Chapter 24 Thirteenth scene

Ryan's limousine stopped in front of an apartment on Siri Avenue, and the guards greeted him politely and led him into the lounge. "I'm looking for Mr. Lyman." The guard communicated with the walkie-talkie very well, followed, and led Ren to take the elevator all the way up to the 16th floor. A servant of Japanese origin was waiting at the elevator door with a smile on his face, and greeted Ren into two rooms to get through. in a large apartment.Lyman, dressed in a formal tuxedo, shook hands with Lane cordially.Lyman was of medium height and handsome, with a round face, a white scar on the chin, a broad and high forehead, and thin hair deliberately combed to the forehead.

"The famous Mr. Ryan, I have been friends with him for a long time," Lehman said, letting Ryan sit in the big comfortable chair in the study, "It goes without saying how honored and happy I am to visit the humble house today, Lehman Man Brooke has told me that you are interested in the DeWitt case." Lyman walked around the large desk full of documents and legal books, and sat down too. "Mr. Lyman, I suppose you're struggling with this defense?" Lyman collapsed into the chair as if he had been hit to the core, and anxiously caressed the scar on his chin: "Troubled?" He looked at the messy documents and books on the table with a sullen face, "It's okay to be troubled, Ren Sir, despite my best efforts, this case has no chance at all. I tried repeatedly to convince DeWitt that he must change his attitude, but this man is closed in his own inner world. Sentencing is imminent, I can't ask anything from him at all, and as things stand, the future is completely hopeless."

Ren sighed sympathetically: "Mr. Lehmann, do you think DeWitt will be found guilty?" Lehman's face turned even worse: "It seems impossible to hide," he spread his hands, "So far, Bruno's argument has been played to the fullest—he is really a devilishly shrewd prosecutor—and, he The arguments put forward are very convincing to the jury. I have carefully observed our jury of twelve gentlemen, and there is no doubt that they are completely in Bruno's hands, these idiots. These jury gentlemen." Ryan noticed that Lehman's under-eye bags were a little swollen from lack of sleep: "Mr. Lehman, what do you mean. DeWitt's insistence on not revealing who the mysterious person who made the call was out of some kind of fear? "

"Damn it, I don't even know about it," Lehman rang the bell, and immediately, a Japanese servant appeared with a tray. "Mr. Wren, how about a drink? Cocoa milk? Or ouzo?" "No, thank you, if it's convenient, give me a cup of black coffee." The Japanese servant was ordered to retreat. "Mr. Wren, let me tell you frankly," Lehmann fiddled with a piece of paper, "DeWitt confused me from the very beginning, I couldn't figure out whether he was resigned to his fate or was hiding something in his pocket." Trick. If it was fate, then he did it. You know, in court this afternoon, I worked hard, but Bruno was very leisurely. He even voluntarily gave up the opportunity to call witnesses and state his opinions. He was completely confident. Look. I think, tomorrow morning, my defense firepower must be raised again. After the court today, I made a special visit to Judge Green's office. The old boy's tone is tighter than usual, what? I can't find out, as for Bruno. Fighting and self-satisfied, one of my men overheard Bruno say that the case is already in his pocket... But, as I often quote, in the profession of lawyers, My motto has always been: Beisogroseer Gefahrkommtdieleichteste Hoffnungin Anschlag (In such great danger, not even the tiniest ray of hope should be let go)"

"This quote is from that great Teutonic poet who rivals Shakespeare," Wren whispered. "How do you plan to strengthen your defense?" "All I can do is try to disprove Bruno's argument -- of course, try to make it a trick for the prosecution to set up DeWitt," Lehman said. ——In front of the jury, sarcastically, he was unable to explain how Wood knew that DeWitt was the murderer of Longstreet, although after the incident, DeWitt had taken Wood's car twice, after all The shuttle bus home is his habit, and I'll let the jury get to the bottom of it. But the worst part is, I'm afraid that's not really hitting Bruno in the gut, and the direct evidence of the cigars found on Wood's body is my A hard shell that can't be broken at all."

