college athlete, accused of murdering his entire family in a gruesome manner.” He whistled. “This is going to be one major media circus.”
“And this business about the city council?”
“Well, Barrett does have enemies on the council. You know, even after the city government was restructured a few years ago, the council is still dominated by well-to-do whites. Some weren’t too keen on taking their lead from a poor kid from the North Side.”
Ben nodded. “Anyway, appreciate your help. If I do take the case, I’ll cut you some slack on cross.”
“Oh, it won’t be me up there.”
“Aren’t you in charge of the crime scene?”
“Now, yes. But the first detective on the scene was Lieutenant Prescott.”
“Prescott!” Ben had heard all about Prescott over beer and pizza. He knew Prescott’s reputation well enough to avoid him. “Why on earth would you assign Prescott to such a big case?”
“I didn’t. I was out of the office on another case.”
“Chief Blackwell? I thought he didn’t like the man any better than you did.”
“Actually, according to Prescott, he was sent to the crime scene by”— Mike stopped short—“by friends on the city council.”
Ben raised an eyebrow. “No kidding.”
“Mmmm.”
“How did Prescott do?”
“Oh, he—” Once again Mike stopped himself. “Well, I needn’t go into the details.”
“Uh-huh. He botched it, didn’t he? That’s why the footprints are screwed up.”
“Ben.” Mike looked supremely uncomfortable. “I am a member of the police department, you know. I report to the DA.”
“This is more important than what team we’re on, Mike. A man has been charged with murder.”
“I know. But I can’t endanger a pending case by criticizing a fellow member of my department. Not even …” His lips curled as if he had an unpleasant taste in his mouth.
“Mike, if it becomes important to the case—”
“I’m not saying I won’t answer your questions. Just don’t ask me to criticize a fellow officer, okay?”
“All right.” Ben sensed he had already pushed his friend far enough. Better to wait for another time, another place. “If I take the case, I’ll send word.”
“Ben.” Mike stepped closer to him and lowered his voice. “This is off the record, just buddy to buddy. I know it’s tempting to take a high-profile case. But honestly, this one’s a loser. The press is already acting as if Barrett’s guilt is a foregone conclusion, and people believe what they hear on television. You remember the line from Lewis Carroll?”
“Which?”
“ ‘I’ll be judge, I’ll be jury,’ said cunning old Fury / ‘I’ll try the whole cause and condemn you to death.’ ”
“Well …”
“That’s what’s going on now, Ben, with the police, with the press, and with however many millions of spectators out there who have already made up their minds. You’re going to be taking heat from all sides—the media, the black community, the white community—and the end result will be the same. You could come out of it looking ridiculous.”
He shoved his hands into the pockets of his coat. “I know better than to try to tell you what to do, Ben … but I can tell you what you should do. It’s not as if Barrett couldn’t get another lawyer. He can buy anyone he wants.”
“Thanks for the advice.” Ben started for the door.
“Hey,” Mike called after him, “have you located your wayward sister?”
“ ’Fraid not.”
Mike nodded. “She’s pretty good at staying out of sight when she doesn’t want to be found. When she dumped me and took off for Montana with that schmuck professor, it took me months to track her down. And I’m a detective.”
“I’m sure she’ll turn up in time.”
“Yeah. How’s Joey?”
“Oh, he’s … fine.”
“He’s a cute kid. As kids go. I like that little squirt.”
You should, Ben thought. Blood will tell. Despite the story Julia had told when she first appeared with the baby,
“And this business about the city council?”
“Well, Barrett does have enemies on the council. You know, even after the city government was restructured a few years ago, the council is still dominated by well-to-do whites. Some weren’t too keen on taking their lead from a poor kid from the North Side.”
Ben nodded. “Anyway, appreciate your help. If I do take the case, I’ll cut you some slack on cross.”
“Oh, it won’t be me up there.”
“Aren’t you in charge of the crime scene?”
“Now, yes. But the first detective on the scene was Lieutenant Prescott.”
“Prescott!” Ben had heard all about Prescott over beer and pizza. He knew Prescott’s reputation well enough to avoid him. “Why on earth would you assign Prescott to such a big case?”
“I didn’t. I was out of the office on another case.”
“Chief Blackwell? I thought he didn’t like the man any better than you did.”
“Actually, according to Prescott, he was sent to the crime scene by”— Mike stopped short—“by friends on the city council.”
Ben raised an eyebrow. “No kidding.”
“Mmmm.”
“How did Prescott do?”
“Oh, he—” Once again Mike stopped himself. “Well, I needn’t go into the details.”
“Uh-huh. He botched it, didn’t he? That’s why the footprints are screwed up.”
“Ben.” Mike looked supremely uncomfortable. “I am a member of the police department, you know. I report to the DA.”
“This is more important than what team we’re on, Mike. A man has been charged with murder.”
“I know. But I can’t endanger a pending case by criticizing a fellow member of my department. Not even …” His lips curled as if he had an unpleasant taste in his mouth.
“Mike, if it becomes important to the case—”
“I’m not saying I won’t answer your questions. Just don’t ask me to criticize a fellow officer, okay?”
“All right.” Ben sensed he had already pushed his friend far enough. Better to wait for another time, another place. “If I take the case, I’ll send word.”
“Ben.” Mike stepped closer to him and lowered his voice. “This is off the record, just buddy to buddy. I know it’s tempting to take a high-profile case. But honestly, this one’s a loser. The press is already acting as if Barrett’s guilt is a foregone conclusion, and people believe what they hear on television. You remember the line from Lewis Carroll?”
“Which?”
“ ‘I’ll be judge, I’ll be jury,’ said cunning old Fury / ‘I’ll try the whole cause and condemn you to death.’ ”
“Well …”
“That’s what’s going on now, Ben, with the police, with the press, and with however many millions of spectators out there who have already made up their minds. You’re going to be taking heat from all sides—the media, the black community, the white community—and the end result will be the same. You could come out of it looking ridiculous.”
He shoved his hands into the pockets of his coat. “I know better than to try to tell you what to do, Ben … but I can tell you what you should do. It’s not as if Barrett couldn’t get another lawyer. He can buy anyone he wants.”
“Thanks for the advice.” Ben started for the door.
“Hey,” Mike called after him, “have you located your wayward sister?”
“ ’Fraid not.”
Mike nodded. “She’s pretty good at staying out of sight when she doesn’t want to be found. When she dumped me and took off for Montana with that schmuck professor, it took me months to track her down. And I’m a detective.”
“I’m sure she’ll turn up in time.”
“Yeah. How’s Joey?”
“Oh, he’s … fine.”
“He’s a cute kid. As kids go. I like that little squirt.”
You should, Ben thought. Blood will tell. Despite the story Julia had told when she first appeared with the baby,
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