Part 22 (1/2)

Charlotte put her hand on Tara's wrist, pulled back as if afraid she'd hurt her, then realized it wasn't the one that was bandaged. Tara shook her off. Instead of trying to stop her, Charlotte followed.

”Tara, there are no secrets between a husband and wife. Jobs are things that last for a while and then you go on, but trust and friends.h.i.+p between two people who are married is forever. I just don't understand why you're upset.”

Tara laughed, a short harsh sound, and called over her shoulder.

”Charlotte, you sound like one of those commercials for marriage counseling videos.

This is so weird. First Woodrow makes all this harder than it should be and now he sends you to convince me that I'm the one who's being unreasonable?

Or is it dishonorable? This is so rich, Charlotte, I can't tell you how it makes me feel that you and Woodrow have decided to be so supportive.

I'm glad you've had a chance to discuss your strategy in detail. It's a d.a.m.n sight more courtesy than your husband has shown me. He gave me two minutes in a coffee shop before he decided to hang me out to dry.”

”Stop it. He did no such thing.” They were in the living room now and Charlotte looked odd in the half light, too thin, too pale, too tight. But she softened quickly, so effectively that Tara wondered if she was the rigid one, taking out her anger and frustration over Donna on everyone.

”Woodrow is very concerned about the decision he made regarding your client. And I think that you shouldn't be so inflexible. There's a lot at stake here, Tara, and it's not just Woodrow's standing in the polls.

There's the safety of the community to consider.

You don't seem to think about that at all. You interpret Woodrow's stand as purely political when it seems only right to bring a man like this to trial.”

”I'm not going to discuss the individual versus the community at large. What I will point out is that you are acting as if my client is guilty of this crime.”

”But he confessed to it. That's what you told Woodrow.”

”And, may I remind you, that was a confidence I had been given permission to share with Woodrow. Besides, he hasn't been proven sane enough to stand trial,” Tara stated.

”Charlotte, after all these years of living with an attorney you should understand a lawyer's obligation to his client. I won't consider Woodrow's career needs, I won't discuss your concerns or criticisms of my actions.

I will listen to my conscience. If you and Woodrow bend the rules, then you live with that. Any behavior can be justified. I could even justify murder in a court of law. But I'm not going to do that. I'm going to help my client.”

”Very nice, Tara, but hardly the real world.”

”In the real world the finger is pointed your way when you don't do what someone wants. I'm selfish, I'm jealous, I'm endangering the public wellbeing. I've heard it all now, Charlotte, and the one thing you forget is that there is no evidence against this man. No one has seen him. No one has examined him. No one can de him to anything that happened at the Circle K. This is a witch hunt and I am not going to be the next one to speak in tongues.” Tara grabbed her jacket and put it on.

”And you're forgetting that he admitted killing that woman*unless you're lying about that.”

”To what purpose?” Tara challenged.

Charlotte shrugged.

”I wouldn't know. That was a stupid thing to say.”

”Thank you for that anyway.” She b.u.t.toned up, ready to go.

”But think of how you could help your client if you worked with Woodrow instead of against him.

The longer you leave this man hanging, the greater the chance he'll hurt someone else.”

Tara searched for her purse.

”Did Woodrow give you a script? I have to tell you, the more you talk, the more determined I am to honor my client's wishes. I'm glad he came to me. If he'd turned himself in, he would have been lynched by now.”

Tara took a deep, raiding breath and glared at the other woman.

”Charlotte, I can't stay in this room one more minute. I don't blame you at all for trying to change my mind. But I have been pummeled and knocked around today by people I love and respect and I've had it up to here.” She swiped a hand across her forehead.

”I'll call you when I cool off.

Just do me a favor. Don't put your nose in dlis one.”

”Hi, you two.” Tara whirled toward the door as Woodrow pulled it open.

”Something smells good.”

He stopped as if physically restrained by the angry charge in the room.

”I would have been here sooner if I'd known you were coming for dinner, Tara.” He smiled hesitantly.

”Don't worry, Woodrow. I'm not staying for dinner,” she said.

”Tara, please .. .” Charlotte made an effort to stop her but it wasn't a very heartfelt one.

”Bye, Woodrow. Call me. I think we better talk.”

Tara pa.s.sed him fast, pivoted, and came right back.

”You know, Woodrow, you're not batting a thousand these days. If anyone should be helping anyone, it should be you. My dad lent his name to your campaigns and so have I. We've given money.

I've done everything I can when we are on different sides of the courtroom to conduct myself professionally so that we don't have problems like this.

I respected you and I trusted you, Woodrow. But I don't anymore.

”From here on, until this situation is taken care of, we're going to do this the right way. No more unrecorded meetings. No more handshakes. No more social engagements. No more fund raisers.

I'll memo you on your promise to pet.i.tion if I supply a psychological profile. I'm going to get you that profile. Then we'll go back to the way things used to be.”

Tara walked out of the Weber house. Charlotte came to Woodrow's side and together they watched Tara until she got into her Jeep and drove off. It was cold but both of them stood in the open doorway awhile longer.

”I'm sorry, Woodrow,” Charlotte said.

”I thought if I asked her woman-to-woman, she'd come to see things your way.”

”I wish you'd talked to me, Charlotte, before you talked to her,” Woodrow said. He put his hands on her shoulders and kissed her neck.

”I think I've just lost her support for the campaign.”