He had no answer.
"I'm so sorry, David. I wish were with you. I could drive down and - "
"No," David said. "We can't take any chances. Did you see the doctor today?"
"Yes."
"What did he say?"
"Very soon now. Any day." Happy birthday, Jeffrey.
Jesse Quiller called. "I bungled it," David said.
"Like hell you did. You got the wrong judge. What did you ever do to get ho: so down on you?"
David said, "She wanted me to plea-bargain. She didn't want this to go to trial. Maybe I should have listened to her."
All the television channels were full of the news of his disgrace. He watched one of the network's legal experts discussing the case.
"I've never heard of a defending attorney screaming at his own client before. I must tell you, the courtroom was stunned. It was one of the most outrageous - "
David switched off the station. Where did it all go wrong? Life is supposed to have a happy ending. Because I've bungled everything, Ashley's going to die. I'm going to be disbarred, the baby's going to be born any minute and I don't even have a job.
He sat in his hotel room in the middle of the night, staring into the darkness. It was the lowest moment of his life. Playing over and over again in his mind was the final courtroom scene. "You can't hypnotize her in my courtroom. The answer is no. "
If only she had let me hypnotize Ashley on the stand, I know she would have convinced the jury. Too late. It's all over now.
And a small, nagging voice in his mind said. Who says it's over? I don't hear the fat lady singing.
There's nothing more I can do.
Your client is innocent. Are you going to let her die?
Leave me alone.
Judge Williams's words kept echoing in his mind.
"You can't hypnotize her in my courtroom."
And three words kept repeating themselves - "in my courtroom."
At five o'clock in the morning, David made two excited, urgent phone calls. As he finished, the sun was just beginning to appear over the horizon. It's an omen, David thought. We're going to win.
A little later, David hurried into an antiques store.
The clerk approached him. "May I help you, sir?" He recognized David. "Mr. Singer."
"I'm looking for a folding Chinese screen. Do you have something like that?"
"Yes, we do. We don't have any real antique screens, but-"
"Let's see what you have."
"Certainly." He led David over to the section where there were several Chinese folding screens. The clerk pointed to the first one. "Now, this one - "
"That's fine," David said.
"Yes, sir. Where shall I send it?"
"I'll take it with me."
David's next stop was at a hardware store, where he bought a Swiss Army knife. Fifteen minutes later, he was walking into the lobby of the courthouse carrying the screen. He said to the guard at the desk, "I made arrangements to interview Ashley Patterson. I have permission to use Judge Goldberg's chambers. He's not here today."
The guard said, "Yes, sir. It's all set. I'll have the defendant brought up. Dr. Salem and another man are already up there, waiting."
"Thank you."
The guard watched David carry the Chinese screen into the elevator. Crazy as a loon, he thought.
Judge Goldberg's chamber was a comfortable-looking room with a desk facing the window, a swivel chair, and near one wall a couch and several chars. Dr. Salem and another man were standing in the room when David entered.
"Sorry I'm late," David said.
Dr. Salem said, "This is Hugh Iverson. He's the expert you asked for."
The two men shook hands. "Let's get set up fast," David said. "Ashley's on her way here."
He turned to Hugh Iverson and pointed to a corner of the room. "How's that for you?"
"Fine."
He watched Iverson go to work. A few minutes later, the door opened and Ashley entered with a guard. "I'll have to stay in the room," the guard said.
David nodded. "That's all right." He turned to Ashley. "Sit down, please."
He watched her take a seat. "First of all, I want to tell you how terribly sorry I am about the way things went."
She nodded, almost dazed.
"But it's not over yet. We still have a chance."
She looked at him with disbelieving eyes.
"Ashley, I would like Dr. Salem to hypnotize you again."
"No. What's the point in - "
"Do it for me. Will you?"
She shrugged.
David nodded to Dr. Salem.
Dr. Salem said to Ashley, "We've done this before, so you know that all you have to do is close your eyes and relax. Just relax. Feel all the muscles in your body letting go of all the tension. All you want to do is sleep. You're getting very drowsy...."
Ten minutes later. Dr. Salem looked at David and said, "She's completely under."
David moved toward Ashley, and his heart was pounding.
"I want to talk to Toni."
There was no reaction.
David raised his voice. "Toni, I want you to come out. Do you hear me? Alette...want you both to talk tome."
Silence.
David was yelling now. "What's the matter with you? Are you too frightened? That's what happened in the courtroom, isn't it? Did you hear what the jury said? Ashley's guilty. You were afraid to come out. You're a coward, Toni!"
They looked at Ashley. There was no reaction. David looked at Dr. Salem in despair. It was not going to work.
"Court is now in session. The Honorable Judge Tessa Williams presiding."
Ashley was seated at the defendant's table next to David. David's hand was wrapped in a large bandage.