What did he say to you to convince you to do his work? Joan stuck her head through the door.Fred is waiting in the garage for Vanessa. What is it? Drake asked. Point it at me. Im listening. What? I said. He was deposited in a tiny, drab room, where he supposed women came to consult about having an abortion. Devine knew that this particular subject would be one in which no general consensus would ever be reached. But he could imagine people sitting here and making perhaps the most momentous and gut-wrenching decision of their lives. How recently? I said. Thanks, Dino said. Please let us know if a stranger, male or female, comes in. Im not going to answer that. Do you know where Cowl was when Sara was killed? Maybe you should. Like you said, itsdelicate. He paused and chose his next words carefully. But then again, you can always just fire me. When they arrived at another elevator, she held a phone up in front of a reader there. They walked along the long pier until finally they made out the form of a grizzled seaman, sitting in the bow of a trim fishing boat, playing the accordion, his face, granite hard from wind and salt spray, etched with deep lines. Call your first witness, Judge Sedgwick said. Or do you wish to make an opening statement at this time? Mr. Longmire, Vullo said. Maybe you should. An empty restaurant. That place we went to that time is being painted. Itll be deserted at lunch hour, because all the painters will have gone somewhere thats open. Did you watch to see where she went?.