Chapman? Wearily, I rub my forehead as if I’m hoping his name will come off in my hand. Not even a glimmer. I put down my pen, wishing the brief in the Davis case would go away. How do appellate judges stay awake? I flip through the Rolodex on my desk, on the off chance his name will show up. Why would a jail doctor be calling me? I haven’t had a criminal case since I left the Blackwell County Public Defender’s Office over a year ago. Personal injury law pays more, but it isn’t as much fun. Especially if you’re an associate cranking out research and the crap cases the senior partners throw like dog scraps to us once they realize the cases aren’t turning into pots of gold as they had hoped. What the hell-maybe this doc’ll be in a car wreck someday.

“This is Gideon Page,” I say, glad for any excuse to take a break.

Brief writing isn’t my long suit anyway. A decision was handed down by the Arkansas Supreme Court two weeks ago with my name on it (I did most of the work, though a senior partner’s name went first) in which the court reversed a million-plus judgment for our client on the jury instructions.

The second big case this month down the tubes for Mays amp; Burton. We’re on a roll-unfortunately it seems straight downhill.

“Mr. Page,” a deep, rich voice reverberates in my ear, “my name is Dr. Andrew Chapman. I’ve just been charged with manslaughter. Can you come talk to me?”

As if I’d gulped pure caffeine, I feel instantly alert. Mays amp; Burton stays away from criminal cases, but this guy could be loaded. I look at my watch. In seven minutes, at precisely two o’clock (Oscar Mays likes his associates to walk in right on the dot-he’s usually on the phone, but that’s okay), I have a command performance with Oscar, presumably to go over my research on the Davis case. As fast as we’re losing cases, we could stand some cash flow. Maybe Oscar’ll go for it.