Chapter 8
Eddie
In a trial, knowledge is half the battle.
You cannot go into a trial knowing less than the other side.
That way you walk into walls, get ambushed and are made to look a damn fool.
The other half of the battle is knowing what to do with the knowledge you have.
Like most things in life, the parallel to poker is clear.
It’s like seeing two aces on the flop when you’ve got the other two in your hand.
Don’t mean a damn thing if you don’t bet the right way.
Go too hard and you scare off the other players.
Bet too low, you’re not going to get the maximum return for your winning hand.
Trial law is the same.
First, you read the players.
Gabriel Lake walked into my office, Bloch behind him.
Two of the best investigators I’d ever worked with.
Lake was ex-FBI. One of their finest behavioral analysts.
He kicked down doors belonging to serial killers.
He was a weird guy, slightly at odds with the world.
Although, he didn’t see it that way. According to Lake, the world was slightly at odds with him.
His mind was like a wind turbine in a hurricane, and that meant he didn’t have room in his brain for everyday matters like dressing well, music, movies – frivolous things that others enjoyed.
The only thing he was meticulous about, apart from investigative work, was food.
He ate well, which meant he didn’t really eat what most humans would call food.
He was, however, fiercely loyal, and a deadly enemy.
Bloch, in particular, was fond of him, in her own way.
Or at least in as much as Bloch could be fond of anyone.
‘I had to send Lake out looking for you. Did you get robbed?’
Bloch nodded.
‘How many people did you send to the hospital?’
She thought about it, held up two fingers.
‘Anybody I gotta worry about?’
She shook her head. Bloch didn’t say much.
‘There’s movement in Vanessa Vanderpool’s case. Cops want to talk to her.’
‘What about?’ asked Lake.
‘They didn’t say.’
‘So are you going to go along and find out?’ he asked.
‘Absolutely not,’ I said. ‘She’s not under arrest, and no good comes from talking to the NYPD. Whatever it is they’ve found out, they don’t have enough to arrest her. Not yet. We need to know what their next move is and get ahead of it.’
‘What’s Vanderpool’s deal?’ asked Lake.
‘She’s intriguing. Clarence liked her, and she liked him.
I’m not sure we’re getting the whole picture from her, but I don’t think she killed that girl.
The cops might have something they can use to falsely pin the murder on her, or something that changes my mind about representing her. Either way, I want to know now.’
‘Why’d you take this case if you don’t trust the client?’ asked Bloch.
As usual, Bloch cut to the chase. It was right then I noticed Harry leaning against his office door, listening in.
For most lawyers, it’s not a problem. Client’s lie to their lawyers all the time.
I don’t work that way. I can’t put a dangerous person back on the street.
I’d been down that road, and no amount of money in my pocket makes me feel any better about it.
‘I took the case because I don’t trust her husband or her former lawyers.’
‘What do you mean?’ asked Harry.
‘Buchanan and Duff lied to me and Vanessa. There are plenty of friendly firms they could’ve approached to offload Vanessa.
Instead, they came to us. We’ve got a reputation for results that they can use to sell us to Vanessa as to why it’s a good move for her, and we’re smalltime enough for Buchanan and Duff to think they can either control us or crush us.
Their real client is the Vanderpool family.
I think they could be setting up Vanessa to take the fall for Patrick.
Right now, that suspicion is reason enough to represent her. ’
‘What do you want us to do?’ asked Lake.
‘The cop who called me is Detective Lorraine Carey. She’s way too young to be the lead on this case, so find out who her partner is on the investigation.
This is a high-profile murder, so they’ll keep their shit tight at the precinct.
They don’t want a cop leaking anything to the press.
Find out what you can about Carey and her partner.
You won’t get near the crime scene, so don’t bother trying.
I want to know where Carey and her partner have been, particularly any meetings with potential expert witnesses. ’
‘What are you gonna do?’
‘I’m going to speak to the governor. He’s going to be Vanderpool’s opposition in the election. If there’s dirt on Patrick or Vanessa Vanderpool, you can bet their political opponent has it.’