Any of them. All of them. I guess the Burkhalter man particularly. Why is he angry that Im here? Id think hed be grateful that Thomas has someone to defend him.
Trey shrugged, trying to get rid of the tension in his shoulders. The Amish dont want to find themselves in the news. Theres prejudice enough against them without that. They believe in living separate, and they dont go to the law.
Thomas said something like that, but in this case the law has come to them. Ill do the best I can for Thomas.
I dont think Ezra Burkhalter will see it that way.
Her mouth set as she considered that. If all the Amish react that way, it will make the situation more difficult.
Difficult enough to make her go away? He was tempted to paint a black picture, just to achieve that, but he couldnt.
Not all. Im sure there will be those who welcome your help. Thomass family, certainly.
She nodded, brushing a wing of auburn hair back from her face. I suppose. I certainly didnt expect the crowd at the jail. Is there really that much prejudice against the Amish?
Not so much out in the country, where people know them. He tried to answer fairly, but the Amish were such a constant part of his life that it was hard to see them as an outsider would. Theyre different, and plenty of misconceptions float around among people who dont know them.
Hed known there would be strong feelings about the ugliness of the crime and the Amish connection, but he hadnt expected a mob at the jail, either. If people were this worked up now, what would it be like by the time the case came to trial?
He drove automatically, his mind turning the situation at the county jail over in his mind. It still rankled, having the television people there exactly when Jessica would be coming out. It was too pat.
Were you really surprised by the news crew? He put the question abruptly, not sure how much good it would do. If shed tipped them off, shed hardly admit it.
He felt her gaze on him and flicked a glance in her direction. The blue eyes had widened.
What do you mean? Why wouldnt I be surprised?
You wouldnt be if you were the one who told them youd be there.
Told them-thats ridiculous! Her voice rose. Im not in the habit of headline-hunting.
The reporter knew your name. That means that someone told her you were going to represent Thomas.
I wasnt that someone. Her voice grew icy. I understand that you want to protect your mother from any unpleasantness, but Im not your enemy. All I want is to do my job for my client.
He shot another look at her as he turned onto the road that would lead them out of town. If you didnt tip off the news people, who did?
Ask yourself that question, Jessica said tartly. It seems to me the leak was far more likely to come from your end of things than mine. My office would have no interest in tipping off the press at this point. Does anyone else know your mother was hiring an attorney for Thomas?
A good question, and one he didnt have an answer to. Who knows? My mother is not exactly a model of discretion, as you may have noticed.
I found your mother delightful. The frost was back in her voice.
Try being responsible for her and see how delightful it is. He muttered the words and was instantly sorry. He didnt need to be confiding in this woman, of all people. She may have told any number of people. And there are people in Bobbys office who might think it worth a tip to the paper. He lifted an eyebrow. The same might be said of your office, I suppose.
You suppose wrong. Any hint of indiscretion in an employee of the firm would lead to immediate dismissal.
There was a note in her tone that he couldnt quite read. Sounds like your boss runs a tight ship.
Her hands clenched on her lap, then eased, as if she made a deliberate effort not to show a reaction. He does, she said shortly. He felt her gaze on his face. Youd better get used to the publicity. There may come a time when Ill have to talk to the press. Thomas is going to need all the goodwill he can get.
If and when that happens, Id advise you to keep my mothers name out of it.
If you wanted to keep attention away from your familys role in the case, you shouldnt have interfered with my handling of that reporter. I was perfectly capable of dealing with her myself.
His mood wasnt improved by knowing that she was probably right. Hed acted on instinct, just as he so often accused his mother of doing.
Maybe it was time to change the subject. How did you make out with Thomas?
Her frown looked worried. Not well. Ill have to talk with this Mr. Frost as soon as possible. Thomas trusts him, and hes not going to open up to me until Frost assures him its all right.
Thats easily done.
He drew the car to the side of the road and stopped, then pulled out his cell phone and touched the number for Leo Frosts private line. In a moments time hed set up an appointment for Jessica for the next morning. When he ended the call, he realized that she was looking at him with more than a little annoyance in her face.
What? he said, answering the look. You said you had to meet with him.
I didnt say I wanted you to make an appointment for me. Or to interfere in my handling of the case.
