I leaned way forward in my seat. It struck me that Jules Halpern might actually know that his client was guilty. If so, he wouldn’t be able to cross-examine him. Legally, he couldn’t ask questions that disguised the real facts as he knew them.

This was the only way Shafer could have his moment in the sun: a soliloquy. Once called to the stand, Shafer could give a speech. It was unusual but absolutely legal — and if Halpern knew that his client was guilty, it was the only way Shafer could take the stand and not be incriminated by his own attorney.

Shafer had the floor. “If you will please excuse me, Mr. Halpern, I believe I can talk to these good people myself. I really can manage. You see, I don’t need a lot of expert help to tell the simple truth.”

Jules Halpern stepped back, nodded sagely, and tried to keep his poise. What else could he do under the circumstances? If he hadn’t known before that his client was an egomaniac or insane, he surely knew it now.

Shafer looked toward the jury. “It has been stated here in court that I am with British intelligence, and that I was MI-Six, a spy. I’m afraid that I am actually a rather unglamorous agent — Double-or-Nothing, if you will.”

The light, well-aimed jab at himself drew laughter in the courtroom.

“I am a simple bureaucrat, like so many others who toil away their days and nights in Washington. I follow well-established procedures at the embassy. I get approvals for virtually everything I do. My homelife is simple and orderly as well. My wife and I have been married nearly sixteen years. We love each other dearly. We’re devoted to our three children.

“So I want to apologize to my wife and children. I am so frightfully sorry for this hellish ordeal they’ve had to go through. To my son, Rob, and the twins, Tricia and Erica, I’m so sorry. If I’d had any idea what a circus this would become, I would have insisted on maintaining diplomatic immunity rather than trying to clear my name, our name, their name.

“While I’m making heartfelt apologies, I’ll make one to all of you for being a bit of a bore right now. It’s just that when you’re accused of murder, something so heinous, so unthinkable, you want desperately to get it off your chest. You want to tell the truth more than anything else in the world. So that’s what I’m doing today.

“You’ve heard the evidence — and there simply isn’t any. You’ve heard character witnesses. And now you’ve heard from me. I did not kill Detective Patsy Hampton. I think you all know that, but I wanted to say it to you myself. Thank you for listening,” he said, and bowed slightly in his seat.