“Yes, ma’am.”
Flashing his employer’s name usually got Ken’s foot in the door. A lot of Robin’s cases had been front-page news, and the media loved the fact that she was attractive and lethal.
Debra looked confused. “What kind of case are you talking about?”
“One that involves your days as a student at Randolph College.”
Debra’s mouth gaped open. “You’re not talking about Margo?”
“Yes, ma’am, and Jose Alvarez. We have new information that suggests he may be innocent. I noticed that there’s a coffee shop near here. I’d be glad to spring for a latte while we talk about it.”
Debra Porter eyed Ken with suspicion as he approached with her drink.
“One caramel macchiato,” Ken said as he sat across from her.
“You still haven’t told me what you want,” Debra said.
“Do you remember a student named Archie Stallings?” Ken said as he pried the plastic lid off his black coffee.
Debra flushed with anger. “That man is a pig.”
“Was a pig,” Ken corrected. “He died recently.”
“Good riddance.”
“That’s some reaction, care to explain it?”
“Why don’t you tell me why you think Jose Alvarez is innocent before I answer any more questions, because the last I heard, he’d been convicted of beating Margo to death.”
“Archie Stallings’s testimony for the prosecution was a majorreason for the conviction. Miss Lockwood has come into possession of evidence that calls his testimony into question.”
“In what way?”
“For various legal reasons, I’m barred from telling you what Miss Lockwood learned. I can ask you if you have any reason to believe that Stallings may have lied at Jose’s trial?”
Debra took a sip of her drink and stared into space. Ken let her think. After a moment, she looked at Ken.
“A detective talked to me when Stallings was charged with rape. I told her that there were rumors that he’d been aggressive with more than one girl. I also told her that Margo had told me that he’d come on to her at a party, and Jose had stopped him from forcing her into a bedroom.”
“Were you and Margo good friends? Someone she would confide in?”
“Yes, and she told me Archie had been after her and wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
“Why didn’t you testify about that at Jose’s trial?”
“No one asked me, so I thought it wasn’t important. But I’ve always wondered…” Debra paused. “If I’d told someone when Jose was on trial, would it have helped?”
“Possibly.”
Debra looked down. “I feel terrible.”
“Don’t. Jose’s attorney should have found you. It was his responsibility. And you may have a chance now to right a terrible wrong.”
CHAPTER NINE
The firm’s receptionist buzzed Ken Breland as soon as Robin arrived at Barrister, Berman, and Lockwood fresh from her workout. Ken met Robin halfway and walked down the hall with her toward her office.
“I’ve some really good stuff for you,” Breland said.