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〃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 retirement？〃
〃It's been considered； but no partner has ever been forced into retirement。 For obvious reasons； it's a precedent we'd like to avoid。〃
〃Is he serious about firing me？〃
〃Don't worry； Adam。 It won't happen。 I promise。 You were wrong in not disclosing it； but it's a minor sin。 And a perfectly understandable one。 You're young； scared； naive； and you want to help。 Don't worry about Rosen。 I doubt if he'll be in this position three months from now。〃
〃Deep down； I think he adores me。〃
〃It's quite obvious。〃
Adam took a deep breath and walked around the table。 Goodman uncapped his pen and began making notes。 〃There's not much time； Adam；〃 he said。
〃I know。〃
〃When can you leave？〃
〃Tomorrow。 I'll pack tonight。 It's a ten…hour drive。〃
〃The file weighs a hundred pounds。 It's down in printing right now。 I'll ship it tomorrow。〃
〃Tell me about our office in Memphis。〃
〃I talked to them about an hour ago。 Managing partner is Baker Cooley； and he's expecting you。 They'll have a small office and a secretary for you； and they'll help if they can。
They're not much when it es to litigation。〃
〃How many lawyers？〃
〃Twelve。 It's a little boutique firm we swallowed ten years ago； and no one remembers exactly why。 Good boys； though。 Good lawyers。 It's the remnants of an old firm that prospered with the cotton and grain traders down there； and I think that's the connection to Chicago。 Anyway； it looks nice on the letterhead。 Have you been to Memphis？〃
〃I was born there； remember？〃
〃Oh yes。〃
〃I've been once。 I visited my aunt there a few years ago。〃
〃It's an old river town； pretty laid back。 You'll enjoy it。〃
Adam sat across the table from Goodman。 〃How can I possibly enjoy the next few months？〃
〃Good point。 You should go to the Row as quickly as possible。〃
〃I'll be there the day after tomorrow。〃
〃Good。 I'll call the warden。 His name is Phillip Naifeh； Lebanese oddly enough。 There are quite a few of them in the Mississippi Delta。 Anyway； he's an old friend； and I'll tell him you're ing。〃
〃The warden is your friend？〃
〃Yes。 We go back several years； to Maynard Tole； a nasty little boy who was my first casualty in this war。 He was executed in 1986； I believe； and the warden and I became friends。 He's opposed to the death penalty； if you can believe it。〃
〃I don't believe it。〃
〃He hates executions。 You're about to learn something； Adam … the death penalty may be very popular in our country； but the people who are forced to impose it are not supporters。 You're about to meet these people： the guards who get close to the inmates； the administrators who must plan for an efficient killing； the prison employees who rehearse for a month beforehand。 It's a strange little corner of the world； and a very depressing one。〃
〃I can't wait。〃
〃I'll talk to the warden； and get permission for the visit。 They'll usually give you a couple of hours。 Of course； it may take five minutes if Sam doesn't want a lawyer。〃
〃He'll talk to me； don't you think？〃
〃I believe so。 I cannot imagine how the man will react； but he'll talk。 It may take a couple of visits to sign him up； but you can do it。〃
〃When did you last see him？〃
〃Couple of years ago。 Wallace Tyner and I went down。 You'll need to touch base with Tyner。 He was the point man on this case for the past six years。〃
Adam nodded and moved to the next thought。 He'd been picking Tyner's brain for the past nine months。
〃What do we file first？〃
〃We'll talk about it later。 Tyner and I are meeting early in the morning to review the case。 Everything's on hold； though； until we hear from you。 We can't move if we don't represent him。〃
Adam was thinking of the newspaper photos； the black and whites from 1967 when Sam was arrested； and the magazine photos； in color； from the third trial in 1981； and the footage he'd pieced together into a thirty…minute video about Sam Cayhall。 〃What does he look like？〃
Goodman left his pen on the table and fiddled with his bow tie。 〃Average height。 Thin … but then you seldom see a fat one on the Row … nerves and lean food。 He chain…smokes； which is mon because there's not much else to do； and they're dying anyway。 Some weird brand； Montclair； I believe； in a blue pack。 His hair is gray and oily； as I recall。 These guys don't get a shower every day。 Sort of long in the back； but that was two years ago。 He hasn't lost much of it。 Gray beard。 He's fairly wrinkled； but then he's pushing seventy。 Plus； the heavy smoking。 You'll notice the white guys on the Row look worse than the black ones。 They're confined for twenty…three hours a day； so they sort of bleach out。 Real pale； fair； almost sickly…looking。 Sam has blue eyes； nice features。 I suspect that at one time Sam Cayhall was a handsome fellow。〃
〃After my father died； and I learned the truth about Sam； I had a lot of questions for my mother。 She didn't have many answers； but she did tell me once that there was little physical resemblance between Sam and my father。〃
〃Nor between you and Sam； if that's what you're getting at。〃
〃Yeah； I guess。〃
〃He hasn't seen you since you were a toddler；
Adam。 He will not recognize you。 It won't be that easy。 You'll have to tell him。〃
Adam stared blankly at the table。 〃You're right。 What will he say？〃
〃Beats me。 I expect he'll be too shocked to say much。 But he's a very intelligent man； not educated； but well read and articulate。 He'll think of something to say。 It may take a few minutes。〃
〃You sound as if you almost like him。〃
〃I don't。 He's a horrible racist and bigot； and he's shown no remorse for his actions。〃
〃You're convinced he's guilty。〃
Goodman grunted and smiled to himself； then thought of a response。 Three trials had been held to determine the guilt or innocence of Sam Cayhall。 For nine years now the case had been batted around the appellate courts and reviewed by many judges。 Countless newspaper and magazine articles had investigated the bombing and those behind it。 〃The jury thought so。 I guess that's all that matters。〃
〃But what about you？ What do you think？〃
〃You've read the file； Adam。 You've researched the case for a long time。 There's no doubt Sam took part in the bombing。〃
〃But？〃
〃There are a lot of buts。 There always are。〃
〃He had no history of handling explosives。〃
〃True。 But he was a Klan terrorist； and they were bombing like hell。 Sam gets arrested； and the bombing stops。〃
〃But in one of the bombings before Kramer； a witness claims he saw two people in the green Pontiac。〃
〃True。 But the witness was not allowed to testify at trial。 And the witness had just left a bar at three in the morning。〃
〃But another witness； a truck driver； claims he saw Sam and another man talking in a coffee shop in Cleveland a few hours before the Kramer bombing。〃
〃True。 But the truck driver said nothing for three years； and was not allowed to testify at the last trial。 Too remote。〃
〃So who was Sam's acplice？〃
〃I doubt if