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Some of it is the challenge, I think. That explains people like you and me. And probably Payne. But what about people like Officer Bailey? I talked to him before I came here. The reason Leslie is in there is because Bailey, after years on the job, still takes personal pride and satisfaction in protecting people from critters like Leslie. He knows he can’t personally clean
up the Thirty-ninth District, but ‘You don’t burn your garbage on my beat.’”
Arthur grunted.
“How long are you going to let the critter’s imagination run free?”
“I think fifteen minutes should suffice,” Washington said. He looked at his watch. “Another five and a half minutes, to be specific.”
“That big guy cuffed me again,” Leslie said in some indignation, raising his shackled wrist to demonstrate.Washington made no move to unlock the handcuff.
“I just came in to tell you I have to leave. I have to go to see Mr. Callis. The decision is yours, Mr. Leslie, and now is when you’re going to have to make it.”
“What decision?”
“Whether you wish to insist on your innocence, or—”
“Or what?”
“Be cooperative.”
“Like what?”
“How serious is your narcotics addiction, Mr. Leslie?”
“I ain’t no addict, if that’s what you’re saying.”
“I can’t possibly help you, Mr. Leslie, if you don’t tell me the truth. Your records show that you have undergone a drug-rehabilitation program. Why lie about it?”
“I got it under control.”
“Then you were not under the influence of narcotics when you burglarized Officer Kellog’s home? Your defense counsel might be able to introduce that at your trial. ‘Diminished capacity’ is the term used.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
“It means that if you weren’t aware of what you were doing, because of ‘diminished capacity’ because you were on drugs, you really didn’t know what you were doing, and should be judged accordingly.”
“Which means what?”
“Let me explain this to you as best I can. If you are not cooperative, they’re going to take you to court and ask for the death penalty. In my judgment, they have enough circumstantial evidence to get a conviction.”
“And if I’m cooperative, what?”
“You probably would not get the death penalty. It’s possible that the District Attorney would be agreeable to having evidence of your drug addiction given to the court, and that the court would take it into consideration when considering your sentence.”
“Shit.”
“I’m not a lawyer, Mr. Leslie. You should discuss this with a lawyer.”
“When do I get a lawyer?”
“When Homicide arrests you for murder, and your Miranda rights come into play. That’s going to happen. What you have to decide, before you are arrested for murder, is whether you want to cooperate or not.”
“I could plead, what did you say, ‘diminished capacity’?”
“What I said was that you can either tell the truth, and make it easier on yourself and Homicide, or lie, and make it harder on yourself and Homicide.”
“You’re not going to be around for this?”
