"I assume Brooke enjoys a chocolate torte as much as you do?"
"Looking for ideas for a peace offering for opposing counsel after that stunt you pulled with the 1 6 or just looking for the right flavor of humble pie for when th ejury brings back a 'guilty' verdict in the Crawford case," McCoy countered as he ushered Melnick towards an empty bench.
After a leisurely apology dinner at Tavern on the Green, the pair had opted to walk off some of their new found calories and took the long way out of Central Park. When McCoy began to press her about the motives behind their latest falling out, Melnick had suggested taking a break from the briskly paced stroll.
"Neither, Just looking out for your blood sugar," she replied as she glanced at the box beside McCoy. "You know if you eat that torte all by yourself Dr. Meadows is going give you hell. You know she as spies everywhere."
McCoy nodded solemnly, knowing the humoress remark about the primary care physician they shared, was laced with more truth than McCoy cared to admit.
"I'll risk it. You know like to live dangerously... after all I'm still talking to you. That could get me killed, when Brooke finds out. I heard about that crap you pulled during jury selection. What have you been doing Danielle,borrowing strategies from Randy Dworkin?"
Melnick smiled smugly as she recalled the frustration of opposing counsel when Melnick excused her 29th juror of the day, her 78th for the week. Melnick could so distinctly see one of the veins in Malinowski's temple pounding out a throbbing beat, that she thought for sure the ADA's head was going to explode.
"You of all people know how far I'll go for a client, Jack."
"Apparently not," McCoy said with amusement. "I never thought you'd do something as irresponsible as accusing me of assault. That raises the bar further than I ever could image, when it comes to how high you'll jump for a client."
"She's innocent Jack."
McCoy did a double take as the words bounced off the walls of his brain. Danielle Melnick didn't plead out innocent clients and McCoy knew it. He looked at her sharply, as he waited for her to continue.
"I know what you're thinking and you're right. I don't and she is,' Melnick said reading his mind.
It was clear to her that her misguided scheme needed a dramatic push to have the needed result occur. Telling Jack McCoy a woman she had been willing to take a plea on... even though the terms of that pleas were pie in the sky as far as opposing counsel was concerned ...was more than a push. It was a downright shove.
"If you think I'm going to try to influence Brooke in anyway regarding a pending case, you better think again, "he warned. "Besides, you know how I feel about your using the battered woman defense, in a case involving a woman who had enough malice a fore thought to buy the gun a month in advance. You know me, Danielle. I know better than most what a battered woman will and will not do."
"As well as what a battered child will do," she replied with intensity that immediately caught McCoy's attention.
"And that is relevant to this conversation how?"
"Come on Jack. You know I can't make it that easy for you… or anyone else… you might see fit to share this conversation with."
"You realize the tight rope you're walking?"
Melnick met his knowing gaze. It was a verbal dance they had done less than a half a dozen times in twenty years. One of the two knowing something the other should know about a case, yet being aware an outright revelation would violate more codes of ethics than there would be room to cite on a summons for the discipline committee of the state bar.
"If I keep walking it, can I count on you to try to catch me, Jack?"
McCoy silently weighed the consequences of flirting with disbarment, as well as the possible fallout that could occur between himself and his fiancée depending on the real impact Melnick's unspoken information could have on Malinowski's case. After less than a minute, McCoy gave his friend a single nod.