Free Over the Edge by Jonathan Kellerman Page B

lacking good judgment, and his testimony will work against us.'
    When I was sure the performance was over, I said:
    'You referred to 'problems', in the plural'. What else?'
    Souza smiled as if to say 'You caught me.'
    'Over the years Dr. Mainwaring has acquired a reputation as a defence psychiatrist, one who puts forth biological theories that excuse a multitude of sins. Those theories haven't always met with agreement by other experts or juries.'
    'In other words, he's a whore who's been on the losing side too many times.'
    'In other words.'
    'Why, then, was he the one treating Jamey?' The anger in my voice surprised both of us.
    'There's been no error committed, Doctor. He's very well regarded as a clinician. As a legal expert, however, he leaves much to be desired.'
    The secretary knocked and came in with the teapot. She poured two cups and brought them to us on a silver tray, poured cream for Souza, which I declined, and left.
    The attorney sipped. The delicate cup was a mismatch with his fleshy hand.
    'You, on the other hand, Dr. Delaware, would be an asset to our team.'
    'I'm flattered,' I said, 'but it doesn't make sense. I have no experience in criminal cases, I'm far from an expert on psychosis, and I told you how I feel about the insanity of defence.'
    Souza looked at me warily through swirls of steam.
    'I suppose,' he said, 'that candour is called for.'
    'Without it we have nothing further to talk about.'
    'All right. Candour it is. First, let me emphasise that when I talked about checking you out and learning your credentials were first-rate I was being truthful. I've found
    out quite a bit about you: You received your doctorate at twenty-four, wrote an important textbook at twenty-nine, could have been a full professor by thirty-four. You were at the peak of an outstanding career when you dropped out. You've been described to me repeatedly as brilliant but stubborn, often to the point of obsessiveness. The brilliance is important because it means you can quickly fill the gaps in your knowledge. The obsessiveness appeals to me, too, because it means that if I can get you over to my side, you'll be one hell of a gladiator. But in all truthfulness there's no shortage of psychiatric expertise at my disposal, and even if you join my team, I may call on others to augment your testimony.'
    He leaned forward.
    'There are, Dr. Delaware, factors other than your professional attributes that are relevant to my strategy. First of all, you treated Jamey years ago, before he became psychotic. I have no doubt that if I sit on my hands, the prosecution will try to get you on their team, to have you testify that the boy had his wits about him and was perfectly in control. They'll use your testimony to support their claim that his psychosis is a fabrication of recent vintage; the insanity defence, some kind of legal stunt. As you mentioned, the layman is suspicious of psychiatric testimony, so the burden of proof will be upon us. I'm going to have to show that the roots of madness were laid long ago. You can play a valuable role in that regard.
    'Second' - he smiled - 'you have ties to the police; you've consulted to them. You even have a personal relationship with one of the investigators on this case, Detective Sturgis. That will allow me to paint you as a law-and-order man, a hardhead who's unlikely to be fooled. If you feel capacity was diminished, it must be so.'
    He replaced his cup in its saucer.
    'Simply put, Dr. Delaware, I want to co-opt you.'
    'You're talking about pitting me against a friend. Why should I do it?'
    'Because you care about Jamey. You drove out at three-thirty in the morning in response to his plea for help.
    Scepticism notwithstanding, you know he's sick, not evil. And you couldn't live with yourself if he met his death and you hadn't done all you could to prevent it.'
    'Death? They haven't executed anyone in this state for a long time.'
    'Come now, Doctor. You don't really believe the boy would survive