Defending Jacob(82)

Still, better safe than sorry. I called Paul Duffy.

“Counselor,” he answered in his old laconic way, as if he was pleased to hear from me, pleased and not surprised, even after months of silence, at eleven-thirty on the eve of opening statements.

“Duff, sorry to bother you.”

“No bother. What’s wrong?”

“It’s probably nothing. I think there might be someone watching us. He’s been parked outside all night.”

“It’s a man?”

“I’m not sure. I didn’t see him. Just the car.”

“You said ‘him.’ ”

“I’m assuming.”

“What was he doing?”

“It was just a car parked out front of the house with his engine running. This was around six, dinnertime. Then I saw him again around nine o’clock. But as soon as I started to walk toward him, he turned around and took off.”

“Has he threatened you in any way?”

“No.”

“Have you ever seen the car before?”

“No. I don’t think so.”

Deep breath into the phone. “Andy, can I give you a piece of advice?”

“I wish somebody would.”

“Go to bed. Tomorrow’s a big day for you. You’re all under a lot of pressure.”

“You think it’s just a parked car.”

“Sounds to me like it’s just a parked car.”

“Would you do me a favor and run the plate? Just to be sure. Laurie’s really stressed. It’d make her feel better.”

“Just between you and me?”

“Of course, Duff.”

“Okay, give it to me.”

“It’s Mass. plate number 75K S82. It’s a Lincoln Town Car.”

“All right, hold on.”

There was a long silence as he called it in. I watched Steven Colbert with the sound muted.

When he came back, he said, “That plate belongs on a Honda Accord.”

“Shit. It’s stolen.”

“No. It hasn’t been reported stolen, at least.”

“So what’s it doing on a Lincoln?”

“Probably just borrowed it, in case somebody noticed him and reported the plate to the cops. All you need is a screwdriver.”

“Shit.”

“Andy, you need to call this in to Newton P. D. It’s still probably nothing, but file a report and at least get it on the record.”

“I don’t want to do that right now. The trial starts tomorrow. If I report it, it’ll find its way into the news. I can’t have that. It’s important we seem normal and stable right now. I want that jury to see a regular family, just like them. Because we are just like them.”

“Andy, if someone’s threatening you …”

“No. No one’s threatened us. No one’s actually done anything. You said yourself, it looks like just a parked car.”

“But you were worried enough that you called me.”

“Doesn’t matter. I’ll deal with it. If the jury hears about it, half of them would think we’re full of shit. They’d think we’re faking it to drum up sympathy, like we’re trying to play the victim in all this. No drama. Anything that makes us look odd, untrustworthy, phony, strange, makes it harder to get them to say not guilty.”

“So what do you want to do?”

“Maybe you could send a cruiser by without filing a report? Just move him along, scare him off. Just so I can tell Laurie she doesn’t have to worry.”

“I better do it myself, otherwise there’ll have to be a report.”

“I appreciate it. There’s no way I can ever pay you back.”

“Just get your kid home safe, Andy.”

“You mean that?”

A pause.

“I don’t know. This whole thing just doesn’t feel right. Maybe it’s just seeing you and Jacob at the defense table. I’ve known that kid since he was born.”

“Paul, he didn’t do it. I guarantee it.”

He grunted, unconvinced. “Andy, who would be watching your house?”

“The victim’s family? Maybe some kid who knew Ben Rifkin? Some nut who read about the case in the paper? Could be anyone. Did you guys ever follow up on Patz?”

“Who knows? Andy, I have no idea what’s going on over there. They’ve got me in a friggin’ public relations unit. Next thing, they’ll have me riding up and down the turnpike giving speeding tickets. They pulled me off the case as soon as Jacob got indicted. I half expected them to investigate me, like I was in some kind of cover-up with you. So I don’t have much information. But there was no reason for them to keep going after Patz once they charged someone else. The case was already solved.”

We both considered that in silence a moment.

“All right,” he said, “I’ll be by. Tell Laurie it’s okay.”

“I already told her it’s okay. She doesn’t believe me.”

“She won’t believe me either. Whatever. You go get some sleep too. You two won’t make it like this. It’s only the first night.”

I thanked him and went upstairs to climb in bed with Laurie.