There it was, my best pitch to him, most of it lies and exaggerations. But I didn’t stop there.

“I’ve studied the trial strategy Mr. Vincent outlined. I wouldn’t change it but I believe I can improve on it. And I’d be ready to go next week if need be. I think a delay can always be useful, but it won’t be necessary.”

Elliot nodded and rubbed a finger across his mouth.

“I would have to think about this,” he said. “I need to talk to some people and have you checked out. Just like I had Vincent checked out before I went with him.”

I decided to gamble and to try to force Elliot into a quick decision. I didn’t want him checking me out and possibly discovering I had disappeared for a year. That would raise too many questions.

“It’s a good idea,” I said. “Take your time but don’t take too much time. The longer you wait to decide, the greater the chance that the judge will find it necessary to push the trial back. I know you don’t want that, but in the absence of Mr. Vincent or any attorney of record, the judge is probably already getting nervous and considering it. If you choose me, I will try to get before the judge as soon as possible and tell him we’re still good to go.”

I stood up and reached into my coat pocket for a card. I put it down on the glass.

“Those are all my numbers. Call anytime.”

I hoped he would tell me to sit back down and we’d start planning for trial. But Elliot just reached over and picked up the card. He seemed to be studying it when I left him. Before I reached the door to the office it opened from the outside and Mrs. Albrecht stood there. She smiled warmly.

“I’m sure we will be in touch,” she said.

I had a feeling that she’d heard every word that had been spoken between me and her boss.

“Thank you, Mrs. Albrecht,” I said. “I certainly hope so.”

Fourteen

I found Cisco leaning against the Lincoln, smoking a cigarette.

“That was fast,” he said.

I opened the back door in case there were cameras in the parking lot and Elliot was watching me.

“Look at you with the encouraging word.”

I got in and he did the same.

“I’m just saying that it seemed kind of quick,” he said. “How’d it go?”

“I gave it my best shot. We’ll probably know something soon.”

“You think he did it?”

“Probably, but it doesn’t matter. We’ve got other things to worry about.”

It was hard to go from thinking about a quarter-million-dollar fee to some of the also-rans on Vincent’s client list, but that was the job. I opened my bag and pulled out the other active files. It was time to decide where our next stop was going to be.

Cisco backed out of the space and started heading toward the arch.