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s a lawyer！ Adam may be his only chance。〃
〃God help him；〃 Rosen mumbled。
E。 Garner Goodman decided to speak。 He locked his hands together on the table and glared at Rosen。 〃The image of this firm？ Do you honestly think we're viewed as a bunch of underpaid social workers dedicated to helping people？〃
〃Or how about a bunch of nuns working in the projects？〃 Wycoff added helpfully； with a sneer。
〃How could this possibly hurt the image of our firm？〃 Goodman asked。
The concept of retreat had never entered Rosen's mind。 〃Very simple； Garner。 We do not send our rookies to death row。 We may abuse them； try to kill them； expect them to work twenty hours a day； but we do not send them into battle until they are ready。 You know how dense death penalty litigation is。 Hell； you wrote the books。 How can you expect Mr。 Hall here to be effective？〃
〃I'll supervise everything he does；〃 Goodman answered。
〃He's really quite good；〃 Wycoff added again。 〃He's memorized the entire file； you know； Daniel。〃
〃It'll work；〃 Goodman said。 〃Trust me； Daniel； I've been through enough of these things。 I'll keep my finger on it。〃
〃And I'll set aside a few hours to help；〃 Wycoff added。 〃I'll even fly down if necessary。〃
Goodman jerked and stared at Wycoff。 〃You！ Pro bono？〃
〃Sure。 I have a conscience。〃
Adam ignored the banter and stared at Daniel Rosen。 Go ahead and fire me； he wanted to say。 Go ahead； Mr。 Rosen； terminate me so I can go bury my grandfather； then get on with the rest of my life。
〃And if he's executed？〃 Rosen asked in the direction of Goodman。
〃We've lost them before； Daniel； you know that。 Three； since I've run pro bono。〃
〃What are his chances？〃
〃Quite slim。 Right now he's holding on by virtue of a stay granted by the Fifth Circuit。 The stay should be lifted any day now； and a new execution date will be set。 Probably late summer。〃
〃Not long then。〃
〃Right。 We've handled his appeals for seven years； and they've run their course。〃
〃Of all the people on death row； how'd we e to represent this asshole？〃 Rosen demanded。
〃It's a very long story； and at this moment it's pletely irrelevant。〃
Rosen made what appeared to be serious notes on his legal pad。 〃You don't think for a moment you'll keep this quiet； do you？〃
〃Maybe。〃
〃Maybe hell。 Just before they kill him； they'll make him a celebrity。 The media will surround him like a pack of wolves。 You'll be discovered； Mr。 Hall。〃
〃So？〃
〃So； it'll make great copy； Mr。 Hall。 Can't you see the headlines … LONG…LOST GRANDSON RETURNS TO SAVE GRAMPS。〃
〃Knock it off； Daniel；〃 Goodman said。
But he continued。 〃The press will eat it up； don't you see； Mr。 Hall？ They'll expose you and talk about how crazy your family is。〃
〃But we love the press； don't we； Mr。 Rosen？〃 Adam asked coolly。 〃We're trial lawyers。 Aren't we supposed to perform for the cameras？ You've never … 〃
〃A very good point；〃 Goodman interrupted。 〃Daniel； perhaps you shouldn't advise this young man to ignore the press。 We can tell stories about some of your stunts。〃
〃Yes； please； Daniel； lecture the kid about everything else； but lay off the media crap；〃 Wycoff said with a nasty grin。 〃You wrote the book。〃
For a brief moment； Rosen appeared to be embarrassed。 Adam watched him closely。
〃I rather like the scenario myself；〃 Goodman said； twirling his bow tie and studying the bookshelves behind Rosen。 〃There's a lot to be said for it； actually。 Could be great for us poor little pro bono folks。 Think of it。 This young lawyer down there fighting like crazy to save a rather famous death row killer。 And he's our lawyer … Kravitz & Bane。 Sure there'll be a ton of press； but what will it hurt？〃
〃It's a wonderful idea； if you ask me；〃 Wycoff added just as his mini…phone buzzed somewhere deep in a pocket。 He stuck it to his jaw and turned away from the meeting。
〃What if he dies？ Don't we look bad？〃 Rosen asked Goodman。
〃He's supposed to die； okay？ That's why he's on death row；〃 Goodman explained。
Wycoff stopped his mumbling and slid the phone into a pocket。 〃I gotta go；〃 he said； moving toward the door； nervous now； in a hurry。 〃Where are we？〃
〃I still don't like it；〃 Rosen said。
〃Daniel； Daniel； always a hard ass；〃 Wycoff said as he stopped at the end of the table and leaned on it with both hands。 〃You know it's a good idea； you're just pissed because he didn't tell us up front。〃
〃That's true。 He deceived us； and now he's using us。〃
Adam took a deep breath and shook his head。
〃Get a grip； Daniel。 His interview was a year ago； in the past。 It's gone； man。 Forget about it。 We have more pressing matters at hand。 He's bright。 He works very hard。 Smooth on his feet。 Meticulous research。 We're lucky to have him。 So his family's messed up。 Surely we're not going to terminate every lawyer here with a dysfunctional family。〃 Wycoff grinned at Adam。 〃Plus； all the secretaries think he's cute。 I say we send him south for a few months； then get him back here as soon as possible。 I need him。 Gotta run。〃 He disappeared and closed the door behind him。
The room was silent as Rosen scribbled on his pad； then gave it up and closed the file。 Adam almost felt sorry for him。 Here was this great warrior； the legendary Charlie Hustle of Chicago law； a great barrister who for thirty years swayed juries and terrified opponents and intimidated judges； now sitting here as a pencil pusher； trying desperately to agonize over the question of assigning a rookie to a pro bono project。 Adam saw the humor； the irony； and the pity。
〃I'll agree to it； Mr。 Hall；〃 Rosen said with much drama in his low voice； almost a whisper； as if terribly frustrated by all this。 〃But I promise you this： when the Cayhall matter is over； and you return to Chicago； I'll remend your termination from Kravitz & Bane。〃
〃Probably won't be necessary；〃 Adam said quickly。
〃You presented yourself to us under false pretenses；〃 Rosen continued。
〃I said I was sorry。 Won't happen again。〃
〃Plus； you're a smart ass。〃
〃So are you； Mr。 Rosen。 Show me a trial lawyer who's not a smart ass。〃
〃Real cute。 Enjoy the Cayhall case； Mr。 Hall； because it'll be your last bit of work for this firm。〃
〃You want me to enjoy an execution？〃
〃Relax； Daniel；〃 Goodman said softly。 〃Just relax。 No one's getting fired around here。〃
Rosen pointed an angry finger at Goodman。 〃I swear I'll remend his termination。〃
〃Fine。 All you can do is remend； Daniel。 I'll take it to the mittee； and we'll just have a huge brawl。 Okay？〃
〃I can't wait；〃 Rosen snarled as he jumped to his feet。 〃I'll start lobbying now。 I'll have my votes by the end of the week。 Good day！〃 He stormed from the room and slammed the door。
They sat in silence next to each other； just staring across the table over the backs of the empty chairs to the rows of thick law books lined neatly on the wall； listening to the echo of the slamming door。
〃Thanks；〃 Adam finally said。
〃He's not a bad guy； really；〃 Goodman said。
〃Charming。 A real prince。〃
〃I've known him a long time。 He's suffering now； really frustrated and depressed。 We're not sure what to do with him。〃
〃What about re