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Venus turned and stared at Kendrick like he’d just slithered fro your pardon?"

Kendrick stared at her, froze He sed, looked ready to choke "Ah, oh, it--it’s you, Mrs Rasmussen--" He stopped dead, flushed red to his eyebrows, realizing he was standing not three feet froun he’d ever speak to in his lifetime "Ah,He’s already hurt"

Venus waved a graceful hand toward Willig "Of course he is He should probably be dead for what he tried to do Who are you?"

"I’’s lawyer, ma’am, Morton James Kendrick" He didn’t want to be intimidated by one of the most powerful women in A sentenced by the hanging judge

Savich wanted to laugh, it was everything he’d hoped for He looked at Sherlock, knowing she was having trouble keeping her face straight Veronica had her hand over her h as well The three of them watched Venus eye Kendrick slowly up and down "It seereat deal to talk about with your client You can represent him until he runs out of the sainst a charge of attempted murder, or you can convince him to tell us who hired him and accept one hundred thousand dollars from me, as well as my promise to intercede with the prosecutor to keep his sentence as short as possible What do you have to say to Mr Willig?"

Savich saw Kendrick s, could practically see hi zeroes in his head, saw the you’d-better-take-the-bucks look he gave to Willig

As for Willig, he was staring up at Venus as if ht I’ll tell you everything I know It was that good-looking broad over there who’s acting all righteous, like she’d fling herself in front of a bus for you"

Veronica opened her mouth, hissed, but Savich said over her, "You don’t even know her name, do you?"

Venus fisted her hand, but she didn’t sain She really wanted to, very hed and shook her head in disappoint his face Then she turned to Kendrick "I will leave it to you, Mr Kendrick, to talk Mr Willig into accepting one hundred thousand dollars in exchange for the truth And you will tell hiive us the proof we need to be certain it is the truth, since his word isn’t worth much, now is it? Don’t stand there like blubber fallen off a whale, make your brain-dead client own up"

Savich had to say that Big Mort looked ready to shoot Willig if he didn’t cooperate His cut would be what? Thirty thousand dollars? Savich watched him clear his throat and booet it in writing that Mrs Rasmussen will pay you one hundred thousand dollars for the na yelled, "I want more than the , too"

Savich said, "Mr Willig, I’ve already spoken to the federal prosecutor If you are ready to tell the truth, to cooperate fully, he’s willing to sit down and talk with you But you will serve so look "Howat?"

"Your attorney can work that out with the prosecutor"

"You think I’d trust a lawyer? Only fools trust lawyers" Willig stared over at Big Mort "How much would you take ofMort said

"See that? Thirty percent for doing exactly nothing Tell you what, I’ll think about it Get me some pain est you consider the alternative, Mr Willig, na the rest of your life in Attica"