“Yes. I didn’t change a word, and neither did Bennie. It couldn’t be improved upon, so we didn’t try.”
“I could tell.” Judy placed a hand on the Complaint, facedown. “I never knew an antitrust Complaint could be so elegant, but this one is. He had a beautiful legal mind. Truly.”
Anne nodded sadly. “I agree.”
“I know he got testy with you, and said some mean things, but he didn’t mean them. That wasn’t him. He was just upset.”
“I know that.” Anne’s lower lip puckered. “And I’m sorry I said what I said, too.”
Suddenly Bennie stuck her head in the doorway, urgent. “Ladies, we have action.”
“What?” Mary asked, alarmed.
“The police want to see Judy.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“What do we do now?” Mary asked, nervous, as Bennie, Roger, and Isaac the PR guy entered the conference room. Judy looked stricken, her palm still resting on top of John’s signature. Anne sank into a chair in front of her London Technologies greaseboard, which receded into the background, literally and figuratively. There was nothing more important, or more terrifying, to everyone than the fact that Judy could be suspected of John’s murder.
Bennie took the lead, standing at the head of the table. “Don’t worry, Carrier. We got this, and we know what to do—”
Roger stepped partially in front of Bennie, physically upstaging her. “Judy. Let me tell you what I would advise, at this point—”
Bennie stepped forward. “I was going to let you—”
“Let me?” Roger smiled, but it wasn’t friendly, and the time for joking had passed. His expression was intent and his focus total. He straightened, looking even taller and slimmer in his lightweight charcoal sportcoat, which he had on over a gray-cashmere turtleneck and skinny jeans. “Here’s where we are now. Judy, you have to go to the Roundhouse. There is no question about that.”
“I know,” Judy said nervously.
“You’re not going in unrepresented. That would be foolish. So the question is, who will represent you?” Roger spoke calmly and conversationally, which Mary would have expected from a Zen Master, but his demeanor soothed her and she listened carefully while he continued.
“I have a recommendation for your representation today, Judy. Please keep an open mind. What I’m going to suggest is unorthodox. Ultimately, this will be your choice. You are not a suspect in John’s murder, but you are a potential suspect. As such, you have the right to choose your attorney.”
“Okay.” Judy nodded, and Mary put her hand over Judy’s.
Roger paused thoughtfully. “The conventional choice would be to hire the biggest, baddest, defense counsel in the city, with the most experience in murder cases.”
Bennie interjected, “That was my first thought, I admit. Go in, guns blazing, and back them down.”
Roger ignored her. “But I have persuaded Bennie that that would send the wrong message to the police and to the press. It raises the stakes, ups the ante, and a variety of other clichés I’ll allow you to supply. It also suggests that we’re taking this investigation too seriously. Which in turn implies that Judy may be guilty, which is absurd.”
“Of course it is,” Bennie interjected again.
“Judy, your second choice would be to have Bennie represent you. She has the requisite experience in murder cases. In my view, she’s not disqualified as a fact witness for these purposes. She had no idea that you were at John’s yesterday afternoon, nor did she know that you had an intimate relationship with him. She may have knowledge as a witness of prior conversations between you and John about the discrimination lawsuit, which took place in her presence, but they’re not determinative.” Roger held up an index finger. “However, I counsel against choosing Bennie. It raises the same problem as outside defense counsel. She’s too high-profile. She’s the big gun. This is merely an investigatory interview. That’s how we want to keep it. We need to downplay, not amplify. Do you follow me, Judy?”
“You want to minimize the drama.”
“Exactly.” Roger smiled, pleased. “That leaves my recommendation, which is that Mary represent you.”
“Mary?” Judy asked, surprised.
“Me?” Mary added, equally surprised.
Roger raised his index finger again. “Mary is the perfect choice. She has significant experience with murder cases, so she knows what she’s doing—”
“I do?” Mary blurted out. “I mean, I do, but this is Judy we’re talking about. This is my best friend. You’re putting her life in my hands.”
“Who better?” Roger asked, again calmly. “Let me explain. Mary strikes the perfect note. She’s not as high-profile as Bennie or outside counsel, which is consistent with downplaying the investigation. In fact, she’s your friend, so she looks as if she’s along for the ride, not necessarily as counsel.”
“That’s true,” Judy said, cocking her head.
Mary could see why it made sense for her to represent Judy, but she didn’t feel a hundred-percent confident about it. Then again, she never felt a hundred-percent confident about anything.
Isaac interjected, “If I might add that, with Mary, the optics are excellent.”
“Isaac, are you nuts?” Mary almost started laughing. “Have you seen my optics lately? I’m retaining more water than a swimming pool. I’m a fishbowl with feet.”
Isaac smiled. “That’s what I like about your optics. You’re pregnant, very pregnant. Imagine the photos of the two of you, you and Judy, side by side, entering the Roundhouse”—Isaac put his hands up in a U-shape, like a Hollywood director—“two women, one very pregnant, alone against the world? It makes a vulnerable image, online and on TV. People like pregnant women. They want to protect them, not prosecute them.”
“So we’re pimping out my pregnancy?”
“I heard you did it at the police station last night and it worked.”
“True,” Mary had to admit.
“You need to look like victims, not victimizers.”
Bennie cringed. “Isaac, we’re strong women. We’re not victims.”
Isaac frowned. “You’re crime victims, Bennie. No matter how strong you are, you’re victims of crime, and you have to play that to the hilt.”
Mary ignored Isaac and looked over at Judy, rallying. “Okay, let’s do it. I’d love to represent you, if you want me to.”
“Aw.” Judy smiled, obviously touched. “I’d love you to. I know you can do it and I feel better with you being there.”
“Done!” Mary hugged Judy over her photogenic belly. “So folks, I know the defense-lawyer drill. Go there, say nothing, right? Don’t give them any information at all?”
“Correct,” Roger and Bennie answered in unison.
Bennie added, “I called Lou but he’s still canvassing the neighbors, so there’s no new news. A lot of the neighbors aren’t home because it’s such a nice day. Maybe we’ll get lucky later. DiNunzio, you can anticipate what the detectives already know, can’t you?”
“Yes, like we talked about.” Mary found her emotional footing. “They probably have surveillance film from some camera somewhere, showing Judy on John’s street, coming and going. So let’s assume they can place her there around the time of death.” Mary was thinking aloud. “And maybe somebody heard them fight.”
“Exactly.” Bennie nodded, satisfied. “I don’t think they’ll know anything that will surprise you, so stick to the script. Act cooperative even though you’re not cooperating. DiNunzio, let her state her innocence and don’t let her answer a single question. Or confirm or deny anything.”
Isaac interjected, “Don’t speak to the press, except to say that we’ll have a comment later. Don’t frown or appear angry. That won’t play well.”
Roger nodded, pressing his hands together at his chest. “And remain calm.”
“Calm, me?” Mary rolled her eyes. “I’m Italian-American, have you heard?”
“That’s merely a label, Mary. Don’t label yourself. Say to yourself, ‘Be here now.’ Do you understand?”