Interfering? I thought I was being helpful. He gave her the smile that women usually found disarming. It didnt seem to have that effect on Jessica.
I dont need your help. Id hoped Id made that clear.
He found he was gritting his teeth. Youve made your position clear enough. Now youd better understand mine. As long as my mother insists on being involved in this case, I am, too. So youd better get used to it, Counselor. Were going to be seeing a lot of each other.
CHAPTER FOUR
BY THE TIME JESSICA pulled into the parking lot at her town-house complex in Philadelphia, her head was splitting. Shed hit the city just in time for rush-hour traffic. Nobody wanted to be caught on the Schuylkill Expressway, known as the Sure-kill by locals, at that time of day.
Her headache intensified when her cell phone rang just as she walked in the front door. She frowned at the number.
Her father. That was unusual enough to give her a jolt of apprehension as she answered.
Dad. Is anything wrong?
Perhaps I should be asking you that question, Jessica. Her fathers voice was as crisp as if he were talking to an erring subordinate. I understand youre on shaky ground at work.
She was tempted to ask how he knew that, but that would be pointless. Her father moved in rarified judicial circles, where everyone seemed to know everyone elses business.
Its nothing I cant handle, she said, hoping that was true as she closed the door behind her.
I hope thats true. His voice echoed her thoughts. Ive invested my own political capital in obtaining that position for you. Dont disappoint me.
That was all. No question about whether she was being judged unfairly, no expressions of concern. She and her father didnt have that sort of relationship. Still, he loved her in his own way, didnt he?
Ill do my best.
Naturally. Unspoken was his obvious suspicion that her best wouldnt be good enough. Ill talk with you on the weekend.
She hung up and blew out a frustrated breath as she turned toward her roommate. Sara Davenport was collapsed in their one recliner with her computer on her lap. My father, she said in explanation. Hes heard about the job situation.
Dont let it get to you, Sara said, her voice warm with sympathy. She was one of the few people who knew how just how rocky Jessicas relationship with her father was.
I try. She dropped onto the sofa, leaning her head back. Im going to have to get a motel room in Lancaster County, at least for the next week or so. Driving back and forth is a killer.
Dont you have a date with Brett Dunleavy on Friday?
She closed her eyes for a moment. Id forgotten. Ill have to cancel.
Youd forgotten. Need I point out that that is a sad commentary on your relationship with young Dr. Brett?
Shed have thrown a pillow at Sara if she werent so tired. Brett understands. Given how busy his residency keeps him, hes no more eager to get seriously involved at this point than I am. Shed tried serious. It hadnt worked.
Couple of workaholics. Sounds like a match made in heaven. Sara grinned. So youre forgetting your love life. This case must be a stinker.
It is, but what makes you think so?
If the partners were that ready to pass it off to you, that means they didnt want to deal with it themselves. Sara set the computer on the coffee table and shoved her glasses up on her head, using them to hold back her unruly tangle of red hair.
Since Sara had spent two years in a topflight firm in the city before escaping to a legal-aid office where she said she could at least help people who needed it, her advice was usually on target.
Youre probably right. Jessica rubbed her aching temples. Henderson implied that the woman whos paying for the defense asked for me, but I dont see how that can be.
Whats the case? I havent had anything more interesting lately than the usual run of rotten absentee landlords. I spent the day arguing with a housing inspector, trying to convince him to do his job.
This would be right up your alley, Jessica said. You always like taking on the hopeless cases. Ive got an Amish kid accused of the beating death of a woman who was apparently something of a party girl.
Amish? That is unusual. I cant remember the last time I saw anything about an Amish person suspected in a crime.
She hadnt thought of Sara as a source of information. Maybe she should have. I take it that means youve never represented one.
The Amish dont spend much time in the city. Ive been on the usual tour of Lancaster County, but thats about it. Tell me about the defendant.
Theres not much to tell at this point. Jessica rubbed the back of her neck, trying to get rid of the tension there. He doesnt trust me enough to talk to me, and I dont know how to get through to him. His minister wants me off the case, and as far as I can tell, most of the community thinks hes guilty.
What about the person whos paying you?
Jessica thought about how to explain Geneva Morgan. She wasnt sure she could even explain to herself the effect the woman had on her.