departments had room for improvement, Tracy Mahoney was once quoted as comparing the NYPD to the Mafia. Alex said she was a skilled trial attorney, enough so that she could have earned a small fortune defending corporations and white-collar criminals. Instead, she took a few high-paying cases a year so she could afford to represent the rest of her clients pro bono to correct what she viewed as injustices. Gunther’s case was supposedly one of her passion projects, but Laurie knew that he could be looking at a huge payout if he succeeded in his wrongful conviction case, and his lawyer would be entitled to take a healthy percentage of the award.
“Well, I’m hoping you’ll be able to help me get my job done, Tracy. I’m calling about Darren Gunther.”
“If I’m not mistaken, you’ve got a direct personal connection to the case.”
Laurie wasn’t entirely surprised that the attorney already knew she was Leo’s daughter. “I’m calling in my professional capacity, however. We’d like to give your client a chance to tell his side of the story to a national audience on our next Under Suspicion special. Are you familiar with our show?”
“Absolutely. I’m probably one of your top fans. I’m all for any show that points a spotlight on the failures of our so-called justice system.”
“That’s not exactly how I think of our program.”
“Why not? You’ve shown time and again that you and your team are able to get to the truth years after the police dropped the ball. You’ve not only caught more than your fair share of murderers, but also in the process, you’ve exonerated innocent people who for years lived under a cloud of suspicion. If you ask me, that makes you one of the good guys.”
“Then I’ll take the compliment, I suppose.” Laurie reminded herself that she did not want to like the woman accusing her father of wrongdoing.
“Well, I’m glad, because I’m afraid that’s all you’re going to get from me,” Tracy said glibly. “No way am I letting my client go on national television to be questioned by Leo Farley’s daughter.”
“As a fan of the show, I’m sure you’re aware that I don’t do the actual questioning. That would be done by the show’s host, Ryan Nichols.”
“Oh, even better: a blow-dried, blowhard former federal prosecutor. No thanks.”
A year ago, Laurie actually would have agreed with Tracy’s dismissive description of Ryan Nichols. Her boss Brett had chosen him over Laurie’s reservations, not because of his Harvard degree, Supreme Court clerkship, short stint at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, or even his sandy-blond hair, bright green eyes, and perfect teeth—but because he happened to be the nephew of Brett’s college roommate from Northwestern. After a rough start, however, Ryan had managed to ease into his role at the studio. He’d never fill Alex’s shoes or be her BFF, but he had proven to be an excellent on-camera questioner, deserving of at least half of the praise he enjoyed lavishing upon himself.
“Right now, your client has a handful of fawning celebrities who make a hobby of his case to burnish their own public images as justice crusaders. Sure, he’s gotten a couple of sidebar write-ups in national magazines, but I can offer him a prime-time national television viewing audience.”
“Again, courtesy of a biased producer.”
“You don’t think I’m aware of the potential perception of a conflict of interest?” From the corner, Alex flashed her a thumbs-up. She had run this argument past him in advance. “If anything, I’ll be the one to bend over backward to give Darren a fair shake. The last thing I want is for people to question my professionalism and say I was covering up for my father.”
“Giving him a ‘fair shake,’ as you say, might not be so easy when it involves some very serious accusations of wrongdoing against the beloved Leo Farley.”
Laurie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. In her heart, she knew that no set of facts could ever convince her that her father would perjure himself to send an innocent man to prison. She pictured Johnny, alone in a dark room, crying. One step at a time, she reminded herself. Johnny first, worry about the show later.
“I wouldn’t make the offer if I didn’t think I could handle it,” Laurie said. “And if I’m not mistaken, it’s not your decision to make, Counselor. You have a duty to extend the offer to your client, do you not?”
She heard Tracy sigh on the other end of the line. “Guess you