Leek wiped saliva away from his mouth. “She told me she was pregnant. She swore…she wanted to have the baby. I told her no way I’d do anything with her ever again if she didn’t get rid of it. She was fat! She was crazy! I didn’t want to be connected to this girl for life!”

The room was silent.

“I told her if she ever wanted to see me again, she’d have to get rid of it.” McKay clutched his shaking hands. “She kept stalling and stalling. And then finally, around Christmastime, she announced to me that she was too far along to get rid of it. That it…” Again, he wiped his mouth. “That it would be considered murder. Because the fetus was viable on its own.” He lowered his chin against his chest. “She said she’d have to find a doctor who’d be willing…she’d have to do it illegally.”

Beltran said, “Lawrence, I don’t want you saying any more.”

“It doesn’t matter now,” McKay said. “’Cause if she wasn’t pregnant, her whole story was bullshit!” He looked up at Marge and Decker. “Unless you’re lying to me.”

Decker said, “We’re not lying, Leek. Go on. What happened after she said she’d have to do it illegally?”

“I told her…to do it illegally. And I gave her a lot of money to do it illegally.”

McKay looked at his empty paper cup and squashed it.

“She said it would make us both murderers because the baby was viable. I said do it anyway. She made me sign this piece of paper. I don’t remember exactly what she had typed out. Something that said I ordered her to do it…to get rid of it. In case she got caught. I was so desperate for her to do it, I signed the paper.” He wiped his mouth a third time. “She’s been making me pay ever since.”

Decker nodded. McKay looked up. “I’ve got some other information for you.”

Beltran said, “Lawrence—”

“Let me handle this, Mr. Beltran. I’m in control now. In control for the first time in two years.”

“What kind of information?” Decker asked.

“If you want to hear it, I want you to drop everything against me,” McKay said. “And I mean everything! I want to be able to walk off the witness stand a free man. I’ve had enough shit hanging over my head.”

“Tell me what you have, and we’ll think about it,” Pomerantz said.

“Not good enough.”

“I can’t help you if you won’t help me.”

“Let me talk to him first,” Beltran said.

“No games, please,” McKay insisted. “Yes or no. You want to hear what I have to say. It’s good. I guarantee you.”

“Leek, I can’t make a deal on that basis,” Pomerantz said. “Help me out. Give me a hint.”