“I absolutely insist on testifying,” Stone said, still hanging on to the man’s hand. “You’ll remember that I told you some time ago that I’d be glad to cooperate in any way I can.”

“Yes, Yes,” Brougham said, wresting his hand from Stone’s grasp. “If you’ll just have a seat, Mr. Barrington, I’ll try to get to you soon.”

Eggers spoke up again. “Marty, could I speak to you privately for a moment? I have some information that might bear on this case, and I’d like to convey it to you before you convene the grand jury.”

“Sorry, Bill, I don’t have time right now; maybe later today.” He turned and started into the jury room.

“I did try to reach you by phone yesterday,” Eggers called after him. The door closed behind Brougham.

The reporters crowded around Eggers. “What information do you have for the DA, Mr. Eggers?” one of them asked.

“I think I’d better convey it to Mr. Brougham before I discuss it with you,” Eggers said to the man. “Please excuse me.” He sat down next to Stone. “He’s going to have to call you to testify, now,” he whispered. “If he doesn’t, the press will practically assassinate him.”

Stone sat quietly and waited. Other witnesses for the grand jury filed into the hallway and took seats. Stone exchanged greetings with a uniformed sergeant from the Nineteenth Precinct, Tim Ryan, whom he had known for years. As they were chatting, Stone’s cell phone rang. “Excuse me, Tim,” he said to the cop. He walked to the end of the corridor and took out the phone. “Hello?”

“It’s Dino.”

Stone could hear him grinning. “What’s up?”

“We went into Tom Deacon’s apartment an hour ago, and guess what we found?”

“The murder weapon, I hope.”

“We weren’t quite that lucky, but we did find Susan Bean’s diary.”

“Oh, that’s good!” Stone said. “Have you read it?”

“You bet I have; it’s telegraphic, but it lays out her knowledge of the doctored tapes in the Dante trial.”

“Does the diary implicate-Brougham?”

“Not directly, but it’s hard to see how, if Bean knew about the tape, Marty didn’t. Anyway, it’s a first-rate motive for Deacon; the very fact that he had possession of the diary is incriminating. It makes him our number one suspect and Mick Kelly an accessory after the fact. At the very least, I can get Kelly bounced from the force for not reporting Deacon’s presence near the scene of the murder.”

“Have you picked up Deacon?”

“Not yet, but we’re looking for him; Kelly, too. I haven’t put out an APB yet; I don’t want to spook either of them.”

“That’s great news, Dino, and it comes at a very good time for me.”

“Have you testified, yet?”

“I’m waiting to go in, now.”