“I'm sure all your clients are grateful to you for winning their cases. But if you started getting clients who could pay you what you're worth, would that violate your principles?”

As she spoke, Mrs. Rosziak smoothed more lotion onto her hands, one hand wringing the other. It occurred to Seeley how little he knew of women's habits.

“How many lawyers can say they're doing what they want to do?”

“Whatever dark cloud you have hanging over you, it's not going to go away by your hiding out here. Down at the cafeteria in the county building they say you're the mystery man. You lost a big case in California and someone died who shouldn't have.”

Buffalo, though a city of 300,000, was in many ways a small town.

“Tell your friends they watch too many crime shows.” He just wanted her to leave. “Thanks for sticking around,” Seeley said. “I'll keep an eye on Rudy.”

“You have a court date at two.” She started collecting the bottles from the desktop to drop into her oversized purse. “You know, to look at the two of you, you wouldn't think you were brothers.”

“Leonard takes after his mother.” Fair, soft Leonard, always the victim. And, Seeley thought, I take after my father. Large and coarseboned like him, but chased by my own demons.

“I wasn't just talking about your looks.”

“I wasn't either,” Seeley said.

“With the holidays coming, you want to be with your family.” That had been Leonard's unspoken plea: Come for Thanksgiving. Christmas.

“I'm sure that whatever happened between the two of you, he's forgiven you.” She was watching Seeley carefully to see if she had overstepped. When he didn't respond, she said, “Why else would he call? Why would he fly out here and beg you to take his case?”