“Yes. She was disbarred many years ago.”

“Why?”

“Maggie Greenwald had a bloodlust, of sorts, for quickly resolving homicides and adding them as notches on her belt. I’m afraid it’s a common syndrome among prosecutors. They’re like sharks who can’t help themselves after they smell blood in the water. A few years after the Cameron Young case went up in smoke, some folks in her office started complaining that she was cutting corners in order to quickly close cases.”

“What sort of corners?”

“Let’s just say that Maggie Greenwald was making square evidence fit into round holes. After she left the DA’s office and started her campaign for governor, a whistleblower came forward about one particular case and an investigation was launched. It was discovered that she suppressed evidence that might have exonerated the defendant. Nothing happens quickly in the court system, but when new DNA evidence turned up, it proved the defendant was innocent. The conviction was overturned. In the months that followed, two more of her cases were overturned.”

“By new DNA evidence?”

“Not new, but suppressed.”

“She hid the evidence?”

“Tried to. But the whistleblower knew a lot about Maggie Greenwald’s tactics. Rumors were that it was her ADA who came forward, and likely only to save his own ass by promising the truth in exchange for immunity. There’s a saying around these parts that if you want all your secrets uncovered, run for public office. Anyway, I thought it was worth mentioning that Maggie Greenwald’s career went down the drain. I had heard all these rumors that Maggie cut corners and had a tendency to manipulate evidence. So when you ask why I would take Victoria Ford’s case when it looked so unwinnable, it was because Maggie Greenwald was the DA and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the evidence and see it for myself. The case against Victoria Ford was very strong on the surface, but I never got the chance to scrutinize or challenge any of the evidence. Had I, things might have been different.”

Avery made notes about Maggie Greenwald, and then paused before she asked her next question. “Can you tell me about the morning of September eleventh? What transpired with Victoria that day? I learned from her sister that Victoria placed a series of phone calls that morning after the North Tower was struck. Can you give me any insight into what happened with you and Victoria that day?”

Manchester nodded. Avery could see his mind spanning the decades, reaching across the years for details he may have tried to forget.