Dark Lady by Richard North Patterson

Author:Richard North Patterson [Patterson, Richard North]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780679450436
Published: 1999-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

“So,” Caroline said, “your defendant’s father was fucking your prize witness. Who strikes me, by the way, as more than a bit unstable.” Jackson sat next to her on a park bench near the station house. He rolled up his shirtsleeves, expression quite calm, as if she had said nothing at all remarkable. “Too bad,” he said finally. “Megan spoke so well of you. Better, it seems, than you do of me.” Caroline gave him a level gaze. “You have to get on this, Jackson, and you know it. The defense has come to you with critical information, which it could have used to sandbag you in court. If you go forward without an inquiry, it’s virtual misconduct.” Jackson turned to her. “All right,” he said. “What would you have me do?” Caroline looked at him intently. “For openers, send the Major Crimes Unit to interview Larry and then check out his story—there must be someone, somewhere, to whom Megan said something.” She drew a breath. “But if there isn’t any-one, I’m asking you to search this girl’s apartment.”

“A warrant? For what?”

“For anything that would confirm her relationship to Larry. And to explore whether she had any relationship to the victim after April.” Jackson stared at her. “So that’s why you came. You want the prosecutor to alienate a prosecution witness by doing what the defense has no power to do—get a search

warrant to turn her place upside down.” His voice became incredulous. “Tell me, Caroline, have you had any luck with this one in San Francisco.”?”

“I haven’t had this one in San Francisco.” Caroline felt herself losing any pretense of dispassion. “Megan has such obvious potential bias that she may have made this whole thing up.”

“Not about going to California,” Jackson cut in. “And you damned well know it. Please, don’t insult my intelligence.” Caroline folded her hands. “You might be able to explain even that. If you’d simply look in her apartment.”

“If I simply treat this girl like a criminal, you mean.” His study of her face became lingering and comprehensive. “I know this involves your family. But I’ve got no basis for doing what you ask.”

“Perjury is a crime, you know.”

“Only if proven.” Jackson paused. “Look, I’ll talk to Larry myself, without you. I’ll also have our people sniff around. And then I’ll confront Megan with these charges.” Caroline stood. “With what, damn it? She’ll deny it and—like a fool—I will have prepared her for the hearing.”

“Not like a fool.” His gaze grew pointed. “If you honestly thought you could salvage Brett by destroying Megan Race on cross, you’d have done it in a heartbeat—her parents’ marriage be damned. But you don’t have anything, do you, and you don’t think you’re getting anything, either. Unless you have my help.” His tone became even. “You’re just as well off having me surprise this girl. Because if there’s any real problem, you know that I’ll act on it.” Caroline considered him. “Yes,” she said at length. “That much I do know.

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