DI’s big problem was that he wasn’t nearly as clever as he thought he was. The son of Jimmy King might get him a press conference, make him a hero with the officers who wondered quietly where Jimmy King’s money
really
came from. Sam looked at Luke again. Egan would sacrifice anyone for exposure, and Jimmy King’s son was small bait.
‘You haven’t been arrested,’ said Sam. ‘If you’re just a witness, make him come to you.’
He said it like a challenge, and watched Jimmy shift in his seat. Luke still looked at the floor.
‘Civic duty,’ said Harry, ‘and Jimmy doesn’t want his goodwill turned into a media circus.’
Sam noticed a quick exchange of looks. It felt like there was something he was missing.
‘How do you know all of this?’ asked Sam, curious.
Jimmy’s eyes narrowed. ‘Let’s just say that I know people who know people.’ He turned his charm back on, flashed his teeth at Sam. ‘It’s important that this stays quiet. If Luke’s involvement becomes public, everyone will know about it, and he will never live it down.’
‘What involvement?’ asked Sam.
Jimmy paused for a moment, uncertain. ‘What do you mean?’
Sam glanced at Harry. He was still staring, letting him talk.
‘Mr Parsons said “elimination”’,’ said Sam. ‘You said “involvement”’.’
Jimmy King twiddled with a ring on his little finger, a cluster of tiny diamonds glinting. ‘Semantics, Sam.’
‘Semantics convict people.’
Jimmy smiled, but Sam could see that the warmth had gone. ‘Yes, of course.’
‘If I agree to do this, the only people who go are Luke and myself
Jimmy was quiet again, flashing looks at Harry, waiting for guidance. Harry exhaled and then nodded.
‘Wait downstairs,’ said Harry to Jimmy. ‘Ask reception to let you wait in a side room. I’ll just have a talk with Sam first.’
When Jimmy stood up, he looked at Sam and then said quietly, ‘I give my lawyers some leeway because a rude lawyer is often a good lawyer. But I’ll warn you now, if I find out that you are just plain rude, you have made an enemy, whoever your wife is.’ He smiled thinly, his stare hard and direct. ‘I wouldn’t recommend that as an option.’
Sam didn’t say anything as Jimmy left the room.
Harry turned to Sam. ‘What are you playing at?’ He looked angry, his brow furrowed.
‘What do you mean?’ asked Sam.
‘You were rude to an old friend of mine. He has been good to this firm, and good to Helena. I expected better.’
‘If I deal with a client, I am in charge. That’s the rule. You taught me it, Harry. If Jimmy King hangs around, he will want to run the case his way.’
‘There isn’t going to be a case.’
‘The parents are always best left out. That’s the right way, isn’t it?’
Harry was quiet. He knew that was his motto. Control. It was all about control. The lawyer had to be in charge, because the line between lawyer and criminal can be a thin one. If the criminal is in charge, he can pull the lawyer over the line with him. No client is worth your career. That had been Harry’s mantra throughout Sam’s training. Don’t run errands, don’t pass on messages, don’t take anything to them. Stay professional and distant.
And parents were the worst of all, because they controlled the client as well. It didn’t matter how old they were, children didn’t tell the truth in front of their parents.
Harry turned away to look out of the window. ‘At least be polite. For your own sake.’
Sam nodded and then turned to leave the room.
Chapter Ten
Blackley police station was next to the court, so Sam had to run the gauntlet of courthouse drunks and crooks to get there, Luke King tucked in behind him. Sam tried to make conversation, asked him what he did with his life, but Luke didn’t answer.
Sam shrugged and gave up. He had just to advise him, not like him. And the day was getting weird. The old man had been outside the office again, staring at him as he
really
came from. Sam looked at Luke again. Egan would sacrifice anyone for exposure, and Jimmy King’s son was small bait.
‘You haven’t been arrested,’ said Sam. ‘If you’re just a witness, make him come to you.’
He said it like a challenge, and watched Jimmy shift in his seat. Luke still looked at the floor.
‘Civic duty,’ said Harry, ‘and Jimmy doesn’t want his goodwill turned into a media circus.’
Sam noticed a quick exchange of looks. It felt like there was something he was missing.
‘How do you know all of this?’ asked Sam, curious.
Jimmy’s eyes narrowed. ‘Let’s just say that I know people who know people.’ He turned his charm back on, flashed his teeth at Sam. ‘It’s important that this stays quiet. If Luke’s involvement becomes public, everyone will know about it, and he will never live it down.’
‘What involvement?’ asked Sam.
Jimmy paused for a moment, uncertain. ‘What do you mean?’
Sam glanced at Harry. He was still staring, letting him talk.
‘Mr Parsons said “elimination”’,’ said Sam. ‘You said “involvement”’.’
Jimmy King twiddled with a ring on his little finger, a cluster of tiny diamonds glinting. ‘Semantics, Sam.’
‘Semantics convict people.’
Jimmy smiled, but Sam could see that the warmth had gone. ‘Yes, of course.’
‘If I agree to do this, the only people who go are Luke and myself
Jimmy was quiet again, flashing looks at Harry, waiting for guidance. Harry exhaled and then nodded.
‘Wait downstairs,’ said Harry to Jimmy. ‘Ask reception to let you wait in a side room. I’ll just have a talk with Sam first.’
When Jimmy stood up, he looked at Sam and then said quietly, ‘I give my lawyers some leeway because a rude lawyer is often a good lawyer. But I’ll warn you now, if I find out that you are just plain rude, you have made an enemy, whoever your wife is.’ He smiled thinly, his stare hard and direct. ‘I wouldn’t recommend that as an option.’
Sam didn’t say anything as Jimmy left the room.
Harry turned to Sam. ‘What are you playing at?’ He looked angry, his brow furrowed.
‘What do you mean?’ asked Sam.
‘You were rude to an old friend of mine. He has been good to this firm, and good to Helena. I expected better.’
‘If I deal with a client, I am in charge. That’s the rule. You taught me it, Harry. If Jimmy King hangs around, he will want to run the case his way.’
‘There isn’t going to be a case.’
‘The parents are always best left out. That’s the right way, isn’t it?’
Harry was quiet. He knew that was his motto. Control. It was all about control. The lawyer had to be in charge, because the line between lawyer and criminal can be a thin one. If the criminal is in charge, he can pull the lawyer over the line with him. No client is worth your career. That had been Harry’s mantra throughout Sam’s training. Don’t run errands, don’t pass on messages, don’t take anything to them. Stay professional and distant.
And parents were the worst of all, because they controlled the client as well. It didn’t matter how old they were, children didn’t tell the truth in front of their parents.
Harry turned away to look out of the window. ‘At least be polite. For your own sake.’
Sam nodded and then turned to leave the room.
Chapter Ten
Blackley police station was next to the court, so Sam had to run the gauntlet of courthouse drunks and crooks to get there, Luke King tucked in behind him. Sam tried to make conversation, asked him what he did with his life, but Luke didn’t answer.
Sam shrugged and gave up. He had just to advise him, not like him. And the day was getting weird. The old man had been outside the office again, staring at him as he
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