Dead in the Water

Stone, and it meant that they would be editing the tape to show the parts they liked best, and that might not work entirely to his client’s benefit. It was too late to start negotiating again, though, and he’d just have to put a good face on it. “That’s fine,” he said, “talk as long as you like. If she gets tired or upset, we might have to take a break.”
    “We’ll have to change tape,” Wheaton replied. “She can pee or have a cry while we’re doing that.” She leaned forward. “Tell me, how did you become involved in this? Did she get you down here from New York when she found out she needed a lawyer?”
    Stone shook his head. “I was down here for a cruise when she sailed in alone. My girlfriend didn’t make it because of the snowstorm, and I went to the inquest for lack of anything else to do. It became obvious that her questioner had some ax to grind, and at the lunch break I offered to advise her.”
    “Who was the questioner?”
    Stone told her about Sir Winston Sutherland and his attitude toward Allison.
    “I don’t get it,” Wheaton said; “why would this Sir Winston guy want to make trouble for this poor widow?”
    Stone thought she was being disingenuous, but he didn’t call her on it. “I don’t get it, either,” he said.
    “So why isn’t some local lawyer defending her?”
    “A local lawyer is defending her; I’m second chair.”
    “Who is he? I want to talk to him.”
    Stone’s stomach turned over. “He’s not talking toanybody but Allison and me. Maybe after the trial, we’ll see.”
    Wheaton glanced at her producer.
    “I mean that; he’s got a lot of work to do between now and the trial, and I don’t want him disturbed. He’s an elderly man; he only has so much energy to devote to this, and I want Allison to get the benefit of all of it.”
    Wheaton nodded. “How much are you getting paid to defend her?”
    “We haven’t discussed a fee.”
    She smiled. “Uh-huh.”
    “It just hasn’t come up,” Stone said lamely.
    “Is that how you would operate in New York?”
    Stone shook his head. “Of course not, but we’re not in New York. She’s a fellow American in trouble in a foreign place, and I’m glad to help her if I can. Anyway, I’m not necessarily a very good buy as an attorney in St. Marks, since I don’t really know the ropes of the local legal system.”
    “What is the local legal system like?”
    “Bizarre, and I hope you’ll bring that out in your piece.” He told her about the preliminary hearing and what he had learned about how the court operated.
    She laughed out loud. “That’s the most outrageous thing I’ve ever heard!”
    “Please make that clear on television. To tell you the truth, I think there’s more than one piece in this for you. If you’re here for the trial, that ought to be an eye-opener, and I’d certainly be glad to have a camera waiting outside the courtroom.”
    “Any chance we could get a camera inside the courtroom?”
    “You can try; go see the judge. I’d be happy for him to know that the American press is taking an interest.”
    “Jake, you want to take care of that tomorrow?”
    “Sure,” Burrows replied. It was the first time he had spoken. “Look, Stone, while I, and I’m sure Chris, have some sympathy for the lady’s plight, we’re not here to fight your battles for you; you have to understand that.”
    “Sure I do, but if just doing your job happens to work to Allison’s benefit, that’s okay with me.”
    “We understand that,” Wheaton said.
    The menus arrived, and they ordered dinner. When the food arrived, Chris Wheaton took another tack.
    “I used to work local news in New York,” she said. “I remember when you were on the force.”
    “You mean you remember when I left the force, don’t you?” Stone said, cracking a crab claw.
    “That’s what I mean. Your name still pops up now and then.”
    “Does it?”
    “You haven’t exactly been press-shy, have you, Stone?”
    Stone laughed ruefully. “I’ve never sought coverage, but sometimes coverage has been thrust upon me by your colleagues in the media.”
    She found that funny. “Still, your occasional flash of fame must have brought you a lot of cases as a lawyer.”
    “I’ve ducked more of that kind of case than I’ve taken,” he replied. “Most of my work has been fairly run-of-the mill.”
    “Didn’t you get a very nice personal injury verdict a while back?”
    He nodded. “Got a nice one last year; we even