manslaughter would be like saying I killed her but can't remember. Who'd believe that' They'd just convict me of murder.' His tone was at once pleading and insistent. 'I may not remember things, but alcohol and a little coke didn't turn me into some other person. Besides, I liked her.'
Once more, Mark had a terrible sense of randomness, a death at once tragic and banal. 'Can you remember
anything
else about what happened''
'No.' Reading the doubt in Mark's eyes, Steve snapped, 'If you don't believe me, don't come back for the trial.'
Mark did not have a choice. Farragher might want him to testify about the party; Nordlinger would call him as a character witness. Quietly, Mark answered, 'I'll be there for you.'
Tears surfaced in Steve's eyes. Mark had known him since they were twelve; now he could not console him, or even hug him. Briefly, Steve leaned his forehead against the Plexiglas. Then he straightened again, summoning a strained smile for his friend.
'Do good at Yale,' he told Mark.
----
ON THE NIGHT before Mark left, Lionel Farr took him to dinner at the Carriage House.
Mark had little to say. After a while, Farr observed, 'You don't seem very excited, Mark. I gather Tillman still weighs on your mind.'
Mark nodded. 'I'm feeling like I should stay here,' he admitted. 'Hardly anyone visits him now.'
Farr put down his scotch. 'And postpone Yale' Or, worse yet,
lose
Yale'' His face hardened. 'I refuse to let you throw your life away because Steve ruined his. Not to mention taking someone else's life.'
Mark bridled at his mentor's certainty. 'I'm not sure he did.'
'That's what trials are for, Mark.' Farr modulated his tone. 'Your boyhood friend did a foolish thing, perhaps a terrible thing. He's got an able lawyer. It's not your fault you saw him leave that party with Angela.'
'Maybe not. But I started this by telling the police that. They came down on Steve before he knew what hit him.'
Narrow-eyed, Farr looked off into the middle distance. 'I don't know if this helps,' he said at length, 'but I've spoken to Dave Farragher. He won't need your testimony at the trial. So that part, at least, won't be on your conscience. You needn't come back at all.'
Mark shook his head. 'I will, though. Griff Nordlinger wants me to be a character witness.'
'To say what''
'That Steve's truthful. That I've never seen him act violent, or even be angry enough to hit someone.'
'Is that so''
'I've known him half my life.' Mark felt the burden of his secret overtake him. 'There's something else, though. Something I haven't told anyone.'
He felt Farr appraising him closely. 'Then maybe you should tell
me
, Mark. Better now than when Farragher cross-examines you.'
Mark paused a final moment. Then, haltingly, he told Farr about the two phone calls.
Listening, Farr steepled his fingers, placing them to his lips. Then he looked around, as though concerned that the other diners'couples and college students and families with kids'might overhear. 'Let me make sure I get this,' he responded quietly. 'Joe Betts will testify that he saw Steve returning to his room at three A.M. or so. Farragher could use this secret you've been keeping'that Steve didn't answer when you called him'to help confirm Betts's story. The implication for you is this: you think Steve may be guilty but don't want to help convict him. You also don't want to lie on the witness stand'for the sake of your own integrity, and because you don't want to commit perjury to protect someone who may have murdered an admirable girl. Does that cover it''
'Yes,' Mark answered miserably.
'Then there's only one solution, however imperfect. Don't go anywhere near that trial.'
Mark gazed past Farr, torn between the desire to stand by Steve and the need not to seal his friend's fate or lie on the witness stand. 'Do I have a choice'' he asked.
'I'll talk to Griff Nordlinger.' Farr's tone became both kind and weary. 'However
I
feel about this information, I doubt Griff will want you
Once more, Mark had a terrible sense of randomness, a death at once tragic and banal. 'Can you remember
anything
else about what happened''
'No.' Reading the doubt in Mark's eyes, Steve snapped, 'If you don't believe me, don't come back for the trial.'
Mark did not have a choice. Farragher might want him to testify about the party; Nordlinger would call him as a character witness. Quietly, Mark answered, 'I'll be there for you.'
Tears surfaced in Steve's eyes. Mark had known him since they were twelve; now he could not console him, or even hug him. Briefly, Steve leaned his forehead against the Plexiglas. Then he straightened again, summoning a strained smile for his friend.
'Do good at Yale,' he told Mark.
----
ON THE NIGHT before Mark left, Lionel Farr took him to dinner at the Carriage House.
Mark had little to say. After a while, Farr observed, 'You don't seem very excited, Mark. I gather Tillman still weighs on your mind.'
Mark nodded. 'I'm feeling like I should stay here,' he admitted. 'Hardly anyone visits him now.'
Farr put down his scotch. 'And postpone Yale' Or, worse yet,
lose
Yale'' His face hardened. 'I refuse to let you throw your life away because Steve ruined his. Not to mention taking someone else's life.'
Mark bridled at his mentor's certainty. 'I'm not sure he did.'
'That's what trials are for, Mark.' Farr modulated his tone. 'Your boyhood friend did a foolish thing, perhaps a terrible thing. He's got an able lawyer. It's not your fault you saw him leave that party with Angela.'
'Maybe not. But I started this by telling the police that. They came down on Steve before he knew what hit him.'
Narrow-eyed, Farr looked off into the middle distance. 'I don't know if this helps,' he said at length, 'but I've spoken to Dave Farragher. He won't need your testimony at the trial. So that part, at least, won't be on your conscience. You needn't come back at all.'
Mark shook his head. 'I will, though. Griff Nordlinger wants me to be a character witness.'
'To say what''
'That Steve's truthful. That I've never seen him act violent, or even be angry enough to hit someone.'
'Is that so''
'I've known him half my life.' Mark felt the burden of his secret overtake him. 'There's something else, though. Something I haven't told anyone.'
He felt Farr appraising him closely. 'Then maybe you should tell
me
, Mark. Better now than when Farragher cross-examines you.'
Mark paused a final moment. Then, haltingly, he told Farr about the two phone calls.
Listening, Farr steepled his fingers, placing them to his lips. Then he looked around, as though concerned that the other diners'couples and college students and families with kids'might overhear. 'Let me make sure I get this,' he responded quietly. 'Joe Betts will testify that he saw Steve returning to his room at three A.M. or so. Farragher could use this secret you've been keeping'that Steve didn't answer when you called him'to help confirm Betts's story. The implication for you is this: you think Steve may be guilty but don't want to help convict him. You also don't want to lie on the witness stand'for the sake of your own integrity, and because you don't want to commit perjury to protect someone who may have murdered an admirable girl. Does that cover it''
'Yes,' Mark answered miserably.
'Then there's only one solution, however imperfect. Don't go anywhere near that trial.'
Mark gazed past Farr, torn between the desire to stand by Steve and the need not to seal his friend's fate or lie on the witness stand. 'Do I have a choice'' he asked.
'I'll talk to Griff Nordlinger.' Farr's tone became both kind and weary. 'However
I
feel about this information, I doubt Griff will want you
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