Free The Dead Room by Robert Ellis Page A

years older than Barnett, his hair already as white as the clouds. And he was socially connected, which meant he spent more time acquiring clients and maintaining the firm’s political contacts than actually practicing law. Larry Stokes had never been much of an attorney, but he played the role well and the arrangement had proven successful for over twenty-five years. Stokes brought the clients in. Barnett handled the legal work once they signed an agreement and the firm’s accounting department received their retainer.
    “I didn’t mean to be eavesdropping,” Stokes said to Barnett. “Is there a problem?”
    “No, Larry. Everything’s fine. We still on for lunch?”
    “I hope so.”
    “Good. I’ll see you then.”
    Barnett faked a smile, then closed the door and returned to his desk. Teddy kept his eyes on him. Barnett looked pale and washed out, and Teddy guessed the man had been up all night just as he had.
    “I haven’t broken the news to Larry yet,” Barnett said. “Holmes has a history of mental illness. He should have been put away before it came to this. Before he hurt anyone.”
    Teddy glanced at the binder Barnett held against his chest.
    “It’s a copy of the murder book,” Barnett said, closing the binder and handing it over. “At least the start of one. It’s all yours. I want you to call the district attorney’s office this afternoon and make sure it’s kept up to date.”
    There were two chairs before Barnett’s desk. Teddy slid one out and sat down without opening the binder.
    “They’re working fast,” Barnett was saying. “They’ve got a witness, and the fingerprints match on both the body and the murder weapon. Same with the lip prints. If there was any question about Oscar Holmes, we’re past that now. I was with his family last night. All they want is to make sure he gets the help he needs. An institution rather than prison. Life without parole instead of a shot in the arm.”
    “There’s no way the district attorney is gonna make a deal,” Teddy said. “Not with the hit he took yesterday. Not if he wants to become the city’s next mayor.”
    “You don’t think so?”
    It had been a question, but it was clear to Teddy that Barnett understood the situation as well as he did. District Attorney Alan Andrews had no reason to want to make a deal.
    “We need to do the right thing,” Teddy said. “We need to pass this on to a criminal attorney. Someone who has more experience than we do.”
    “I wish we could, believe me.”
    “Why can’t we?”
    Barnett sighed, loosening his tie and unbuttoning his collar. “It’s not a favor for a client, Teddy. It’s a friend. One of my oldest friends. I’ve known the family since I was your age. Even younger than you. If their name were to get out, it would make the papers. TV cameras would be all over their front lawn. Their reputation in this city would be destroyed. I don’t want to see them go through that. It’s hard enough on them that it’s Holmes.”
    “If they’re trying to avoid headlines, tell them to forget it. I saw what the girl looked like. What he did to her. Forget about the newspapers. Forget about TV news. This is what’s next on cable.”
    He saw Barnett tense up. He saw the fear rush into his eyes.
    “You really think so?” Barnett asked.
    Teddy nodded, hoping he hadn’t hurt the man. Still, the reality seemed obvious. Darlene Lewis had been a beautiful young girl at an age when her hormones were on fire. She’d been taunting Holmes for at least six months with her body, maybe even longer. Holmes held on until his engines blew, then lashed out like an animal from another planet. The story had color and sex appeal. When the details got out, any hope of keeping the press away would be ludicrous.
    “Well, we’re stuck with it,” Barnett said. “We’ll do the best we can.”
    Teddy settled back in the chair, thinking that he was stuck with it, too, whether he wanted to be or not.
    Barnett leaned