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McGuire nodded to Bell and Sachs deduced that a conversation between the sheriff and the district attorney had occurred earlier about this very subject.
"Of course we're bargaining," Bell continued. "There's a good chance that girl's alive and we want to find her 'fore she's not alive anymore."
McGuire said, "We got so many charges on this one, Cal, you'd be amazed at how flexible we can be."
"Amaze me," the cocky defense lawyer said.
"I could go with two counts unlawful detention and assault and two counts first-degree manslaughter--one for Billy Stail, one for the deputy who died. Yessir, I'm willing to do that. All conditioned on finding the girl alive."
"Ed Schaeffer," the lawyer countered. "That was accidental."
Mason raged, "It was a fucking trap the boy set."
"I'll give you first manslaughter for Billy," McGuire offered, "and negligent homicide for the deputy."
Fredericks chewed on this for a moment. "Lemme see what I can do." His heels tapping noisily, the lawyer vanished in the direction of the cells to consult with his client. He returned five minutes later and he wasn't happy.
"Whatsa story?" Bell asked, discouraged as he read the lawyer's expression.
"No luck."
"Stonewalling?"
"Completely."
Bell muttered, "If you know something and you're not telling us, Cal, I don't give a shit about attorney-client privilege--"
"No, no, Jim, for real. He says he's protecting the girl. He says she's happy where she is and you oughta go looking for this guy in tan overalls and a white shirt."
Bell said, "He doesn't even have a good description and if he gave us one it'd change tomorrow because he's making it up."
McGuire slicked back his already-slicked-back hair. The defense used Aqua Net, Sachs could smell. The prosecution, Brylcreem. "Listen, Cal, this's your problem. I'm offering you what I'm offering. You get us the girl's whereabouts and she's alive, I'll go with reduced counts. You don't, I'll take it to trial and go for the moon. That boy'll never see the outside-of a prison again. We both know it."
Silence for a moment.
Fredericks said, "I've got a thought."
"Uh-huh," McGuire said skeptically.
"No, listen ... I had a case in Albemarle a spell back, a woman claimed her boy'd run away from home. But it seemed fishy."
"The Williams case?" McGuire asked. "That black woman?"
"That was it."
"I heard of that one. You represented her?" Bell asked.
"Right. She was giving us pretty odd stories and had a history of mental problems. I hired this psychologist over in Avery, hoping he could give me an insanity opinion. He ran some tests on her. During one of 'em she opened up and told us what had happened."
"Hypnosis--that recovered-memory crap?" McGuire asked.
"No, it's something else. He called it empty chair therapy. I don't exactly know how it works but it really started her talking. Like all she needed was a little push. Let me give this guy a call and have him come over and talk to Garrett. The boy might see reason.... But"--now the defense got to poke a finger in Bell's chest--"everything they talk about's privileged and you don't get diddly unless the guardian ad litem and I say so first."
Bell caught McGuire's eye and nodded. The D.A. said, "Call him."
"Okay." Fredericks stepped toward the phone in the corner of the interrogation room.
Sachs said, "Excuse me?"
