The snow storm whipped ice crystals down my neck as I ran slipping and sliding from my automobile to the entrance of the 23rd Precinct police station. Inside, I took off and shook my coat. It was hotter and more comfortable in the front reception of this police station than anywhere in my own crappy apartment building. I’d been Uptown here once before, I recalled, delivering papers to a senior partner a couple of months ago at the start of Fall. My clients usually came from Downtown Precincts; as the most junior of the junior lawyers in this vast City law practice, I only did pro bono public defending. Yeah, cutting my teeth on defending the indefensible.

Depressing, I know, but that was going to be my lot until I graduate from newbie lawyer to well, junior lawyer, I guess. I knew I still had a hell of a long way to go before getting a sniff at junior partnership.

So the admin staff at the office had made a really big mistake, handing me this opportunity. But for me it was a case of opportunity only knocks once.

Back home among the flat land grain silos over Christmas, I’d determined I would have to turn over a brand new leaf to kick-start my legal career. I knew before I started that it was impossible to impress my Daddy, who’s a small town Judge respected by everyone in the county. There was no way I could ever consider a practice in the same town as Daddy operated. I had hoped he’d be impressed by my moving to the biggest city of them all to gain experience. How could I explain to a big fish in a small pond, though, that a fresh-faced lawyer from Hicksville, USA, stepping up to compete with the big city attorneys was a lot more than just tackling a molehill? I could still taste the disappointment in his voice as he cross-examined every detail of my limited mostly downtown casework portfolio over Mom’s turkey and cranberry sauce.

So, back in the city immediately after Christmas, I was even more determined than ever to put in the effort to change my life around and make him proud of me.

Tonight, everyone at the firm, except a skeleton admin crew and myself, were out seeing in New Years. Hey, the whole city was hitting the cocktails. Me? I had a streaming head cold and wasn’t up to socialising. Besides, being from a small town without the right Ivy League connections, I wasn’t even invited to the firm’s party seeing in the new year.

I was the only lawyer in the office, so I took the damned call.

Being available and summoned to a public defending client in an Uptown precinct on New Years, was a big step in the right direction as far as my New Years resolution was concerned. I wasn’t going to let this one slip away.

The ancient Sarge on the desk only kept me waiting five minutes and even offered me a cup of almost drinkable coffee. Both were firsts. Yup, Uptown was definitely the goal to aim for.

I was directed into a small well-lit room, the only occupant sitting on the opposite side of a flat desk was a small, pale-faced man, about mid-fifties, I guessed. He wore a white laboratory coat, as if he had been arrested at work, his studious look topped off with a neat bow tie. The lenses in his spectacles were not unlike the bases of whiskey shot glasses. He didn’t look like a criminal, no, he looked more like my family doctor back home in Hicksville.

I checked the charge sheet more carefully again, Dr Wesley Newbold, my latest client. So he was a doctor, and charged with Federal property criminal damage. Hell, he didn’t look like he’d do much harm to a wet paper bag.

“Dr Newbold, I’m Newton Makepeace, your new attorney.”

“Why are you here?” he asked, in a cultured New England voice, making me feel more provincial even though I had consciously been trying to speak with less of a country accent for the past year, “I’ve already told the officers who questioned me that it’s a fair cop. I’m absolutely guilty as charged.”

“Well, Doc, we can determine your actual plea in court once we’ve discussed what kinda case the police have got against you. If they think you’re guilty, they may have been sloppy in gathering the evidence. Don’t give up your rights to a fair trial upfront, Dr Newbold, until we weigh up what all your options are.”

I tried to sound upbeat, getting the whole speech out without sneezing, but had a sinking feeling that my resolve to improve my resolution to improve my career might be thwarted at the first time of asking.

Dr Newbold relaxed in his chair and regarded me, probably evaluating my worth as a defence lawyer and already resigned to his fate with or without my help. He spoke, “I don’t actually have an attorney, I’ve never needed one, so you are who, exactly?”

“I’m a court-appointed attorney, to ensure you receive the best legal advice that—”

“Ah. My best advice to you, Mr ... Makepeace?”

“Yes sir?”

Doctor Newbold leaned forward.

“Get out,” he hissed, “go away and forget you ever saw me. Get away now, kid, while you still can!”

“Please Doc, it’s natural to feel that everyone’s against you when you’re stuck in a place like this. I get it. Oh boy, after seeing my Da— er, my father over the holidays, believe me I get it. Being trapped by unrealistic expectations, or, as you are, locked up like this in the slammer, kinda does that to you,” I replied, almost as smoothly as any proper lawyer might, “I assure you that I’m completely on your side, I’ll stick by you and defend you with every tool at the disposal of the most prestigious law firm in the city.”

I may have laid it on thick, I was full of conflict internally, huge virus infection, overdosed on anti-cold medication and my new year resolve to become the best lawyer in town; yet still as wet behind my ears as the very ink on my diploma.

He considered me, intensely. His examining look was disconcerting and I squirmed. I desperately wanted to blow my nose but I withered under his scrutiny.

“So, Counsellor, if you are my attorney, we therefore have complete confidentiality?”

“Of course,” I replied, slipping back smoothly into lawyer mode, “I’m bound by lawyer/client privilege, including full confidentiality rules. And anything you say to me won’t affect how hard I try to defend you from the charges levelled against you. Admitting guilt to me won’t affect your plea at all.”

“Oh, I’m guilty, all right.”

“The charges listed here are damage to Federal property, is that correct?”

“Absolutely, the research equipment, every last piece, including all my notes and records, were destroyed beyond all possible salvageability.”

“I take it that you are a scientist, Dr Newbold?”

“I was a scientist, but no more. They’ll lock me up and toss the key, I’m sure, no trial. I expect to be removed from here shortly, as soon as the ‘proper authorities’ find me, and all trace of my existence will be removed. I suggest you reconsider being my lawyer an’all.”