Stuart Woods - Imperfect Strangers

"Yes, I think I can."

"Good. What we want to do is to put as much pressure as possible on the D.A. to drop charges. I know a couple of people at the newspapers, and I think I can get some space for him there along the lines of, 'High-class co-op residents, the rich and famous,' as it were, 'support innocence of old retainer. Husband of murdered socialite agrees, says man is innocent.' You get my drift?"

Sandy got it all too well; he was going to have to get this letter signed before stories like that appeared in the papers. The other occupants would shrink from that kind of publicity. "If you think that's the way to go," Sandy said.

"I do. This way, if it works, will also save you some major money. I understand you're footing my fee."

"That's right; and now that you mentioned it, what is your fee?"

"If I can get the charges dropped prior to trial, twenty-five thousand dollars; if we have to go to trial, fifty thousand. Appeals, we can discuss later; I hope they won't be necessary."

"Agreed. Can you get Thomas released on bail?"

"Are you willing to put up bail?"

"Of course; what is it likely to be?"

"A hundred thousand, or so; that's if I can demonstrate your support, show roots in the community, steady employment, etcetera."

"You may say for publication that the widower of the murdered woman is putting up bail, and I will state, as president of the co-op board, that Thomas still has his job."

"That will be a big help. There'll be a bail hearing tomorrow, and I'll put all that before the judge. Now, shall we go and see Mr. Wills?"

"First, I think there's something you ought to know," Sandy said.

"What's that?"

"From the very beginning, I mean since my wife was murdered, I've had the impression that the investigating detective, Duvivier, thinks that I may have had something to do with the murder of my wife."

Hirsch's eyebrows shot up. "I've read the clippings; as I understand it, you were talking on a car phone at the time of the murder and that was verified by a number of witnesses."

"I think Duvivier thinks I hired someone to kill her."

"Why?"

"As I say, it's only an impression, but he knows that I benefitted from my wife's will. He also knows that at the time she was murdered I thought I had practically been left out of her father's will. He died a few days before she did."

"I see," Hirsch said. "So you think Duvivier believes Wills to be innocent and that he's arrested the man just to put pressure on you?"

"Something like that; I think it's a possibility."

"Mr. Kinsolving, speaking within the bounds of client-attorney privilege, did you have anything to do with your wife's murder?"

"Absolutely not," Sandy replied firmly.

"Then I take it you are not willing to confess to her murder in order to get Thomas Wills released on bail or even acquitted at trial?"

"Of course not; I want to help Thomas simply because I believe he is incapable of murdering anybody."

"Good. I'll let the D.A. know about Duvivier's suspicions. Now, let's go and see Mr. Wills."

Sandy stood up as Thomas Wills walked into the little room where he and Murray Hirsch were allowed to meet him.

"Thomas," Sandy said, extending his hand, "I want you to know that I don't believe for a moment that you killed my wife, and neither does anybody else in the building."

Wills shook his hand and sat down heavily. He was trembling.

"I appreciate that, Mr. Kinsolving," he said, "but that policeman that talks funny says he's going to put me away."

"That's Duvivier," Sandy said to Hirsch. "He's Haitian by birth and has an accent."

"I've heard about him," Hirsch said. "He has a reputation of being very intuitive about cases, so his superiors and the D.A. will listen to him, but nobody's going to trial with just his intuition. He's going to have to present solid evidence, and I believe I can knock down just about anything he's got."

"You see, Thomas," Sandy said. "Everything's going to be all right, so don't you worry. Mr. Hirsch is going to try to get you out on bail tomorrow, and then you can come right back to work."

"You think all those folks in the building are going to want me back?" Wills asked.

"They certainly will, when they hear what I have to say," Sandy replied. "Is there anything I can do for you? Any family you'd like me to contact?"

"No sir, I don't have no family."

Hirsch spoke up. "Just about the only real problem I've got at the moment is substantiating Mr. Wills's story about where he was when the murder occurred," the lawyer said. "He lives alone, and he has told the police he spent the evening reading his bible and watching television. I'll have an investigator canvas his building to see if we can get some backup. Incidentally, expenses of that sort are additional to my fee."

"That's fine," Sandy said. "Thomas, I want you to relax and not worry. We'll try and have you out of here tomorrow."

"I can't stay in jail, Mr. Kinsolving," the man said. "I been in jail before, and it does something bad to me. I can't stand it again." His hands were still trembling.

Sandy put a hand on his shoulder. "I won't let them keep you in jail, Thomas," he said. "I'll get you out." It was the very least he could do, he thought. He couldn't let the man pay for his own mistake.

Sandy rapped sharply on the desk with a paperweight, calling the meeting to order. Some three-quarters of the building's occupants were seated around the living room of his apartment, some of them on the floor. The building's entire staff, excepting one man who was minding the main entrance, was lined up against a wall.

"Thank you all for coming on short notice," Sandy said to the room. "I don't think we've had an extraordinary meeting of the residents in many years, but we have something very important before us this evening. As many of you already know, Thomas Wills, our custodian, has been arrested and charged with the murder of my wife, Joan."

There was a buzz around the room while those who knew confirmed this for those who did not.

"Now," Sandy continued, "I don't think that any of us here could possibly believe that of Thomas. He has been our loyal employee for nineteen years, doing whatever we've asked of him, cheerfully and well. I don't think there's a violent bone in his body. So what I hope you each will do is to add your signature to mine on the following letter, addressed to the district attorney." Sandy read aloud:

Dear Sir,

We, the residents of Fifteen-fifteen Fifth Avenue, and the employers of Thomas Wills, wish to express our disbelief that Mr. Wills could have had anything to do with the crime with which he is charged. We have known Mr. Wills for many years and have always found him to be a gentle, honest, and religious man, the sort who would not harm anyone. We urgently request that Mr. Wills be granted reasonable bail, and we pledge that he will be welcome to resume his duties in our building.

Sandy looked out into the room at blank faces. No one said anything.

"Well?" Sandy asked.

An elderly man on one of the sofas raised his hand.

"Martin?"

"Sandy," the man said, "I feel pretty much the same way you do about Thomas, but I think that before I sign such a letter I'd like to know the evidence against him."

"The police have told me that their evidence consists of, one, the fact that Thomas had a key to the basement, and thus, access; two, that Thomas's fingerprints were found on the doorjamb of my storage room; and three, that Thomas served prison time more than twenty years ago for killing another man in a barroom brawl." He paused and let that sink in. "Now, of course, Thomas had a key to the basement; he spent a lot of time there; also of course, his fingerprints would have legitimately been on the doorjamb of my storage room and, probably, on yours as well. God knows he's been in and out of that room a hundred times, carrying things for us. Finally, the news of his previous conviction came as a surprise to me, but the lawyer I have engaged to represent him says that, in all likelihood, Thomas acted in self-defense, but was inadequately represented at his trial. Certainly, in all the years he has worked for us, Thomas's behavior has always been law abiding, not to mention kind and gentle. He is a pillar of his church." Sandy stopped and waited again.