case. He’s got motive, method, opportunity. He’s got the murder weapon and the will. I mean, Christ, Steve. At this point, there isn’t a thing you could do that would get Jeremy Dawson off.”

Steve sighed, and shook his head. “You could be right.”