Jill returns with a steaming mug that has painted on it Arkansas Razorbacks-National Champs ‘93-‘94. I wait until she leaves, since I’m not sure how much she is supposed to hear. It is difficult for me to gauge their relationship.

Maybe his screwing around with Mae Terry is no threat to her. If your rival is confined to a wheelchair, it probably is easy to believe all you are missing when he goes out the door to her house is some good conversation. I answer, “He doesn’t know. I don’t get the impression that Bledsoe is working on a doctorate in nuclear physics.”

Paul snickers appreciatively, but I detect some nervousness behind it.

If he has a deal with Bledsoe to keep his mouth shut, so far, so good, but there is a long way to go.

“It could have been any of the workers at the plant,” Dick suggests.

“Or possibly someone who didn’t even work there. I don’t think it is out of the realm of possibility that Doris could have killed her husband and set up your client.”

I cannot remember the last time I saw Airs.

Ting. It has to be at least thirty years ago and must have been in their store. Her English was not as good as her husband’s, but she seemed to be there every time he was. Connie said her mother has been ill. I can’t imagine she would kill her husband, but as a defense attorney I can’t exclude anyone I can reasonably point a finger at. But I do not want to admit that I am seeing her tomorrow and have already been on the phone with Connie and Tommy.

“Anything’s possible,” I say, knowing that Dick wants to tell me how to do this case.

Dick frowns at this lack of enthusiasm and says, “We know you have a primary duty to your client, but I think if we coordinate our defenses, it’ll be in both our interests to do so.”

The last thing Dick wants me to argue to the jury is that Paul may have hired someone else to kill Willie and is the one setting up Bledsoe Why not pretend to cooperate as long as I can get away with it? It may be the only way I can get Paul. I respond, “I don’t know why we can’t do that.