Trial & Error (19 page)
Authors: Paul Levine
At one time, B.V., Before Victoria, Steve had been commitment phobic. But that had changed. Not only did he deeply love Victoria, Steve considered himself the world’s luckiest shyster because she loved him, too. In his mind, he could easily say the words:
“Sure, Vic, I want to spend my life with you, have children with you, knock off big verdicts with you.”
What would be the harm saying it aloud?
No harm.
Didn’t she yearn for the same things he did? And wouldn’t it be great to hear her say so?
“Will you marry me, Vic?”
She gave him a coy little smile. “I’ll think about it.”
SOLOMON’S LAWS
1. Try not to piss off a cop unless you have a damn good reason…or a damn good lawyer.
2. The best way to hustle a case is to pretend you don’t want the work.
3. When arguing with a woman who is strong, intelligent, and forthright, consider using trickery, artifice, and deceit.
4. A prosecutor’s job is to build a brick wall around her case. A defense lawyer’s job is to tear down the wall, or at least to paint graffiti on the damn thing.
5. Listen to bus drivers, bailiffs, and twelve-year-old boys. Some days, they all know more than you do.
6. When the testimony is too damn good, when there are no contradictions and all the potholes are filled with smooth asphalt, chances are the witness is lying.
7. A shark who can’t bite is nothing but a mermaid.
8. When the woman you love is angry, it’s best to give her space, time, and copious quantities of wine.
9. Be confident, but not cocky. Smile, but don’t snicker. And no matter how desperate your case, never let the jurors see your fear.
10. Never sleep with a medical examiner, unless you’re dead.
11. If you can’t keep a promise to a loved one, you probably aren’t going to keep the loved one, either.
12. Life may be a marathon, but sometimes you have to sprint to save a life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
PAUL LEVINE worked as a newspaper reporter and trial lawyer, practicing law for seventeen years, trying cases in state and federal courts and handling appeals at every level, including the Supreme Court, before becoming a full-time novelist and screenwriter. The winner of the John D. MacDonald fiction award, Levine is the author of the Jake Lassiter novels, which have been published in twenty-three countries.
To Speak for the Dead,
the first Lassiter novel, was a national bestseller and honored as one of the best mysteries of the year by the
Los Angeles Times.
He is also the author of
9 Scorpions,
a thriller set in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Trial & Error
is the fourth in the series that includes the bestselling
Solomon vs. Lord, The Deep Blue Alibi,
and
Kill All the Lawyers.
He was co-creator and co–executive producer of the CBS television series
First Monday
and has written extensively for
JAG.
He lives in California, where he is at work on his next suspense novel, which Bantam will publish in 2008.
Visit his website at
www.paul-levine.com.
Also by Paul Levine
SOLOMON VS. LORD
THE DEEP BLUE ALIBI
KILL ALL THE LAWYERS
TRIAL & ERROR
A Bantam Book / June 2007
Published by Bantam Dell
A Division of Random House, Inc.
New York, New York
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved
Copyright © 2007 by Nittany Valley Productions, Inc.
Bantam Books and the rooster colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.
eISBN: 978-0-553-90365-2
v3.0