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n the air。 〃Dodge City on The Mall！〃
〃I wish you'd tell me what you think I should have done；〃 Jack said with some exasperation。
〃For someone able to shoot straight through the heart on his first shot； why not shoot the gun from his hand。 Sir John？〃
〃Oh； I see。〃 Atkinson had just made a mistake。 Ryan shook his head and smiled。 〃I wish you'd make up your mind。〃
〃What？〃 The barrister was caught by surprise。
〃Mr。 Atkinson； a minute ago you said that I tried to kill your client。 I was at arm's…length range； but I didn't kill him。 So I'm a pretty lousy shot。 But you expect me to be able to hit a man in the hand at fifteen or twenty feet。 It doesn't work that way； sir。 I'm either a good shot or a bad shot； sir； but not both。 Besides； that's just TV stuff； shooting a gun out of somebody's hand。 On TV the good guy can do that； but TV isn't real。 With a pistol； you aim for the center of your target。 That's what I did。 I stepped out from behind the car to get a clear shot； and I aimed。 If McCrory had not turned his gun towards me I can't say for sure； but probably I would not have shot。 But he did turn and fire； as you can see from my shoulder and I did return fire。 It is true that I might have done things differently。 Unfortunately I did not。 I had I didn't have much time to take action。 I did the best I could。 I'm sorry the man was killed； but that was his choice； too。 He saw I had the drop on him； but he turned and fired and he fired first； sir。〃
〃But you never said a word； did you？〃
〃No； I don't think I did；〃 Jack admitted。
〃Don't you wish you'd done things differently？〃
〃Mr。 Atkinson； if it makes you feel any better； I have gone over that again and again for the past four weeks。 If I'd had more time to think； perhaps I would have done something different。 But I'll never know； because I didn't have more time。〃 Jack paused。 〃I suppose the best thing for all concerned would be if all this had never happened。 But I didn't make it happen； sir。 He did。〃 Jack allowed himself to look at Miller again。
Miller was sitting in a straight…back wooden chair； his arms crossed in front of him； and head cocked slightly to the left。 A smile started to take shape at one corner of his mouth。 It didn't go very far； and wasn't supposed to。 It was a smile for Ryan alone 。 。 。 or maybe not me alone。 Jack realized。 Sean Miller's gray eyes didn't blink he must have practiced that as they bored in on him from thirty feet away。 Ryan returned the stare； careful to keep his face without expression； and while the court reporter finished up his transcription of Jack's testimony； and the visitors in the overhead gallery shared whispered observations； Ryan and Miller were all alone； testing each other's wills。 What's behind those eyes？ Jack wondered again。 No weakling； to be sure。 This was a game Miller's game that he'd practiced before； Ryan thought with certainty。 There was strength in there； like something one might encounter in a predatory animal。 But there was nothing to mute the strength。 There was none of the softness of morality or conscience； only strength and will。 With four police constables around him； Sean Miller was as surely restrained as a wolf in a cage； and he looked at Ryan as a wolf might from behind the bars； without recognition of his humanity。 He was a predator； looking at a 。 。 。 thing and wondering how he might reach it。 The suit and the tie were camouflage； as had been his earlier smile at his friends in the gallery。 He wasn't thinking about them now。 He wasn't thinking about what the court would decide。 He wasn't thinking about prison； Jack knew。 He was thinking only about something named Ryan； something he could see just out of his reach。 In the witness box； Jack's right hand flexed in his lap as though to grasp the pistol which lay in sight on the evidence table a few feet away。
This wasn't an animal in a cage； after all。 Miller had intelligence and education。 He could think and plan； as a human could； but he would not be restrained by any human impulses when he decided to move。 Jack's academic investigation of terrorists for the CIA had dealt with them as abstractions； robots that moved about and did things； and had to be neutralized one way or another。 He'd never expected to meet one。 More important； Jack had never expected to have one look at him in this way。 Didn't he know that Jack was just doing his civic duty？
You could care less about that。 I'm something that got in your way。 I hurt you； killed your friend； and defeated your mission。 You want to get even； don't you？ A wounded animal will always seek out its tormentor。 Jack told himself。 And this wounded animal has a brain。 This one has a memory。 Out of sight to anyone else； he wiped a sweaty hand on his pants。 This one is thinking。
Ryan was frightened in a way that he'd never known before。 It lasted several seconds before he reminded himself that Miller was surrounded by four cops； that the jury would find him guilty； that he would be sentenced to prison for the remainder of his natural life； and that prison life would change the person or thing that lived behind those pale gray eyes。
And I used to be a Marine； Jack told himself。 I'm not afraid of you。 I can handle you； punk。 I took you out once； didn't I？ He smiled back at Sean Miller； just a slight curve at the corner of his own mouth。 Not a wolf a weasel。 Nasty； but not that much to worry about； he told himself。 Jack turned away as though from an exhibit in the zoo。 He wondered if Miller had seen through his quiet bravado。
〃No further questions；〃 Atkinson said。
〃The witness may step down；〃 Mr。 Justice Wheeler said。
Jack stood up from the stool and turned to find the way out。 As he did so； his eyes swept across Miller one last time； long enough to see that the look and the smile hadn't changed。
Jack walked back out to the grand hall as another witness passed in the other direction。 He found Dan Murray waiting for him。
〃Not bad；〃 the FBI agent observed； 〃but you want to be careful locking horns with a lawyer。 He almost tripped you up。〃
〃You think it'll matter？〃
Murray shook his head。 〃Nah。 The trial's a formality； the case is airtight。〃
〃What'll he get？〃
〃Life。 Normally over here 'life' doesn't mean any more than it does stateside six or eight years。 For this kid； 'life' means life。 Oh； there you are； Jimmy。〃
mander Owens came down the corridor and joined them。 〃How did our lad perform？〃
〃Not an Oscar winner； but the jury liked him；〃 Murray said。
〃How can you tell that？〃
〃That's right； you've never been through this； have you？ They sat perfectly still； hardly even breathed while you were telling your story。 They believed everything you said； especially the part about how you've thought and worried about it。 You e across as an honest guy。〃
〃I am；〃 Ryan said。 〃So？〃
〃Not everybody is；〃 Owens pointed out。 〃And juries are actually quite good at noticing it。 That is； some of the time。〃
Murray nodded。 〃We both have some good well； not so good stories about what a jury can do； but when you get down to it； the system works pretty well。 mander Owens； why don't we buy this