“Oh? Convince me.”
“I think Danny’s lying because he’s scared. He knows the difference between right and wrong, Kate. A competency hearing would cost the taxpayers. It’s part of my job to make sure that their money is well spent. I don’t think it would be in this case.”
“Danny’s not lying.”
“How do you refute the candlestick evidence?”
“Okay, he’s lying about that. I’ll concede that, but he says he didn’t kill Mrs. LePlante.”
“How do you know that?”
“I asked him.”
“Do you think he would tell you the truth?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know, Kate. He knows how you feel about him. He knows you have a place of power, one that could help him. I don’t think he’s as handicapped as he lets on.”
“Why do you say that?”
“He asked me pretty pointed questions about the trial. I think he can participate in his own defense.”
“He’s got a good defense attorney now. In fact, I think that Stephen Castle is one of the few who has defeated you in the past.”
“He’s good, but this time he doesn’t have much with which to defend his client. The forensic evidence is overwhelming.”
“It is. I’ll give you that. I should go and let you finish your workout before it gets too late.”
“There’s still something I want to discuss with you.” He stepped forward. “Are you still mad at me about what happened early this morning, Katie?”
“No. I wasn’t mad at you, just feeling cornered.”
“Is that what I do to you? Make you feel cornered. Not very flattering.”
“I guess not. But I don’t want to be pushed into something I’m not ready for.”
“We’ve been playing games now for a while. I’d say it was time for action. If I remember correctly, you threw down the gauntlet.”
“And so did you.”
“I told you what my reasons were for not pursuing something with you. You didn’t tell me yours.”
“What? For not pursuing you? How could I do that when every time I came into your presence, you didn’t even flutter an eyelash? I figured you weren’t interested.”
“That’s lame, Kate. You are like a pit bull in the lab. I’ve never seen a more organized woman, so what was it about me that you were afraid to find out?”
“I wasn’t afraid.”
“Was it that I wouldn’t be interested or that I would?”
“Just because you have no doubts about my loyalty and my intelligence doesn’t mean you know me.”
“I think I do know you. You value the intellectual world over the physical. You like to classify and categorize. It helps you continue to view life as a mental challenge. But life isn’t a spectator sport. It needs to be experienced, Kate. It needs to be embraced.”
“I embrace life. I do everything I can to fulfill my dreams.”
“Do you? From what I can see, you’re rigid, repressed, and a perfectionist.”