Free Extreme Justice by William Bernhardt Page B

“Unfortunately, that doesn’t eliminate many suspects. In fact …”
    He didn’t have to finish his sentence. They could all see that Earl was almost a foot taller than Ben. Standing on the piano bench, he could have reached the light with ease.
    “Ben tells me he fiddled with the light before rehearsal, an hour or so ago, and there was no corpse there.”
    Earl nodded. “Right. I remember.”
    “After rehearsal, Ben tells me there was only about a ten-minute break between the time he left the stage and the time he saw you outside.”
    “I ’spect that’s right.”
    Mike took a step toward Earl. “Mind telling me where you went after you left the club?”
    “Well, I—I—” Earl’s lips went dry, and he seemed to be having trouble speaking. “I—”
    “We’re waiting.”
    “I went for a walk. Outside.”
    Mike’s voice acquired a definite edge. “You went for a walk? Just before the show?”
    Earl licked his lips. Beads of sweat were beginning to trickle down the sides of his head. “I—I was lookin’ for Lily. She hadn’t shown up yet and—”
    “And you thought she might be walking around outside?”
    “I thought she might be lost or somethin’. I don’t know. I don’t know what I thought. I just had to move.”
    Mike folded up his notepad. “And let me guess. You were all alone during this walk. No witnesses.”
    “Well …” Sweat continued to drip down his face, his chin. “I—well—”
    Mike bore down on him. “Yes?”
    “It’s like—I mean—”
    “Let me get this straight. This is your club. You had access to the place where the body was found. You’re tall enough to reach the light fixture. And you’re the only one who seems to know the victim.”
    “Well, I guess—”
    Mike leaned into his face. “Are you sure there isn’t something more you’d like to tell me? Like maybe the truth!”
    “I’m tellin’ you I don’t know what happened!”
    Mike let out a disgusted snort. “Yeah, right.” He motioned to his assistant. C’mon, Tomlinson.
    As they started off the stage, Mike called back, “Oh, and one more thing, Uncle Earl.”
    Earl stopped in place.
    “Tonight you give some real serious thought to coming clean and telling me the truth, understand? And whether you do or you don’t, I’d recommend you get a lawyer. You’re gonna need one.”
    “A lawyer?” Earl raised his hands. “A lawyer?”
    Ben squirmed uncomfortably. “It might be a good idea.”
    “A lawyer?” He stared at Ben helplessly. “I can’t afford no lawyer. Where am I gonna get a lawyer?”
    Ben looked away, not saying a word.

Chapter 10
    B EN STOPPED MIKE before he left the club. “Bit hard on him, weren’t you?”
    Mike didn’t blink. “That’s my job.”
    “What are you, a policeman or a terrorist?”
    “I’m obligated to get facts out of people who customarily start out telling lies. Or embroidering the truth. I have to break through the deception somehow. And I’ve found the most effective way is to instill the fear of God. Or penal sanctions, at the least.”
    “Seems brutal.”
    “But it works.”
    “Not tonight it won’t. Earl didn’t do this.”
    “Says you.
    “It’s true. I’m sure of it.”
    Mike looked at him wryly. “But when the man freaked ’cause I told him he needed a lawyer, I noticed you didn’t jump to his rescue.”
    Ben’s head dipped. “That’s different. I don’t practice anymore.”
    “Not even for a friend in need?”
    “Look, I’m trying to put that behind me, okay?”
    “Like hell. You’re trying to pretend it never happened. These guys don’t even know you’re a lawyer, do they?”
    Ben shook his head. “And I prefer it that way.”
    “Don’t you think you’re carrying this a bit far?”
    “You don’t know anything about it.”
    “You haven’t told me what soured you after your last big case, true. But I can guess. I may know you better than you know yourself. And this I can tell you: it’s time for you to stop