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“Meet me at the station at nine tomorrow morning.”
I speak up.
“Detective, that won’t work. We will meet you there at one.”
I’m assuming my client can make it. He better make sure he can. I need more time to sort out getting someone to replace me.
“Very well. Only for you, Ms. O’Malley.”
Detective Morris sounds about as enthusiastic as a man about to get castrated. After they hang up, I explain the new situation to my client— that I may need to find someone else to represent him if he testifies against Gabriele. I also tell him I will confirm who will join him at the precinct station in the afternoon. Either someone else from my firm or me. As soon as he leaves, I make my way to one of the managing partners and rap on his door.
“Come in.”
I open it partway and lean my head in.
“Jason, is this a good time to discuss something that’s come up that involves two cases?”
“Yes. What’s going on?”
He moves some papers aside, and I take a seat across from his desk.
“I’m going to trial in two days for the Art Cohenour grand larceny case. He informed me on Thursday that he’d heard incriminating information about Gabriele Scotto. I’m now caught between the two. Cohenour wanted to negotiate immunity from his current charges if he cooperates. I’ve told him it’s highly unlikely, but we might convince Diane to suggest the minimum sentence. I was just on the phone with him and Detective Morris.”
“And if you represent him for this, you can’t represent Scotto. You’d have to hide what you know came from Cohenour to protect his privilege rights while compromising Scotto’s right to a proper defense.”
“Exactly.”
“And I suppose you have a solution that you want me to agree to.”
“Yes.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re incredibly blunt for an attorney?”
“Of course.”
I grin at him, and he smiles back. He’s right. I can be subtle any time I want, but right now, I want this resolved to my advantage. I won’t beat around the bushes, and I don’t need to maneuver Jason.
“Let me guess. You’ll continue as Cohenour’s attorney for his current case because it’s too close to trial for someone else to take it. But you want someone else to represent him for any involvement he has with the Scotto case. Have you heard anything that would give the prosecution grounds for a mistrial?”
“I don’t believe so. He told me he’d overheard some members of the Polish Mob talking about Mr. Scotto. His story’s fluctuated a bit between what he originally suggested happened to this. Right now, he claims he was in his car, smoking a cigar, at the Grand Toucan. The men said something to the effect that Mr. Scotto deserves a conviction, and he shouldn’t have been careless. He hasn’t named either man, but he clearly recognized them if he knows they’re Polish Mob. When he first told me, it sounded like he was going to stray from this and fabricate a story good enough for him to think it was worth the immunity. I warned him that doing that— doing this —would put him in the Mob’s crosshairs. I haven’t asked him how he’s connected to them. That said, the prosecution witness list for the Scotto case has a known member of the Polish Mob on there because he was the security guard that night. I believe the key to what the Polish Mob does or doesn’t know is Jacek Nowakowski.”
“Who?”
“He’s the mob boss’s younger brother. His reputation precedes him. He’s apparently conniving and vindictive. Maybe he knows something and mentioned it to the two men, or the two men overheard something. Then, either way, Cohenour heard it, too. Maybe Nowakowski is the person who shifted blame to Mr. Scotto. I won’t know until I can interview him. I want to see what he has to say before I let the ADA know because we risk the ADA finding out and trying to recruit him to their side. He is not a man who’d side with the state unless he can get something out of them. He’s fine risking being in contempt, so I’m certain questioning him will only benefit us.”
“But what if he gives damning information that proves your client’s guilt? What if he testifies in order to get something out of the NYPD or even the DA’s office?”
“There’s nothing to get other than lies since Mr. Scotto is innocent.”
Jason watches me for a long moment, and it tempts me to shift nervously. Can he tell I’m attracted to Gabriele? Nothing’s happened between Gabriele and me, but I want it to. If I’m lucky, it will. I know it should wait until after the trial, but fuck, he’s the hottest man I’ve ever seen.
“Very well. Who do you recommend take over Cohenour?”
“Marcy. She can’t stand me. There won’t be any questions of impropriety, suggesting she might share anything with me to benefit Mr. Scotto. She’d spit on me if I was drowning.”
“Really? Why the animosity?”
“She’s been here two years longer than I have, but I made junior partner before her. She’s certain it was nepotism because of my relationship with Marta. She thinks the managing partners are playing favorites.”
