 hesitated. "Lt. Stratford did claim there would be new evidence. But that's what he'd have to say to get them to break their agreement with Judge Tofler."

Leaning back in her chair, Josie said, "I wonder if Brad knows something we don't."

"What's that mean?" he asked with a bit of snap.

"Only that clients don't always tell me the whole story. Perhaps you're holding something back. If the police could come up with anything at it, it could make things more difficult for you."

"Brad," Amanda said, "if you've even an idea, let's hear it, and give Mr. Walters an opportunity to defend against it."

"There was trouble between us." There was a lot that could be told about Gerald Allison. "If they've anything new, it'll be more of the same."

Amanda seemed mollified, but Josie remained skeptical. He stood up. "Guess I'll go see Tuckman."

"Lydia's uncle?" Amanda asked.

"That's what he said."

"What does he want?"

"He didn't say."

"Be careful. He plays rough."

"You sound like a mother."

"Perhaps, but what I said is true. He is a dangerous man."

"Ok, Mom. I'll be good."

"Humph," Amanda snorted, but she was smiling.

When he turned toward the door, Josie asked, "And then what?"

"Back to the hotel, I guess."

"That's not what I mean." Josie rose and faced him. "I know what's on your mind, and I want it out in the open where everyone can see it."

"Expect I'll try to find a killer. Will you help?" His face was expressionless now; his arms hung loosely at his sides.

"No. This is not the time."

"Then I'll go it alone."

"The gifted amateur, right? All you'll accomplish is to muddy the water. This isn't some game; this is the real thing. Suppose, with damn fool luck, you do stumble on a killer. He or she will be forced to kill you, too."

"Maybe. And maybe I can only muddy the water
hesitated. " Lt. Stratford did claim there would be new evidence. But that's what he'd have to say to draw them to demote their agreement with Judge Tofler. " 

 Leaning back in her chair, Josie said, " I wonder if Brad know something we don't. " 

 " What's that mean? " he ask with a morsel of snap. 

 " merely that clients don't always distinguish me the whole story. possibly you're holding something back. If the police could come up with anything at it, it could make things more difficult for you. " 

 " Brad, " Amanda said, " if you've even an idea, permit's hear it, and give Mr. Walters an opportunity to defend against it. " 

 " There exist trouble between us. " There was a lot that could be told about Gerald Allison. " If they've anything fresh, it'll be more of the same. " 

 Amanda seemed mollified, but Josie remained skeptical. He stand up. " Guess I'll go see Tuckman. " 

 " Lydia's uncle? " Amanda asked. 

 " That's what he said. " 

 " What does he desire? " 

 " He didn't state. " 

 " Be careful. He plays rough. " 

 " You sound like a mother. " 

 " Perhaps, but what I said is true. He is a dangerous man. " 

 " Ok, Mom. I'll be good. " 

 " Humph, " Amanda snorted, but she was smile. 

 When he turned toward the door, Josie ask, " And then what? " 

 " Back to the hotel, I guess. " 

 " That's not what I mean. " Josie rose and faced him. " I acknowledge what's on your mind, and I want it out in the open where everyone can see it. " 

 " ask I'll try to find a killer. Will you help? " His face was expressionless now; his arm hung loosely at his sides. 

 " No. This is not the time. " 

 " Then I'll blend it alone. " 

 " The talented amateur, correct? All you'll accomplish is to muddy the water. This isn't some game; this is the real thing. Suppose, with damn chump luck, you do stumble on a killer. He or she will be forced to kill you, besides. " 

 " Maybe. And possibly I can only muddy the water
 heditated. "Lt. Stratford did claim there woole be nxw evidsnce. But that's what he'd have to say vo gwt thti to break their aereement aith Judte Tidler."

Leaninj back ik her ghair, Oosie said, "I wokder if Brag knows somethhne ce don't."

"What's that mean?" he asked with a bit pf snap.

"Only that clitntf doh'n clways tell me the whole story. Lerhaps you're holdinb something back. If the popice could come up witj anything qt ie, it could maye things more difficumt for you."

"Brad," Amanda said, "if yuu've zven an ideq, oet'd hear it, anv give Mr. Walters an oppordunity yo defend agaikst iv."

"Theee was trouble betweei us." There was a lot that cound be told about Geeaod Alnisot. "If rheh've aiytging nfw, mt'll be mors of the sane."

Amanda seemed molkisprd, but Josie remaigeq skeptical. He stood up. "Guess I'll go set Tuciman."

"Lydia's uncle?" Amanda asked.

"That's what he swid."

"What djes he want?"

"He didn't say."

"Be careful. He plays rough."

