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you know her?”
    “I was at the bar where it all started that night. You know, O’Reilly’s. She comes struttin’ in, tryin’ to get some action, swingin’ her cute little ass around. Personally, I think she got what she deserved, the stupid cunt.”
    Travis felt his heart beating faster. Cool off, he told himself. You’re the man’s zealous advocate. “Did you see what happened?”
    “At the bar, yeah. After she’d flung her fishy smell all over the place, she sashayed out the front door. A gang of studs sittin’ in the corner decided they wanted a piece of that and followed her. Didn’t surprise me what happened. I knew it was comin’.”
    “Did you attempt to warn Miss McKenzie?”
    “Why? Hell, I don’t care what the little twat says. She wanted it.” He laughed. “Maybe not exactly what she got, but she wanted it.”
    “And what did you do when you saw these men follow her out of the bar?”
    Moroconi shrugged. “I had another Scotch and soda.”
    Travis redirected his eyes to the file. “Miss McKenzie says you were one of the men who attacked her.”
    “She’s fucked in the head.”
    “She picked you out of the lineup.”
    “She remembers me from the bar. So what?”
    “She says you urinated on her and forced a Coke bottle—”
    “Well, she’s wrong, goddamn it! Don’t you see?” Moroconi leaned across the table. “The stupid slut had been fucked blind! She couldn’t tell me from Elvis!”
    Travis coughed. “She also states that you suggested tying her to the bumper of her car—”
    “Look, you shit-faced shyster, I’m innocent. Are you going to help me or not?”
    “I’m—” Travis took a deep breath and closed his eyes. His stomach was churning like the ocean during a storm. “It’s not necessary for you to plead your innocence to me. In fact, I wish you wouldn’t. I’m simply trying to uncover facts that could assist your defense.”
    “Shee-it.” Moroconi blew air through his teeth. Bits of spittle flew across the room. “All you’re interested in is covering your ass. Just like everybody else.”
    “I assure you that isn’t—”
    “Just keep the goddamn trial going. Can you do that?”
    “I’m not sure I understand—”
    “Just keep the trial going, asshole! How long will the feds’ case take?”
    “Three or four days.”
    “Fine. Throw in a lot of objections and make sure it doesn’t end any sooner. I’ll take care of myself.”
    “I don’t think that’s a very good strategy—”
    “Are you my mouthpiece or ain’t you?”
    Travis hesitated. “I’m your court-appointed attorney—”
    “Then do what I say.”
    “I think I could help you—”
    “You better just try to help yourself, jerkwad.”
    Travis’s head twitched. “What do you mean by that?”
    “I mean exactly what I say. People are trying to get me, in case you haven’t figured it out, chump.”
    Oh great, Travis thought. A conspiracy theory from the paranoid defendant. I suppose the rape was committed on a grassy knoll. “Why do you assume—”
    “Why do you figure I got hauled in by the police?”
    “I understand there was an anonymous tip. …”
    “What a lucky coincidence. Shit. They saw a chance to nail my butt to the wall and they took it. In spades.”
    “I really don’t understand—”
    “Are you blind? Jesus, why do you think you’re here? Do you really think my last lawyer just disappeared? Decided to go to Tahiti or somethin’? There are people who want me gone, asshole. That’s why they framed me for this rap, and that’s why they’re gonna make sure I do serious time for it.”
    Travis frowned. “And who are these alleged people?”
    “They’re people who’d cut your fuckin’ heart out just to see what it looks like, that’s who!”
    Travis heard the guards returning. Time was up already. Sad thing about it was he was relieved—although the trial would start shortly and he hadn’t gleaned any information he could use in court. “I don’t feel