Stone and Dino turned to see a tall man in a beautiful overcoat standing there.
“My name is Carlton Palmer; I’m Henrietta Morgan’s attorney; I know you won’t mind if I consult with my client. Alone,” he added for good measure.
The two detectives reluctantly gave up the field.
“Shit,” Dino muttered. “She was going to confess. We had her in the palm of our hands, and that slick bastard had to show up.”
“She had a right to see him, Dino,” Stone said. “To tell you the truth, I’d have been uncomfortable with a confession made before her lawyer got here.”
“She won’t say another fucking word now,” Dino complained. “We’ll just have to work our fucking balls off, making the case. If we’d had that confession, you and I would have made detective first by tomorrow morning.”
“Well, you’re right about one thing,” Stone commiserated. “She’ll never say a word to us now.”
Ten minutes later, Palmer came out of the cubicle. “Gentlemen,” he said, “my client will answer your questions now.”
Chapter 21
They had moved to the conference room. Tape and video equipment was up and running. Leary had joined them for the big moment.
“I’d like to say something for the camera before you begin,” the lawyer said.
Stone nodded.
He got up, walked around to where Hank Morgan sat, placed a fatherly hand on her shoulder, and spoke to the camera. “I am Carlton Palmer, the attorney representing Henrietta Morgan, and I would like this record to show that Miss Morgan is giving this statement voluntarily and of her own free will in a spirit of cooperation with the police.” He returned to his seat.
Stone’s hands were sweating. “State your full name and address and place of employment for the record,” he said to Morgan.
“My name is Henrietta Maxine Morgan; I live at Seventy-one West Tenth Street in Manhattan. I am employed as a makeup artist by the news division of the Continental Network.” Her voice quavered a bit, but she was calm.
“Ms. Morgan, have you been advised of your rights under the Constitution of the United States?”
“I have been.”
“Are you making this statement voluntarily?”
“I am.”
“Have you been subjected to any duress with regard to this statement?”
“No.”
“Ms. Morgan, how long have you been employed by the Continental Network?”
“Just over three months.”
“And when did you first meet Sasha Nijinsky?”
“Shortly after I joined the network. I did her makeup once, substituting for someone who was out sick, and she began asking for me.”
“Did you and Ms. Nijinsky become friends?”
“Yes.”
“How long ago?”
“We were on friendly terms from the beginning. We began to become… close about eight weeks ago.”
“Did you, in fact, enter into a romantic relationship with Ms. Nijinsky?”