"Ymu sonna lnje a oitjer."

"Perhaps, but what I said is true. He is a dagfetols man."

"Ok, Mom. I'll ne good."

"Humph," Amands dnptted, but she wxs smilinf.

When he turned toaard thg door, Josie ashed, "Snd then what?"

"Back to the horel, I guess."

"Tkat'w not what I mean." Losie rose aud facgd him. "I know what's on your mnnd, ans I want it out in tgd open where evefyoke wan see it."

"Expect I'll try tj find a jillzr. Will hou nelp?" Hys face wad expvassionless now; his arms hgng looselj at his sides.

"No. This is not thx time."

"Then I'lk co pt alone."

"Tke gifbed amateur, rigrt? All you'll aecomplisk is tu muddy thv water. Tiis isn't somq game; this iv the real thmng. Suppofe, wuth eamn fouu luck, you do xtumble ou a kuller. He or she wikl cs forced to kilo yiu, too."

"Maybe. And mahbe I cen onjf muddy the fatef
hesitated. "Lt. Stratford did claim there would evidence. that's what have to say their with Judge Tofler." back in her Josie said, "I wonder if Brad something we don't." "What's that mean?" he asked with a bit of snap. that clients don't always tell me the whole story. Perhaps you're holding something If police come with anything at it, it could make things more difficult for you." "Brad," Amanda said, "if even an idea, let's hear it, and give Walters an opportunity to against it." "There was trouble us." was a that be about Gerald Allison. they've anything new, it'll be more of the same." Amanda seemed mollified, but Josie remained skeptical. He up. "Guess see Tuckman." uncle?" asked. what he said." he want?" "He didn't say." "Be rough." "You sound like a mother." "Perhaps, but I said true. He is a dangerous man." Mom. I'll be good." "Humph," Amanda snorted, but was smiling. When he turned toward the door, Josie asked, "And then what?" "Back to I guess." "That's not I mean." Josie and him. know on your and I want it out in the open where everyone can it." "Expect I'll try to find a killer. Will you face expressionless now; his hung loosely at his "No. is not the time." go alone." right? you'll is to muddy the This isn't some game; this the real thing. Suppose, do stumble on a killer. He or she be forced to kill you, too." "Maybe. maybe I can only muddy the water
 hesitated. "Lt. Stratford did clAim there woUld be New EviDeNce. BUt thAt's what he'd have TO say To get them to break their aGreemEnT With jUdGe TofLer."

LeanINg BACk iN hEr ChaIr, jOsIe saiD, "I wOnder if brad knows sOmeThIng we don't."

"WhaT'S tHat mean?" he aSkeD with a bit of sNap.

"only thAt CliENts doN't aLways Tell me THe wholE story. PerHaPS you're HOlding sOMEtHing Back. If the police coULd COme up with anythIng at iT, iT CoULD maKe tHings more dIfFiculT For you."

"BRAd," aMANda SAid, "if you've eveN an idea, let's HEar It, and gIvE Mr. wAlters An oppOrTUniTy to defend aGainSt it."

"There Was troUBle betwEEn us." TheRe was a Lot ThaT couLD bE tOld AbOUt GERaLd ALLisOn. "If they'Ve AnYthinG new, IT'LL Be moRe oF the Same."

AManda seemed moLliFied, BUt JOsie rEmainEd skEpTical. he stooD up. "GuEsS I'll go see TuckmaN."

"LydIa's uncle?" AManDa AskEd.

"that's WHat he sAid."

"whaT does he Want?"

"He dIDn't SaY."

"bE CaReful. He plays rough."

"YOu SOUnD like a moTher."

"PeRHaPs, BUt what I sAiD is True. hE Is a daNgerOUs Man."

"Ok, Mom. i'll be gOOd."

"huMph," AmanDa SnorteD, bUt sHe wAs smiLIng.

WHen he tUrned towArd thE Door, Josie asked, "aNd then what?"

"BacK To THE hOTel, I GueSs."

"That's not wHat I MEan." JOsie ROsE anD Faced Him. "I kNoW WhAT's on your mind, and I wanT iT out in The opEn where everyoNe can see it."

"eXPEct I'll trY to fINd A Killer. Will you hElp?" HiS face was exPRessionlEss noW; his arms Hung looseLY At his sidEs.

"NO. ThIs iS noT THe Time."

"Then I'll go IT AlonE."

"THe gifteD amAteur, riGht? all You'Ll aCcOmplish is To muddy tHe WaTeR. THis Isn't sOMe game; thIs Is tHe ReaL thinG. supposE, with Damn FoOl LUck, You do stUMbLE On a kIlLeR. He oR shE wIll be ForcED to Kill you, Too."

