PASSIONS OF CRIME

Martin and Morgan's

Four – Martin and Morgan's

"Tony?" said Jo as they were dancing.

"Yeah?"

"Are you really gonna let Sernes die?"

He exhaled.

"Don't do that, Jo. We've been over this once."

"I know. But I'm still unconvinced. How is trading one life for another an act of goodness?"

"It is not." he replied, "It's business."

"Trading lives is a business?"

"More or less."

"Tony, that boy hasn't lived half as much as he ought to."

"I know."

"Why don't you do anything about it, then?"

"What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to do your job. Defend him and get him off those false charges."

He exhaled again.

"You're so naïve, Jo."

"Stop calling me that. I understand how the real world works. But that doesn't mean I'm wrong to believe in kindness and compassion. You feel something for that kid, you sympathise with him. And you despise crime and violence just as much as any of us do. But there's a difference between you and the rest of the world."

Antonio was silent for some time.

"And what's that?" asked he.

"You can do something about it. You can stop something terrible about to befall someone innocent just by doing your job." she replied.

"Do you know how many criminals are on the street because of me?" he asked her after some time, "I defend these monsters, these animals. I get them off the most serious of charges. Murder, kidnapping, drugs, rape, you name it. And I really hate that last one you know. I mean, what kind of a man forces himself on a woman? Who does that? But it doesn't matter, because it's my job. It's my job to represent guilt."

"Have you never represented innocence, Tony?"

He sighed. "Once." said he, "Only one client of mine was innocent of anything."

"And how fighting for that client feel?"

"Miserable. It felt miserable."

"Why?" she looked in his eyes.

"Because I lost that case." he said, his voice quivering.

She placed her hand on his cheek. "Alan?" she asked.

"Alan." he replied, and placed his head on her shoulder.

"Is that why you're afraid of working this case, Tony? That you might not be able to save Rictor?"

His silence meant a definite 'yes'.

"Look at it this way," she began softly, "if you do save Rictor, maybe Alan's loss will hurt a little less. It'll still sting, but at least it'll let you sleep. Knowing that someone innocent is safe because of you, and that his family, his friends, and the love of his life, all of them are thankful to you for saving him. Wouldn't that feel better, Tony?"

He didn't say anything for a minute.

"God I wish you weren't such an angel, Jo."