Ryan took a cup of black coffee from the Japanese servant, sipping it while thinking, while Lehman played with the wine glass in his hand. "It's worse," Lyman continued, shrugging. "DeWitt's real mortal enemy is himself, alas! If he didn't tell the police, he never gave Wood a cigar." Well, so I might be able to make up a credible case in my defense, but he lied so stupidly that night...Damn it," he drank his small glass of wine in one gulp, "first, he said it was only One boat ride, and later admitted he took four round trips - and the sleazy story of someone calling him up to meet - and I honestly don't blame Bruno for making that sarcasm in court, If my relationship with DeWitt hadn't been like this today, put it another way, I would have thought DeWitt made it up."

"But you can't think so," Ryan said calmly. "Do you want the jury to come to the same conclusion as your private judgment when confronted with the evidence? I don't think so...Mr. Lehmann, From what you said tonight, I feel that you have already thought about the worst outcome, maybe—” Ren smiled, and put down the coffee cup gently, “Maybe, combining the strength of the two of us can really take advantage of the great Perhaps what Goethe called 'the tiniest glimmer of hope'..." Lyman shook his head: "I appreciate your kindness, but I don't see how it can change the situation. From a legal point of view, my best strategy is to set fire to the evidence of the situation Bruno mentioned. As if throwing a bunch of questions in the past, the jury may also agree with these reasonable doubts and make a verdict of not guilty. This strategy is of course more roundabout and time-consuming, but it is my most powerful line of attack. No way, as long as DeWitt's mouth is still as tight as it is now, and any attempt to prove his innocence is undoubtedly a waste of life."

Ren closed his eyes, and Lehman fell silent, staring curiously at the famous and mysterious figure in front of him.After a while, the old actor opened his eyes, and Lehman saw a pair of gray eyes with an astonishing sparkle in the depths: "Do you know, Mr. Lehman," Lehman said softly, "I am very, very I am so surprised that there are so many smart minds involved in this case, why no one can see through the veil of appearance and clearly see the essence of this case?—At least, for me personally—this It’s as clear as it was captured by a camera, and it’s vivid in my memory.” Lyman's face was suddenly lifted by some kind of force—a hope, an expectation that is not easy to catch.

"You mean," Lehmann pressed urgently, "that you have strong facts in your hands that the rest of us don't know?—hard facts that prove DeWitt's innocence?" Ren quietly folded his hands: "Mr. Lyman, can you tell me first—do you really believe that DeWitt is not the murderer who killed Wood?" The lawyer's voice dropped suddenly: "This is not an appropriate question." Ren smiled and shook his head: "Okay, let's not talk about this... Just now I mentioned the facts that are as clear as photographed by a camera, and you immediately infer whether I have new information...Mr. Lehman, in fact, everything I know That's what Inspector Sam and Attorney Bruno already knew, and it's all contained in all the paperwork and investigative reports you've read about the night of the murder. Falling into it, I believe he can see such a clear truth at a glance."

Lyman couldn't hold back anymore and jumped up from his chair: "For God's sake, Mr. Wren," he said loudly, "what the hell is it? I—God, I really think there's another glimmer of hope gone." "Please sit down, Mr. Lehman," Ryan said kindly, "Please listen carefully. If you think it is necessary, you can write it down..." "Wait, Mr. Lane, please wait, come right away," Lehman ran to a cabinet, and quickly brought back a strange machine, "I have a tape recorder—please tell me what's on your mind, Lane Sir, I will study it all night, and fight it to win a big battle tomorrow morning!"

Lehmann took out a black wax cylinder from the desk drawer, connected the tape recorder, and handed the microphone to Ren, who gently spoke to the tape recorder... At 9:30, Ryan bid farewell and left, leaving an energetic Lehman behind. From his sparkling eyes, it could be seen that the original exhaustion and helplessness had been swept away in an instant, and he couldn't wait to grab the phone just hit.