“Carmen Greer wasn’t a firefighter,” Walker said. “And there’s no evidence a baseball bat was involved any other time.”
Nobody spoke. The roar of the air conditioners filled the silence.
“O.K.,” Walker said. “Let me put it this way. I need evidence that there was violent physical abuse against this woman. Is there any here?”
Black went quiet for a spell. Then he simply shook his head.
“No,” he said. “Not within the bounds of reasonable likelihood.”
“None at all? Not even a shred?”
“No, I’m afraid not.”
“Stretching the bounds of reasonable likelihood?”
“There’s nothing there.”
“Stretching the bounds all the way until they break?”
“Still nothing. She had a normal pregnancy and she was an unlucky horseback rider. That’s all I see here.”
“No reasonable doubt?” Walker said. “That’s all I need. Just a shred will do.”
“It’s not there.”
Walker paused a beat. “Doctor, please let me say this with the greatest possible respect, O.K.? From a DA’s point of view, you’ve been a pain in the rear end many more times than I can remember, to me and my colleagues throughout the state. There have been times when we’re not sure what you’ve been smoking. You’ve always been capable of coming up with the most bizarre explanations for almost anything. So I’m asking you. Please. Is there any way at all you could interpret this stuff differently?” Black didn’t answer.
“I’m sorry,” Walker said. “I offended you.”
“Not in the way you think you did,” Black said. “The fact is, I’ve never offered a bizarre explanation of anything. If I see possible exoneration, I speak up in court, sure. But what you clearly fail to understand is if I don’t see possible exoneration, then I don’t speak up at all. What your colleagues and I have clashed over in the past is merely the tip of the iceberg. Cases that have no merit don’t get to trial, because I advise the defense to plead them out and hope for mercy. And I see many, many cases that have no merit.”
“Cases like this one?”
Black nodded. “I’m afraid so. If I had been retained by Ms. Aaron directly, I would tell her that her client’s word is not to be trusted. And you’re right, I say that very reluctantly, with a long and honorable record of preferring to take the defense’s side. Which is a record I have always maintained, despite the attendant risk of annoying our districts’ attorneys. And which is a record I always aim to continue, for as long as I am spared. Which might not be much longer, if this damn heat keeps up.”
He paused a second and looked around.
“For which reason I must take my leave of you now,” he said. “I’m very sorry I was unable to help you, Mr. Walker. Really. It would have been enormously satisfying.”
He squared the reports together and slipped them back into the FedEx packet. Handed it to Reacher, who was nearest. Then he stood up and headed for the door.
“But there has to be something,” Walker said. “I don’t believe this. The one time in my life I want Cowan Black to come up with something, and he can’t.”
Black shook his head. “I learned a long time ago, sometimes they’re just guilty.”
He sketched a brief gesture that was half-wave, half-salute, and walked slowly out of the office. The breeze from the air conditioners caught the door and crashed it shut behind him. Alice and Reacher said nothing. Just watched Walker at his desk. Walker dropped his head into his hands and closed his eyes.
“Go away,” he said. “Just get the hell out of here and leave me alone.’
The air in the stairwell was hot, and it was worse still out on the sidewalk. Reacher swapped the FedEx packet into his left hand and caught Alice’s arm with his right. Stopped her at the curb.
“Is there a good jeweler in town?” he asked.
“I guess,” she said. “Why?”
“I want you to sign out her personal property. You’re still her lawyer, as far as anybody knows. We’ll get her ring appraised. Then we’ll find out if she’s telling the truth about anything.”