Read Online Friendly Fire by John Gilstrap - Free Book Online Page B

Anyone in a uniform . Good morning, please, and thank you are fine, but ‘have a good day’ crosses the line. Everything you say and do in this place is on the record. It’s watched and it’s recorded. Whatever you confide and whoever you confide it to are all admissible in court.”
    Concern returned to Ethan’s face. “Not this, right?”
    â€œNo, not this. Attorney-client privilege is still the rule. What you tell your psychologist is also protected.”
    Confusion. “I don’t have a psychologist anymore.”
    â€œMight not have been a bad continuing investment,” Culligan said. He tried selling the line with a smile, but it was too little too late. “Anyway, you’re going to.”
    â€œI don’t want one.”
    â€œOh, yes, you do. Her name is Wendy Adams, and you’re going to tell her everything. Even stuff you don’t want to tell me, you want to tell her.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œBecause from where I sit, you being a little touched in the head is the most viable strategy to get you sprung before you’re eighty.”
    â€œNot guilty by reason of insanity?”
    Culligan weighed his answer. “I’m not sure if that’s what the exact wording would be, but that’s the general theme, yes.”
    â€œSo, I’ll spend the rest of my life with the world thinking I’m crazy?”
    â€œBaby steps, Ethan. Consider the relative merits of people thinking you’re a bit psycho as opposed to being convinced that you’re a murderer.”
    â€œBut I’m not crazy.”
    â€œAnd you say you’re not a murderer, either.” Culligan sensed that the conversation was turning darker than he wanted it to, so he waved the topic away as if shooing a fly. “Put all of that on a back burner. All of those considerations are for later. Wendy will be visiting you in the next couple of days. Just promise me you’ll talk to her.”
    â€œI can’t afford to pay her.”
    â€œDon’t worry about that. She’s done pro bono work for me before, and she’ll do it for me again. Won’t cost you a penny.”
    Ethan scowled. “Why would someone do that for me?”
    Culligan matched the angle of the kid’s head exactly. “Well, if it’s important, and you really need to know, she won’t do it for you. She’ll do it for me.”
    â€œWhy?”
    Culligan waited for it.
    â€œOh. You two are . . . friends.”
    Culligan let it go. “So, are we good? You’ll talk with Doctor Wendy when she shows up?”
    A shrug, the ultimate gesture of noncommitment. “Sure.”
    â€œGood. One last thing. The Commonwealth is likely to send a shrink of their own to evaluate you. Don’t know who it’s going to be, but whoever it is, they’ll give you some line about being on your side, and about being off the record, but don’t believe it.”
    â€œThe cops can lie to me in here and it’ll stand up in court?”
    â€œAbsolutely,” Culligan said. “Cops, guards, lawyers, psychologists, every one of them can lie, and everything you say will still be held against you.” He felt a pang of guilt and backed up a little. “Well, okay, the prosecution’s psychologist won’t reveal the specific things you say, but what they will do is report to the court whether or not, in their professional opinion, you are competent to stand trial.” He leaned in closer. “Hint: Everybody is always competent to stand trial in their eyes. And then that shrink will work with the prosecution on ways to counter everything and anything we try to put together for your defense.”
    â€œSo, what am I supposed to say?”
    â€œYou answer the questions that anyone else would answer, but if the shrink starts sniffing around the details of your past, or the kidnapping you allege, I need you to lock up and tell them you want to see