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“Yes, sir.”
Ten minutes later, Daniel was sitting in the library, a large comfortable room with walls lined with law books going back at least a century. The silence was peaceful and pleasant. But, other than that, Daniel felt that the library had nothing to offer. He was becoming aware of having behaved rather badly or, if not that, at least to no purpose, which amounted to almost the same thing.
The door opened and Kitteridge came in, closing it behind him. He looked even taller than usual, like a scarecrow, minus the straw.
“Does he expect you to do anything about it?” he asked without preamble. “Expect you to bail him out if he gets into trouble?”
“What?”
“This brother-in-law of yours,” Kitteridge said impatiently. He sat down in the chair opposite Daniel. “I’ve being trying to th
ink of anything…any legal way…of helping, and I can’t. I can’t afford you to get into trouble. We’ve taken long enough training you to be useful—I don’t want to lose you now.”
Daniel smiled in spite of himself. “Graciously put, Kitteridge. You are all charm.”
Kitteridge was quite aware of Daniel’s sarcasm. He knew his own awkwardness and hated it.
Daniel was immediately sorry. “But as you pointed out, charm doesn’t always work.” He watched Kitteridge’s face and saw the shadow of pain disappear from his eyes.
“I still haven’t any ideas,” Kitteridge replied. “But I’ll work on it.”
Daniel thanked him quite sincerely, if not for any help, at least for the friendship.
* * *
—
THAT EVENING, DANIEL went to visit Roman Blackwell. He was not at all sure if it was a good idea, but time was pressing, and Patrick would be looking for ways to trap Sidney. Blackwell was something of an adventurer, both inside and outside the law. Just before the Graves affair a few months ago, Daniel had rescued Blackwell from the gallows by proving him, against all the odds, innocent of a particularly mean-spirited crime. One of Blackwell’s greatest virtues was his generous and long-lasting gratitude, and in the Graves affair he had proved it.
The law regarded Blackwell as a scoundrel. Daniel saw him as an inventive man with a strong, if individual, morality, but scant regard for the law.
Blackwell was at home and welcomed Daniel into the richly colored and extremely untidy house he shared with his mother, Mercedes Blackwell, known as Mercy. It was an appropriate abbreviation, as long as you took into account her volatile temper and eccentric sense of right and wrong. She was fierce, sentimental, and outwardly afraid of nothing. Only in her fear for Roman’s life had Daniel seen that shell break.
Now he followed Blackwell through the hallway, past the crowded coat stand, the paintings on the wall and the views of corners offered by many mirrors. The sitting room was the same, filled with mementoes of foreign travel and relics from other cultures. The colors were purple and crimson, and the room was extremely comfortable. In August, the fire grate was concealed by an elaborately framed tapestry screen.
Blackwell signaled Daniel to sit down and then sat in one of the other chairs and put his hands through his wild black hair, making it stand even more on end. He was Daniel’s side of forty, probably, but only just.
“You have a problem,” he announced with a sigh. “It’s writ large in your face. Explain it to me, and tell me why you can’t solve it yourself, and then why my solutions won’t either. Or I’ll tell you. If the law could unravel it, you or Kitteridge would do it. And if it were the wrong side of the law, you wouldn’t touch it, right?”
“Just about,” Daniel admitted.
“Can Mercy know?” He always referred to his mother by name.
“Certainly. The crime has already been committed.”
“In the view of whoever you are defending?”
“No, I’m for the prosecution…”
Blackwell’s eyes opened wide. “You’re what?”
Daniel described the attack on Rebecca Thorwood.
Blackwell’s face was highly expressive of his disgust. “I don’t see your problem. The father saw him and recognized him. Is his word not good?”
Daniel then told him about Sidney’s use of diplomatic immunity, and his flight to England.
“Repulsive,” Blackwell agreed, “but perfectly legal. What are you planning to do? See if he’s done it before? Reasonable. A man doesn’t suddenly start behaving like that.”
