Hit List - Lawrence Block [87]
“How could that happen? It didn’t even start until yesterday morning.”
“There’s always the miracle of plea bargaining. Not this time, huh?”
“No.”
“Was it a purse snatcher, Keller? Are you going to make sure the little bastard gets what’s coming to him?”
“I’m not supposed to talk about the case.”
“Say that again, Keller.”
“Is there something wrong with the connection? I said—“
“I know what you said.”
“Then why did you ask me to repeat it?”
“So that you could hear it for yourself. Keller, think about what you just said and who you said it to. And think of all the things you’re not supposed to do, including the one you’re not going to be able to do this weekend, on account of somebody went to the Eastern Shore.”
“This cop bought a VCR,” he said.
“Probably a good idea, Keller. The poor guys work long hours, and sometimes they pull double shifts, so how can they be sure of keeping up with their favorite soap operas? The only answer is to tape the shows and watch them later on.”
“It was stolen.”
“Which means he’ll have to buy another one. I hope he’s got insurance.”
“Look, it’s late,” he said. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“I’ll behave,” she said. “I promise. The cop bought a stolen VCR. I suppose the question is did he know it was stolen when he bought it.”
“That’s why he bought it. The guy who sold it to him didn’t know he was a cop, and now he’s on trial for trafficking in stolen property.”
“Sounds open and shut.”
“If the cop’s telling the truth.”
“What do you think?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “We haven’t even heard the cop’s testimony yet.”
“You haven’t?”
“We’ve hardly heard anything. The lawyers keep having private conversations, and I gather what they’re mostly doing is arguing about what we get to hear. The way it works, the people with the least knowledge of what’s going on are the ones on the jury.”
“Well, that’s the American Way, isn’t it?”
“Evidently. The judge said we could read the papers and watch TV, but if there’s anything about the case we’ve got to stop reading.”
“Or change the channel.”
“Right.”
“A guy got hold of a hot VCR and sold it to a cop, I don’t think that’s going to be the lead item on ‘Live at Five.’ But you’re playing it safe, hiding out in Baltimore. Or are you planning on coming home early?”
“I’ve got the room booked. I might as well stay.”
“The more time you spend there, the more attention you attract.”
“I leave the inn ahead of schedule, that attracts attention, too.”
“You’re staying at an inn?”
“Sort of a bed and breakfast.”
“Is it quaint?”
“It’s nice,” he said. “I’m never too sure what quaint means.”
“It depends on your tone of voice when you say it. I’m sleepy, Keller. I’m going to bed.”
He rang off. He was tired himself, and his canopied four-poster bed had looked inviting, although you wouldn’t notice the posts or the canopy once you had your eyes shut.
Quaint.
He hesitated, then started walking in the opposite direction from the inn. He wasn’t that tired, and he could sleep as late as he wanted in the morning. So there was no reason not to drop in for a nightcap at Counterpoint.
At lunch Monday Gloria said, “You know how I spent the weekend? You’ll think I’m completely nuts.”
“You bungee-jumped off the World Trade Center.”
“Close. I sat on the couch watching Court TV.”
“Bungee-jumping would be nuttier.”
“It would also be more exciting. Like I don’t get enough of this garbage during the week. You know what I was doing?”
“You just told me.”
“No, what I was really up to, in my heart of hearts. It took me a while before I realized it. I was hoping I’d accidentally-on-purpose wind up watching some coverage of our case.”
“Unconsciously, you mean.”
“Unconsciously at first, right, and then consciously, because I saw what I was doing and went right on doing it. Of course, you know how likely it is that Court TV would waste their time on our case. It’s not exactly the Great Train Robbery.” She took a forkful of whatever