“Of course not, Your Honor. But if it’s a matter of one day or even two—”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, Counselor.”

“Yes, Your Honor. But that coin has another side. If Mr. Avery’s next witness is Dr. Cage, and the courtroom is ready tomorrow, I assume you will expect Mr. Avery to proceed with direct examination?”

Judge Elder looks irritated for a moment, but then his eyes narrow in anger. “Mr. Johnson, don’t piss on my leg and tell me it’s raining. You want Dr. Cage to have to testify before he has any idea whether those restored tapes will be played in the courtroom.”

“That seems like the fairest thing all around, Your Honor.”

“Except you want it both ways! You want him to testify first thing in the morning, but you don’t want Mr. Avery to be able to rest his case and give it to the jury if your precious tapes aren’t ready. Correct?”

Shad gives the judge a wide-eyed look of innocence.

“Mr. Avery hasn’t begged me for a recess until we know the outcome of the FBI’s efforts. He’s behaving like a professional.”

“It’s a difficult situation, Judge.”

Joe Elder nods slowly, the scowl still on his face. “I’ll reflect on all this tonight, but I’ll tell you one thing now. I’m inclined to move forward at our usual pace. If the Bureau can get those tapes here in time for them to play a part in this trial, so be it. But if they can’t, we will give the case to the jury.”

Shad gulps audibly, then looks at Kaiser.

“The ball’s in your court, Agent Kaiser,” Joe Elder says, getting to his feet. The former basketball player towers above us. “Please keep me apprised of any developments regarding today’s murder.”

“Of course, Your Honor.”

Elder makes his way to the door, then slips out.

As soon as he disappears, Shad looks down at Quentin with triumph in his eyes. Quentin rolls himself to the door without looking back, like a tribal chief on a chariot, certain that I’ll follow like a loyal spear carrier.

As I pass Shad, he catches my arm and whispers, “It’s over, Penn. Quentin had it won, but he’s lost it now. You should have defended your father. You know that.”

“I guess that depends on what’s on those tapes, doesn’t it?”

I don’t look left as I jerk my arm free, but I can feel Shad’s smile on my skin like a coat of oil.

On the ground floor I find Quentin waiting with two of my bodyguards. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the old lawyer look as adrift as he does in this moment.

“Guys, can we have a little space?” I ask.

The guards turn their backs and move twenty feet away.