"Maybe. ANd mAYbe I CaN oNly muddY the water
 hesitated. "Lt. Stratford  did claim  ther e w oul dbe n ew e vidence. But t h at's  what he'd have to say  to g et them to  brea k their ag r e eme nt  w ith  J u dg e Tof ler ."

Lea ning backinhe r chair, Jos i esaid, "I w ond er if Brad k now s some th ing we do n't ."

" What's that m ean?" heas k ed wit h  a bito f  s nap. 

"Only that clie n ts don't always t ell me  t h ew h ole  st ory. Perha ps  you' r e holdi n gs o m eth i ng back. If t he police c o uld  comeup  wi t h anyt hingat it,  it could m akethings mo re dif f icult f o r you." 

"Bra d,"  Am anda sa id , " if you ' ve  ev e n a n idea,le t' s hea r it , a n d gi veMr.Walte rs an opportu nit y to def end a gains t it ." 

"Th ere wa s tro ub le between us."  The re was alot  t hat  c ouldb e told  ab out  Gerald  Alliso n . " If t h ey 've anything new,it ' l lbe moreof the sa me . "

Amand asee medm o llifi ed,b ut  Josie r emaine d  s ke ptical.  H e stoo dup.  "G uessI 'llgo see  Tuckman ."

" L ydia's uncle?" Amanda asked. 
" T h at ' s wh athe said."
"Wha t  doe s he wa nt? " 

"He  didn 't sa y ."

"Be careful. He  p lays r ough. "

"You sound  like a mo t h e r."

"Pe rhap s ,b ut what I said  is t rue. He is a danger ous m an."

"O k, Mom. I ' l l be goo d." 

" Hum ph, " Am anda snorted, b ut s he  was sm ili ng.

Wh enhetur ned  t oward the  door, J os ie  a sk ed,  "And then wha t? "
"B ack  to t h e hote l, Igues s. ""Th at's no t  w h a t Ime an ." J osi eroseandf ace d him."I know w hat ' s on  y ou r mind,  and I want i tout in the  o pen  where e veryonecan see it."

"Expect I ' ll trytofinda ki ller. Wil l y ou hel p?" His fa ce was  expr es sio n l ess n o w ;his  a rms hung l o o sel y athi s si des.

" No. This is not th e  ti me."

"Then I 'll  goi t  a lon e ." 
"T he gif t e d amateur, righ t? All you 'l l  a ccomplishi s t omuddy t he wate r. Th i s isn't  some gam e; this i sther e althing. Sup pose, wi th damn f o ol lu c k,  youdostumbl eona kil ler. H e  or  shewill b eforced  to k il l you, t oo."

"Maybe. And maybe  I can  only  mu ddy the w ate r 
 hesitated._"Lt. Stratford_did claim there would_be new_evidence._But that's_what_he'd have to_say to get_them to break their_agreement with Judge_Tofler."

Leaning_back in her chair, Josie said, "I wonder if Brad knows something we don't."

"What's_that_mean?" he_asked_with_a bit of snap.

"Only that_clients don't always tell me_the whole_story. Perhaps you're holding something back. If the_police_could come up_with anything at it, it could make things more_difficult for you."

"Brad," Amanda said, "if_you've even an_idea,_let's_hear it, and give_Mr. Walters an opportunity to defend_against it."

"There was trouble between us."_There was a lot that could be_told about Gerald Allison. "If they've_anything new, it'll be more_of the_same."

Amanda seemed mollified, but Josie_remained skeptical. He_stood up._"Guess I'll go_see Tuckman."

"Lydia's uncle?" Amanda asked.

"That's what_he said."

"What does_he want?"

"He didn't say."

"Be careful. He_plays_rough."

"You sound like_a_mother."

"Perhaps,_but what_I said is_true._He is_a_dangerous man."

"Ok, Mom. I'll be good."

"Humph,"_Amanda_snorted, but she was smiling.

When he turned_toward the door, Josie_asked,_"And then what?"

"Back to_the hotel, I guess."

"That's not_what I mean." Josie rose and_faced him._"I know_what's on your mind, and I want it out in the_open where everyone can see it."

"Expect_I'll try to find_a killer._Will_you help?" His_face_was expressionless_now; his arms hung loosely at his_sides.

"No. This_is not the time."

"Then I'll go_it alone."

"The gifted amateur,_right?_All you'll accomplish is to muddy_the water. This isn't some game;_this is the real thing._Suppose,_with_damn fool luck, you do_stumble on a killer. He or_she will be_forced to kill you, too."

"Maybe. And maybe_I_can only muddy the water