I clenched subconsciously.

He gave me a half grin. "Nae longer a runt, are ye? Thank Christ the Wallace men 'aye resilient genes. So tell me, whit dae ye think o' my bastard, Maxie? I ken he's half-English but—"

"He's a nutcase. Are you deliberately trying to piss off the judge?"

"Is that how we determine whae's innocent an' whae's guilty these days? By their barrister's appearance?"

"This isn't a game, Angus. Max says the Cialinos are pushing for the death penalty."

"A' men die, Zachary. Funny though, how I'm the one facin' the death penalty, an' ye're the one whae's feart. They can only hang me once, but ye'll die a thoosan' deaths afore they put me six feet under."

"I'm not afraid."

"Bollocks. I can smell the fear crawlin' in yer belly like I can smell my ain farts."

"What have I got to be afraid of?"

"I think we baith ken the answer tae that. Seventeen years is a long time tae keep somethin' tucked inside ye."

"Sorry to disappoint you, Angus, but I moved on long ago."

"Have ye? Then why have ye no' gone back tae the Sargasso?"

"Expeditions cost money, and no one's interested. I'd go back in a heartbeat, but—"

"Butts're for crappin'. Maxie's done some checkin'. The Royal Navy contacted ye six weeks ago, interested in financin' a voyage tae locate thae Bloop thing-a-mah-jingies. Word is they offered ye a research vessel an' another sub, but ye turned them doon."

I ground my teeth, confronted by the truth. The Royal Navy had tried to contact me, but I had refused their calls, still struggling with my hydrophobia. "Not that it's any of your business, but I'll go back to sea when I'm good and ready."

"No ye willnae. The longer ye wait, the harder it'll be. Look how long it's been since ye returned hame tae yer auld man."

"First, Scotland's not my home, at least not anymore. Second, you've never been much more to me than a sperm donor. I was always your runt, the disappointment God gave you to carry on the Wallace name. You want to give me one final lecture before they hang you, go ahead, it's your time, your dime."

"So ye think yer auld man's guilty, is that it?"

"Honestly, Angus, I don't know what you're capable of anymore."

That stung, I could see the hurt in his eyes.

"Zachary, I ken ye're ashamed o' me, but as far as these charges, I didnae dae it. Johnny C. an' me were pals. Sure, we had words, just as we aye had, but whit happened wis an accident. No matter whit ye may think o' me son, I'm no' a murderer."

Son. I couldn't ever remember him referring to me as his son.

"What is it you want?"

"Nothin' more than yer support. The morn, when I walk intae that courtroom, it'd make me proud tae have both o' my laddies by my side."