Acre Under a Green Sky

But it wasn't over. If anything, it got worse.

Less than a half hour later, my grandfather arrived at the house with two old men. They spent all that night arguing with my father –– changing him. The two men were friends of my grandfather's. Attorneys, I think. I didn't actually see them until the next morning. They were faceless voices hammering at my father; one indiscernible from the other. It must have seemed so to him, too. Their arguments went at him in volleys. My father's voice; when he spoke at all, was inaudible to me. The man didn't stand a chance. I heard everything from my room until I fell asleep. They were still at it when I awoke next morning.

"You can stick the Constitution up your ass! They're not going to dismiss this case. I'll tell you exactly what they'll do! They'll drop Bradley in the toilet and get the goddamned Attorney General of the State of Pennsylvania down here from Harrisburg to prosecute that loco weed, or whatever his name is. And they'll burn his ass and yours with it! You'll be a lawyer in name only."

"He's right. They'll use every facility available to the state. The public will demand it. You're better off dealing with Bradley."

"By God, you've got the man by the balls, son. You just saved your friends life, can't you see that?! You just pulled that electric chair out from under him."

"And the Mayor's chair out from under Bradley."

"Are you kidding? He had his sights on Governor."

"First, Mayor of Lincoln; then Governor."

"Listen boy, you can't embarrass the State of Pennsylvania in front of the whole blessed nation and expect to practice law here anymore. It ain't gonna happen. Not here."

"Don't pull that 'compromise' crap with me! This is the real world. Do you have any idea who you're dealing with?"

"Bradley is a tic on the dog's balls. The man means nothing!"

"Less than nothing."

"He's a windmill who thinks he's a P-38!"

"It's the Office you're screwing with. He's District Attorney of Righteous County. You can't bring down that dog without getting yourself bit."

"Mauled is more like it."

"He'll be dealt with, don't you worry about that, son. The same men upstate who would skin you alive will take care of him."

"Oh yes, they'll know."

"And they'll be grateful."

"The Governor will be grateful. I'll see to that."

"But you can't make a federal case out of this. One mention of the Supreme Court, and you will skyrocket to the top of every shit list in Harrisburg."

"It's not the way it's done."

"You've probably got the stupidest goddamned prosecutor in the country on your side, and you want to wrestle with the Attorney General's Office. Nobody's gonna dismiss this case! Man wipes out his entire family, and you think they're going to let him walk?"

"Are you bullshitting me?! The man's guilty as hell. Anyone with half a brain can see that. Innocent, my Aunt Aggie's Ass!"

"Who said Bradley was any better? Did I? Did George here? Nobody said a goddamn word about Bradley being any better."

"They all tamper with evidence, for Christ's sake! He made a move. He took his shot and he missed. It's check mate time."

"Right! It's your move. Christ, everyone thought you were going to plead insanity. I know I did. And when you didn't, I thought, 'The kid's got a plan.'"

"Did you see Bradley's face at the arraignment? I thought he was going to shit a brick right there in Leonard's court. Should have known something like this was going on behind the scenes."

"Wonder where he's keeping that knife?"

"In his goddamn freezer, for all I know."

"In the trunk of his Mercedes is my guess."

"You know there were no discernible prints on it, or he would have been waving that thing under Leonard's nose."

"And those people don't have sets of knives. I mean, it's not like there's a knife missing from one of their fine cutlery sets. I'll bet that knife could have come from any kitchen in this town."

"He figured it was worthless unless missing."

"Not a bad call when you think about it. What do you bet that knife would have showed up at the bottom of Collier's Creek sometime next week?"

"No. Better in the guy's attic."

"Under the floor boards."

"No son, we're not endorsing this kind of thing. We're just saying it happens. And you use it."

"For your client."

"What's best for your client."

"You're the one who marches in there tomorrow with the plea bargaining."

"You hold all the cards."

"Stick with this Bradley guy."

"Work him!"

"By God, you saved that murderin' bastard's life!"