“If Carter has the discretion to keep him on the team, maybe he can finish the season. If we can talk the girl into dropping the charge or, in the worst-case scenario, get the prosecutor to allow us to plead to a reduced charge and get probation, all he’d have to worry about is any disciplinary action by the university. And then he could threaten to turn pro and skip his senior year. That ought to keep any punishment by the school to something reasonable. All that really happened the next year to the players in the ninety-one incident was that they had to sit out a few games at the start of the next season.”

Roy Cunningham looks at me respectfully for the first time.

“The school hasn’t said nothin’ about him being off the team, as far as I know.”

“Well, we need to get busy as soon as possible,” I say, trying to apply a little pressure.

“How much can you afford to pay?”

Roy steals a look at his brother.

“Five thousand dollars,” he answers quietly.

“If my wife and I hired you, when can you start?”

Five thousand dollars for a case involving as much work as this one will is chicken feed but the publicity alone will be worth it.

“Immediately” I say, deciding on the spot not to tie my representation on the rape charge to a deal to represent him on a pro contract as his agent.

Something tells me that this may have already been tried and failed.

Without looking again at his brother, Roy nods.

“That sounds good to me. Let me go call my wife, and I’ll be right back.”

He goes out of the room, followed by his brother, and I am left to think about this case. I am probably in over my head.